R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AHMEDGARH
PROTEST: Following protests by students of Kamla Lotia Sanatan Dharam College, the college administration had to yield to their demands. Students had organised a fete on February 9 but the college administration wanted the date to be shifted to February 17. The students protested against this and also met the Principal, Dr B.D. Budhiraja, and explained to him that they had sold the tickets. On being assured by the Principal that the date of the fete would not be postponed, they called off the strike.

STUDENTS EXPLOITATION: Students of the Panjab Technical University Study Centre situated at the local grain market have alleged that the university authorities have been exploiting the students for one and a half years. Students, most of them from rural background, told Ludhiana Tribune that results of the students who had re-appeared in various subjects, had been declared allegedly without proper evaluation of answer sheets. Similarly many discrepancies had been found in marking of answer sheets of the second semester. Now when results of the second semester were to be declared, authorities had asked the students to deposit the feet for the third semester.

AMRITSAR
ESSAY COMPETITION: Ms Harpreet Kaur, a student of the Physical Education Department, Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), has been awarded the first prize in an open-essay competition on ‘‘The problem of Indian agriculture’’. The competition was organised by the Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences, Lucknow.

PROTEST RALLY: The Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Samiti has decided to hold an awareness rally on February 9 against Valentine’s Day celebrations, calling it an influence of the western culture. Mr Harish Sharma, in a press note, said the samiti would demand a ban by the government on celebrating the day.

DORAHA
SANT SAMMELAN: SAD President Parkash Singh Badal will attend a sant sammelan to be organised under the guidance of Sant Beant Singh at Bair Kalan village on February 12. Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti and SGPC President Kirpal Singh Badungar will also attend the sammelan.

GURDASPUR
PROTEST: More than 500 teachers participated in a dharna, held here on Friday, to demand the scrapping of the new Education Policy. Those who addressed the dharna included Mr Dalbir Singh and Mr Anap Singh, president and general secretary, respectively, of the Government Teachers Union, district unit, Mr Makhan Singh Kohar and Ms Amrik Kaur.

INAUGURATION: Brig Kuldeep Singh Kahlon, Director, Sainik Welfare, today inaugurated Capt Arun Jasrotia Computer Training Centre in the office of the District Welfare Officer, here on Friday. He said efforts were also on to open a recruitment centre for the Navy here.

BLOOD DONATION: Ten units of blood were donated in a blood donation camp, organised here on Saturday, by the Seva Bharati in the Civil Hospital. Dr Chandanjit Singh, Senior Medical Officer, inaugurated the camp.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Gurdaspur division unit of the Council of Junior Engineers, PSEB: president — Mr Arun Kumar Dogra; vice-president — Mr Harjit Singh Peranwal; general secretary — Mr Surinder Singh; joint secretary — Mr Satinder Kumar; and finance secretary — Mr Gurdip Singh Dhaliwal.

LOK ADALAT: As many as 33 cases were decided and Rs 39,500 disbursed at the Labour Lok Adalat held here on Friday. Mr Inderjit Singh, Additional District and Sessions Judge, presided over the adalat. He said quarterly lok adalats would be held at Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Batala on February 15.

GYMNASIUM HALL: The Punjab Government has decided to name the newly built indoor gymnasium hall after late Parbodh Chandra, a freedom fighter. Mr K.A.P. Sinha, Deputy Commissioner, while talking to newsmen here on Saturday, said that Parbodh Chandra had contributed a lot for the development of India and had spent many years in jail because of participating in the freedom struggle.
HISAR

BLOOD DONATION CAMP: Mr Ajay Singh Chautala, MP, on Friday inaugurated a blood donation camp at Jamawari, near here. Speaking on the occasion, he appealed to the youth to donate blood regularly as it was the biggest gift they could give to the needy. Mr Subhash Goyal, Urban Development Minister, said the new education and sports policies had motivated the youth to indulge in creative activities.

HAILED: Mr Sudershan Singh Wasir, president, Jammu and Kashmir Gurdwara Parbandhak Board, has hailed the appointment of Mr Tarlochan Singh as the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities.

HOSHIARPUR
INAUGURATION: Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, MP, inaugurated the newly-constructed computer block, comprising two computer labs and two lecture theatres, at GGDSD College, Hariana, 12 km from here, on Saturday. Mr Channi also gave Rs 2 lakh out of the MP Local Area Development Fund to the college for purchasing new computers. Mr Gurdip Sharma, Principal of the college, said the college had 13 computers and with this grant eight new computers would be purchased.

