The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, July 23, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
MOURNED: Dr S.P. Singh and Dr Satinder Singh, Vice- Chancellor and pro Vice-Chancellor respectively of Guru Nanak Dev University mourned the death of Dr Surinder Singh Kohli, a former Head of the Punjabi Department and Dean of Panjab University, Chandigarh.

VOCATIONAL COURSE: Seventy students will be admitted for the one-year dress designing and tailoring course at Preet Nagar under the adult continuing education of Guru Nanak Dev University. Matriculate girls in the age group of 15 years and 35 years are eligible to join the course starting from September 1. Forms can be had from the centre located at the residence of Nanak Singh, novelist, at Preet Nagar from July 25 to August 8. Interviews for admission will be held on August 18 here.

NGO’S MISSION: An NGO here has decided to plant 30,000 saplings under “Operation Green Amritsar” said Mr Danial B Das,coordinator of the NGO on Monday. Mr Das said an awareness camp on atmospheric degradation and tree plantation would also be organised.

JALANDHAR
ACCIDENT: One cyclist was killed and another injured when a Tata Sumo vehicle hit the cycle he was riding near Goraya bus stand on Monday this afternoon. The driver of the vehicle lost control and hit the cyclist standing on the road side near Goraya bus stand. Ram Kishan died on the spot and Parveen Kumar was injured. He was admitted to a private hospital.

DOCTORS’ DHARNA: members of the PCMS Association on Monday held a dharna on the premises of the civil hospital here in protest against the decision of the state government withdrawing NPA facility. Doctors raised anti government slogans and alleged that the NPA was part of the salary and could not be withdrawn.

LUDHIANA
KILLINGS CONDEMNED: Mr Parminder Mehta, secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, has condemned the killing of innocent devotees by the militants near Katra. Addressing a gathering at New Subhash Nagar here on Tuesday, he said the militants had resorted to a barbaric act. The agitators also burnt an effigy of terrorism. “The militants are targeting innocents at religious places with a view to fan communal hatred in the country. The government should take steps to check such incidents,” he said. Among others who addressed the rally were Mr Balbir Billa, Mr Sher Singh, Mr Sukhdev Kala, Mr Harbinder, Mr Kamal Sadana, Mr Avtar Singh, Mr Ravinder Bittu and Ms Rani.

MALERKOTLA
ADVENTURE CLUB: The following have been elected the office-bearers of the Malerkotla Adventure Club: president — Mr Shaikh Karrar Hussain; vice-president —Mr Harish Kumar Jindal; general secretary — Mr Naseem Haider; joint secretary — Mr Mohd Amjad, and cashier — Mr Ashif Hussain.

PHAGWARA
TEA-INDUCED ILLNESS: Three persons were taken ill after consuming tea at a stall at Khottrra village on Sunday night. The three — Kuldip Kumar, his sister Seema Devi and father Lehmber Ram — were admitted to the Civil Hospital here where they were stated to be out of danger.

FIRE: A fire broke out in a house in Ajit Singh Nagar on the Khalwara road on Monday night and destroyed household items. The fire was caused by a spark from a cooler.

CASSETTES SEIZED: During a raid at Punjab Radio Centre at Cinema Road on Sunday, the police seized 684 pirated cassettes of T. Series as well as 10 blue films. The owner of the shop Parminder Singh was arrested.

SAMRALA
DHARNAS: The Lok Bhalai Party has decided to stage dharnas in front of the DC complexes in all districts of the state in protest against the tuition fee hike in schools, colleges and universities. Talking to mediapersons in the Civil Rest House, Mr Malkiat Singh Ghuman, Samrala unit president of the party, said the first dharna would be staged in front of the Ludhiana DC complex on July 28 at 10 am. He said the recent fee hike had made it difficult for the children of small farmers, mazdoors to continue their education. He appealed to the parents of the students of all categories to participate in dharnas.

CONDOLED: In a joint meeting, members of the Rangla Punjab Sabhyacharak Manch, Samrala, the Sabhyacharak Manch, Bija, and the Hasda Punjab Sabhyacharak Manch, Shamspur, condoled the death of famous lyricist Sajan Raikoti here on Tuesday. Mr Mohan Singh Malhans, president, Dharat Suhavi Sahit and Sabhyacharak Manch, Bija, and famous lyricist Chand Shamspuri said Sajan Raikoti would remain alive in the hearts of people. Mr Ram Dass Banger, Mr Malkiat Singh Ghuman, Prof Pannu and Mr Behari Lal Saddi were also present on the occasion.

