The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, April 1, 2003, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
JATHA: A jatha of hundreds of Ram Sevaks was flagged off from here under the leadership of Swami Atmanandji Giri, president of the district unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), here on Sunday. The jatha started from the VHP headquarters near Shivala Bhaian.

HOSHIARPUR
CARDIAC CAMP: The Fortis Heart Institute and Multispeciality Hospital organised a one-day free cardiac check-up camp at the DAV Senior Secondary School campus here on Sunday. More than 342 patients from Hoshiarpur and nearby towns were examined by a team of doctors.

INSPECTED: Mr Bhag Singh, District Drug Inspector here inspected Balbir Medical Store, its owner had licence for wholesale but was selling medicines in retail. He has recommended the cancellation of his licence. Mr Bhag Mal said here on Monday that during his checking of Chopra Medical, R.K. Medical and Puri Medical of Tanda Urmur, Rana Medicos, Sharma Medical Store and Jain Medicos of Mukerian, Haripal Indu Medicos Store and Surjit Medicos of Chabewal, Khanna Medical and A. S. Medical Store of Hoshiarpur city, he found that medicines were being sold in absence of qualified pharmacists. Showcause notices were issued to them for the temporary suspension of their licences for violating the Drug Act.

KHARAR
MEDICAL CAMP: The local Rotary Club, in association with the Health Department organised a free medical check-up camp under the community services at Jhungian village on Sunday. As many as 235 persons were examined for various ailments at the camp. Out of these 67 cases were referred to the Civil Hospital.

LUDHIANA
CRITICISED: Pensioners, senior citizens and telephone subscribers , at a joint meeting held here on Sunday, flayed the Punjab Government for imposing 12.5 per cent tax on telephone rentals. They termed it unjust. They pointed out that they were already paying 5 per cent service tax (now hiked to 8 per cent) on telephones to the central exchequer and sought a roll back of the tax. Telephone subscribers decried the Telephone Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for raising telephone rentals, cutting down free calls and increasing local rates apart form reducing call duration from 3 to 2 minutes. The meeting decided to submit a memorandum to Mr Venkaiah Naidu, President, BJP, in this regard.

HONOUR: The Bharatiya Janata Party Kisan Morcha will honour the Union Cabinet Minister and in charge of Punjab affairs, Mr Sangh Pariya Gautam, and present him with Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Award at a special function to be organised at Grain Market here on Sunday. According to Mr Jaswant Singh Chhapa, state convener of the morcha, the minister would pay floral tributes at the statues of martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru at Jagraon Bridge. Other party leaders to be presented with awards for their contribution were Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, state president of the party, who would be honoured with Choudhry Charan Singh Award; Mr Avinash Jaiswal, organising secretary with Sant Harchand Singh Longowal Award; Mr Harbans Lal Sethi, district president (urban), with Shaheed Hit Abhilashi Award; and Mr Vipan Chander Paul, district president (rural), with Sardar Girdhara Singh Award.

ELECTED: The following have been elected members of the executive committee of Lodhi Club: vice-president — Mr B.M. Mahajan; general secretary — Mr Yuvraj Dada; joint secretary — Mr Pradeep Gupta; cultural secretary — Mr Manoj Gupta; mess secretary — Mr Maninder Singh Bedi, sports secretary — Mr Ramesh Pashan; treasurer — Mr Krishan Kumar Mittal; lady executive member — Ms Neerja Singla; and executive member — Mr Vipan Gupta.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
PARTY: Students of Desh Bhagat Ayurvedic College and Hospital here organised a farewell party, Mehfil-e-Ruksat, to their seniors in the college complex on Sunday. Dr Zora Singh, chairman, Group of Desh Bhagat Institutes, was the chief guest. Dr S.N. Singh, Principal of the college, talked about the achievements of the students in the fields of education and extracurricular activities. A cash prize of Rs 1,500 and 1,100 each was awarded to the students who got first two positions in academics. A cultural programme was presented by the students, which featured bhangra and gidha.

