Tribuneindia...Regional Briefs

	REGIONAL BRIEFS	Thursday, May 13, 1999
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GARHSHANKAR
Rally: Bet area welfare committee organised a protest rally and staged a dharna in front of the SDM's office on Tuesday against the acute shortage of drinking water in the bet area.

JALANDHAR
Fire: Readymade garments were destroyed in a fire that broke out at shop opposite the Red Cross Market near Jyoti Chowk on Tuesday. Mr Harjeet Singh, owner of the shop, said the fire started at around 12.30 p.m. and two fire tenders were used to douse it. The cause of the fire was not known yet.

LUDHIANA
Arrested: The police has arrested four persons, Krishan Lal, Raj Kumar, Maya and Veena for allegedly for bringing liquor at low prices from Chandigarh and selling them at higher prices here. The police also seized 93300 ml of liquor, from their possession. The four persons were arrested at a naka organised by the police.

Training programmes: The Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Punjab Agricultural University, will organise two orientation training programmes on "Mechanisation Strategy for the Year 2000 and Beyond" for the middle management executives of the Eicher Tractors Co. Limited, Ballabgarh, Haryana, from May 10 to 12 and May 17 to 19.

PATIALA
Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Amar Shaheed Baba Moti Ram Mehra Memorial Charitable Trust: chairman — Mr Karamjit Singh Kashyap; senior deputy chairman — Mr Ajaib Singh Kang; general secretary — Mr Karnail Singh; secretary — Mr Nardev Singh Malra; and press secretary — Mr Surinder Singh.

Social worker dead: A renowned social worker, Major Baba Surjit Singh Bedi (68), died here on Saturday. He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son. Major Bedi was the president of the Patiala Consumers and Telephone Subscribers Forum, Professor Munshi Ram Verma Memorial Trust and Dr Khushdeva Singh Trust.

Mahila Congress: Dr Narinder Kaur has been appointed Organising Secretary of the Punjab Mahila Congress by its President Gurkanwal Kaur, according to an office order received here on Tuesday.

Vacation schedule: The Punjabi University has declared the summer and winter vacation schedule for the academic session 1999-2000 of medical, dental, ayurvedic and homoeopathic colleges affiliated to the university. According to the schedule these colleges will remain closed from May 10 to July 23 for summer vacation and from December 13 to January 1, 2000, for winter vacations.

Appointed: Dr J.S. Puar, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University has appointed Dr B.S. Ghuman of the Physics Department as Dean of Faculty of Physical Sciences, a press note issued by the university said here on Tuesday.

Free shows: The National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS) has offered to present free shows (on no-profit, no-loss basis) of their popular Punjabi musical satires 'Atam Hatya Di Dukan' or 'Salvaan' in aid of the Indian Red Cross Society, anywhere in Punjab and the neigbouring states. Mr Pran Sabharwal, Director of the NTAS, while paying tributes to Sir Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross movement, on Red Cross Day, appealed to the public-spirited and theatre-loving organisations to come forward to further the cause of humanity by organising Red Cross relief-fund shows.

Approved: The executive council of the Indian Fern Society has approved the conferment of the title of distinguished fellow on Dr S.S. Bir, Professor emeritus and a senior scientist, Department of Botany, Punjabi University, in recognition of his meritorious research contributions in the field of pteridology during his post-retirement period of 1989-1998.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of Sri Tung Nath Seva Samiti: president — Mr R.K. Puri; Vice-President — Mr Manmohan Jand, general secretary — Mr S.L. Sharma; and cashier — Mr Hargobind Sharma.

Students' protest: Students of Medical and Dental College here held a rally in front of the principal's office at the college on Tuesday to protest against the hike in fees and hospital charges recently by the state government. The students took out a protest march on the Mall Road and raised slogans against the government.

PHILLAUR
Course: A three-day course on juvenile delinquency was inaugurated here on Tuesday by Dr Agyajit Singh, head of the Psychology Department, Punjabi University, Patiala. More than 34 Inspectors, Sub Inspectors and Assistant Sub Inspectors from different parts of the state participated in the course. Dr Agyajit Singh laid emphasis on proper socialisation of children to check delinquent behaviour.

