The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, June 17, 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

BARNALA
ELECTROCUTED: Jeet Singh (35) of the PSEB, Dhanaula, about 10 km from here, was electrocuted on Saturday. According to the reports, he was working on some power line on the Rajgarh road, near Dhanaula, when mishap took place.

BATALA
RESENTMENT: Resentment prevails among Congress workers against the appointment of Mr Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal as chairman of the local Improvement Trust. Mr Hari Krishan freedom fighter and senior Congressman, and Mr Mohan Lal Mahajan, former Congress councillor, Batala, alleged here on Saturday that by making the appointment, the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh had violated all norms of democracy.

FARIDKOT
BAN ORDERS: In view of the coming Panchayat elections to be held in the state on June 29, Mr Hussan Lal, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate, has banned the assembly of five or more persons under Section 144, CrPC, with immediate effect in the district. The orders will remain in force till August 10. Meanwhile, he has also appointed 12 returning officers and as many assistant returning officers besides 1,800 employees to ensure free and fair poll in 181 gram panchayats.

HOSHIARPUR
BANGLADESHI HELD: A Bangladeshi national, Hassan Kabir, was arrested while he was roaming under suspicious conditions near the Army depot at Uchi Bassi on Saturday. According to police sources, he entered Indian territory without a passport and visa. A case has been registered under Sections 3 and 4 of the Passport Entry in India Act, 1910, and 13 and 14 of the Foreign Act, 1946.

KHANNA
BEAUTY CENTRE: A new beauty centre “Slim-n-Shape” was inaugurated local Guru Ramdass Market on Sunday. Dr Inderjit Singh, a partner of the centre, said that the centre would provide facilities like skin, hair treatment and aroma therapies plus routine beauty services. The centre was inaugurated by Mrs Kavita Gawri, managing director, Slim-n-Shape Health Care Private Ltd.

LUDHIANA
GERMAN FELLOWSHIP: Dr Sukhdev Sharma, a senior orthopaedic surgeon at SAS Grewal Mediscan Hospital, has been selected for a German fellowship. A hospital release said during his six-week stay in Germany, Dr Sharma will study “poly-trauma patients” there. It is one of the rare and most advanced study, particularly in accident cases. Dr Sharma, during the study, will also be allowed to operate the trauma patients.

HOLIDAY SPECIAL: The Gayatri Ladies Club organised a programme “holiday special” for children which was full of excitement and fun. Children were specially dressed for the occasion and won a number of prizes in various categories. There was a rhyme competition for the kids. A dance and song competition was held for the children of five to seven years and children of seven to 10 years of age participated in mono acting and story-telling competitions. More than 30 children took part in these competitions. Gifts and prizes were given to kids below three years of age.

COLLECTION OF GAZALS: Ms Gurcharan Kaur Kochar's collection of ghazals “Ahsaas Di Khusboo” was released by Mr H.S. Hanspal, president of the Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee, at a function held at Punjabi Bhavan on Sunday. The literary function was organised by the Punjabi Ghazal Manch and the Punjabi Sahit Akademi. Mr Surjit Patar, Prof J.S. Bedi, Mr Ajaib Chitarkar and Mr Sardar Panchi comprised the presidium.

MANSA
WATER SAMPLES: The district health authorities here had taken 60 samples of potable water and sent these for analysis. As many as 24 water samples have failed. Results of 11 samples are still awaited.

PHAGWARA
FARMER KILLED: Satnam Singh of Kala Sanghia village was killed when his tractor-trailer was hit by a truck on GT Road, near here, on Saturday. In his twenties, he was bringing musk melons for marketing. He died on the way to hospital. The truck driver has absconded. A case has been registered.

VOTER LISTS: Senior BJP leader and former Punjab Minister Chaudhary Swarna Ram on Saturday alleged discrimination against the Opposition in matter of supplying voter lists and other material related to the panchayat poll. Talking to mediapersons in the office of Walia Transport here, he alleged that while Congressmen were getting these lists at will, he were not being provided with these. Akali leader Surinder Singh Walia was accompanying him. The SDM-cum-Subdivisional Electoral Officer for poll, Mr Pritam Singh, denied it.

