R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
Resolved: Workers of the Congress Seva Dal on Saturday took an oath to intensify struggle against communal and subversive forces that had endangered harmony and national integrity. Mr Baldev Makkar, additional state organiser of the dal, administered the oath at a meeting held to celebrate the birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi as "sadbhavna divas" here. 

Batala
Remanded: The robbers allegedly involved in the looting of UCO bank branch in Jalandhar were produced before the court of Mr K.K. Kakkar, Judicial Magistrate (first class) here on Saturday. The judge remanded the accused to police custody for two days. 

HOSHIARPUR
One held: The Mahilpur police has arrested Rajinder Kumar, son of late Tarsem Lal of Dandewal, under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act and seized 9.50 kg of poppy husk from his possession. 

Honoured: Students of GKSM Government College, Tanda, who brought laurels to the college by securing first positions in sitar playing and painting competitions in the recent 47th Panjab University Inter Zonal Youth Festival held at the Ramgarhia College of Girls, Ludhiana, were honoured at a function organised here on Friday.

Dowry case: On the complaint of Nirmla Devi, daughter of Gurjit Singh of Ludhar, the Hajipur police has registered a case under Section 498 A of the IPC against her husband Dharam Pal, father-in-law Roshan Lal, mother-in-law Sandhiya Rani and sister-in-law Shila Devi of Thihorse (HP) on Friday. The complainant has alleged that her in-laws had been torturing her for not bringing enough dowry.

Fire incident: A fire broke out in a feed store belonging to Mr Subhash Chander at Saila Khurd, 35 km from here, on the Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh road on Friday night. Around 400 bags of feed were destroyed in fire. According to police sources, some labourers while unloading the bags lit a candle in the store and did not remove it that might have caused the fire. 

Concluded: Celebrations of the three-day National Shivalik Festival organised jointly by the National Youth Development Centre Himalya Foundation and other youth organisations, concluded at Sector 2, Talwara, 80 km from here, on Saturday. State Health and Family Welfare Minister Romesh Chander Dogra presided over the concluding function. 

Case registered: On the complaint of Dr Shashi Khera, Senior Medical Officer, Primary Health Centre Hajipur, the Talwara police has registered a case on Friday against Dr Suresh Sharma of Ambi village in the district for practising without any registration from the concerned authorities. 

NAWANSHAHR
Patwari at call: Patwari at your call — a unique and worth emulating scheme launched by the district administration to make hassle free the availability of copy of revenue records at the door step by just making a call at phone no. 01823-555501, round the clock — has become popular among NRIs as well. The scheme, a brain child of Deputy Commissioner Krishan Kumar, was launched a few months ago to eliminate the middlemen and to facilitate the process. 

Nurse held: Nisha, a nurse residing at Singh Bhagwantpura village in Ropar district, was arrested for allegedly terminating the pregnancy of Gurmit Kaur of Urapar village. A case of female foeticide has also been registered against Gurmit. Deputy Commissioner Krishan Kumar said the name of the informer would be kept secret and he would be given a cash prize of Rs 5000.

Patiala
Alumni meet: The first alumni meet of Sun Flower Model High School, Patiala, was held here today. Former students of the past 15 years were invited from all over the country. The school Principal, Mrs Bhupinder Kaur Narula welcomed the former students. She said the aim of the meet was to create coordination and interaction among the students. Ramanpreet Kaur of present Class X was the stage anchor. Students of Class X presented a colourful cultural programme. 

Kirya: The rasam kirya ceremony of Mr H.S. Sood, Member, Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) and former Member (Generation), PSEB, was held at the PSEB Officers Colony here today was attended by people from all walks of life. Prominent among those who present at the ceremony were the Board Chairman Mr Y.S. Ratra, former Punjab Chief Secretary Mr R.S. Mann, Chairman of the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation Mr Brahm Mohindra, Director (Industrial Relations), PSEB, Mr R.P. Pandove and other members of the board.

Phillaur
Youth dies in Iraq: The report of the death of a local youth Bhupinder Ram in an army camp in Iraq shocked the family of the deceased residing in nearby Ladhrran village. The boy went to Kuwait through a travel agent, but his death in Iraq had raised eyebrows of several concerned. 

