R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
MEDICAL CAMP: A free medical camp will be organised by Randhawa Hospital at Dr Dogra’s clinic inside Hathi Gate on Sunday. This was stated by Dr Surinder Jeet Singh Randhawa.

WHEAT PROCUREMENT: Nearly 11.5 lakh metric tonne of wheat is expected to arrive at the 111 purchase centres in the district. Stating this, Deputy Commissioner, Mr Iqbal Singh, said government agencies would start procurement from April 1. However, procurement was expected to begin in the district in mid-April. The Deputy Commissioner said a meeting was organised here on Saturday to review all arrangements for the purchase.

POWER BILLS: The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has extended the date of receiving the energy bills for agricultural consumers till March 31. No surcharge will be levied as penalty. Stating this in a press note here on Saturday, Chief Engineer, PSEB (border zone), said the PSEB had decided to keep the offices open on Sunday.

BATHINDA
NOMINATED: Mr Mohit Gupta, a resident of Bhuchu town of the district, has been nominated to the district-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee by the Union Ministry of Rural Development. In an official press note released here on Saturday, it was stated that to keep a vigil on the various programmes implemented by the ministry regarding poverty alleviation and development of infrastructure, habitats and land resources in rural areas, the reconstituted Vigilance Committees would play a leading role. At the national level, Mr M.K. Patil, Minister of State for Rural Development, had been appointed as the Chairman.

MEDICAL CAMP: The Bathinda Vikas Manch and the State Bank of India will organise a medical and de-addiction camp at the local Guru Nanak Dev Public School on Sunday. Eye and medical specialists will examine patients. A seminar on drug abuse will also be held.

ANNUAL FUNCTION: Mr Bhan Singh Bhaura, MP, has said that besides academics, students should also be taught moral values. He said the education system should not only produce students who could earn handsomely but it should also make them good human beings. Mr Bhaura was speaking at the annual function of the local Swami Mukand Hri Memorial Public School on Saturday. Mr Mangat Rai, president of the school management, said Mr Bhaura had promised to give a grant of Rs 50,000 for the development of the school.

FARIDKOT
SEIZED: The District Health Department on Friday seized an ultrasound machine from Dr Parmod Gupta of Government Civil Hospital, Kot Kapura. Dr Gupta was operating the machine for the past many months for conducting various types of tests, including sex determination, at Dr Tilak Raj Sahowale Hospital, opposite Shastri Market, at Kot Kapura. A detailed report under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technology (Registration and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, is being sent to the Judicial Magistrate here for action against the erring official. This was stated at a press conference here on Friday by Dr Rajinder Singh, Civil Surgeon here.

HOSHIARPUR
DOWRY DEATH: A woman was allegedly poisoned to death for dowry by her in-laws at Khambla village under the Hariana police station on Thursday. According to SSP Gurpreet Duo, the victim, Jaspal Kaur (22), was given some poisonous substance by her mother-in-law and three sisters-in-law on Thursday. She died on her way to hospital. On the complaint of the father of the victim, Mr Lakshman Singh, a case was registered against the victim’s mother-in-law, Rattan Kaur, sisters-in-laws — Daljit Kaur, Gurmeet Kaur and Paramjit Kaur — under Sections 304B and 498A of the IPC.

DRUG INSPECTORS: The Director, Health Services, Punjab, has instructed all Civil Surgeons in the state to get the assistance of Drug Inspectors to curb the sale of scheduled drugs without prescription.

DEMONSTRATION: A demonstration was held on Friday before the regional office of Punjab National Bank by officers of the bank from the region against the “objectionable” attitude of the management towards officers who, it was claimed, were already burdened with a heavy workload after the VRS was implemented.

SEMINAR: A two-day seminar organised by the Khadi Vikas Industries Commission (KVIC) at the local ITI concluded on Friday. A competition was held on the subjects: unemployment, Gandhian philosophy, role of vocational training and rural employment generation programme through essay writing and debate. Sixty ITI trainees participated in the competition.

