R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
BLOOD CAMP: Fifty-six BSF personnel donated blood to celebrate 39th raising day of the force at a camp organised at Khasa, 12 km away from here on Sunday. The camp was organised by 19th battalion of the BSF with the help of the Red Cross Society. Mr Hemant Purohit Deputy Inspector General, BSF, Amritsar sector, inaugurated it.

HOSHIARPUR
ARTIFICIAL LIMBS: The District Red Cross Society organised a camp at its office here on Monday to distribute artificial limbs to 22 persons, clippers to nine, crutches to four, hearing aids to 31, tricycles to six and wheelchairs to two, according to Ms S.S. Bhullar, chief of the hospital welfare branch.

KAPURTHALA
SENTENCED: A court on Saturday sentenced Girdhari Lal and his two sons Narinder Kumar and Rajinder Kumar of local Lahori Gate mohalla to five years jail each and fined them Rs 2000 each. for causing injuries to Mr Shri Ram Sahni and his nephew Rajiv Sahni both of khazanchian mohalla.

PATIALA
CAMPAIGN: The G.S.A, a non-government organisation, launched a campaign against tobacco here recently. An exhibition was also organised at Government Senior Secondary School, Tripuri. The aim of the exhibition was to make students aware about the ill-effects of tobacco. The function was presided over by the Chairman, Improvement Trust, Mr K.K. Sharma. Ms Surjeet Kaur, Ms Harcharanjeet Kaur, Ms Samita Mishra, Ms Amteshwer Kaur, all members of the organisation, were also present.

PHAGWARA
TWO HELD: The Rawalpindi police on Sunday nabbed two brothers and recovered from them a stolen scooter, a .315 bore revolver, two cartridges and a knife.

7 INJURED: Seven persons, including two cobblers, were injured when an Indica car ploughed into them on the G.T. Road near Chahal Nagar on Monday. The car also hit a scooter, a rickshaw and a kiosk, damaging these. The police has arrested the car driver, Sunil Kumar, of Jalandhar.

SAMRALA
OFFICE-BEARERS: A meeting of the Youth Welfare Sports Club Ottalan was held in Government High School. Mr Major Singh (UK) was elected president, Mr Mukhtiar Singh vice-president, Mr Dharminder Kumar Saddi general secretary and Mr Balwinder Singh Otal urf Bindi cashier of the club. An 11-member executive committee was also nominated. According to the Chief adviser, Mr Behari Lal Saddi, the club will organised sports festival on February 6, 7 and 8, 2004 in which kabaddi, bullock carts races, hockey and dog races would be the main items of attraction.

CHANDIGARH

WORLD AIDS DAY RALLY: The NSS unit of Government College, Sector 46, Chandigarh, held a rally on the World AIDS Day on Monday. The rally was flagged off by the College Principal, Mrs Geeta Mohan, from the college campus. It was led by the Central Students Association president, Mr Harish Attri, and Mr Amarpreet Singh Chatha. Students raised slogans for creating awareness about AIDS. More than 200 NSS volunteers participated in the rally, which passed through the Sector 46 main market and residential areas and the road adjoining Sector 45 and Sector 32. It culminated at the college. The NSS programme officers, Mrs Harinder Kaur, Prof Sahib Singh and Prof Harjinder Singh, accompanied the rally, according to a press note issued by the NSS programme officer of the college on Monday.

PANCHKULA
BANK RAIDED: The Chief Minister’s Flying Squad, led by DSP Phool Kumar, on Monday raided Sector 11 branch of Cooperative Apex Bank Haryana and found five employees, including Bank Manager R.P. Bhardwaj, absent from duty. It was learnt that the surprise check began at 10 am and continued for half an hour. One of the clerks came to the office late.

ZIRAKPUR
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Parwati Enclave Residents Welfare Society, Bartana, Zirakpur, Patiala district : president — Mr B.R. Sharma; general secretary — Mr G.D. Beankar; cashier — Mr Ram Parkash Lagwal; and store in charge — Mr Ajaib Singh.

PANCHKULA
BANK RAIDED: The Chief Minister’s Flying Squad, led by DSP Phool Kumar, on Monday raided Sector 11 branch of Cooperative Apex Bank Haryana and found five employees, including Bank Manager R.P. Bhardwaj, absent from duty. It was learnt that the surprise check began at 10 am and continued for half an hour. One of the clerks came to the office late.

ANNUAL FUNCTIONS: All Saints Holy Child School celebrated its eighth annual day function at Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, on Sunday. Lieut-Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM and former Vice-Chief of Army Staff, was the chief guest. A colourful and entertaining programme, including skits in English and Hindi and dances, was presented by the students from pre nursery to Class VIII.

CUSTOMERS MEET: The local branch of the Bank of India organised a customers meet at Hotel Sunpark on Saturday in which senior officers of the bank and customers were invited. Mr S. Sampat, Zonal Manager (Chandigarh), apprised the gathering of the latest changes taking place in the banking scenario.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KUMARHATTI
COMPUTERISED BOOKING: The Dharampur Railway station will soon have computerised railway booking. It would reduce delay in booking. Presently it takes a day to confirm the booking from Solan station. Public and Army men based at Dagshai and 14 Gorkha Training Centre, Subathu will be benefited by the facility.

Dharamsala
TEMPERATURE FALLS: Sudden drop in temperature has led to a severe cold wave in the entire district. Cold winds are sweeping Kangra. Higher reaches of the Dhauladhars received snow for the third time on Sunday.

Mandi
CHARAS SEIZED: The police seized 1.8 kg of charas during the search of a bus near Pandoh Dam on Monday and arrested Gurdev Sharma of Khani Tach (Jawalapur) village. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, has been registered. The suspect was produced before the Judicial Magistrate at Gohar, who remanded him in three-day police custody. The police has also seized 30 pouches of liquor at the Kandha check-post and has arrested Nota Ram of Jheetwada village.

DEMOLISHED: The Nagar Parishad on Monday demolished the balconies of three shops under construction in Chauhata Bazar of the town after obtaining orders from the district administration. This has sparked off resentment among traders. The local Beopar Mandal has condemned the action of the Nagar Parishad.

Sundernagar
SIX SENTENCED: Mr Sureshwar Thakur, Additional Session Judge, Mandi, on Saturday convicted Savitri Devi, Additional Session Judge Mandi, Shakuntala Devi, Vijay Kumar Sanjeev Kumar, Hukam Chand and Sunil Kumar of Darpa, Sarkaghat tehsil, Mandi for bid to murder Sunil Kumar (injured) and Sanjeev Kumar. Savitri Devi and Shakuntla Devi were sentenced to imprisonment for six months and all male members were sentenced to imprisonment for one year and fined Rs 5000.