LUDHIANA
AITUC MEETING: “The BJP bid of using the Hindutva card, which yielded rich dividends in Gujarat, will be foiled by the electorate in the forthcoming elections,” said Mr Gurudas Das Gupta, general secretary of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and former MP, while addressing a general body meeting here on Friday. While exhorting the workers to fight for their rights, he apprehended that the government might invoke POTA and other “repressive laws” to curb the trade union activities.

NAGAR KIRTAN: To commemorate the spiritual and social contributions of Baba Namdev, Baba Namdev Society, Shivpuri Road, organised a nagar kirtan on Friday morning. It started from Baba Namdev Bhavan and passed through Santokh Nagar, New Shivpuri, G.T. Road and Sardar Nagar. It ended at the Sekhewal Road. An akhand path was also organised, said Mr Devinder Singh, secretary of the society.

DEATH MOURNED: A special meeting of the PAU Employees Union was organised under the presidentship of Mr D.P. Maur on Thursday. The general secretary of the union, Mr Amrit Pal, said the executing council passed a condolence message on the untimely death of Kalpana Chawla and added that she had created history by achieving excellence in her field. 

SEMINAR: Eminent Punjabi playwright Gursharan Singh has exhorted the intellectuals and professionals to come forward to check the degeneration of values in all spheres. According to a press note issued here on Friday, while presiding over a seminar on Mitter Sain Meet’s new Novel “Kaurav Sabha” at Pracheen Kala Kendra in Chandigarh on Sunday under the aegis of Sahit Chintan, he said though there was no hero in the novel, it brought out a villain — the system, which had to be revamped. Prominent among those who participated in the discussion, which was initiated by Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, president Bar Association Ludhiana, were novelist Kewal Kaloti, Dr Man Singh Nirankari, Canada-based Punjabi writers Jarnail Singh Sekha and Amarjeet Sufi, scribe Harbir Singh Bhanwer, stage-actor Sahib Singh, Mr B.S. Dhillon, an advocate and Mr Sardara Singh Cheema.

AGITATION: The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) will launch a rasta roko agitation against the Congress government in Punjab on February 10. Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, president, All India Youth Akali Dal (AIYAD), while addressing party workers at Model Town Extension here on Friday claimed that the party workers were being mobilised to obstruct traffic on roads as well as on trains tracks.” Among others Mr Jatinderpal Singh Saluja, Mr Harjinder Singh Lati, Mr Sukhjinder Singh Jojan, Mr Jaspal Choudhry, Mr Kulwant Singh Ranike, Mr Navneet Bhandari, Mr Tarsem Singh Bhinder, Mr Jatinder Singh and Mr Sarbjit Singh attended the meeting.

APPOINTMENT HAILED: The appointment of Mr Tarlochan Singh as the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities has been hailed by the various Sikh groups. The Akali Dal (Amritsar) while welcoming his appointment has suggested that members of the commission should propose amendments in the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1993, seeking more powers for the commission. In a letter to Mr Tarlochan Singh, Prof Jagmohan Singh, general secretary, Akali Dal (Amritsar), has urged him to take up issues like — commutation of death sentence of Devinderpaul Singh, 22 Sikhs/Punjabis languishing in various jails of Pakistan should be repatriated to India, 13 Sikhs/Punjabis languishing in Sri Lanka prisons should also be repatriated. Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, former President of the SGPC, has also welcomed the appointment of Mr Tarlochan Singh. Prof Prithipal Singh Kapur, former Pro-Vice Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University and a Sikh scholar, was happy that a Sikh had been appointed the Chairman of the commission.

STOP SELF-IMMOLATION: The Danga Peerat Welfare Society, Punjab, has said that if windows of 1984 riots were not stopped from committing self-immolations, in protest against the acquittal of accused in the case, the nation would have to face dire consequences. Mr Surjeet Singh Saluja, a spokesperson of the society, said these widows should be rehabilitated and given a monthly pension. He also appealed to the SGPC to give pensions to these widows as well as other victims in the state who were yet to settle down after the 1984 imbroglio. A delegation of the society would shortly meet the widows in Delhi and chalk out a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate them. Mr Saluja further stated that the Punjab Government had reserved at least 225 houses for the families of riot victims and had even interviewed some persons in this regard.

MACHHIWARA
BKU (E) PLAN: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta) has decided to hold a demonstration to protest against the arrest orders of farmers issued by PADB Doraha, on February 13. It demanded that the debts of the farmers should be waived off, pending amount of sugarcane be paid in cash and MSP of wheat be announced immediately. Condemning the restoration of energy bills of Tubewells, the Union has urged the farmers not to pay the bills.

