R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

PPCC CHIEF: Mr H. S. Hanspal, PPCC President, has asked senior district Congress leaders to sink their differences in the interest of the party. He said he had received many complaints in this connection and the matter should be resolved amicably otherwise action would be taken against erring members. Mr Hanspal who had arrived here on Sunday to address the district party convention was holding discussions with senior district Congress leaders at the residence of Mr Surinder Iqbal Singh Brar, president of the DCC.

JAGRAON
LAWYERS’ STRIKE: Lawyers at a meeting held here on Monday took a serious note of the police entry into the premises of the Golden Temple. They termed the police action against the sanctity of the Golden Temple and decided to abstain from work on November 11 and 12.

PROTEST RALLY: Mr Avtar Singh Rasulpur, general secretary, Pandu Mazdoor Union, said the state unit of the union has decided to hold a protest rally at Jalandhar on December 2 against the alleged repressive policies of the state government. He blamed the government for rising unemployment compelling their children to work in industries and dhabas. Flag marches would be organised from November 15 to 28 in the entire state, he added.

KHARAR
POSTED: Mr Shiv Kumar and Mr Rattan Singh, Tehsildars, (under training) have been posted as Naib Tehsildars of Kharar and Morinda, respectively. Mr Shiv Kumar would be in charge of Kurali and Mullanpur Garibdas Kanungo circles.

LUDHIANA
ELECTORAL ROLLS: Under directions of the Election Commission the final publication of electoral rolls on the basis of eligibility date as on January 1, 2003, will be made on February 17, 2003. According to Deputy Commissioner Anurag Aggarwal, some changes have been made in preliminary publication of the electoral rolls. Under the amended programme, the preliminary publication of voter lists will be made on November 25, 2002. Claims and objections can be filed till December 10, 2002, which will be settled by December 20 and draft electoral rolls would be sent for final publication on December 31, 2002.

POSTPONED: A district-level convention of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation, to be held at Mini Secretariat here on Tuesday, has been postponed in view of prohibitory orders enforced by the district administration. According to Mr Fakir Chand Sharma, district chief of the PSSF, fresh dates for the convention will be announced later.

YUVA MORCHA: The district president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Mr Kamal Cahtley, has appointed Mr Vijay Gandhi president of West Mandal of the morcha in consultation with Mr Harbans Lal Sethi, district BJP chief. Mr Gandhi has been authorised to reconstitute his team of office-bearers and recast ward-level units in the mandal.

YOG SADHNA CAMP: The Vishav Yog Sansthan organised a yog sadhna camp in Bharatiya Vidya Mandir here. Students were told about the benefits of yoga and balanced diet. The students also learnt about sadhna and pranayam. Various way to sharpen memory were also explained to them.

FESTIVAL: Rajindra Model School organised a music and dance competition in the memory of Nirmal Sharma. The results: group A (classes 6 to10) — Harmeen Kaur (Baba Ishar Singh Public School) 1, Jaspreet (Shefali Public School) 2, Supriya (New Senior Secondary School) 3; group B (Classes 10 to 12 ) — Mandeep (GGN Institute of Management and Technology) 1, Deepak (Infopark School of Information) 2, Shabd (SDP School) 3; dance competition (group A, up to 11th class) — Payal (St Peter’s School) 1, Arshia (DAV School) 2, Kweesh (Shrimati Akki Bai Oswal Vidya Mandir) 3; group B(from classes 3 to 6) — Gagandeep (ShivalikWala Doon School) 1, Bhavika Jain 2, and Harleen (Baba Ishar Singh School) 3; group C (classes 7 to plus 1) — Mandeep (SDP Senior Secondary School) 1, Shilpa (Gupta Model School) 2, Jatinder Kaur (Dyal Public School) 3.

VISIT: “There is a strong need for more education, more awareness about your body, physical problems related to it and medical advancements. One should try to get the best out of the medical field,” these views were expressed by Dr C.V.Ananthakrishnan, an alumnus of the Christian Medical College and Hospital during his visit to the Orthopaedic Department of the hospital on Monday. He is presently working as a senior faculty member in Convent Medical Centre, Lubbock, USA. Dr Rajiv Kapoor, Deputy Medical Superintendent of the CMCH, said Dr Ananthakrishnan had been of great help to the institute as he showed personal interest in getting books for the department library, latest equipment, journals and even technology transfer from America.

MEDICAL CAMP: A medical check-up camp was organised by the Bhai Ghanaya Ji Sewa Sanstha at Ramgarh village recently. Dr Rajanvir Singh, Dr Sanjeev Gupta, Dr Subhash Gupta, Dr Vijay Handa, Dr Ramesh, Dr Sandeep Sharma, Dr Sanjeev Kalra, Dr Navineder Moga, examined 320 patients. The camp was financed by Mr Mohinder Singh Cheema, an NRI. Mr Shamsher Singh, president of the sanstha, said medicines were distributed among the patients free of cost.

