The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Thursday, October 9, 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

JALANDHAR
HOMOEOPATHY: The Government Homoeopathic Medical Officers Association, Punjab, has criticised the Council of Homoeopathic Systems of Medicine for its decision to cancel registration of more than 4,000 homoeopathic practitioners in the state. In a press note issued here, the president of the association, Dr A.S. Rai, and the general secretary, Dr D.S. Khurmi, alleged that the decision was illegal since the term of the present council had already expired in June this year.

NAWANSHAHR
LAURELS: Nisha Sharma, a student of the local B.L.M. Girls College, has brought laurels to the college by bagging the second prize in a state-level on-the-spot essay writing competition on the topic “Rajiv Gandhi and his vision of India” organised by the Directorate of Youth Services, Punjab, on September 24.

PATIALA
CONFERENCE: A four-day international congress on ‘Emerging trends in plant chromosome research’ started at Punjabi University, on Wednesday. The Department of Botany is organising the conference. The Vice- Chancellor, Mr Sawran Singh Boparai, traced the evolution of genetics and suggested to evolve a synthetic approach to the subject. Speaking on the subject, he said those involved in genetic engineering should not forget the moral and ethical values. He also highlighted the importance of the new area of “Functional Genetics”. Dr G.M Reddy, Chairman, GM Reddy Foundation, Hyderabad, spoke on ‘Recent trends in cytogenetic, research — a perspective.’

TWO KILLED: Two persons were killed when a truck filled with acid overturned on the Patiala-Nabha road here on Tuesday. The truck driver, Dhrampal, and a cyclist, Lakwinder Singh, were killed in the accident.

LINEMEN UNION: The police swung into action on Monday night when it picked up and forcibly admitted three leaders of the Unemployed Linemen Union, who were sitting on an indefinite fast, to Rajendra Hospital. Kuldeep Singh, Sukhwinder Singh and Pramjit Singh were hospitalised.

RAJPURA
INAUGURATED: The local MP Ms Preneet Kaur, on Wednesday announced that Rs 2 crore would be spent on the overall development of villages falling under the Rajpura block. She was here to lay the foundation stone for a development project. While addressing the gathering, she said under the rural development scheme Rs 1 crore would be spent to build a sports auditorium to provide streetlights, drinking water and public toilets in the villages. The MP also distributed cheques for Rs 35 lakh for various development works in the villages.

TARN TARAN
1 DEAD, 10 HURT IN MISHAPS: One person was killed and 10 were injured in two different accidents in the area during the past 36 hours. Bohar Singh, a resident of Bahadur Nagar village under Valtoha was killed on the spot when his motor cycle was hit by a truck (PB-02-D 9691) near Dasuwal village on Monday night. Ten persons were injured when their three-wheeler was hit by a truck (RJ-1B-6, 4827).

HARYANA

AMBALA
NOMINATED: Dr Vedprakash Vedalankar has been made a member of the Hindi Advisory Committee for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Dr Vedalankar, who has authored several books, was nominated by the Department of Official Language. Dr Vedalankar said the function of the committee would be to advise the Ministry in matters relating to the progressive use of Hindi for official work.

CAMP: Innerwheel Club of Ambala Cantonment on Wednesday distributed aids among physically challenged persons at a camp held in Rukmani Devi hall. The camp was organised in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Ambala and Saket Hospital. Thirty-six persons were given free callipers, tri-cycles, wheelchairs and orthopaedic shoes. The camp was inaugurated by the Civil Surgeon, Dr Avinash Sharma. While lauding the effort, Dr Sharma also spoke about the need to end female foeticide. The NSS unit of MDSD College helped the club in organising camp. Among others, Mr Ajay Aggarwal, Ms Saroj Kakkar, Ms Sharda Joshi, Ms Suprabha Jain and Ms Poonam Khurana were present.

VISIT: A parliamentary commerce sub-committee visited Saha growth centre on Tuesday. The two-member sub-committee comprised Mr Mohinder Baitha and Mr Dinshaw Patel. The members held deliberations with senior officials of the HSIDC and the Haryana Industries Department. They met industrialists of Ambala. Haryana Chamber of Commerce office-bearers referred to problems being faced by the industries.

INTERIM BAIL: The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr B.M. Bedi, has granted interim bail on health grounds to Ugarsen Chadda, who was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau around three months back in the multi-crore loan scam of Haryana Financial Corporation. The bureau had also arrested the then Managing Director of the corporation, Ajit Mohan Sharan, in this regard. The court asked him to appear in the court on October 16.

FATEHABAD
KILLED BY KIN: A man was murdered allegedly by his family members at Rattia town in this district on Tuesday. The deceased, Balbir Singh, was a drug addict and unemployed. Kaka Singh, a cousin of the deceased, has accused the family members of Balbir of eliminating him.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
UP-PRADHAN SACKED: In an order, the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Mr Rahul Anand, has expelled Mr Chaman Singh, Up-Pradhan, Bakhatpur Gram Panchayat in Mehla Development Block, from his post, taking serious note of his absence at six consecutive meetings of the panchayat.

VILLAGERS’ PLEA: Residents of Bakloh-Kakira in Chamba district have urged the Himachal Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, to announce sub-tehsil status for Kakira during his ensuing visit to this region.

DALHOUSIE
PROBE DEMANDED: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sought a high-level probe into the power connections to newly constructed private as well as government buildings and premises in the hill resort of Dalhousie. Mrs Ranu Chadha, district president of the BJP, has also demanded an inquiry into the connections issued to those whose constructions had not been approved.

KUMARSAIN
POWER TRANSFORMERS: In the Kumarsain Development Block, 38 new transformers will be set up in order to set the voltage problem right. This was announced by Mrs Vidya Stokes, Power Minister, while addressing a gathering at Kumarsain on Tuesday.

KULU
BODY FOUND: The body of one of the victims of a Maruti van accident near Kararsu village a month ago was found at Pirdi, near here, in the Beas river on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Mer Singh.