R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMLOH
Foundation day: The foundation day of the Amloh Manav Bhalai Manch was celebrated here on Sunday. Mr Banarsi Dass Sharma, president of the Brahmin Sabha, Mandi Gobindgarh, was the chief guest, while Mr Surinder Khanna, advocate, presided over the function. 

AMRITSAR
Export rises: A consignment of 155 sheep and goats was exported to Pakistan through the Wagah Check Post on Wednesday. An exporter said demand of animals had increased in Pakistan because of Id was round the corner.

Youth festival: Mr M.P. Singh, Secretary, Higher Education, Punjab, inaugurated the three-day zonal youth festival, government colleges affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), at SR Government College for Women here on Wednesday.

BATHINDA
Workshop: A pre-launch workshop regarding the consumer satisfaction was organised here on Wednesday. A survey in this regard will be conducted by the Punjab State Electricity Board.

Body found: Volunteers of the Sahara Jan Sewa fished out a body of an unidentified woman from Sirhind Canal near Beer Behman village on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Vidya Devi, a resident of Paras Ram Nagar.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
Chandumajra’s diatribe: The Akalis had to eat a humble pie in the recently concluded debate on terrorism in Punjab Vidhan Sabha at the hands of Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister because of the lack of practical insight and moral cowardice of Mr Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh succeeded in turning the tables upon the Akalis, said Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, president SAD(L), presided over a meeting of the district unit of his party here on Thursday. He also took stock of paddy procurement process.

HOSHIARPUR
Distributed: Members of the Hospital Welfare Section headed by Ms Urveshi Tiwari, Chairperson, on Wednesday distributed utensils, clothes, quilts, blanket, beds and ration among the victims’ of fire at Bhagat Nagar. Mr Varinder Singh Bajwa, Member of Parliament, also accompanied them.

JAGRAON
THEFT: A house of a farmer at Dehlon has been burgled and the police has registered a case under Sections 457, 380, IPC. According to the information, some unidentified persons broke open the lock of the house of Narinder Singh and allegedly stolen Rs 7,000 along with some gold ornaments. 

Assaulted: Soni of Malak, Laddi of Dehlon, Ashok Kumar of Dharamkot, Rinku of Bassi Pathana, Sham Lal of Jagraon and Ram Lal of Samrala allegedly kidnapped Pardeep Kumar of Bajwa Colony in their Santro car (PB 10 AB 9966) and assaulted him on the way. They also damaged his cell phone. The police has registered a case. The injured is admitted in the local Civil Hospital. Distribution of duties on the various octroi posts is alleged to be the reason. 

Poppy husk seized: Raj Kumar Raju of Gadre village was arrested from Gujarwal while carrying 40 kg of poppy husk on his scooter (Pb-37A-7931). The police has registered a case under Sections 15, 25, 61, 85 of the NDPS Act. at Dehlon police station and his scooter was impounded.

NAWANSHAHR
Dead: Veteran Arya Samaj leader and educationist, D.P.Dutta (88), who was died on Tuesday, was cremated on Wednesday. Prominent Arya Samaj leaders and citizens attended the funeral.

Arms seized: Mr Arun Pal Singh, SSP, said here Thursday that the police had recovered two countrymade .315 bore revolvers and eight live cartridges from Rajeswar alias Raju, a gang leader and Ram Singh of Khothran village. He further said five miscreants had also been arrested. They were Gurvinder Singh of Dhahan village, Baljinder Kumar of Sotran village, Mohammad Shah Alam, Mohammad Jainal Sik of West Bengal, Harvinder Singh of Hamirowal Punia village.

PHAGWARA
Bonanza: The management of JCT Limited has decided to give benefit more than Rs 2.34 crore to employees on the occasion of Divali, according to a press note issued by Mr J.C. Sodhi, General Manager (L&R), here on Wednesday.

PATIALA
PROTEST: On a call of the All-India State Bank of Patiala Employees Federation, bank employees held protest demonstrations before the State Bank of Patiala, head office at The Mall, here on Thursday in support of their various demands. The protesting employees said in case the management did not resolve the issues, demonstrations would be held before all zonal offices to be followed by chain hunger strike from November 24 to 28. 

