The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, July 12, 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

AMRITSAR
JASLEEN FIRST: Jasleen Kaur bagged the first prize in Urdu writing, while Anupriya and Chamandeep Kaur stood second and third, respectively, on the concluding day of one-month summer camp for children here on Thursday. In the fine-arts competition, Tanavir got the first position, while Supra and Karandeep Singh secured second and third spots, respectively.

FEE HIKE: The Vidhyarthi Sangarsh Committee (VSC) has decided to hold a meeting on Wednesday at Puttalighar against the recent fee hike. The president of the VSC Karunesh Bhargav, said the committee was a merger of different student unions of the city.

KHARAR
MEETING: While addressing a gathering of ex-servicemen here on Thursday, Capt Dharam Pal president, Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab, Chandigarh and Ropar, welcomed the decision of the Deputy Commissioner, Mrs Seema Jain, for allotting Camping grounds land on a lease basis to eligible ex-servicemen. He said such land was also available in Kharar, which should be given to deserving ex-servicemen immediately. He said the Union Government should honour its commitment of one rank one pension immediately.

PATIALA
RECOMMENDATION: Urged by the District Red Cross Society, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Tejveer Singh, has forwarded a recommendation to the Indian Red Cross Society for awarding Dr Kulbir Kaur Walia, Head, Blood Bank, Rajindra Hospital, the President's Red Cross Gold Medal. A spokesman of the society said Dr Walia's efforts had resulted in a Plasma separation plant being installed in the city.

HELP DESK: The Punjab National Bank on Friday inaugurated a "help desk" in the city. The desk will provide information about various schemes and guidance on the bank's retail lending schemes. Senior Manager, V.K. Bali, along with other officers, was present on the occasion.

FAREWELL: Students of Punjabi University gave a farewell to Prof Daljit Singh, Director, Youth Welfare, on Friday. Performers, including comedian Bhagwant Mann, presented a show on the occasion.

PLACEMENT CELL: An information and placement cell for girl cadets of the NCC, Patiala, was inaugurated at 4 Punjab Girls here on Friday. The information cell, to provide details about various professions to the cadets and help them choose a suitable profession, was inaugurated by Col A.S. Gehlot, Lieut-Col S.S. Mundalia, was also present on the occasion.

APPOINTED: Mr Rajinder Kumar Singla was appointed Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday.

ROPAR
FORMED: Students of Nangal have formed a joint action committee to resist the fee hike imposed by the Punjab Government. Mr Paramjit Singh Pamma, president of the committee, in a press note issued here on Thursday, said if the government failed to rollback the fee hike, the student unions of the area would launch an agitation.

SANGRUR
HIT BY TRAIN: Bhola Singh (45), a Head Constable in the Punjab police here, died near the Barnala-Kenchian railway crossing on Thursday when he was hit by a Ludhiana-Hisar train. However, it could not be learnt immediately whether it was an accident or suicide. The railway police has initiated proceedings under Section 174 of the Cr.PC.

CHANDIGARH

CD RELEASE: Dr Naresh, Professor of Modern literature at Panjab University, released a CD titled "Guru Mahima" at a function here on Friday. The CD has been prepared by the Hyderabad branch of Virasat, a charitable trust. Taken from Dr Naresh's well acclaimed book "Adhyatma Satsayi", the devotional songs have been composed and sung by Srinivas Joshi, a devotional singer from south India.

ENVIRONMENT DAY: Government Model High School, Sector 36, celebrated the Environment Day by planting free saplings in the school premises here on Friday. Ms Sudesh Kalra, Deputy Director, Adult Education, was the chief guest. Mr S.K. Sharma, Director Environment Society, presided over the function. A cultural programme was also presented by students. Ms Sushma Prabhakar, Principal, and the PTA welcomed the guests. The programme was sponsored by The Tribune.

HARYANA

AMBALA
FIRE: A transformer caught fire in the Punjabi mohalla in Ambala Cantt on Friday, which resulted in a power breakdown in the area. According to information, the transformer was feeding the entire Punjabi mohalla and a part of the Jagadhri gate. The fire brigade reached the spot and controlled the fire.

COMPUTER WORKSHOP: The Society for National Education Entrepreneurship and Development is going to conduct a computer hardware repairing and maintenance programme. The programme includes computer assembling, software installation, trouble shooting, marketing management, project report preparation, entrepreneurial training and financial guidance. Candidates should be between 18 to 35 years and should have cleared class X or have one year experience in the field.

HISAR
RESULTS: Haryana Agricultural University will declare the results of the tests for entrance to its undergraduate and postgraduate courses on Sunday. The results would be published in leading newspapers of the region and put on the university website the same day.

TRAINING CAMP: A three-day field training camp hybrid seed production technology will be organised by the Cotton Section of Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar from Monday. According to Dr B.P.S. Lather, of the HAU, farmers and extension staff of the estate department of the university would participate in the camp.

BOOKED: Cases were registered on Thursday against two employees of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), including a Junior Engineer, for accepting bribe from a person. A special team caught Inder Singh, JE, and lineman Ram Bhagat from a house in Shiv Nagar here on Wednesday accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000 from a consumer.

YAMUNANAGAR
WELFARE SCHEME: Under the ‘Kanyadaan Yojna’ for the poor, about Rs 20 lakh have been given away to 170 beneficiaries by the Welfare Department this year in the district, Mr Vijayendra Kumar, Deputy Commissioner has said here on Thursday. Cheques for Rs 72,000 were given to 14 beneficiaries at a function in the office of the Welfare Officer and 100 sewing machines were given to trainers living below the poverty line.

PENALISED: “The Weight and Measures Department collected Rs 2 lakh in certification fee and fined 10 shopkeepers, fair-price shop owners and petrol station owners etc during the past one month,” said Mr Vijayendra Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, on Thursday.

BUSTED: The police has claimed to have busted a gang of car thieves with the arrest of Balinder Singh of Panipat and Rajbir Singh of Yamunanagar and recovery of a stolen car (HP-12-0017) from them. The two were caught at a police checkpost at Khizrabad on Thursday.

ROTARY CLUB: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Rotary Club Jagadhri Midtown (District 3080) for 2003: Mr Vipan Taluja — president; Mr Om Parkash Taluja — vice-president; Mr Naresh Kapur — secretary; Mr O.P. Sapra — joint secretary; and Mr Harpal Singh — treasurer.

ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the HUDA Sector-15 Welfare Association of Jagadhri: Mr G.L. Sudan — president; Mr H.C. Saini — secretary; and Mr Prem Masih — cashier.

SUSPENDED: The Director Horticulture of Haryana, Dr V.P. Ahlawat, on Friday, ordered the suspension of Alkar Singh, Horticulture Development Officer, and Gunga Ram, field man, who were found absent from duty during a surprise check. Mr Ahlawat was here also to tell farmers about crop diversification.