The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, March 9, 2002, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AHMEDGARH
CELEBRATED: International Women’s Day was celebrated at local Sanatan Vidya Mandir. The function was presided over by Ms Mann Thapar, Councillor, while Ms Chitter Rekha, Principal, Janta College, was the chief guest. In her presidential address, Ms Thapar asked women to fight for their rights. Among others who spoke on the occasion were Ms Kamla Sharma, Ms Darshan Kaur and Ms Archana.

AMRITSAR
NOMINATED: Dr Jodh Singh, a Professor in the Department of Guru Nanak Studies of Guru Nanak Dev University, has been nominated as member of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research (HRD Ministry of India). He has produced the first-ever translation of the complete works of Bhai Gurdas in English and Hindi.

MEMORIAL LECTURE: The local DAV College will organise the third Mahatma Hans Raj memorial lecture on March 16. Mr Hari Jaisingh, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune, will deliver a lecture on “Restoring India’s pre-eminence in the field of knowledge.” The information was given here on Thursday by Mr M.I. Aeri, Principal of the college.

RESIGNED: Mr Satya Pal Mahajan, Chairman of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, here resigned from the board chairmanship on Wednesday. This was stated in a press note issued here on Thursday on the letterhead of Mr Satya Pal Mahajan.

BARNALA
MEETING HELD: The district police will be polite but firm in checking and preventing crime in the district and ensure justice to the people well within the purview of police administration. This was stated by Mr Gurinder Singh Dhillon, new Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Barnala police district, while interacting with mediapersons in this office here on Thursday in his first meeting with newspersons after the assumption of his new assignment and office on Monday.

BATALA
ANNUAL FUNCTION: The 32nd Annual Prize Distribution Function of the local R.R. Bawa D.A.V. College for Girls was held here on Thursday in the college campus. Dr S.P. Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, was the chief guest and Mr Brij Mohan Lal Aggarwal, Chairman of the local Managing Committee, presided over.

DORAHA
DE-ADDICTION CAMP: A free drug de-addiction camp shall be organised by the Rotary Club at Sidhu Hospital on March 10. Stating this, the project chairman, Dr Gursaran Kaur, said that drug addiction was a mental physical and social ill. It could be relieved by true understanding of the physical environment and psychic state of the patient. "We endeavour to promote an addiction-free environment by understanding the mental state of the patient and for this purpose we shall be organising free de-addiction camps from time to time."

HOSHIARPUR
CASES REGISTERED: Two cases of looting and beating up of truck drivers were registered here on Wednesday on a complaint lodged by the local Shivam Enterprises and Punjab and Himachal Goods Transport Company. According to police sources, drivers of three trucks of Shivam Enterprises were loading cement at Sherpur on Tuesday evening when some persons came there and started beating the drivers. They snatched Rs 500 each from them. Similarly some truck drivers of Punjab and Himachal Goods Transport Company were beaten up at Nasrela by certain persons who later looted Rs 500 each from them.

KHANNA
ARHTIYA ASSOCIATION: A meeting of the Arhtiya Association, Khanna, turned controversial when Harbans Singh Rosha was elected president of the association. However, present president Sadhu Ram Nanda had termed the election of Harbans Singh Rosha as illegal. According to him, election was not as agenda of the meeting. Meanwhile, Harbans Singh Rosha claimed that majority of the members were with him. About 200 members were present at the meeting.

LUDHIANA
CAMPUS INTERVIEW: As a part of the placement endeavour for its students, the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology organised a campus interview session on Friday. Officials of software companies visited the college where written tests and interviews were conducted. Dr A.S. Bansal, director, said more campus interviews would be held in future to help students get suitable jobs.

FAREWELL: The outgoing students of the Khalsa Institute of Management and Technology, Civil Lines, were given a farewell party here on Friday. The students from first and second years of the BBA and the BCA presented various music, dance and drama items. A modelling session was also held in which nearly 30 students gave their introduction, answered questions asked by judges and presented their talent in a limited time frame.

NAWANSHAHR
CHARGE TAKEN: Mr Ashok Kumar Gupta and Dr Naresh Kumar took charge of Deputy Commissioner and SSP here on Thursday. Mr Gupta had earlier been Special Secretary, Agriculture, and Dr Naresh Kumar had been serving as Commandant 6 IRB, said an official press note issued here.

STUDENTS BOOKED: The flying squads here, under the guidance of the District Education Officer, Mr Ujjagar Singh Mahil have booked 24 students found guilty of copying in the ongoing matric and plus two examinations and changed the supervisory staff of an examination centre after finding staff guilty of dereliction of duty. This was stated in an official press note issued here on Thursday.

PATHANKOT
EX-MINISTER BEREAVED: Mr Kultark Bhalla, (48) an elder brother of former minister, Mr Raman Bhalla, died here on Thursday after a brief illness. A large number of persons, including MLAs, ministers and Congress leaders attended the funeral at his native village Kotli.

LICENCES ISSUED: The local Lions Club organised a camp for issuing driving licences to applications here on Wednesday. Mr Ravinder Mahajan, president of the club was the chief guest. Ms Bhawna Garg, SDM, who is the licensing authority said 150 licences were issued at the camp.

EYE CAMP: A three-day free eye operation camp will be organised here from Sunday by Durga Jyoti Manav Club, said its president, Mr Ashok Verma.