Migrants: The Federation of Migrant Groups from North Western India, now Pakistan, has urged the Minorities Commission of India to declare Pathans residing in Chamba, Haldwani and Dehradun as tribals. In a press note issued here on Wednesday Mr S.K. Sharma, the President of the federation, said that the tribal status should be accorded to Pathans like in the case of Bawa community, following a recent Supreme Court judgement. He said like Bawas, Pathans too had migrated from Pakistan in 1947, before which they were residents of the North West Frontier Province.

Teachers: Members of the Panjab University Teachers Association have urged the government and university authorities to honour the agreements reached with them, failing which they would boycott the evaluation of answer sheets of the ongoing examinations. According to a statement by Mr M. Rajivlochan, Secretary of the association, their main grievance was withdrawal of the ‘encashment of earned leave’ facility from May 10. He said it meant that teachers would lose Rs 3 lakh to 5 lakh. This privilege was available to other government and university employees.

PANCHKULA

Literacy camp: As many as 50 students of Class XII of Government Senior Secondary School in Sector 7 here are participating in a literacy camp being organised by a local NSS unit at Rajiv Colony. The leader of the NSS unit, Mr S.S. Anand said the camp which started on Friday was aimed at increasing the mental awareness of girls. The camp will end on Sunday. A really will also be organised on Thursday.

Organised: An educational camp to create awareness among women on how to detect an early breast cancer was organised by the District Health Department at General Hospital in Sector 6 here on Wednesday. As many as 289 women from urban and rural areas participated in the camp. Dr Sanjiv Trehan, a surgeon at the General Hospital, while addressing the participants said while premenopausal women should exmine their breasts after mensus, postmenopausal women should examine these on any day, once in a month. He advised that all women above 35 years of age should undergo baseline mamography.

FARIDABAD
One held: The police has arrested Durga Pal of Hathras (UP) for looting a truck carrying 150 bags of arhar dal near Koi border on the Delhi-Mathura national highway. It is stated that Durga Pal who travelled in the truck bound for Delhi from Gwalior (MP), mixed some intoxicant in the lassi and made the driver and cleaner of the truck to drink it. As soon as they fell unconscious Durga Pal drove away the truck and hid the vehicle near Yamuna bed. A country-made pistol and goods worth Rs 1.20 lakh were also recovered from the hideout of Durga Pal.

ROHTAK
Car accident: Two persons were killed in a car accident near Sampla village on national highway-10 on Tuesday. Some unidentified robbers allegedly took ornaments worth about Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 1.70 lakh in cash from the vehicle which had met with an accident. Mrs Lalita Devi, wife of the deceased, Nand Lal, said in an FIR lodged with the Sampla police that her husband and the driver of the car were killed in the accident while she became unconscious. She alleged that some unidentified persons stole the ornaments and cash from the ill-fated car.

Resentment: Resentment prevails among the members of the Haryana State Medical Teachers' Association over the non-implementation of its long pending demands. The association had demanded re-designation, revised non practising allowance and conveyance and other allowances.

SONEPAT
Pedestrian killed: A pedestrian was knocked down and killed by a truck on the Sonepat-Kharkhauda road near Thana Kalan Chowk, 17 km from here, on Monday. According to the police, the victim has been identified as Jai Singh (65) of Silana village.

Electrocuted: Jagbir (28) was electrocuted in the veterinary hospital at Ganaur, 16 km from here on Monday. The victim belonged to Mohana village and had gone to his relative's house where he accidentally touched a refrigerator in the hospital.

Found: The police found a decomposed body of an unknown man (60), lying on the Sonepat-Rohtak road near Harsana village, about 8 km from here, on Monday.

Killed: One person was killed on the spot in a head-on collision between a scooter and a tanker on the railway overbridge here on Monday. The victim, Mahavir (37) of Kilorad village, was going on his scooter when the accident occurred. A case against the tanker driver has been registered.

