The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, April 15, 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

AMRITSAR
CELEBRATED: The birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar was celebrated with great fervour by the Sri Guru Ravi Das Naujawan Sabha here on Sunday. The sabha led by its president Prahlad Kumar took out a procession from Sri Guru Ravi Das Mandir, Bhushan Pura. The Bahujan Samaj Morcha also celebrated the anniversary and held a rally at Putlighar.

BATHINDA
BODY FOUND: The body of an unidentified person was found on the local power house road on Saturday. According to the police, the deceased, about 35 years of age, bears injuries on neck. A case under Section 302 IPC has been registered.

MALERKOTLA
DEMANDED: Social and political organisations of Ahmedgarh at a press conference organised at Gandhi School here on Saturday demanded re-investigation into the case registered against Mr Ashutosh Vinayak, former Punjab president, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, by Mr Kishori Lal Badhan, president, Municipal Council, Ahmedgarh. Mr Abhay Kumar Jain, president, Vidya Pracharak Sabha, Ahmedgarh, alleged that Mr Badhan had personal and political grudges against Mr Vinayak and was misusing his official position.

MANSA
FCI DIRECTIONS: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) authorities at Mansa have issued directions to five local commission agents to lift their about 3500 quintals of paddy stocks lying in the open at the complex of the FCI here since October 25 last. They had sent this paddy to the FCI, alleging that the same had been purchased by FCI officials.

TEACHERS’ PLEA: Forty senior secondary schools and 35 high schools in the district are without heads, according to the district unit of the Democratic Teachers Front. At a meeting held here on Sunday, it urged the Punjab Government to fill the above posts.

NAWANSHAHR
TRIBUTES PAID: The local unit of the BSP organised a function at the Ambedkar Park here on Sunday in connection with the birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Chaudhary Ram Kishan, Mr M.P. Singh Goraya and Mr Dev Raj Sandhu (Phillaur), all BSP leaders, among others, paid tributes to Dr Ambedkar and called upon the people, especially Dalits, to follow in his footsteps. Earlier, BSP activists took out a procession which culminated at the Ambedkar Chowk.

PHAGWARA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Arhtia Association: president — Mr Husan Singh Ghuman; senior vice-president — Mr Naresh Bhardwaj; vice-presidents — Mr Inderjit and Mr Kulwant Rai; general secretary — Mr Tarsem Singh Bhogal; and treasurer — Mr Ram Singh.

BODY FOUND: A taxi driver, Tejinderpal Singh (23) of Dakoha village was found murdered at Chiheru on Saturday. He had been missing since April 10. The body was found on the railway track.

TARN TARAN
SMACK SEIZED: The police seized 50g of smack worth about Rs 5 lakh from the possession of Balwinder Singh of Sheron village on Friday night. A case under the NDPS Act had been registered against him.

THREE ARRESTED: A patrolling party of the Wildlife Department arrested three persons under the Wildlife Protection Act from the prohibited area of the Harike bird sanctuary on Friday. The accused had been identified as Feroz, Jattu and Mahagdin of Kirrian village. The Subdivisional Judicial Magistrate remanded them in judicial custody till April 26.

CASE REGISTERED: Three brothers, Sukhchain Singh, Baldev Singh and Gurdev Singh of Dashmesh Nagar were booked under Sections 468A and 420 of the IPC by the Verowal police on Friday. Mr Harjinder Singh of Bhalojla village, in his complaint alleged that Sukhchain Singh was married to his daughter Rupinder Kaur, an NRI living in Canada, whom he used to torture. He had also been demanding 5 lakh Canadian dollars and a car and had remarried, the complainant said.

CHANDIGARH

LAUNCH: Lashkara will launch Punjabi feature films and two new serials based on Sikh history from May onwards, according to Mr Subhash Menon, Managing Director of the channel.

SEMINAR: Brills Education India Pvt Ltd organised a seminar on career guidance for medical and engineering career aspirants here on Sunday. Prof P. Chandra, Managing Director, Brills, was the chief guest, while Mr Vinod Puri, Chairman, Bhavik group of companies, chaired the seminar. Several professors from New Delhi and educationists were present on the occasion.

POSTPONED: The dinner get-together of the Cavalry Officers Association scheduled to be held at the Defence Services Officers Institute, Sector 36, on Monday has been post-poned. According to Lieut-Gen G. S. Kler (retd), the get-together will now be held on May 1 to coincide with the Armoured Corps Day.

PANCHKULA
CELEBRATED: Gizen, a discotheque in Swastik Vihar, here organised "Dhol Mania" - in order to celebrate Baisakhi on Sunday. Noted Punjabi pop singers like Manmohan Waris, Buta Mohammad, Jasdeep and Dolly Malkiat enthralled the audience.

SAS NAGAR
MEDICAL CAMP: As many as 750 patients were examined at a medical camp organised at Fortis hospital in Phase 8, on Saturday. Specialists in the fields of nephrology, ENT, dental, gynaecology, internal medicine, neurology, orthopaedics and urology examined the patients during the camp.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

HAMIRPUR
STUDENT LEADER SLAMS SFI: The general secretary of the HP University Students Council and president of the HP University SCA, Narendra Attri, on Sunday criticised SFI leaders of the university for damaging the foundation stone plank of the proposed tribal hostel at Shimla recently. He was pained that the university administration and the police had done nothing to protect the stone. He demanded an effective placement cell for MBA and MCA, construction of the hostel for tribal students, provision of computers for E-commerce students, metalling of inner roads leading to hostels and provision of a lift in the university library.

OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Rasil Singh Mankotia, General Secretary of the Hamirpur district BJP unit, was recently elected state president of the Sri Sen Bhakt Sabha for the ninth successive year. Other office-bearers were: vice-presidents — Mr Vishnu Dutt Kashyap, Mr Karam Chand Chandel and Ms Shakuntla Devi; general secretary — Mr Salig Ram Patyal and Cashier — Mr Jagat Ram Bhulal.

PUCCA LINK ROADS: The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to provide pucca link roads in all villages of the state and Rs 10 crore has been kept aside for it. Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Education Minister, said this while addressing a public meeting at Thara village in the district on Saturday. He announced the construction of a rain shelter and laying of a handpump at the village during the current fiscal year.