The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, February 12, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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PUNJAB

ABOHAR
KILLED: Four members of a family killed Chhinder Singh, a resident of Patrewala village, allegedly over a land dispute on Monday. According to an FIR registered at Khuyiansarwer police station on Tuesday Balbir Singh, his wife Kashmir Kaur, son Gurmit Singh and Amar Singh allegedly attacked Chhinder Singh with sharp-edged weapons while he was working in his field at Jandwala Meeransangla village, Banta Singh brother of Chhinder Singh said. A case has been registered under Sections 303, 323 and 34, IPC. The body handed over to the family after a post-mortem at the civil hospital.

MAN KILLED: Mr Gurcharan Singh Sran (52) was killed when his car collided with a private bus head-on on the Abohar-Sri Ganganagar road on Tuesday morning. Four other occupants of the car received minor injuries. They were going to Sri Ganganagar in connection with a hearing in a criminal case. In another incident, Mr Vinod Gupta of Dabwali was killed when his car overturned near Seeto Gunno village in this subdivision while trying to avoid collision with a cyclist.

SUICIDE: The body of a widow, Vishnu Devi, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her residence in the Thakur Abadi locality here on Tuesday. Family members of the deceased told the police that she was very depressed after her husband’s death last year and had committed suicide.

AMRITSAR
WORKSHOP: A week-long workshop on ‘‘Seed technology for forest staff’’ organised by the Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, started here on Monday. Inaugurating the workshop, botanical scientist A.K. Thukral also released a manual of seed technology authored by Dr Adarsh Pal Vij and Dr Satwinder Kaur.

US ENVOY ON TOUR: Ms Miriam Caravella, First Secretary, American Embassy, who was on a tour for cultural exchange visited the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) here on Tuesday. Evincing keen interest in the activities of the AIWC, she bought Indian spices from the organisation’s consumer store. She was impressed with the special self-sustaining short courses for women, like skin and hair care, physiotherapy and attached units for vocational placements. Ms Rekha Jatay, programme manager, public affairs, American Embassy, accompanied her.

BATHINDA
ELECTIONS: Mr Anurag Verma, district election officer, on Tuesday said that as per the directions of the State Election Commission, the elections for Bhuchho Mandi, Sangat and Kot Fatta would be held on March 2. He said the nominations would be accepted from February 17 to February 20 and the scrutiny of papers would be done on February 21. Candidates would be allowed to withdraw their names before February 21.

PULSE POLIO: Dr Rajpal Singh, in charge of the Primary Health Centre at Teona, near here, said on Tuesday that all children in the age group of 0-5 were administered polio drops during the three-day-long intensive pulse polio campaign. In a statement here, Dr Rajpal Singh said on the first day, children were administered drops of the polio vaccine at special booths and nearly 90 per cent children at Teona and Chughe Khurd villages were covered. Those left were immunised against polio on the second and the third days. Handouts about leprosy were also distributed among the villagers and they were told about reproductive health and the need of family planning by the volunteers and paramedical staff.

MEDICAL CAMP: Mr Sukhraj Singh, secretary of the Dashmesh Sports Club, in a press note issued here on Tuesday said that a free medical camp would be held on February 17 with the help of Dr Manjit Kaur, SMO, Nathana. He said that the camp would be held at Joga Nand village. Eye and heart specialists and gynaecologists would be available at the camp.

ELECTED: Mr D.R. Bagri has been re-elected president of the Punjab Pradesh Dhanak Samaj for a term of five years. This was stated by Mr Fakir Chand, deputy general secretary of the organisation in a press note issued here, on Tuesday.

BLOOD GROUP PROBLEMS: Mr Ramesh Mehta, president of the United Welfare Society, in a press note issued here on Tuesday said that patients had been facing problems as AB (positive) blood group was not available with the local blood bank. He said on Monday night a four-year-old child needed blood of this group and Mr Kuldip Singh, a volunteer of the society, donated blood for him. He said many volunteers had got themselves registered with the society.

TRAINING PROGRAMME: The United India Insurance Company is holding an hundred-hour training programme for agents in which about 40 candidates from all over Punjab are being trained. Mr Gobind Aggarwal, Divisional Manager of the company, said their company had taken an initiative to train uneducated youth in the insurance business. Mr Aggarwal said the company invested Rs 267.39 crore in socially-oriented schemes against the statutory requirement of Rs 143 crore.