MEETING: The general body meeting of local Retail Kariana Merchants Association on Sunday adopted a unanimous resolution that its members would neither give nor get sweet packets at the time of marriage of their daughters as the practice was a social malaise. The meeting was presided over by Mr Hans Raj Kalucha. The meeting also decided to set up a free dispensary for the needy.

2 HELD WITH SMACK: Manjit Singh, alias Jeeta, and Kulbir Singh of Mohalla Ramgarhia, Goraya, were arrested with 10 grams of smack at Baba Gadhia here, a press note said on Sunday. A case has been registered under Sections 21, 61 and 65 of the NDPS Act.

TARN TARAN
PLANTATION: The Punjab Government, with the Rs 262-crore aid given by Japan, has launched a campaign to plant trees in 50,000 hectares in the state. It was disclosed by Mr P. Ram, Principal Secretary to Wild Life, Punjab, while addressing a function at Sri Guru Angad Dev College Khadoor Sahib, 24 km from here, on Saturday. It was organised to mark the 500th birth anniversary of the second Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji. Baba Sewa Singh Ji, kaar sewa wale, presided over the function aimed at creating awareness about a pollution-free environment. Mr Raminder Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, also spoke.

CHANDIGARH

PROSPECTUS AVAILABLE: The common prospectus of all government colleges is available for sale in the respective colleges from 9 am to 2 pm, according to a statement issued here on Monday. The last date for the submission of the forms for all colleges is June 23, 2003 except Government College for Girls, Sector 42, Chandigarh, for which the last date is June 26, 2003. For any further clarification the UT Administration has advised students to consult individual colleges.

PANCHKULA
‘KALASH YATRA’: Hundreds of devotees participated in a kalash yatra organised by the Bhagwad Katha Prachar Samiti today. One hundred and eight women carried the kalash on their heads, as the procession moved from Sector 7, 8, 17, before concluding at Pracheen Shiv Mandir, Sector 9. The procession marked the beginning of a eight day Srimad Bhagwad Katha Samaroh at the Pracheen Shiv Mandir by Sant Swami Sureshwaranand Puri. Talking to mediapersons, the swami said men should try to achieve the goal of Sat, Chit and Anand. He preached that men should learn abstinence and try to attain Param Atma.

SAS NAGAR
CHHABEEL HELD: The Baba Kundan Singh (Nanaksar) International Charitable Trust organised a ‘chhabeel’ outside Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Phase IV, to mark the martyrdom day of Guru Arjun Dev on Monday. Mr Attar Singh, president of the trust, Mr Narinder Singh, Dr Parvinder Singh, Bhai Baljeet Singh, Mr Mandip Singh, Mr Jaswant Singh, Mr Sandeep Garg, managing trustees and management of the gurdwara were actively involved in the effort.

HARYANA

KALKA
VISITED: Members of the Permanent Committee of Northern Railway visited the Kalka station on Sunday. Keeping in view the heavy rush, the committee ordered the authorities of set up another reservation windows. The team also inspected the ticket windows at the railway station, canteen and kitchen of the station.

CONFERENCE HELD: The half-yearly conference of Himachal Kalyan Sabha was held at Chhaju Ram dharamshala on Sunday. The conference was presided over by Chamel Singh Rana, president of the sabha.

BOOKED: The Kalka police has booked Ritu Kaushal under Sections 452, 427, 323 and 506 of the IPC for threatening Durga Bhandari, a resident of Kalka, with dire consequences. Bhandari had lodged a complaint with the police.

TWO HELD: On the complaint of Dharampal, a truck operator, the Pinjore police on Sunday arrested two persons of the Truck Union, Ashwani Kumar and Krishan Chand and registered a case against them under Sections 342, 323, 506, 384, 467, 468, 471, 420 and 120-B of the IPC. The police is also investigating the matter against other officer-bearers of the Truck Union.

PINJORE
KILLED: A tractor driver was killed when his vehicle rolled down the road near Bitna village near Pinjore on Sunday. According to source, Jagtar Singh of Rajpura village was killed on the spot. The body was sent for post mortem at the Civil Hospital at Kalka.