COMPETITIONS: SDKS Shakuntla Girls Senior Secondary School organised inter-house mehndi, rangoli and writing contest on Thursday. About 200 students participated. In the mehndi contest, Tarandeep was first, Rajni second while Poonam was third. In rangoli, Anjali and Sangita were declared first while Manisha and Sonika were second. In the handwriting contest, 18 students were declared winners in Hindi and Punjabi writing in primary, middle and higher classes. 

RAJPURA
ROTARY CLUB: Mr I.D. Tewari and Mr G.K. Chaudhary, has been installed character president and charter secretary, respectively, of the Rotary Club Rajpura Greater. Ms Krishna Tewari was installed the first lady Rotarian of the millennium. 

Samrala
SPORTS FESTIVAL: The 41st sports festival in Manki village , 7 km from here, will organise by the Manki Sports Club on October 28 in village grounds, according to Ms Veramjit Singh, president of the club. The main attractions of the festival will be dog, horse and bullock cart races and races for the elderly.

MEETING: The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Samrala, conducted a meeting of the vegetables growers at its centre here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Dr K.S. Sandhu, consultant, Punjab State Farmers Commission, regarding house cultivation of vegetables, according to Dr Ranjeet Singh, in charge of the kendra. About 25 farmers attended the meeting and the advantages of net houses technology and loan facilities for farmers to construct these net houses were explained in details.

TARN TARAN
Poppy husk seized: Two persons, including a woman, have been booked under the NDPS Act. According to police sources, 1.5 kg of poppy husk was seized from Surjit Kaur, a resident of Bharowal village, and 5 kg of poppy husk was seized from Gulzar Singh of Thatha village on Wednesday.

HARYANA

AMBALA
Ambulance service: The district police has arranged for an ambulance service for senior citizens. The SP, Mr Rajbir Deswal, said a police van would be used as an ambulance for senior citizens and there will be no charges. He said senior citizens can avail of the service by making a call at 2531847. 

Lawyers to get chambers: Chambers for the lawyers of Ambala will be constructed in the judicial complex soon. At present as many as 600 lawyers have to sit under tin sheds in the judicial complex. Mr Umrish Gandhi, one of the members of construction committee of Ambala Bar Association told here on Thursday that a few days back the members of the construction committee had met Justice J.S. Khehar, Inspecting Judge of Ambala and chairman of construction committee of Punjab and Haryana High Court, who had directed them to collect the applications from the lawyers who were interested to take chambers in the complex. Mr Gandhi told that more than 200 lawyers had deposited their applications with the construction committee. 

Conference inaugurated: Padma Bhushan Dr Anil Kohli, president, Dental Council of India, inaugurated the National Conference on Modern Trends in Information and Communication Technology at MM Engineering College, Mullana, on Thursday. In his inaugural address, Dr Kohli highlighted the need for closer collaboration among engineering and health care professionals and expected that interdisciplinary topic of the conference will be of much significance.

Robbery in shop: Robbers struck at a electronic goods showroom in the MC market on Jagadhri road on Wednesday night. The robbers, entered the shop by breaking open the shutter. They took away goods worth lakhs of rupees, including handycams, DVD players, cameras and music systems. A case has been registered.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BADDI
Inauguration of ISTE chapter: The institute of Engineering and Emerging Technologies, Baddi, will organise the inaugural function of faculty and student chapter of the Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE) on October 21. Dr R.P Singh, Section Chairman, Punjab, HP, Chandigarh and J&K, will be the chief guest on the occasion.

BILASPUR
Action sought: Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has demanded that the Chief Minister should direct the police to take suitable legal action regarding an FIR registered at Barmana police station by a poor Scheduled Caste farmer Surjan Ram alleging molestation of his 12-year-old daughter. He expressed surprise that though the FIR was registered on October 8 the police had not taken any action. 

Dharamsala
Claim: Even though the Rajya Sabha seat from the Kangra parliamentary constituency will fall vacant in March 2006, Congress leader from Kangra Dev Dutt Sharma has already staked his claim. Addressing mediapersons, Mr Sharma who is a delegate in the Kangra Congress Committee said he had been inspired to stake his claim to the seat owing to AICC president Sonia Gandhi ‘s stress during the recently held Chief Ministers’ conclave at Chandigarh. 

SHIMLA
Memorandum: The Himachal Pradesh University Welfare Association demanded the implementation of the recommendations of the Employees Grievances Redressal Committee and other long-pending issues here on Wednesday. Mr Waryam Singh Bains, president, of the association said they had submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor in this regard.