R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

LUDHIANA
DIVALI BONANZA: Kamaljit Singh, a resident of Jandiali village, has turned out to be the first winner of the bumper prize of 100 gm of gold in Punjab in the “Ek tohfa dil se scheme” launched by Hero Honda as a part of Divali bonanza. According to Mr Avtar Singh Kalsi, Director, Kalsi Motors, the lucky winner had purchased a Hero Honda CD Dawn motor cycle. The company would be giving 300 bumper prizes in all throughout the country and Hero Honda buyers in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Rajasthan had already won 100 gm gold each as bumper prizes.

DA HIKE HAILED: The Punjab State Pensioners’ Confederation has hailed the decision of the state government to hike dearness allowance for employees and dearness relief for pensioners by 4 per cent effective from July 1, 2003, on the pattern of the Union Government to neutralise 100 per cent increase in consumer price index. In a statement, Mr B.R. Kaushal, president of the body, said the move had come as a welcome relief for pensioners at Divali. He expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, for extending a helping hand to the pensioners.

GOLDEN JUBILEE: The Christian Medical College and Hospital is celebrating its golden jubilee of the induction of MBBS course this year. As part of these celebrations, the Fellowship Department of the CMCH organised a live performance of Christian humns with the help of college students as well as staff. In this jubilee Hindi choir, students presented music and songs dedicated to God. They thanked the Almighty who showed them this noble path to serve for humanity.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
MEETING: A meeting of the Gobindgarh Steel Chamber and Industry with Mr Sardool Singh, Minister for Excise and Taxation would be held on Friday at 12 noon at the Gymkhana Club, Mandi Gobindgarh, to discuss the problems of trade and industry, said Mr Joy Kutty general secretary of the chamber, here on Thursday.

PATIALA
EXHIBITION : Our Lady of Fatima Convent High School organised a two- day exhibition ‘Vibgyor’ which began here on Thursday. Models related to general science, social science, moral education, art and culture, craft, dance and music have been displayed at the exhibition, which was inaugurated by the Registrar, PGI, Chandigarh, Mr D.R Yadav.

SAPLING PLANTATION: Steelmans Public School organised a sapling plantation drive here on Thursday. As many as 500 saplings were planted on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Principal of the school Sehez Dhindsa said the aim of the drive was to create environmental awareness among students.

DIVALI CELEBRATION : The Punjab Pensioners Welfare Association (regd) will celebrate Divali in the Canteen Hall, Block D of Mini Secretariat here on Saturday. Vice-president of the association Sat Paul Rahi said pensioners had been urged to participate in the monthly meeting as well as the Divali celebration.

COLLEGE FUNCTION: Students of the local Government College for Girls organised a function to mark the World Food Day here on Thursday. The students of Nutrition and Diet Department organised food stalls to celebrate the foundation day of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Around 600 students participated in the function. The stalls were inaugurated by Principal of the college Gurcharn Kaur Jaggi.

CHANDIGARH

FUNCTION: A function on the book ‘Dharati Di Ghazal’, written by Mr Harbhajan Singh Komal, a recipient of Bhai Santokh Singh Award, was organised by the Haryana Panjabi Sahitya Akademi at the Haryana Tourism complex in Panchkula today. The book consists of one ghazal having 727 verses. Major(retd) A S Shergill, Director, Haryana Panjabi Sahitya Akademi, welcomed the chief guest, Dr Kesar Singh Kesar, a former member of the faculty of Panjab University, Chandigarh. Dr Chander Trikha, Director, Haryana Sahitya Akademi, presided over the function.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
CONDEMNED: The Himachal Beopar Mandal has condemned the murder of Rakesh Gautam, a trader of Damtal in Kangra district and his driver Vijay Kumar. Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday beopar mandal state president Hem Chand Sood expressed shock and grief over the incident and lamented that the Kangra police was still clueless regarding the murderers.

ANGLING CONTEST: Dinesh Butail of Palampur was declared the ‘‘best angler’’ at the state-level angling competition organised by Himachal Fisheries Department and the Himachal Tourism Department at Gobind Sagar Lake at Bhakra Dam on Tuesday. Assistant Director HP Fisheries Department R.P. Dogra said here on Wednesday that Keshavpuri from Chandigarh and K.A. Peter also from Chandigarh were declared second and third respectively, while Ambrish of Dharamsala was declared the best youngest angler.

HAMIRPUR
OPEN HOUSE: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Devesh Kumar, has invited the people of the town to an ‘‘open house’’ at the local Bachat Bhavan on Friday. Issues like the beautification of the town and other problems being faced by the residents would be discussed

RESENTED: Resentment prevails among trained postgraduate and graduate teachers over the new order of the state government to recruit para teachers by a committee headed by the SDMs concerned. The decision, according to Mr Ravinder Singh, district president of the union of the Unemployed Trained Graduate and Postgraduate Teachers was anti-people. COMPETITION: The Hamirpur district administration has decided to organise group dance and solo dance competitions during the two-day ‘Hamir utsav’ here on November 1 and 2. The winners in the group dance competition would get a cash prize of Rs 2500 and in the solo dance competition Rs 1000. The competition will be for students belonging to Hamirpur district.

KUMARHATTI
PROBE ORDERED: The Goswami Ganesh Dutt Sanatan Dharam Education Society, Baijnath, has taken serious note of the boycotting of a students’ function at GGDSD College, Subathu, by the staff in which Mr Raghu Raj, Congress MLA from Kasauli, was the chief guest. The Director of the college said on Wednesday that Dr Shiv Kumar, president of society, had asked the Principal, Mr M.L. Sharma, to proceed on long leave. The president has also ordered an inquiry into the incident.

NAHAN
DY RANGER SUSPENDED: Taking a serious view on the alleged encroachment of forest land by the Nahan MLA, Mr M. Narayanappa, Conservator of Forests, Nahan Circle, this evening suspended the Deputy Ranger, incharge of the Kotla forest block. The DFO Nahan had already suspended the beat guard and initiated action against the Block Officer incharge of the Kotla forest area.