URGED: Raising the issue of Punjabi language during zero hour in Punjab Assembly, Mr Birdevinder Singh, Congress MLA, on Thursday urged the minister concerned to meet Punjabi writers who were holding chain fast at Matka chowk for the past several days.
ELECTED: Mr Charanjit Singh and Mr Baljit Singh have been elected President and Secretary, respectively, of the general committee of Gurdwara Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Sector 40, here. Other office-bearers are: senior vice-president — Mr S.S. Bhatia; vice-president — Mr Sardar Singh; general secretary — Mr Kushwant Singh; secretary — Mr Baljit Singh; joint secretary — Mr Harbhajan Singh; propaganda secretary — Mr Tajinder Singh; treasurer — Mr Gurdial Singh; and storekeeper — Mr Amar Singh.
MEETING: In a meeting of the Haryana unit of All-India Confederation of SC/ST & BC Organisations here on Wednesday, it was decided that a large number of Dalits would convert themselves to Buddhism, Islam and Christianity on occasion of birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar on April 14. A release issued by the confederation said the meeting, presided over by Mr Karamvir Singh, president of the Haryana unit, also decided that birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar would be observed at Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram, Sector 24, here.
STIR THREAT: The Punjab Health and Medical
Directorate Employees Union on Wednesday threatened to launch an agitation in case the salary of the staff working in the leprosy scheme, withheld for the last nine months, was not released soon. The president of the association, Mr Kulbhushan Kanwar, said the employees had not received salary due to non-receipt of the sanction of the scheme from the Finance Department. Urging the Punjab Government to immediately intervene in the matter, they threatened to launch an agitation if no action is taken within a week’s time.
KILLINGS FLAYED: The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party on Wednesday condemned the killing of 24 Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a gathering of party office-bearers, Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee President B.B. Bahl said around 8,000 Kashmiri Pandits had left the Valley recently. NCP president Gurbachan Singh and its general secretary Shyam Lal Kanoujia in a statement accused the ruling Congress and the People’s Democratic Party of failing to provide security to Kashmiri migrants.
LICENCES UNDER PFA: With powers for issuing of licences under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act once again being vested with the Director Health Services, the authorities on Wednesday issued the terms and conditions for obtaining of licences for selling any food items. The licences would now be issued by UT Health Director-cum-Principal Medical Officer, under the Rule 49 and 50 of the PFA Act, 1954, for purpose of manufacture, sale, stock, distribution or exhibiting for sale all food articles. All such persons have been asked to apply for a licence on a prescribed form along with the fee between April 1 to May 30. The forms can be obtained from the Licensing Authority, Community Health Centre, Sector 22.
DISCUSSION: One government college and one government school library will be kept open for use of the public in the neighbourhood as an experiment to encourage city residents to read more books. This was decided at a panel discussion on ‘What library users want?’ organised by the British Library here on Wednesday. It was attended by over 100 librarians from the region. This decision was taken by the DPI (Colleges) following a suggestion given by one of the librarians. Mr Vivek Atray, Director Information Technology Chandigarh, the Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, Mr M Ramshekhar, Ms Poonam Sidhu, Joint Commissioner, Income Tax, Chandigarh and Mr H.G.S. Dhaliwal, SP (Operations), were also present.
WORKSHOP: A three-day workshop which started on Wednesday on Feng Shui was organised by Canara Bank’s Centre for Entrepreneurship Development for Women. The objective was to empower women by equipping them with knowledge of Feng Shui. The workshop was conducted by Mr Ravi Chadha, a Feng Shui practitioner from New Delhi. Twentyfive women attended the workshop.
CRITICISED: The Trader Cell of the BJP here on Wednesday criticised the Congress for its “anti-trader” policies and demanded the withdrawal of property tax and paid parking system from the city. President of the cell Purushottam Mahajan and his team of office-bearers said traders had been at the receiving end ever since the Congress took over the reins of power in the Municipal Corporation. They also demanded the postponement of the imposition of Value Added Tax in the city.
SEMINAR: A seminar on “The Life and Works of Vivekananda” was organised by Panjab University here on Wednesday. In his inaugural address, Swami Amritananda, secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission, Vishakhapatnam, highlighted Vivekananda’s influence on the freedom movement. In the first lecture of the inaugural session, Mr Prannath Pankaj said Vivekananda believed in action rather than sermonising. Swami Brahmeshwarananda from the local chapter of the mission talked about the teachings of Swami Vivekananda. Mr J.B.Goel read a paper on Vivekananda’s views on society and polity. Prof Indu Sarin showed how the Swami unified religion and morality. Prof Veena Kapoor talked about Vivekananda’s idea of perfection. Prof Dharmendra Goel, Dr Asha Maudgil, Dr Makhan Lal and Prof Asha Goel also spoke.
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the State Bank of India Staff Association, Haryana Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh unit: president Mr Bachittar Singh; vice-president — Mr Jagdish Chand; secretary — Mr Baldev Singh; assistant secretary — Mr Vinod Sharma.
REQUEST: The Chandigarh Administration has requested the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to allow the Deputy Commissioner, Mr M. Ramsekhar, to continue in the office here till the appointment of his successor is made. Mr Ramsekhar’s four-year tenure ended on March 22. The request has been made as a successor for the DC is all set to be appointed. The name of the new DC has been cleared by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Lal Krishan Advani and it awaits approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
SAS NAGAR
ALBUM RELEASED: The first music album of upcoming singer Daljit Singh was released at a function at Mohali Club here on Wednesday. The album was released by the Superintendent of Police, Mr H.S. Bhullar. The audience was treated to some of the songs from the album.
