R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
WORKSHOP: The eighth workshop on ‘‘ESI scheme’’ was organised by the ESI Corporation, Punjab region. The working of the scheme, benefits available under the ESI Act, obligation of employers, ambit of wages and procedure of inspection were discussed. Mr T.R. Gautam, regional director, administered the pledge to the staff to fight corruption.

RELIEF SOUGHT: Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), in a letter to Mr George Fernandes, Union Minister of Defence, on Saturday urged the ministry to pay compensation to the victims of a landmine blast that took place near Wadhwa post on November 1. He sought a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and a job to the next of kin of the deceased. He also demanded Rs 5 lakh each as compensation to the two injured persons besides providing necessary medical aid.

Dera Bassi
Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Shri Brahmin Maha Sabha: chairman — Mr Krishan Lal Sharma; president — Mr Ashwani Sharma; senior vice-president — Mr Harbans Lal; general secretary — Mr Narinder Mohan; and joint secretary — Mr Janak Raj Sharma.

HOSHIARPUR
SMACK SEIZED: The CIA staff arrested Amrik Singh of Damana and seized 30 grams of smack from him at Nalioan Chowk on Friday evening. A case under Section 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against him.

Kharar
Public rally: Foundation stones for various developmental works being undertaken by the Punjab Government, including Mini Veterinary Polyclinic and Training Centre, Morinda, Block Complex, Morinda, Bus stand, Kurali, the Shiamipur-Taprian bridge, the Shekhpur bridge, will be laid on November 10. A public rally will also be held at the Shahid Lieut Bikram Singh Senior Secondary School, Sialba village, at 10.00 am on the same day. Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat and Agriculture, will be the chief guest. Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development, will be the guest of honour.

LUDHIANA
RALLY: Activists of the District Youth Congress, led by its secretary Mr Manoj Rawal, today took out a rally on two-wheelers in protest against female foeticide. Mr Rawal said the purpose of the rally was to create awareness among the general public against female foeticide.

NAWANSHAHR
3 KILLED: Gian Kaur (60), a resident of Shahabpur village, was killed and Jaswinder Kaur (30) and Gurnek Singh (21) of Ranewal village were injured when their scooter rammed into a truck near Jadla village on the Chandigarh road, around 10 km from here, on Saturday. Gurnek Singh, who was driving the scooter, was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh. In another accident near Siana village on the Balachaur-Garhshanker road, on Friday, Kishan Lal (62) of Bachhauri village and Gurmail Singh (60) of Rakkeran Dhahan village were killed while 10 others were injured when a Tata Sumo collided with a Maruti car.

SANGRUR
FREEDOM FIGHTER DEAD: Jagdish Chander (88), a freedom fighter, died here on Sunday. He was cremated with full state honours. A contingent of the police presented a guard of honour. Mr Manpreet Singh Chhatwal, SDM, and Mr Jasbir Singh, Chairman, Punjab Agro Industries, laid wreaths on the body of the deceased, while Mr Subhash Grover, district Congress president, paid a floral tribute.

INAUGURATED: A basmati pre-cleaning machine, installed by the Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation Limited at a cost of Rs 4.7 lakh in the grain market here, was jointly inaugurated by Mr Sarvjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, and Mr Jasbir Singh, Chairman, Punjab Agro Industries, on Sunday. Mr Jasbir Singh said two such machines would be installed at Sunam and Moonak soon.

HARYANA

SIRSA
FARMER HELD: The district police has arrested a farmer for allegedly beating up a commission agent. The agent had gone to the farmer to collect his payment but was made to sign a receipt. A case under Sections 323, 342, 386, 506 and 34, IPC, has been registered against the farmer.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Pawan Kumar and Mr Uttam Singh have been elected president and secretary, respectively, of the Chowari unit of the Students Federation of India.

CAMP: A legal literacy camp was organised at the local Bachat Bhavan under the aegis of the District Legal Services Authority to mark the ‘legal services day’ on Sunday. According to Mr V.K. Gupta, District and Sessions Judge, the camp was attended by people from all walks of life.

RESENTMENT: Residents of the town have expressed resentment over the proposed move of the Postal Department to close down the Rang Mehal Post Office. A deputation of the Chamba Welfare Association met with Mr Harsh Mahajan, Animal Husbandry Minister, in this connection recently and requested him to ask the postal authorities to withdraw the move.

HAMIRPUR
PETROL STATION: Mandi-based authorities of the Indian Oil Corporation raided and sealed the petrol station at Mahre in Hamirpur district on Friday evening. The action followed complaints by people and the district administration regarding irregularities in the functioning of the petrol station.

KUMARHATTI
CIVILIANS IRKED: Civilians of Dagshai are sore over the delay by the cantonment authorities in auctioning the grass in the cantonment area to them. The auction was due in May. the cantonment authorities, however, have assured to resolve the matter soon, following a representation to the Joint Director of Defence Estate, Western Command, Chandigarh, in this regard.

MANDI
LABOURER KILLED: A labourer was killed and four others were injured when boulders fell on them at the barrage site of the Larji Hydel Project, about 33 km from here, on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Ajit Pandit.

NURPUR
SURVEY: The Himachal Pradesh Woman Commission Chairperson, Ms Viplove Thakur, while talking to mediapersons at Nagrota Surian in Jawali sub-division on Saturday, said the commission would undertake a random survey of female foeticide at gram panchayat level in the state.

PAONTA SAHIB
KAVI SAMMELAN: A “kavi sammelan” was organised at Gurdwara Paonta Sahib to mark the 534th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on Saturday. Poets from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal recited stanzas of poetry related to the life of the Guru.

GINGER FAIR: Mr Ramkishan Gaur, Agriculture Minister, will be the chief guest of the state-level ginger fair at Kafota, about 30 km from here. Mr H.L. Thakur, Joint Director, Regional Parvatiye Agriculture Research Centre, Dhaula Kuan, said the fair, which is being held in the district for the first time, will be held on November 10.

SOLAN
WORKSHOP: A three-day state-level workshop on “Greening of textbooks for Class VI” concluded at the State Council for Educational Research and Training, here on Friday. Organised as part of the project, Environment Education in School System, the Centre for Environment Education has been appointed the consultant for this World Bank-aided project. The council has been made a nodal agency to carry out the implementation of the project in Himachal Pradesh.

UNA
MONKEY MENACE: A group of four monkeys has been creating havoc in the town and threatening children. No steps have been taken to rid the town of the menace.