R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
All-India Exhibition: The 70th Annual All-India Exhibition of Arts was inaugurated by Padam Shree Ram V. Avtar, president, All India fine Arts and Craft Society New Delhi at Indian Academy of Fine Arts here on Thursday. Dr Dharam Bir Singh Jolly and Dr Neeta Mohindra were honoured with life-time achievement awards on the occasion. A musical bonanza by “Rooh Punjab Di” by Deedar Singh Pardesi UK-Based, Radio, TV and Playback Singer was also presented. As many as 250 works of art of 121 artists from all states of India were exhibited. The exhibition will remain open till May 21.

BAN ORDERS: Mr Harjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur, invoked Section 144 of the CrPC and ordered a ban on taking vehicles within 500 metres of polling stations and sale of liquor on the polling day.

ENVIRONMENT STUDY: The Pollution Control Committee here urged universities, education boards of Punjab and New Delhi to introduce environmental studies as compulsory subject for students. The Supreme Court order of December 19, 2003, directs the National Council of Education and Research and Training (NCERT) to monitor the environment study programme across the country.

NABBED: The BSF on Friday nabbed Inayat Ullah of Lahore (Pakistan) for sneaking into the Indian territory. The Gharinda police has registered a case under Sections 3, 34, 20 of the Indian Passport Act. According to information the accused crossed over to India in drunken state from the Mahawa border post. In preliminary investigation it was found that the accused had a karyana shop and had a piece of land near the border.

Hoshiarpur
BAN ON LIQUOR: Mr Kirandeep Singh Bhullar, District Magistrate, has banned the sale of liquor from 5 p.m. on May 8 to 5 p.m. on May 10 and on May 13, 2004, in the district. Sale of liquor and consumption at public places — shops, hotels, restaurants, clubs, and other establishments are banned.

TEN BOOKED: The police here has booked 10 persons including two women under the Excise and the NDPS Act in various police stations of the district. 

LUDHIANA
Competition: An inter-house poetry recitation contest was held at Sanatan Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, here on Friday. Children of middle and senior sections of Nehru, Gandhi and Tagore houses participated. Gagandeep Kaur of Class X was declared first, Gagan of Class VI second and Gaurav Chugh of Class X third. Neha Arora of plus I came first among participants of Nehru House. She was followed by Reena of Class VI and Nitin of Class X. Meenakshi of plus II came first among participants of Tagore House. Shruti of Class VI second and Sarabjeet of plus II third. Gandhi House won the overall trophy.

Programme: A customer relation programme organised by the State Bank of India, in which more than 100 valuable customers of four of its branches attended it. The meeting was presided over by Mr L.C. Hans, Assistant General Manager and the branch managers of the four branches. The customers were informed in detail regarding the different schemes of the bank.

Moga
ARRESTED: The local police on Friday arrested Nek Singh of Suraj Nagar, Moga, and recovered a working still and three quintals of lahan from his possession. One of his accomplice Charat Singh is absconding. The police has registered a case against them and they are being interrogated.

Pathankot
ENGINEERS’ PLEA: The Punjab Temporary Engineers Association (PTEA) has demanded that building of Shahpur Kandi Dam project should not be handed over to the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB). The Association said by getting the project in executed by the PIDB Model Construction Company, two Chief Engineers, seven Superintending Engineers, 100 Sub-Divisional Officers and others shall be rendered surplus.

Ropar
BAN ON MOBILE PHONES: The Deputy Commissioner Cum district returning officer Ropar Ms Seema Jain imposing order under Section 144 of the Cr PC banned the carrying of mobile phones within 100 metres of polling stations on May 10 from 7 a.m. to 12 noon. The order will not apply to poll staff and the reporters.

SAMANA
Dead: Ms Jangir Kaur, (94), mother of Mr Nirmal Singh Shutrana, MLA, and widow of freedom fighter Baba Kishan Singh died here on Thursday. She was cremated on Friday at Patran.