The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, June 2, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
WORKSHOP: The two-day workshop of the Chandigarh Punjab Union of Journalists on “What should be the contribution of a journalist” started at the Guru Nanak Dev University campus here on Saturday. Dr S.P. Singh, Vice-Chancellor of the university, regretted that more “unethical” persons were joining this profession. Mr Jasbir Singh Patti, president of the union, said that commercial aspects had overshadowed journalism.

MINISTER’S ASSURANCE: The Punjab government will provide all assistance for Guru Nanak Dev University’s Ram Singh Pathania Memorial College at Niari. Mr Harnam Das Johar, Minister for Higher Education, Punjab, stated this on his visit to the college here on Saturday. A university press note stated this.

DELAY RESENTED: The Headmasters’ Association decried the postponement of meeting for the third time regarding departmental promotions. Mr Joginder Singh Bharti, president of the association, said the postponement had raised suspicions about the seriousness of the government. They demanded immediate filling of vacancies in the coming summer break to improve education.

FAZILKA
SEWING TRAINING: Sudesh Kumari, president of the local Arya Samaj Mandir, distributed training certificates to 25 girls who had undergone training at Kaushlya Devi free sewing centre at Ram Sharnam here on Sunday. As many as three poor girls were given sewing machines.

EXAMINED: A team of doctors of the Civil Hospital, comprising Dr I.M. Challana, Dr P.R. Bhadu and Dr Lal Chand Thakral, took samples from vendors selling ice-cream, sweets, fruits and cold drinks and examined these. They directed vendors to maintain quality and hygiene. Food articles of more than five vendors, being sold in unhygienic conditions, were destroyed. The checking was conducted on the directions of Dr J.S. Kahlon, Civil Surgeon, Ferozepore.

WOMAN KILLED: Bimla (23), a resident of Islamwala village, 22 km from here, was killed after she allegedly took poison by mistake on Saturday. She was admitted to the local Civil Hospital in a critical condition where she died in the wee hours on Sunday.

HOSHIARPUR
ROBBERY : Three unidentified persons carried away a Maruti car (No PB-1DBA-638), two gold chains and wrist watches from Sanjeev Khan and his brother David of Ludhiana while they were coming from Una near Chak Sadhu village on the Hoshiarpur-Una road on Friday morning. The said persons were standing on the road, first stopped the car, robbed the goods and fled away in the car. A case under Sections 382, 341 and 34 of the IPC has been registered.

KISAN CLUB: A meet and match programme for members of the Kisan Club was organised at Harsamansar in association with Shivalik Kshetriya Gramin Bank on Friday. Mr Raghbir Singh, AGM, NABARD, Mr Girver Singh Yadav, Chairman of the Shivalik Kshetriya Gramin Bank, and Mr Janak Raj Mahajan attended the programme. The farmers were advised that keeping in view the WTO regime, high-tech farming, diversification and unity among the farmers to promote the quality of farming was the need of the hour.

KHARAR
CRITICISED: The Ropar District Chemists Association at its meeting held at Kurali on Sunday under the presidentship of Mr Harish Chander Sethi criticised the interference of the police in their trade. Mr Sethi told newsmen that the police could not enter the premises of chemists without Drug Inspectors.

MALERKOTLA
FIVE INJURED: Five persons were injured seriously in a car-jeep collision on the Maudhrani road, near here, on Saturday. The injured were admitted to a local hospital.

RESULT: The local Sita Grammar School has shown excellent results in the CBSE class X examination by bagging three merit positions. According to Prof Hayaat Khan, Principal of the school, Saurabh Singla, Harsh Garg and Akhil Goyal of the school had obtained 91, 89.6 and 88.8 per cent marks, respectively. Saurabh secured 100 per cent marks in Maths.

ROPAR
DRAFTSMEN: The Punjab Draftsmen Association has appealed to the Punjab Government to accept its demands. The association press note here on Saturday said that the draftsmen had been demanding promotion to the rank of ADE/SDO from amongst qualified draftsmen. Parity with junior engineer, for gazetted status after 16 years of service, removal of 12-year ban for promotion of junior draftsmen to draftsman, redesignaton of junior draftsmen as draftsman as senior draftsman as per the recommendation of the Vth Pay Commission. Allowance on the pattern of engineers for draftsmen was also demanded.

CHANDIGARH

RELAY FAST: The Shakti Market Welfare Association members Pawan Mahajan, Ghian Singh, Gama Ram, Lajja Ram and Ashrafi Lal observed day-long fast on Sunday as part of the association’s relay fast to demand rehabilitation of the shopkeepers removed from Attawa. The fast entered fifth day on Sunday. Meanwhile, BJP councillor Kamla Sharma and Akali Dal (Harjinder Kaur) councillor Harjinder Kaur visited the fasting shopkeepers assured them their full support.

