R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
NIFD FUNCTION: Femina Miss India Asia-Pacific, 2003, Parmita Katkar, visited the centre of National Institute of Fashion Design here on Saturday. She inaugurated a designer exhibition and participated in the annual convocation of the institute.

CONTRACT FARMING: As many as 20,000 acres estimated to have been brought under contract farming for basmati in the coming paddy season, Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, said at a meeting with agriculture officials here on Saturday. Besides this, about 5,000 acres were estimated to be covered under the contract farming for maze.

BATALA
PARAMOUR KILLED: Nirmal Singh, a resident of Hasanpura was killed on Friday night for illicit ties with a married woman.

HOSHIARPUR
CONDEMNED: Mr Tikshan Sud, a former minister and BJP MLA, from the Hoshiarpur segment, has opposed the new facilities being provided by the state government to its MLAs. In a press release here on Thursday, Mr Sud said on the one hand the Amarinder Singh government was claiming that there was a financial crisis in the state and had stopped all development activities and on the other hand it was providing extra facilities to the ministers and MLAs putting a heavy burden on the state exchequer.

CIVIL SURGEON: Dr Yogesh Chander Markin, Civil Surgeon, Hoshiarpur, paid a surprise visit to the Civil Hospital, Dasuya, and the Community Health Centres at Hajipur, Chakowal and Shamchaurasi on Saturday. He met a number of patients and inquired about the treatment being given to them.

KAPURTHALA
HELD FOR ROBBERY: The Dhilwan police has arrested Sarabjit Singh and Jaswinder Singh, both of Hambowal village, and Lakhwinder Singh of Jairampur involving in the looting of a couple on the night of May 15 in Hambowal. The police has registered a case.

NABHA
STONE LAID: The foundation stone of an ultra-modern eye hospital at Rohti Bridge here was laid on Saturday by Kaka Randip Singh, MLA of Nabha. The hospital, to be run by Parkhar Parupkar Mission, would cost Rs 5 crore. Among others present on the occasion were Raja Narinder Singh, former Punjab minister, the mission head, Municipal Council President Narinder Singh Bhatia and Mr Paramjit Singh Khatra. Prisoner escapes: A prisoner under treatment at the local Civil Hospital fled on Friday night. The police has registered a case. Deputy Jail Superintendent confirmed the incident.

PATHANKOT
ADDL STANDING COUNSEL: Mr Ashok Sooden, Senior Advocate, has been appointed Additional Standing Counsel for central government cases for a period of three years. A notification to this effect has been issued by the Government of India, Ministry of Law and Justice.

PATIALA
TALENT SEARCH: The National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS), Patiala, held their annual national integration talent search programme at Central State Library Hall here on Monday. Mr Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, Chief Librarian of the library, was the chief guest. The NTAS president, Mr G.S. Kakkar, presided over the function. The judges included Mr Pran Sabharwal, Mrs Sunita Sabharwal, Mr Rajinder Verma, Gagandeep Kaur, and Parminder Pam. Sixty students from 25 government and non-government educational institutions took part.

EXPEDITION: The Punjab Police Adventure Sports Club team consisting of 13 members, which was flagged off for an expedition to Lampak peaks on Saturday, is confident to conquer the peaks. The team will attempt the ascent of two peaks, the Lampak South and the Lampak North. The expedition is being led by Dr P.M. Das and assisted by deputy leaders Dr Haripal Sidhu and Mr Vinod Chopra, besides others.

ANNUAL FUNCTION: The Regional Institute of Management and Technology, Mandi Gobindgarh, organised a cultural programme on the occasion of their annual day here on Sunday. Around 100 students from MBA, MCA, and BCA courses participated in the various items. Mr Hukam Chand Bansal, chairman of Om Parkash Bansal Educational and Social Welfare Trust, was the chief guest.