HARYANA

AMBALA
MAHAVIR AWARD: The Bhagwan Mahavir Foundation will award Mahavir Award to individuals and organisations encouraging non-violence, vegetarianism and promoting eduction and health services. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr D.D. Gautam, said a committee had been constituted for the selection of awardees. He said applications in this regard would be accepted till August 15.

PROTEST: On a call given by the District Bar Association, court work in various local and district courts remained suspended on Tuesday in protest against Katra blasts in which seven pilgrims were killed and around 40 others were injured. The bar organised a condolence meeting and paid tributes to those killed in the blasts. The president of the association, Mr J.S. Kohli, while condemning that attack said it was an anti-human action, which should be condemned by all sections of the society.

DEMAND: The Akhand Bhartiya Upbhokta Parishad has demanded an increase in the number of consumer courts in the state. A resolution in this regard was passed at a meeting held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of its president, Mr Uma Shankar Dewedi. They also urged the government to appoint working judges in consumer forums.

PINJORE
SPEED BREAKERS SOUGHT: Residents of Vishkarma Colony, Ratpur Colony, Saini Mohalla and Vivekanand Marg have sought construction of speed humps on the link roads leading to the town. The residents said accidents on these link roads were a routine affair as there was no check on speeding vehicles.

BOY DROWNS: A 15-year-old boy was drowned in Dhara Mandal, a small pond, located in the main market here. The pond is known for its religious significance. As per a source, Rohit (15), son of Rajinder Singh of the Chand Chowk area, slipped into the pond, where he had gone along with his friends to take a bath. He was taken to a private clinic and later referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where he was declared brought dead.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
STRIKE: Strike by the HP Forest Corporation Controlled Resin and Turpentine Factory Mazdoor Union at Raghunathpura near here continued for the 10 day on Monday. The union has, among other things, been demanding regularisation of service of daily-paid workers working past 13 years and categorisation of labourers.

BAN ORDERS: The Deputy Commissioner here has banned the carrying of arms and ammunitions and explosives in the district during “Shravan Ashtami Navratra fairs” starting from July 30 till August 7 at Nainadevi Ji temple 75 km from here. The Kotkehloor Police station are is covered under the orders and these would be enforced from July 29 to August 8. Order bans offering ‘halwa-prashad’ and coconuts to the deity and use of loud-speakers and beating of drums.

DHARAMSALA
INVITED: Kangra Deputy Commissioner Prabodh Saxena has been invited by Wilton Park South Asia Forum to participate in a seminar on “Conflict, Prevention and Peace Building in South Asia”. The Forum invites administrators, intellectuals, representatives of NGOs and policy framers to such seminars.

NURPUR
Three NOMINATED MCS: The Himachal government has nominated Mr Pawan Kapoor, Mr Munish Dogra and Mr Bodh Raj as Municipal Councillors of the local Municipal Council. A notification said it.

PARWANOO
FOUNDER’S DAY: The Taksal Branch (Parwanoo) of the Bank of Baroda celebrated its 25th founder’s day on its office premises here on Monday. Around 80 consumers of the bank and staff members took part in the celebrations. Mr N.K. Bhardwaj, the Manager of the bank, while welcoming the consumers, talked about achievements of the bank during the last financial year. Later, an interactive session between consumer and the staff members was also organised.

TWO HELD: The local police arrested two persons for possessing opium here on Tuesday. As per a source, Labh Singh, alias Labha, of Johluwala village and Surjeet Singh were arrested near the Parwanoo barrier. The duo tried to flee on seeing a police party headed by DSP Surinder Verma, which was on its way to investigate a theft case. The police seized 265 gm of opium from their possession.

CONDOLENCE MEETING: Members of the HPMC Workers Union here on Tuesday organised a condolence meeting to pay homage to workers who died in Kulu following a cloudburst. They observed a two-minute silence. During the meeting, leaders urged the state government to release monetary relief to the families of the deceased.

MUDDY WATER SUPPLY: Villagers of surrounding areas here on Tuesday alleged that they had been receiving muddy water through taps for the past many days. A source said they had complained to the Irrigation and Public Health authorities in this regard on a number of occasions but to no avail.

UNA
TWO HELD: The police on Monday arrested Vinay Kumar son of Rampal of Hoshiarpur and Kamlesh alias Guddi of Nerian village of Amb tehsil for alleged sale of opium etc in Amb tehsil. Seven kilogram of opium and 300 gm of charas were recovered from their possession.