Highway robbery: In an incident of robbery, four unidentified Maruti car borne youths, snatched an Opel Astra (DL-3CJ-4992) from the car driver Shammi Verma near Pepsi cold drinks factory on the National Highway between Goraya and Phillaur here on Saturday. DSP Manjit Singh Dhesi confirmed the incident, but did not rule out the possibility of money lending between some persons. 

SANGRUR
Cultural programme: General Gurnam Singh Public School on Saturday organised a junior variety programme here. It was presided over by Ms Nirmala Lal, wife of Mr Husan Lal, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the General Gurnam Singh Trust. About 250 students participated in various items, including plays, skits, dance and fancy dress. 

CHANDIGARH

Dews school: Children of Dews - The School, Sector 21, celebrated Mickey Mouse’s birthday on Friday. Children came dressed as Mickey and Minnie Mouse. A cake cutting ceremony was held, and children had a dance party.

HARYANA

SONEPAT
Loading, unloading charges: Mr Mange Ram Dhull, SDM, Ganaur, on Sunday directed the arhtyias of the foodgrain markets Ganaur to charge Rs 2.04 instead of Rs 2.43 per bag from the farmers for loading and unloading operations and cleaning of the paddy being marketed by them for sale. The SDM also warned of strict action against those arhtyias who dared to charge more than the fixed rate of labour charges.

Licences cancelled: The Food and Supplies Department has cancelled the licence of seven ration depots in Sonepat district following detection of irregularities and malpractices in the distribution of rationed commodities. According to a report, these ration shops are located at Sonepat and Gohana towns, Katwal, Tihar Malik and Khizarpur Majra villages. 

Transporters’ strike: Jeep driver and other transporters observed a strike today in protest against the levying of a toll tax of Rs 50 per trip by the Delhi Government on them. According to a report, they were plying their jeep and three-wheelers on the Kharkhauda-Bawana and Kharkhauda — Auchandi border. The travelling public faced hardships on account of the hart of the jeep drivers. 

REWARI
Boy sodomised: A four-year-old boy was allegedly sodomised by a youth at Buroli village, about 15 km from here, on Saturday. It is stated that when his father, who was just passing that way, heard the victim’s cries. He informed the Khol police which has now arrested the accused, Somvir Sharma. 

Businessman dead: Jagdish Prasad Sharma, a prominent businessman of Kosli, died while four other occupants of the car were injured when their Ambassador car had a head-on collision with a speeding bus near Jaipur on Friday night. Jagdish Prasad, who was admitted to a hospital in Jaipur, succumbed to his injuries later. His body was brought here. Former MLA Hukam Singh, who too was hospitalised at Jaipur, has been shifted to the PGIMS, Rohtak.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Protested: The Elder Citizens Association has protested against the imposition of hefty charges for organising various functions at Dhaulra temple complex here. The members have urged the Deputy Commissioner to intervene in the matter and get abolish the charges. 

CHAMBA
Delimitation report : The report on the delimitation of Assembly constituencies of the state is expected to be notified soon for the inspection of the general public. According to official sources, the report has been compiled after taking into account the issues of the masses.

MANDI
Gramin bank charge: The Himachal Gramin Bank Karmachari Sangh on Saturday charged that the bank management was adopting anti-government policies, which has hit the interest of employees in the state. The bank general secretary, Mr Mohinder Soni, stated that the bank management had enhanced the interest on staff’s OD accounts arbitrarily and had not restored promotion of the scale-I, II, III and the messengers and stenos.

Students to go on strike: The Association of the JBT students on Saturday stated that if the state government did not start training for the selected JBT candidates, they would resort to hunger strike from November 21. The general secretary of the JBT association stated that over 1691 candidates were selected for JBT training three years ago, but the state government had yet to start their training. 

Association ‘leader’ flayed: Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Association on Friday flayed Mr G D Verma, alleged to be a self-styled leader of the faction, saying that he faced corruption charges and his statements in the Press did not carry weight. The association general secretary, Mr S R Azad, said Mr Verma’s statements misleading the employees on the issue of professional tax had boomeranged on him as the government had withdrawn the tax. 

NURPUR
Eye camp: The National Society of Blindness Control (India) has been organising a four-day free eye treatment and operation camp on the campus of the local Civil Hospital in which a team of eye surgeons from the AIIMS, Delhi, examined as many as 1,000 patients on Saturday. Over 150 patients were shortlisted for operation. The patients are being given free medicines and food.