BOOK RELEASED: The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, released “Art & Cultural Heritage of Patiala”, a book by Dr S.P. Srivastava, at a function held here recently. The MP, Ms Preneet Kaur, Finance Minister, Mr Lal Singh, and MC Mayor, Mr Vishnu Sharma, were among others present on the occasion.

FUNCTION: Singer Saida Begum, daughter of classical singer Bashir Khan of Shahkot, enthralled the audience at a function organised by the Mehak Cultural Forum at the Mini Tagore complex here on Saturday night. She was accompanied by Dr Rajan Narula on the tabla. Mr Jagdish Mittal, DIG, Mr H.S. Sahai, member PSEB, Mr Naresh Raj and Mr Gurminder Walia were present on the occasion.

ROPAR
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the District Tax Bar Association: president — Mr Rajiv Prabhakar; senior-vice-president — Mr Sohan Singh; vice-president — Mr Ashok Manocha; secretary — Mr Ashwani Sharma, and cashier — Mr Amit Jain.

CHANDIGARH

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Chandigarh Kashyap Rajput Sabha: president — Mr Baljit Singh; senior vice-president — Mr Puran Chand; vice-president — Mr Sukhdev Singh; general secretary — Mr Labh Singh Lamba; finance secretary — Mr J.K. Das; secretary — Mr G.L. Mehra; joint secretary — Mr Krishan Singh Sinotra. 

ELECTED: Mr Dig Vijay Kapoor has been elected president of the Sabji Mandi Aarthi Association for the next two years. He defeated his nearest rival Mr Chuni Lal Chauhan by a margin of 31 votes. The other office bearers and executives of the association will be decided by Mr Kapoor after he assumes office and takes over the charges from his predecessor, Mr Yashpal Agnihotri.

SAS NAGAR
SUMMER CAMP: A fortnight-long summer camp was started at DAV Public School here on Monday. Ms Jaya Bhardwaj, school Principal exhorted the students to embrace challenges and achieve success. The school has tied up with experts in the field of art and craft, dance and music to teach the children. Ms Alka Mahajan, workshop coordinator, said on the last working day of the school a collage-making and paper-reading contest was organised. The winners included Harpreet, Simranjot Singh, Karanbir Singh, Anil Tuli, Subhijit Hemant Puri, Gagandeep Singh, Chestha Rishi, Roopika, Malhotra and Megha Goel.

HARYANA

HISAR
BAR PANEL POLL: Mr Santosh Kumar Chetal and Mr Pardeep Kumar Bajia have been elected president and general secretary of the local Bar Association. According to election officer Subhash Mittal, Mr Chetal defeated his rival, Mr Gauri Shankar Atre, a former president of the association, by 135 votes. He secured 428 votes while Mr Atre got 293. Mr Bajia defeated his nearest rival, Mr Suresh Sharma, by 68 votes. He secured 384 votes. Another candidate, Mr Mai Chand, got 20 votes.

TAX BOOTHS: The district police has issued orders to raze tolltax booths on the Ambala-Shimla National Highway No. 22 at Suraj Pur, near Pinjore. The booths were constructed here by the government of Haryana after constructing the new bridge at Suraj Pur for levying toll tax. These booths constructed were proving to be a hindrance in the free flow of traffic on the highway and a lot of accidents have been taking place.

SIRSA
MEMO: A memorandum to the Union Minister for Human and Resource Development, Dr M.M. Joshi, has been sent by a former sarpanch of Kanganpur, who had donated land on which stands the local Kendriya Vidayalya No. 2. In the memorandum, he has pointed at the undesirable behaviour of the school principal.

HELD FOR RAPE: The police here has arrested Sanjiv Kumar, son of Hariman of Nog, near here, for kidnapping and raping a schoolgirl in Sungal Jungle 6 km from here, when the girl on her way to school at Ghagus on Friday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CLERK BOOKED: A case of alleged molestation of a section officer in the Finance Department by a clerk has been registered in the Chhotta Shimla police station here under Section 354 of the IPC.