SAMRALA
ELECTED: The following have been elected members of the Malwa Education Council, Bondli-Samrala: president — Mr Shivdev Singh Kang; general secretary — Mr Ujagar Singh; senior vice-president — Mr Jasmel Singh; junior vice-president — Mr Ram Parkash; and treasurer — Prof R.D. Gupta.

TARN TARAN
CAMP: The Naushehra Pannuan branch of the Satya Sai Seva Society organised a free medical camp at Bhattal Bhaiake village, near Naushehra Pannuan, under the presidentship of Mr SS Saluja, district president of the society. More than 200 patients were examined and medicines free of cost were given to them.

HARYANA

AMBALA
TRADERS’ PROTEST: A call given by the Haryana Beopar Mandal in protest against the implementation of VAT remained successful in the district. Most of the shops in main markets of Ambala city, including Sarafa Bazaar. Whole Sale Cloth Market, Grain Market, Shukalkund Road and Kotwali Bazaar, remained closed. Similar bandh was observed at Ambala cantonment and Naraingarh. The district president of the Ambala Beopar Mandal, Mr Arun Garg, and the local president, Mr Ramesh Verma, claimed that the bandh was successful. Meanwhile, workers of the Haryana Vikas Party, Ambala unit, took out a march in Ambala city against VAT and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner addressed to the Governor.

MEETING: A meeting of the Federation of Welfare Societies was held on Monday in Ajit Nagar under the presidentship of Mr Shiv Dayal Gupta. The federation resented the attitude of the government towards Mahesh Nagar colonies, which are paying taxes like development charges, plan charges fees and house tax. Inspite of this, the colonies were declared unauthorised, according to a press note. “Though the colonies were declared unauthorised, heavy dose of house tax/property tax was imposed on residents of these colonies. In addition, heavy fire tax was also added to the tax bill,” the note added.

FOUR HELD: The Mulana police has arrested four persons who fraudulently took away a Tata Sumo from its driver at Ambala cantonment on March 25. According to information, the suspects hired the vehicle from Ambala cantonment for Saha village. As soon as the Sumo reached near the Nohni road, the suspects forcibly injected narcotic injections on his arms and left him there in unconscious condition. Later they fled along with the Sumo. The SP, Ambala, Mr Hardeep Singh Doon, said the arrested persons had been identified as Kuldeep, Rajesh, Ramesh and Pawan. The police also recovered the Sumo. They were produced in a court which remanded them in police custody for one day.

HISAR
CRUSHED TO DEATH: A cyclist was crushed to death by a state transport bus in Hansi town on Monday, the police said. The 65-year-old Pratap Singh was going towards Dhani Peeranwali village after selling vegetables in Hansi. While crossing the road, he was allegedly hit by a Chandigarh-bound Haryana Roadways bus near Kali Devi Mandir, it said adding a case had been registered against the driver of the bus.

KALKA
POSTPONED: Election to the presidentship of Municipal Committee, Pinjore, which was to be held on Monday, has been postponed. No fresh date for the election has been announced.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

DHARAMSALA
SEMINAR: At a seminar organised on female foeticide here on Saturday, District Family Welfare Officer SN Sharma said the female child was subject to atrocities even before birth but with the introduction of the ultrasound technique, the whole ratio of male to female child had been distorted leading to many problems. He said this was the reason that an Act was passed in 1994 which banned pre-birth sex determination and made it a crime. Addressing the seminar, Dr PC Dogra, Chief Medical Officer, Kangra, said though women had been granted the exalted status in the Indian society, socially she was not treated on a par with the male child which resulted in foeticide.

PARWANOO
CHARGE TAKEN: Mr Surinder Thakur, has taken charge as the DSP of Parwanoo, relieving Mr Lakhan Pal who has been transferred to Gumarvin, near Hamirpur, in Himachal Pradesh. Shamsher Singh, has joined here as SHO while Pramod Shukla has proceeded to Solan on transfer.

BANDH: All markets of this industrial town remained closed on Monday in protest against VAT. A bandh call was given by the local Beopar Mandal according to sources, the markets will also remain closed tomorrow.