The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, June 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

AMLOH
MEETING: The candidates who remained unsuccessful in clearing the examination conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission, Patiala, for the selection of the PCS officers (Executive), on April 24 this year, would hold a meeting on Sunday at 12 noon in the Kisan Bhavan, Chandigarh, said Mr Gurmukh Singh Kherki, member of the Coordination Committee of PCS Examinees, here on Saturday. Further line of action would be decided in view of the mistakes in the question papers. Legal options available would also be explored, he added.

AMRITSAR
WOMEN HELPLINE: The All India Women Conference has launched a women helpline. The phone number 1091 is of the conference centre at Chowk Sharif Pura. It is available round the clock for women in distress.

SECRETARY: Mr Charanjit Singh Chadha took over as the new honorary secretary of Khalsa College management here from the officiating secretary, Mr Gunbir Singh, on Friday.

WOMAN KILLED: Mahinder Kaur (65), a resident of Nizampur was killed when a sumo dashed against a tree after colliding with a mini-bus near Manawala village here on Friday. The conductor of the mini-bus has been arrested.

GNDU ROLL NUMBERS: Guru Nanak Dev University has dispatched roll numbers to candidates for the joint entrance test (under graduate) sciences -2003 being held on June 6. Candidates who fail to receive their roll numbers by June 3 should contact the office of the Coordinator (Human Genetics Department-Biology block) on June 3, 4 or 5 with their attested photographs and other relevant documents to get their duplicate roll numbers issued.

MA (MASS COMMUNICATION): Guru Nanak Dev University has extended the last date up to June 20 (without late fee) for the submission of application forms for admission to MA (mass communication) (semester system) being run on the Maharaja Ranjit Singh regional campus, Jalandhar. However, the entrance test would be held as scheduled on June 25 at the new building of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

BATHINDA
FREE COACHING FOR B.ED: The District Employment Officer, near the district courts complex, will provide free coaching to B.Ed aspirants this year. Mr Harpal Singh, District Employment Officer, in a press note issued here on Friday stated candidates of the B.Ed entrance test, to be conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, were eligible for coaching starting on June 9.

MP ANNOUNCES GRANT: Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, MP on Friday promised a grant of Rs 5 lakh for his alma mater Government College, Mukstar. Mr R.D. Shukla, principal of the college, said that the Old Student Association had been revived after a gap of 26 years. Brig H.S. Brar was chosen president and Mr Shukla the patron for life.

AWARD: Dr P.S. Sandhu, Registrar, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, has been selected for the Dr Puran Singh Award — 2003 by the Elders Service Society, Faridkot. Mr Jagmohan Singh Brar, president of the society said the award would be given every year to a doctor.

BODY FOUND: Volunteers of a local NGO on Saturday fished out a body from a water channel near Rampura Phul. The body of a man could not be identified. After the post-mortem, which was held at the local Civil Hospital, the body was cremated.

DERABASSI
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Dera Bassi Industrial Focal Point Association: Chairman — Mr R.C. Bhargva; president — Mr Rakesh Kumar; vice-president — Mr Ashwani Soni; general secretary — Mr R.C. Kalia, coordinator — Mr Surinder Singh and executive members — Mr Arvind Handoo, Mr Atul Sehgal, Mr Anil Gupta, Mr J.S. Ghuman, Mr S.S. Goindi and Mr P.N. Pandey.

FARIDKOT
FUNCTION: The annual prize distribution function of the local Baba Farid Public School held on Saturday. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Hussan Lal, was the chief guest. He appealed to the teachers to pay more attention in promoting the education effectively. Mr Inderjit Singh Khalsa, Chairman of the management committee of the school, welcomed the chief guest.

FAZILKA
COMPENSATION: According to official sources, Rs 2.5 crore has been received by the district administration for distribution as compensation among farmers in whose fields mines were laid. The first instalment of Rs 2,300 per acre will be released soon. So far Rs 1.46 crore had been distributed amongst 14,249 farmers.

FEROZEPORE
CONTRACT FARMING: As part of the agricultural diversification 5400 acres have been brought under the contract-farming scheme in the district. Mr Vikash Pratap, Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepore, said the SDO (Civil) of the respective sub-divisions have been made in charge for the quality control.

GURDASPUR
PARTICIPATED: Akali workers from the district participated in a meeting held here on Friday. Leaders said that they will not allow the Congress party to manage the large-scale rejection of panchayat poll nominees. The ruling party had done it during the municipal polls, the leaders alleged.

HOSHIARPUR
DEMONSTRATION: After Namaz-e-Juhma members of the Intizamia Committee of Jama Masjid and Eidgah, Jalandhar Road, Hoshiarpur staged a demonstration against the estate officer, Mr Mohd Qasim, and the Rent Collector, Mr Mahmood Akhtar of Hoshiarpur who had leased out the Islamia School and Islamia Boys Hostel complex here. The Wakf Board has filed a suit in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against government college.