LIFE TERM: Mr Harbans Lal, District and Sessions Judge here, on Friday sentenced Pawan Kumar and his servant, Jas Raj, both of Argowal village, to life imprisonment under Section 460, IPC, for murdering a woman, Darshna. The Sessions Judge has also fined them Rs 5,000 each. Mr Sodi Lal of the same village had made a complaint against Pawan Kumar and his servant about the killing of his mother, Darshna, by them on July 16, 1995.

LUDHIANA
THREAT CALLS: A delegation of the Punjab Union of Journalists on Friday submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Anurag Aggarwal in which they had demanded immediate action against some Jagraon police officials who were intimidating the journalists. Mr Sanjeev Gupta, vice-president, Jagraon Press Club, and Mr Jaspal Singh Heeran, financial secretary, Punjab Union of Journalists, said in a press note here on Friday that they had received threat calls. 

HEALTH CAMP: A medical camp was organised recently by the Punjab Health Systems Corporation Hospital, Pakhowal, at Mini-PHC, Latala, under the supervision of the SMO and in charge, Dr R.S. Gill. Around 425 patients were examined. A function was also organised, which was presided over by Dr G.K. Sood, Deputy Medical Commissioner.

EYE CAMP: The Lions Club (Ludhiana North) will organise an eye camp on April 5 at the Guru Teg Bahadur Charitable Hospital. According to a press note, medicines will be given to the needy patients free of cost.

DOC GETS AWARD: Dr Ravinder Kochhar, Principal, Lord Mahavira Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, was conferred upon Bharat Vikas Award by G.V. Krishnamurthi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India, recently.

MEDICAL CAMP: Dr Sheila Das, Professor of Pathology, Principal Investigation ICMR Jai Vigyan Thalassemia Screening Project, and her team held a thalassemia screening camp at Industrial Training Centre at Suranussi here recently. Dr Das said 163 blood samples were collected.

COMPUTER COURSES: The D.D. Jain Institute of Computer Sciences is launching new short- term and long-term courses to develop skills of the computer sciences in software, hardware and fashion designing. This was stated by the Director of the institute, Mr Naresh Puri.

MOGA
SARPANCH BOOKED: The Dharamkot police on Saturday booked the Kishanpura Kalan village Sarpanch, Karnail Singh, and his five accomplices on the charge of sodomising a 16-year-old scooter mechanic of the village on a suspicion that he was spreading stories about the Sarpanch’s nieces. Besides the Sarpanch, others booked under Sections 377, 342, 506, 323, 148 and 149 of the IPC were Satnam Singh, Nirmal Singh, Dogar Singh, Mohan Singh and Joshi Singh, the police said, adding that no one had been arrested so far.

MEDICAL CAMP: The District Red Cross Society, in cooperation with the state Red Cross, held a camp on Friday at KREB College, Kot Ise Khan, to identify disabled persons medically and to create awareness among the public regarding serious social problems such as female foeticide, AIDS and drug addiction. Fifty tri-cycles, 10 wheelchairs and 35 hearing aids were distributed at the camp.

MUKTSAR
DAIRY FARMING: A seminar to educate farmers to adopt dairy farming was organised by the Animal Husbandry Department at Mahni Khera village in the district on Friday. Mr Baldev Singh, SDM, Malout, asked the dairy farm owners to follow the instructions of experts to improve the quality of milch cattle. He said the quality and not the quality of cattle should be improved. Mr Din Dayal, Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Department, said the area under wheat and paddy cultivation should be reduced and it should be used for cultivating fodder so that dairy farming could be developed in the district.

PATHANKOT
EYE CAMP: A three-day free eye operation camp concluded here on Wednesday. Mr Prem Kumar, chairman of the Durga Jyoti Manav Kalyan Samiti, said more than 900 patients were examined and 96 cataract operations were performed by a team of eye specialists. Medicines and spectacles were distributed free of cost among the patients by the samiti.

POLYCLINIC: A polyclinic is being set up here on April 1 to benefit ex-servicemen and their dependants here and in the adjoining areas of Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. The polyclinic will be inaugurated by Major-Gen S.S. Uppal.