PHAGWARA
APPOINTED: Educationist-cum-exporter Ashwani Kohli of Bawa Industries was appointed Chairman of the 11-member IT Advisory Committee of Guru nanak College here on Friday. The president of the local Bar Association, Mr S.N. Aggarwal, and president of the Environment Association, Mr K.K. Sardana, are among members.

CHANDIGARH

YOGA: The Chandigarh Yog Sabha in association with the Haryana Yog Sabha will organise a yoga convention on the birth anniversary of its founder, Pradhan Yogacharya Yogiraj Swami Dev Dayalji Maharaj, at Yog Sadhna Kendra, Sector 21, on Saturday. This was stated in a press note issued by Mr Purshotam Mahajan, president of the sabha. He said a yoga sammelan would also be held under the guidance of Prof M. Lal. OC

ELECTED: Mr Ashwini Munjal was elected as general secretary of the PGI Medical Technologists Association on Thursday. Mr K.L. Chopra has been elected as president, while Mr Prem Chand as vice-president, Mr Dev Raj as joint secretary and Mr Vijay Kumar Aggarwal as treasurer.

MoU SIGNED: The Indian Pharmaceutical Congress through the University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences signed a MoU with Panjab University on Friday for building a golden jubilee Pharmaceutical Conference Hall on the university campus. This was stated in an official press note here. The 46th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress donated Rs 18 lakh for the construction of the conference hall and Rs 2 lakh for instituting the golden jubilee pharmaceutical oration. Prof D.P. Jindal and Prof S.K. Kulkarni on behalf of the congress and Prof Paramjit Singh, the registrar, on behalf of the universities were the signatories.

SEMINAR: Geologists can play an active role towards societal needs by educating general public about natural hazards, said Prof K.S.Valdiya in his presidential address at the national seminar on ‘Natural hazards and their mitigation’ at Panjab University here on Friday. Professor Valdiya said natural hazards, including earthquakes and landslides, were directly related to active movement of the faults, which were active in nature. Prof S.K. Tandon in his keynote address spoke on climate changes in relation to natural processes and phenomenon. Prof V. Rajamani emphasised on the relationship between soil fertility and soil erosion by farming practices and loss of cultivable land. Prof Naresh Kochhar, Prof R.K. Kakkar and Dr G.S.Gill also spoke on the occasion.

DERA BASSI
ANNUAL DAY: The Central Institute of Engineering and Vocational Studies, Dera Bassi, celebrated its first annual day here on Friday. In a press note issued by Wg Cdr P Prabhakar (retd), Director and Principal of the institute, said various cultural items were presented by students. Mr Avtar Singh, chairman, Shivalik Shiksha Society and Educational Society of Professionals and Vocationals, presided over the function.

HARYANA

AMBALA
INFORMATION ON INTERNET: To bring greater transparency under a "New Direction" programme, information regarding Ambala will soon be available on the Internet. Commissioner, Information Technology Department. Haryana Government, Mr Dharamveer, on Friday inspected the computer sections of different departments, including offices of Deputy Commissioner and Sub Divisional Magistrate, Treasury office and Tehsil office. He also assessed the daily records maintained through computers. Mr Dharamveer said special emphasis was being laid on computerisation in certain offices as work like driving licence, vehicle registration, revenue records, development work and payment of government bills were being carried out there, according to a press note.

ROAD INAUGURATED: The Naggal MLA, Mr Jasbir Mallour, on Friday inaugurated a road at Bhanokheri village. Mr Mallour handed over a cheque for Rs 2.35 lakh to Gram Vikas Samiti for building the retaining wall at the local pond besides laying the foundation stone for a school wall. Mr Mallour said a sum of Rs 6 crore had already been released for different rural development projects, according to a press note.

BHIWANI
PCR VEHICLES: To control criminal activities and make police arrangements more effective in the district, four new PCR vehicles have been included in the police fleet. Stating this here on Thursday the district police chief, Mr Rajender Singh, said one jeep would be kept at Charkhi Dadri while three would be on round-the-clock patrolling here.

FATEHABAD
FARM SCIENTISTS: A team of farm scientists from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University have visited the wheat crop fields in the district, which had, reportedly, been affected by some disease. The team included Dr R.S. Dahiya, Dr I.J. Pruthi and Dr Krishan Kumar. The local Plant Protection Officer, Mr P.S. Poonia, also accompanied them.

THREE ARRESTED: The district police arrested three drug traffickers on Thursday for being in possession of 2.5 kg of opium and 40 kg of poppy husk. According to a press note issued by the district police here, the patrol staff of Ratia police station nabbed a local resident, Laxman Dass, at the bus stop of Nagpur village and seized. 2.5 kg of opium from him. In another case, a police party from Tohana police station stopped a two-wheeler near Lali village and seized 25 kg of poppy husk from it. Khazan Singh has been arrested. Meanwhile, Pappu from the same village was arrested with 15 kg of poppy husk. Cases under the NDPS Act have been registered.

KURUKSHETRA
COLLEGE FUNCTION: The Annual Prize Distribution Function of University College here was held on Thursday. Mr R.S. Chaudhry, Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, presided over. Earlier, the Principal of the college, Dr Chand Dutta, read the annual report of the college.