DERA BASSI
MEDICAL CAMP: The SDS Memorial Charitable Trust and Punjab Chemical and Pharmaceuticals Limited jointly organised a medical check-up camp at Bhankharpur village. The camp was inaugurated by Mr Avtar Singh, Director (Operations and Business Development), PCPL. Dr Mahesh Batra, Dr Sanjiv Chathli and Dr Tej Paul Sahni examined 500 patients. Medicines were distributed free of cost among patients. The Trustees decided to hold the next camp at Bhagwanpur village near Barwala on February 22.

GURDASPUR
CHEMIST HELD: The police on Tuesday arrested Suresh Kumar, having a chemist shop in Pathankot, for selling drugs to youths in violation of the orders of the District Magistrate. Fortyfour capsules which the chemist had sold without prescription were recovered from him.

HELD: The police has arrested Pritam Singh, a resident of Malikpur, and Pawan Kumar, a resident of Bharoli Kalan in Pathankot subdivision in the district, for fraudulently preparing a power of attorney and attempting to sell 77 kanals in Rajpura village in Pathankot subdivision. Sohan Singh and one of his accomplices who has not been identified so far and are wanted in connection with the fraud are absconding.

HOSHIARPUR
CASE REGISTERED: A case of kidnapping a girl student for a motive to kill her has been registered by the Talwara police on a complaint of her father. According to police sources, Jaswant Singh son of Wattan Singh of Talwara has lodged a complaint against Gurdev Singh alias Koka, his mother Darshan Kaur and accomplices Daljit Singh alias Jeetu and Ashwani Sharma for allegedly kidnapping his daughter, Manjit Kaur, student of MA (II) of Government College, Hoshiarpur with a motive to kill her.

KHAMANO
COMPLAINT: As many as 10 members out of 11 of nagar panchayat, Khamano, have alleged that the president of nagar panchayat, Khamano, Dharmpal, EO Tarsem Lal, SO, accountant and a clerk were responsible for selling a shisham tree and some other items without any resolution. They have demanded action against the accused. Copies of the complaint have been sent to the Chief Minister, Deputy Director, Patiala, Deputy Commissioner, Fatehgarh Sahib, and SDM , Khamano. According to the complaint, a shisham tree valued at Rs 25,000 had been removed from the panchayati land at Khamano Khurd village and sold despite a court order against the cutting of trees from this land.

LUDHIANA
BLOOD DONATED: Lions Club, Jagraon, will organise a blood donation camp at the campus of Sanmati Science and Research College, Raikot Road, Jagraon on Tuesday.

YAADGARI MELA: A Waris Shah Yaadgari Sabhyacharak Mela, 2003, will be organised at Jasso Ramgarhia Chowk, near Basant Chowk, on February 16, said Mr Sohan Singh Goga, president, United Youth Federation. He said the mela would be inaugurated by Jathedar Hira Singh Gabaria, ex MLA. The traditional lamp would be lighted by Mr Satpal Gosain, ex-Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha. The chief guest would be Mr Bhatti, ADGP, Punjab, while the Mayor, Mr Nahar Singh Gill, would be the chief guest.

HONOUR: Asian International Club will honour brilliant students of class VIII and class X, along with their parents. The decision was taken at the general body meeting of the club held on Sunday at Gupta Model School. The chief organiser Simmi Gupta said the club had decided to honour the students obtaining more than 90 per cent in class X board exams. The award will be Rs 2,100. The students securing more than 92 per cent marks in class VIII board exams would receive Rs 1,100 as prize money.

AWARDED: Harmandeep Singh Khurana, a PhD student in the Department of Soils, Punjab Agricultural University, has won the Young Scientist Award in the agriculture section at the 6th Punjab Science Congress held at Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology on Sunday. The award carries a gold medal, a cash prize of Rs 500 and a certificate.

SEND-OFF: Class IX students of Gupta Model High School gave a farewell party to their seniors on Monday. The programme began with a havan for the board examinations. A cultural programme was also held. Outgoing students gave their teachers gifts.