NOTICES TO CHEMISTS: Show-cause notices were served on 10 chemists of Garhshankar in Hoshiarpur and Mukundpur in Nawanshahr on Friday by a team of the State Drug Controller.

JALANDHAR
POWER SUPPLY: The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has decided to set up round-the-clock control rooms in the Doaba region to ensure eight-hour power supply to fields from June 10, Mr U.C. Saroa, Deputy Chief Engineer, said here on Friday.

KAPURTHALA
HAWALA MONEY: The Bholath police on Friday arrested a local resident Satish Kumar on the charge of possessing hawala money of Rs 2.15 lakh. Satish Kumar was travelling from Kartarpur in a bus. Following a check Satish tried to run away, but was nabbed.

KHARAR
VACCINATION CAMP: A hepatitis-B vaccination camp was organised at the Jyoti Sarup Kanya Trust, Randhawa road, here on Saturday. The camp was organised by the Rotary Club, Kharar. President Harpreet Singh Rekhi said 25 orphan girls were administered vaccine free of cost. The final dose would be given in October, he added.

SEMINAR: The Punjab Environment Society (PES), under the chairmanship of Prof Gurbax Singh Shergill, held a seminar on ‘Vermiculture, water testing, utilisation of rainwater and the establishment of Baba Banda Bahadur Memorial forest’ at Guru Nanak Foundation Public School in Chappar Chirri village near here on Saturday. The Principal of the school, students, panchayat members and local prominent persons participated in the programme. The secretary of the Punjab Science Council, Government of India, also demonstrated the use of vermiculture and water-testing kit.

LUDHIANA
APPOINTMENT HAILED: The executive committee of the Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association (PSVOA), Ludhiana, has hailed the decision of the Punjab Government to appoint Dr Baljeet Singh Sidhu, as the Director, Animal Husbandry, Punjab. Dr Harbans Singh Dhalla and Dr Jaswant Singh, president and cashier of the PSVOA, respectively, have thanked the Animal Husbandry Minister, Mr J.S. Kang, for appointing Dr Sidhu on the said post. They have expressed a hope that his appointment will definitely bring a qualitative change in the field.

GURMAT TRAINING CAMP: The Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, Ludhiana zone, will organise a three-day 'Gurmat training camp' here at Nankana Sahib Public School, Gill Park, from Sunday. According to a press note issued here today by Mr Jaspal Singh, zonal secretary of the circle, students would be told about our rich cultural heritage by a distinguished panel, including Mr Gurmail Singh Sangowal, member, SGPC, Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, president, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Mr Bachhittar Singh, District Education Officer, Principal Ram Singh, Mr Gurmit Singh and Mr Jatinder Pal Singh from the study circle. Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar, President, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, will inaugurate the camp.

TRADERS’ ASSOCIATION: In a meeting held on Saturday, the Books Market Traders Association condemned the management of Bharatiya Vidya Mandir (BVM) for forcing Mr Ashok Setia to resign. Mr Deepak Puri, Mr Surinder Singh, Mr Rakesh Dhawan, Mr Pramod Khanna and others said five branches of BVM were functioning in the city and Mr Setia had been a strong pillar of the school for the past 30 years. Forcing him to resign was unfortunate, they said. They urged the administration to intervene into the matter.

WATER CONSERVATION: The Guru Angad Sewa Society organised a one-day seminar on ‘Water — an elixir of life’ at Nirman Senior Secondary School, Shimlapuri. The students were told about water conservation and water purification. An on-the-spot painting competition was also organised on water conservation.

SEMINAR: The Indian Primary Health Care Organisation organised a seminar at KJ High School, Gobindsar, Ludhiana. The seminar was sponsored by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology. The participants were told about rainwater harvesting and vermi-composting. A painting competition was also held on the occasion.

CAMP: A 10-day camp is going on at the SDP College for Women since Thursday. The camp is being organised by the NSS units I, II and III. The chairman of the college, Mr Balraj Bhasin, inaugurated the camp. The main issue discussed was the conservation of water. The Principal, Ms S. Verma, urged the students to start a door-to-door campaign to make people aware about water conservation. Ms Sudesh Bhalla, Ms Nividita Arora and Ms Sunita spoke about the importance of NSS in students’ lives. The students took a vow that they would do their best to fight social evils. They adopted Kila Mohalla village and decided to make the area free of social evils. They taught residents how to keep drinking water clean. They said doctors from the Civil Hospital and Shri Bhagwan Charitable Hospital would organise a medical camp.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
ANTI-ENCROACHMENT DRIVE: Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner, Fatehgarh Sahib, at a meeting with the municipal council chief, Mr Joginder Pal Singla, councillors and officials of the council here on Friday said the drive against encroachments would commence from Monday and no interference would be tolerated. He added that monthly cultural programmes would be organised in this regard.