PATIALA
WITHDRAW SUPPORT: All India Anti-Terrorism Front President Maninderjit Singh Bitta on Friday urged the Congress to withdraw support from the Mufti Mohammed Sayeed government in Jammu and Kashmir and pave the way for imposition of President’s rule in the state. Talking to mediapersons here, he said all decisions taken by the Chief Minister should be reviewed. He demanded that the kidnapping case of Mr Sayeed’s daughter should be reopened.

SAMRALA
LOK ADALATS: Two lok adalats were held here recently which were presided over by Ms Asha Condal, PCS, Additional Civil Judge (SD), and Mr Ravinder Kumar Condal, PCS, Civil Judge (JD). In all 25 cases were taken up, out of which 17 were settled. An amount of Rs 9,19,000 was awarded to claimants.

POPPY HUSK: The police has arrested Birsa Singh of Patti Multani from his fields on the Patti Multani- Kishanpur road and seized four bags containing 122 kg of poppy husk. A case has been registered under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act.

SCHEME: A cricket World Cup promotion scheme was launched here recently in which a total of 926 entries were received for various contests. The bumper prize of a colour television was won by Mr Rohan Bhogal. Four consolation prizes of Spice cash cards were given to Ms Honey Sood, Mr Harbhajan Grewal, Mr Vishan and Mr Ashok Sood.

TARN TARAN
DEAD: Varinder Hans (40), Child Development and Project Officer, Naushehra Pannuan, was found dead at his house on the Amritsar-Tarn Taran road on Friday night. Family sources said brain haemmorhage was the cause of the death. Hans had died some days ago, but it was found out only on Friday night.

KILLED: A cyclist, Nirmal Singh, was killed on the spot on Friday evening when his cycle was hit by a scooter under the Valtoha police station. A case has been registered.

CHANDIGARH

MEETING POSTPONED: Punjab Engineering College will have to wait for its upgradation into a deemed university as a crucial meeting of the University Grants Commission scheduled for April 2, has been postponed. The Chandigarh Administration has been informed about the postponement, but no indication has been made about fresh dates.

HARYANA

AMBALA
FUNCTION: The 86th annual prize distribution function of SD College (Lahore) was held recently. A total of 400 students, including 17 NCC cadets, 31 NSS volunteers and 70 sportspersons were given awards for excellence in academics, sports, cultural and other co-curriculur activities. Mr Vijay Dahiya, Assistant Commissioner, Ambala, was the chief guest. The Principal’s medal was awarded to Tarun Kaushal of MA II (Hindi). A gold medal each was awarded to Shikha of MA II (HIndi) and Suman Lata of BA III for standing first in the university whereas Komal Anand of MA I (English) was awarded the silver medal for securing the second position.

BUSH CRITICISED: The Lok Sangharsh Manch on Saturday criticised US President George W. Bush for attacking Iraq. At a meeting held here, it was decided that a ‘chetna yatra’ would taken out and corner meetings would be held, according to a press note.

BANDH CALL: The Ambala Beopar Mandal has given a bandh call for Monday in protest against VAT. The president of the mandal, Mr Ramesh Verma, said the decision was taken at a meeting of various bazaar associations here on Saturday. Mr Verma said all commercial establishments, along with bazaars, would remain closed on Monday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

DHARAMSALA
CONSUMER RIGHTS: Mr Ram Parkash Khanna, president of the local Consumer Forum, has welcomed the recent amendments in the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. In a statement, Mr Khanna said the amendments were long overdue and would go a long way in providing quick relief to consumers. He said the amendments would also deter the guilty companies and business organisations from taking the orders of consumer forums lightly.

BANNED: The Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Mr Prabodh Saxena, has banned the sale of unripe and overripe fruits and vegetables and the sale of uncovered and unhygenic foodstuff in the district. The step has been taken to ensure that no epidemic spreads in Kangra during the summer.

BUS STAND: The Transport Minister, Mr G.S. Bali, has said the Nagrota bus stand would be completed within 12 months. Addressing people after inaugurating the Lidbar fair, Mr Bali said all efforts to provide more job avenues for the unemployed would be a priority of the Congress government. Mr Bali gave Rs 10,000 for the fair management.