CONDEMNED: Nominated councillor Dildar Khan condemned the agitating Sweepers Union on Sunday for allegedly throwing garbage in front of the house of another nominated councillor P.C. Sanghi for reportedly supporting privatisation of sanitation. Mr Khan expressed his dismay at the failure of the police to protect the Constitutional right of the citizen to express his views freely. The nominated councillor asserted that the pressure tactics of the agitating sweepers would not work ahead of another round of debate on privatisation of sanitation scheduled for June 5. He said during the May 27 meeting of the General House, almost all nominated councillors were in the favour of the privatisation of sanitation in the city.

TRAINING CAMP: Bajrang Dal activists for Punjab will get a week-long training at Bathinda between June 15 and June 22. This was announced here on Sunday by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in a press release. The release said the activists would receive training in physical, mental, shooting and social service skills during the camp. The national co-convener Ravi Anand, regional co-organisational secretary Kailash, regional organisational secretary Ras Behari, regional convener Tapan, VHP central secretary Vinayak Pandey, state secretary Krishan Behari and state convener Arun Khanna will participate in the camp. The national convener of the Bajrang Dal, Mr Prakash Sharma, will participate in the proceedings of the camp on the concluding day.

SELF-DEFENCE CAMP: The sports wing of the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF), Chandigarh, organised a self-defence training camp at Sector 40 park on Sunday. The participants were trained about the skills to handle odd situations. The trainers stressed upon various techniques to defend one-self. Many people including women, children and elders showed interest in learning the self-defence skills. According to Mr Praveen Behal, Spokesman of AIATF, “Motive of the camp was to generate self-defence and self-confidence in the city residents.” He said training camps would also be organised at the parks of Sector 36 and 33, Rose Garden and at the Sukhna Lake in the coming days.

HARYANA

AMBALA
MEETING HELD: A meeting of the non-affiliated school welfare association was held here on Sunday. It was decided at the meeting that the association would be apolitical and it would give information about different aspects of education to parents and students. The speakers said like Kerala where there was 100 per cent education, an effort would be made to achieve this in Haryana, a released said. Among others, Mr Kulbhushan Sharma, Mr Ram Babu Yadav, Mr C.P. Sethi, Mr Onkar Singh, Mr Bansi Lal Kapoor, Mr Ramesh Kumar Saini, Dr Pawan Joshi, Dr Hardeep Singh Kaith, Mr J.S. Chopra, Mr Talwar and Mr Kulbhushan Vij were present.

MEDICAL CAMP: M.M. Medical College, Mulana, organised a free medical check-up camp in S. A Senior Secondary Model School at Ambala city. The secretary of the management commitee of the school, Mr N.K. Jain, inaugurated the camp. The Director, Medical College Hospital, Dr S K Gupta, was also present. According to Dr Gupta around 1,500 patients were examined at the camp. Dr Gupta said over 36 patients who were in need of surgery immediately were identified. He said these patient would be provided a facility in Medical College at Mulana free of cost.

YAMUNANAGAR
ACCIDENT: A shopkeeper here died in an accident on Friday night. He was identified as Manmohan Munjal of Professor Colony at Sasauli Road near here. He was coming to his residence on motor cycle when he met with an accident at the Yamunanagar-Jagadhri bye-pass. He succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. A case has been registered.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
BANNED: The Himachal Directorate of Fisheries has banned fishing in Gobind Sagar and its tributaries from June 1 to July 31 since this is breeding season for the fish. Assistant-Director of Fisheries R.P. Dogra said the violation of the ban would invite imprisonment for three years and fine up to Rs 5,000.

WATER SCHEME: The All-Party Bhakra Oustees Committee and the Bilaspur Nagar Vikas Sabha have urged the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and the Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, to initiate a drinking water augmentation scheme for meeting the demands of the town. The water supply scheme, which was started more than 40 years ago, had now become insufficient, they said while addressing mediapersons here on Saturday.

REMOVAL RESENTED: A meeting of the Seva Dal on Friday evening resented the removal of Baldev Thakur from the post of a Seva Dal chief organiser during the five years of BJP rule, Baldev Thakur. Earlier he was Seva Dal office bearer.

WELCOMED: Yuva Mandal leaders led by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan Himachal Zone Director Vijaykumar Shukla welcomed “Sindhu Darshan” team of 250 youths at Suharghat inside Himachal territory on Friday evening. The team of youths from all states of India was flagged off for participation in “Sindhu Darshan Mahotsava” at Leh in Ladhak by Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in New Delhi earlier. These youths left for their onward journey from here on Saturday.

PARWANOO
MEETING: The meeting of the Resident Welfare Association, Sector-6, was held here on Sunday. About 40 residents of the sector attended the meeting. Various problems, including monkey menace, cleanliness, disposal of garbage, rash driving and transport system was discussed at the meeting. Ish Kapoor was elected the president of the association and Col K.B. Mohiyal was Chosen the chairman Mr Rajesh Sharma was elected - vice president. Mr H.C. Jindal, General secretary, Mr Balwinder Singh joint secretary, Mr Vinod Gupta, treasurer Mr C.K. Sharma, Mrs R. Goel, Capt S.C. Sood, Capt. M.M. Bhandari Mr Pradeep Sharma, Mr R.P. Sharma, and Mr Sanjay Sharma were chosen executive members.