MANSA
MEETING: A meeting was organised here under the chairmanship of Mr Raj Kamal Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner, Mansa. Mr Sham Lal, Director, Census, district heads participated. Mr Chaudhary asked the officers to provide information regarding development projects completed during past 10 years in the district. Mr Sham Lal said population of the district is 6,88,630, and the literacy rate is 52.5 per cent.

PATHANKOT
CITY CABLE LINK: The Space Sattilite Services, a company of local cable operators, has denied any link with the city cable of Amritsar. The company executive in a press note here on Friday clarified that Space Sattilite Service was not connected to the City Cable, Amritsar, owned by Sarabjit Singh Raju.

PATIALA
AD FILMS: Comedy king Bhagwant Mann interacted with thalassaemic patients and also released a set of advertisement to remove misconceptions about blood donation. Mann spoke on blood donation at a function held in the blood bank of Government Rajindra Hospital here. He would continue to support the cause, he said. He has acted free of cost in the films.

PHAGWARA
SUSPENDED: A sarpanch of Kirpalpura village, Ms Kailash Kumari, has been suspended by the Deputy Director, Panchayat, under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994.

TARN TARAN
LAND GRAB: On the complaint of Mr Mohinder Singh, an NRI, the Verowal police has registered a case against seven members of a family, all residents of Bhalojala village, for usurping his 86 kanals. Mohinder Singh has alleged that the accused had got the land transferred on their name by producing false documents.

BOOKED: The Chabal police has booked Nishan Singh of Jeobala village for preparing bogus documents to get loan from a Delhi based financial company ( CIFC). Mr Guriqbal Singh, SDO (Electricity), Manochahal Kalan, in a complaint with the police has alleged that the accused made bogus documents by affixing the stamp of his office on the papers.

PROCLAIMED OFFENDER: The Khalra police has nabbed proclaimed offender Baldev Singh of Narli village and produced him in court.

CHANDIGARH

CONDOLED: Former Haryana Urdu Sahitya chairman Kashmiri Lal Zakir and a few followers of Urdu poetry condoled the death of prominent Urdu poet Krishan Behari Noor who passed away in Lucknow on Friday. A condolence meeting was organised by Jan Shikshan Sansthan at Sector 44 here on Saturday. Mr Zakir, a friend of Noor said that his death had created a vacuum in the literary field as the poet was the last representative of old Lucknow school of thought. Noor's unique style of writing ghazals had made him one of the most sought after poets in the country, he said.

SCHOOL FUNCTION: Aerobics, bhangra, plays and choreography marked the concluding function of a workshop conducted by Global Vision Home at St Peters School in Sector 37 on Saturday. Parents were also invited to attend the function. Apart from the dances, dance drama, choreography and aerobics, stress was laid on improving writing skills and learning abilities of the children during the workshop. The students were also taught calligraphy to enhance their creative writing skills. According to a press release, scientific study skills, besides super memory skills, were also polished. The students were also taught the art of overcoming fear and anxiety while appearing for an examination.

INAUGURATED: A centrally air-conditioned auditorium, with seating capacity of 450, was inaugurated at Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Foundation Bhawan in Sector 30 by Sant Baba Puran Singh Ji. The foundation president, Major Mehar Singh, said founder member, late Col Partap Singh, had managed to get half acre allotted for the purpose of setting up an auditorium. He asserted that the hall could be used for exhibitions, meetings, cultural show, kirtan darbar, spiritual discourses and other religious congregations. The entire building complex, he added, was fitted with modern fire equipment.

TRAINING WORKSHOP: As many as 100 NSS programme officers and peer leaders participated in a training workshop organised at Government Model High School in Sector 38 here. The theme of the workshop was ‘’Youth for hygiene’’. The training programme was organised by the Director, Public Instructions (Schools), Mr D.S. Mangat. The District Education Officer, Ms Rajesh Chaudhary, was also present.

ELECTED: Local councillor Vijay Rana was elected president of the Parents Teacher Association of Government Senior Secondary School, Sector-45 at a meeting held here on Saturday. Other office-bearers include secretary — Mr Hirda Singh; auditor — Mr Ravi Chand and members — Mr Shamsher Ali, Mr Dharam Pal, Mr Karora Singh, Mr Nafis Ahmed and Mr Shamsher Singh. Later, the association passed a resolution and demanded filling of vacancies of teachers in the school.

NEW CHAIRMAN: Prof Devinder Singh took over as the chairman of the Department of Correspondence Studies, Panjab University, here on Saturday. He replaced Prof Ujjagar Singh who completed his term of three years in the office.

SUITS’ EXHIBITION: An exhibition of hand-painted suits was held by Aakaar Creations. Designed by Gurinder and Daljit, two amateur designers of the city, Aakaar brings an exclusive range of hand-painted and hand-embroidered suits in fabrics suitable for the season. Big floral patterns dominate the hand-painted suits while embroidered suits, have sequins’ work.