R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
YOUTHS CREATE RUCKUS: Five unidentified youths believed to be outsiders entered the campus of Guru Nanak Dev University, on Saturday night. In a drunken state, they entered into a scuffle with a security guard and fled after injuring him. The youths hurled soda and cold drink bottles from outside the university gate for quiet some time.

PROF MANMOHAR SINGH: Dr Manmohar Singh, Professor and Head of the Orthopaedics Department, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Amritsar, has been unanimously elected president of the Punjab State Orthopaedics Surgeon Association.

FIRE IN PAPER MILL: A major fire broke out at Khanna Paper Mill on the Fatehgarh Churian road here on Sunday. Paper worth Rs 4 crore was burnt. Three fire brigade vehicles rushed to the spot and fought the flames.

BATHINDA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Sarb Sanjhi Naujawan Sabha: president — Mr Darshan Singh Romana; vice-president — Mr Harnek Singh; secretary — Mr Darshan Singh; vice-secretary — Mr Ajmer Singh and press secretary and spokesperson — Mr Partap Singh.

BAR ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Bar Association: president — Mr Fateh Singh; vice-president — Mr Suresh Kumar; secretary — Mr Harbans Singh Chahal; and joint secretary — Mr Jasvir Singh Jassal.

LUDHIANA
FASHION DESIGNING: Femina Miss India-Asia Pacific 2003, Parmita Katkar, will launch the new admission session of National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD) for the two-year advanced diploma and a year-long diploma in fashion designing, textile and interior designing at Moga on Tuesday.

IN MEMORY OF PHALKE: A special programme in the memory of the doyen of Hindi cinema, Dada Sahib Phalke, will be organised by Davinder Gills Films on Sunday. A programme to spot talent in the youth will also be held. Besides a dance and song competition, a beauty pageant will also be held.

MOTHER’S DAY: Mothers of children studying in Terioat Public School, Haibowal Kalan, were honoured at a Mother’s Day function on Sunday. Mr Baldev Raj Lumb, presided over the function. Children sang songs for their mothers. Ms Rama Sharma, Principal, also spoke on the occasion.

DEATH CONDOLED: Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, has condoled the demise of Punjabi novelist, Col. Narinder Pal Singh. He said his departure would leave a void in the field of Punjabi literature. Dr Surjit Patar, president of the Punjabi Sahitya Akademy, Dr J.S. Nirula and Mr Gurbhajan Singh Gill were also present.

NAWANSHAHR
SEMINAR: The District Education Department organised a one-day district-level seminar on “New education policy and implementation of Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan” at Government Secondary School, Kahma, 7 km from here on Saturday to acquaint school heads with different aspects of the new education policy. Mr Hussan Lal, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated the seminar.

CONVOCATION: The local Dayanand Amarnath College of Education for Women organised its annual convocation here on Saturday. The Higher Education Minister, Mr Harnam Dass Johar, was the chief guest. He honoured Prof G.S. Sandhu with “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his contribution in the field of education during the past more then three decades. The students presented a cultural programme.

PATHANKOT
SLIGHT TREMORS: Slight tremors were felt here last night around 10.05 pm. The tremors were felt for a few seconds. No reports of damage have been received.

PATIALA
CHAIN FAST: Seven junior engineers from the west zone sat on a chain fast in protest against the proposal of the state government to dismantle and privatise the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB). Disclosing this here, Council of Junior Engineer president Pal Singh Mundi impressed upon the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, to reconsider his move to dismantle the PSEB as negative results were emerging from similar experiments tried in other states of the country. 

PHAGWARA
BURGLED: The house of Shingara Singh in City Heart Nagar, Hoshiarpur road, was burgled on Sunday while he along with his wife, was away to village Mukhliana to meet a relative. The burglars decamped with 40 tolas of gold jewellery, Rs 40,000, six watches and other valuables. A case has been registered.

SAMRALA
MARTYR’S STATUE: The local Khatri Sabha at a meeting here on Monday decided to install a statue of Sukhdev Singh, companion of Shaheed Bhagat Singh in Ludhiana. The following office-bearers were also elected. Mr Satish Khullar — president; Mr Raj Thapar — general secretary; Mr Rajiv Marvaha — senior vice-president; Mr Raman Khullar — press secretary and Mr Naresh Khullar, Mr B.N. Khullar — secretary.

HARYANA

KALKA
SHO SUSPENDED: SHO Kalka Isham Singh was suspended and sent to the police lines on Monday. According to police sources, a number of irregularities were alleged to have been committed by the SHO.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
MUSLIMS’ PLEA: Various Muslim organisations of the Chamba region have urged Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to appoint Mr Gulam-Moh-U-Din, alias Nagin, chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Minorities Finance and Development Corporation. At present, he is convener of the Muslim Committee for Jama Masjid, Bilaspur.

KANGRA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the HPSEB Employees Union, Kangra: President — Mr Harbazan Singh; senior vice-president — Mr S.P. Mehra; vice-presidents — Ms S. Walia, Mr Tek Chand, Mr Des Raj and Mr Suresh Kumar; secretary — Mr Ramesh Sharma; joint secretary — Mr G.S. Padha; finance secretary — Mr A.D.S. Minhas; and organising secretary — Mr Arjinder Kumar.

PARWANOO
BODY IDENTIFIED: A highly mutilated body, which was recovered by the local police under a debris near Datyar village near Parwanoo on Sunday, was identified as a body of Vikas Sharma, resident of lower Karari Mohalla of Kalka. As per Surendar Verma, DSP of Parwanoo, the body has been identified from an address written on paper recovered from his pocket. The mother and the brother of Vikas Sharma identified the body on the basis of clothes he was wearing.

FIRE: A fire broke out in a shop here on Sunday night on the Kalka-Shimla national highway. According to a source, a fire broke out in the Sud Trading Company and the fire was spotted by a boy from another nearby shop at about 12.50 a.m. Meanwhile, the police and the fire brigade also reached at the spot and were able to control the fire. The loss was being estimated.

SHIMLA
DEATH CONDOLED: Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, has expressed grief over the demise of Rasheel Singh, father of Mr Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, MLA, at his native place in Nadaun. In his condolence message to the bereaved family, he has prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear the loss.