FAREWELL: A farewell party to plus two students was given by students of Arya Senior Secondary School. Senior vice-president of the managing committee of school, Mr K.C. Maini, urged students to work hard to achieve success. Cultural items were also presented on the occasion.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
REPRESENTATION: Mr Ajit Singh Verma, vice-president of the Punjab Municipal Tenants Welfare Association, Mandi Gobindgarh, had made a representation to the Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Mandi Gobindgarh, to supply a certified copy of the payment of rent of shop No 6 railway road at the rate of Rs 60 per month. A copy of the reminder was circulated to mediapersons here on Monday.

CELEBRATED: The139th Maryada Mahotsav of Teerapanth Dharamsangh was celebrated at a state level function here on Sunday. The all-India celebrations will be held at Mumbai later, said Mr Hari Om Jain organiser. Muni Shri Vinay Kumar ‘Aloke’ delivered a lecture on the occasion.

BEST AWARD: The local branch of the Oriental Bank of Commerce has received the best award among all semi-urban branches of the Ludhiana region. The award for 2001-2002 was presented to Branch Manager P.S. Grover by Deputy General Manager of Chandigarh zone, Mr V.K. Kashayap and Assistant Regional Manager Ludhiana Mr Rajiv Rishi.

MANSA
DEFERRED: The election of the Chairman of the Zila Parishad was deferred on Tuesday by the officiating Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kulwant Singh, to February 19 due to lack of quorum. Interestingly, members of the Zila Parishad and chairman of the block samities of the district were present on the occasion but did not turn up to the election venue in spite of the repeated requests made by the authorities concerned.

SAMPLES TAKEN: The District Manager, Quality Control, FCI, Bathinda district, Mr A.S. Rama Rao, on Monday started a thorough inspection of the rice stored in the depots of the FCI, Mansa. Mr Rao took 13 samples of the rice stored in the local depot and 16 rice samples from the rented FCI godowns situated on the Mansa-Patiala road, here.

MOGA
WATER SHORTAGE: There has been an acute shortage of drinking water in the town for the post several days. Residents of various localities say as the power supply remains suspended for over eight hours almost daily, they do not receive regular water supply.

NAWANSHAHR
CAMP: The local Animal Husbandry Department organised an ‘‘awareness-cum-animal welfare camp’’ at Garcha village, about 10 km from here, on Monday. Chaudhary Santokh Singh, Social Security and Welfare Minister, inaugurated it. Exhibitions were also organised to create awareness among the farmers about the proper animal care and to undertake diary farming and fish farming.

FUNCTION: The Zonal Senior Secondary and High School Tournament Committee organised its annual prize distribution function at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Rahon, about 7 km from here, on Monday. Mr Ashok Kumar Gupta, Deputy Commissioner, was the chief guest and Mr K.C. Kapoor, District Education officer, presided over it.

RALLY: The district unit of the BJP at a meeting under the presidentship of Ms Varinder Kaur Thandi, here on Monday has decided to participate in a big way in the state-level “protest rally” to be organised in Chandigarh on February 15 in protest against the anti-people policies of the Congress Government, informed Dr Shiv Kumar Tejpal, secretary of the district unit.

PATIALA
RESENTMENT: In a meeting of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal organised here on Monday. Mr Surjit Mehta, vice-president of the mandal, flayed the decision of the state government in impose Exim form in the state. The form was meant to check the flow of goods into Punjab from other states. Mr Mehta claimed that there was no need to impose this form as barriers exist in the state and all goods coming into Punjab were registered in a computer besides being verified by officials of the Sales Tax Department. Mr Vijay Kapoor, senior vice-president of the mandal, said this would only increase corruption. Mr Narinder Pal Lali president of the mandal stated that a delegation of the mandal would meet the Chief Minister and urged him to withdraw the form.

PHAGWARA
MELA: An IT mela was held at Mohan Lal Uppal DAV College, Mehtan, near here, on Monday. SDM Pritam Singh presided over the function.

SAMRALA
DEMAND: Mr Balbir Singh Rajewal, national general secretary of the Bharti Kisan Union, has threatened that if the government failed to immediately release the due payment to the sugarcane farmers then the farmers of other districts will also move to Dinanagar for blocking the traffic. While talking to mediapersons here on Friday at the local Civil Rest House, Mr Rajewal said arrears worth Rs 70 crore were to be paid by the cooperative sugar mills of Punjab to the farmers for the sugarcane supplied about one-and-a-half-years ago. The farmers were compelled to agitate to get their legitimate dues.