MANSA
LIONS CLUB: A joint installation ceremony of the presidents and their board of directors of the local Lions Club will be held on Wednesday at Asha Banquet Hall here. Mr Darshan Kumar Monga, District Governor, Lions International, will be the chief guest.

CHILDREN'S DAY: Navneet Janagal, a student of the local SDKL DAV Centenary Public School, is among 10 students of the state who will meet the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Children's Day falling on November 14 at a function on the occasion of the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Science Exhibition Award, according to Mr Sudhir Thakur, Principal, of the school.

MOGA
SCHOOL FUNCTION: The Financial Commissioner, Punjab, Mr Bhagat Singh, has advised students to inculcate the habit of hard work, he said while addressing teachers and students of Geeta Bhavan Public School at its annual prize distribution function.

NABHA
MEDICAL CAMP: A free medical camp was held at the Shiv Mandir. Eminent doctors of the town checked about 450 patients.

TARN TARAN
THE OTHER WOMAN: Harjinder Kaur, a resident of the town, in a letter to the higher police authorities has demanded action against her husband Waryam Singh, a PAP personnel. She has alleged that Waryam Singh had got married to another woman and turned her out of the house for bringing inadequate dowry.

HARYANA

AMBALA
TRADERS’ CONCERN: The Ambala Cantonment Traders Federation has expressed concern over the “poor services” of nationalised banks operating in the Ambala Sadar area. The federation and that the banks are “daily issuing their own instructions for the customers without prior intimation to them. They have not formed any customer cell and there should be a customer meet every two months.” “The banks are increasing their heavily like ledger page charges, cheque book charges, cheque returning charges. It is demanded that there should not be any charge and it should be part of banking services. The banks are also issuing soiled notes frequently,” a release said.

BAL DIVAS MELA: The Ambala Bal Kalyan Parishad here on Monday organised a bal mela at Bal Bhavan in Ambala City. The mela was inaugurated by Ms Sunita Gautam. A number of cultural programmes will be held during the mela, being held from November 11 to November 14. The competitions include Boogie-Woogie solo dance, fancy dress and baby show.

BLOOD DONATION: A blood donation camp was organised by the National Service Scheme (NSS) unit of SD College, Ambala Cantonment, on Monday. It was inaugurated by Prof Ishwar Singh. Innerwheel Club Ambala assisted in the camp. About 249 students and teachers donated blood at the camp. The blood donors included Principal Dr Desh Bandhu who donated blood for the 30th time.

MEDICAL CAMP: The All India Indian Medicine Graduate Association (AIMGA) organised its sixth free medical-cum-diabetics camp at Jandli village in Ambala City on Monday. In this camp, 678 patients registered and the patients were given medicines free of cost. The ECG, urine sugar, blood sugar, weight and other investigations were done. Among others, the doctors who participated in the camp included Dr Ashwani Sharma, Dr Vinod Gupta, Dr U.D. Sharma, Dr D.C. Sharma, Dr Rajan, Dr Ateek Ahmed, Dr Sanjay and Dr Ravinder.

JIND
DEMONSTRATION: Several social organisations of Narwana town in this district held a demonstration and took out a procession on Sunday. They demanded strict action against those who had raped a minor at Narwana recently. Demonstrators staged a dharna in front of the police station and blocked traffic at Appolo Chowk of Narwana town.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
ARRESTED: The police on Monday arrested Dharam Singh of Lahri village in Chamba district and seized 2 kg of charas being smuggled by him at Sahoo village. The Superintendent of Police, Mr Ajay Yadav, said in the other two raids conducted in Dalhousie and Salooni area, the police seized a huge quantity of 11,250 millilitres of country liquor. A case had been registered against the accused Dilabar Singh and Mandodhari Devi under the Excise and NDPS Acts.

KULU
BODY FORMED: A 21-member body was framed to constitute the constitution of the beopar mandal here on Sunday. More than 300 traders participated. The elections will be held on November 17.

SHIMLA
NSUI PANEL: The National Students Union of India (NSUI) has constituted a seven-member charge sheet committee to find out various irregularities pertaining to the field of education during the BJP-HVC coalition government in the state. Mr Kewal Singh Pathania, state president of the NSUI, said the committee would scan the government orders on appointment and promotion of lecturers and opening of private educational institutions, including the Jai Parkash IT University at Vaknaghat.

DYFI CONFERENCE: The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) will hold its sixth state-level conference on November 14 and 15 here at the Kalibari hall. Education, unemployment and development will be the key issues. Mr Kushal Bhardwaj, state president, DYFI, said Mr Sita Ram Yechuri, CPM politburo member, will be the chief guest.

CONDEMNED: The Students Federation of India (SFI) has condemned the Himachal Pradesh University administration’s decision to award the contract of computerisation of the examination branch to a Delhi-based firm and hiring of a private building at a rent of Rs 1 lakh outside the campus. Mr Hem Singh Thakur, joint secretary of the SFI, said they would support the HPUTA’s decision to oppose the shifting of the examination branch. Prof S.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, had put additional burden on the university’s exchequer, he added.