NAWANSHAHR
MEETING: Development officers of all four general insurance companies in the Doaba zone at a meeting here on Friday, criticised the latest notification scheme, ‘Rationalisation of pay scales and other conditions of services of development staff amendment scheme 2003’, by terming it ‘lop-sided’ and anti-development officers.

BASANT PANCHAMI: The Dayanand College of Education for Women organised a Basant Panchami festival on the college campus here on Thursday. Havan yajna, pot painting, mehandi and slogan writing competitions were also organised. Dev Dev Ichha Shekhar, Principal, presided over the function. Upnit Kaur, Kirti, Manjot Kaur, Rajni, Savikriti Bhalla, Suniti, Rashmi, Baljit Kaur and Radha won prizes in different competitions, said Prof G.S.Sandhu, coordinator, college cultural activities, in a press note here on Friday.

PATHANKOT
DHARNA: The local unit of the BJP staged a dharna in front of the bus stand here on Friday, in protest against the “failure of the Punjab Government to fulfil its promises”. The dharna was addressed by Master Mohan Lal, a former minister, Mr Jatinder Dev Sharma, president, local BJP unit, Mr Satish Mahajan, president, local municipal council, and others.

FINED: A local court has imposed a fine of Rs 4,000 on two crusher operators for violating the provisions of the Factories Act. These include Parveen Kumar of Krishna Stone Crusher Kaunterpur and Surinder Singh of Majja Stone Industries, Talwara Gujran.

PHAGWARA
‘SAKHARTA’ WEEK: Two functions were held today on the conclusion of ‘sakharta week’. A press note issued here said that ADC (D) Harnek Singh presided over the function held at Nangal Majha village and the local Government Senior Secondary School for Girls. SDN Pritam Singh was also present on the occasion.

TARN TARAN
ASI BOOKED: The Sarhali police has booked ASI Piara Singh, posted at the same police station, under the Corruption Act for accepting a bribe from Sulkhan Singh, a resident of Brahampura village, whom he had let off in a case. Meanwhile, the Chabal police has seized 10 psychotropic injections from the possession of Avtar Singh, a resident of Kambo village. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against him.

TWO BOOKED: The local police has registered a case under Section 457, 380 of the IPC against Kulwant Singh and Balbir Singh for stealing two bags of sugar, wheat and some other articles from a shop at the Sachkhand road.

CHANDIGARH

ADMISSIONS: Annual admissions for various classes of DAV Public School here were held on Saturday. The admission work started with senior classes. For primary classes the school organised different types of games and fun activities. Some students and teachers dressed themselves up as animals and fairies to make small children feel at case.

HARYANA

AMBALA
EXPORT: The Ambala Scientific Instruments Manufacturers Association (ASIMA) has launched a three-month integrated programme for the growth of export of scientific instruments of the Ambala industry. The ASIMA has launched the programme in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute EDI, Ahmedabad, and Small Industries Development Bank of India. The programme was inaugurated by Dr V.G. Patel, Director EDI, at the annual general meeting of the ASIMA on Friday.

HISAR
BLOOD DONATED: Mr Ajay Singh Chautala, MP, on Friday inaugurated a blood donation camp at Jamawari, near here. Speaking on the occasion, he appealed to the youth to donate blood regularly as it was the biggest gift they could give to the needy. Mr Subhash Goyal, Urban Development Miniser, said the new education and sports policies had motivated the youth to indulge in creative activities.

HAILED: Mr Sudershan Singh Wasir, president, Jammu and Kashmir Gurdwara Parbandhak Board, has hailed the appointment of Mr Tarlochan Singh as the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities.

KALKA
COMPUTER UNIT: A computer unit of the local railway workshop, was inaugurated by Mr Devinder Rai, Chief Accounts Officer and legal adviser, Northern Railway, on Saturday. Now the railway employees posted here will not have to go to Jagadhari for getting their works done relating to Provident Fund accounts and other accounts. Mr Rai announced an award of Rs 2,000 for class-III employees and Rs 1000 for class-IV employees for outstanding work. The Deputy Chief Accounts Officer, Ms Shalini Dilbari, was also present.

KARNAL
MEDICAL CAMP: The Fortis Heart Institute will organise a free cardiac check-up camp at Karnal in the memory of space scientist Kalpana Chawla. The camp will be held from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Tagore Baal Niketan Senior Secondary School, Sector 6, on February 9. Kalpana had been a student of this school.