Unidentified body: The Sonepat Railway Police found the body of an unknown youth (32) lying on the railway track between Ganaur and Bodhwal Majri railway stations, about 20 km from here, on Monday.

Suicide: Vijender, a 25-year-old youth, allegedly committed suicide by consuming insecticide tablets at his house in Basodi village, about 15 km from here, on Monday. A family quarrel is stated to be the main cause of the suicide.

SIRSA
Complaint: Residents of Mattuwala village in the district have lodged a complaint with the district administration against the veterinary doctor of the Veterinary Centre at Keharwala in the district. They have alleged that the veterinary doctor concerned has not taken appropriate remedial steps to cure the diseased sheep and goats, dying of some mysterious disease. As many as 104 animals have died so far. The residents are not satisfied with the medical investigation conducted and have demanded a high-level probe to ascertain the cause of the death of these animals.

First anniversary: "Koshish", a collaborated effort of police, administration, "Setu" and Nirjharni Sahyog Samiti", is going to complete its first successful year. This social organisation was initiated to resolve domestic disputes through mutual understanding and compromise. In celebration of its first anniversary, a seminar on 'Family Breakdown — Causes and Remedies" will be organised on May 14 at the local Surkhab Tourist Complex.

BILASPUR
Beopar Mandal: The General House of the Himachal Pradesh State Beopar Mandal was attended by over 500 delegates drawn from all parts of state here on Monday evening. It was presided by the State Election Officer, Mr Jaikumar.

Impounded: In an attempt to curb the smuggling of timber from the state, the Divisional Forest Officer, Mr Nagesh Guleria, exercising his powers under Section 52-A of the HP Forests Act (1927) impounded two trucks carrying 156 deodar sleepers.

Dharna: Members of the district units of the Himachal Panchayat Chowkidars Union and Trained Cutting and Tailoring Teachers Union staged a dharna on the national highway on Monday. Later, they also organised a protest march and raised slogans regarding their demands. While addressing the rally their leaders alleged that the state government had forgotten about its election promises regarding the regularisation of the services of chowkidars and also of the tailoring teachers.

DHARAMSALA
Raped: A mentally deranged 70-year-old woman of Chatri village under Dehra subdivision, was allegedly raped by a truck driver of the same village, on Sunday. A case has been registered at the Dehra police station. The medical examination of the woman was conducted at the Zonal Hospital here on Tuesday but the report is still awaited.

KULU
Meeting: The two-day 11the Zonal Research-cum-Extension Advisory Committee meeting of Zone II (mid-hill sub-humid zone) of Himachal Pradesh concluded on Tuesday at the Regional Research Station, Bajaura. As many as 75 scientists of Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Dr Y.S Parmar University of Horticulture and forestry, Solan, and about 100 local farmers participated in the meeting. Scientists from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Katrain, G.B Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development Officers from the Department of Agriculture and Horticulture also attended the meeting.

Hoteliers association: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Kulu Valley Hoteliers Association: president — Mr Vinod Chandokh; senior vice-president — Mr Deepak Soni; vice-president — Mr Mohan Poddar; and general secretary — Mr Vinod Bir.

NURPUR
Woman killed: Dehra police has arrested Karamchand his father Nathuram and wife Kanta Devi of Lower Tipri village on Sunday for allegedly beating to death a woman Lakshmi Devi. The deceased had stopped her brother-in-law, Karamchand, from ploughing disputed land. The accused beat Lakshmi Devi with sticks and she died on the spot. The police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC and has taken the accused in remand till May 18.

Regional potpourri

Palampur ropeway — a stillborn project

NESTLING close to Dharamsala which has come on the world tourist map, Palampur is an important town worth visiting for tourists. The snow-clad Dhauladhars lend an enchanting background to Palampur, which boasts of numerous scenic sights such as lush green tea gardens, pine forests, grassy spacious lawns of the Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, a hanging bridge over the Neugal, and children’s parks.

In this area are the Andretta Art Gallery, Dhauladhar wildlife sanctuary, Tasizong monastery, Shiv Temple (Baijnath), writers’ home and open air theatre dedicated to the memory of Nora Richards.

Yet the tourists’ flow to this town is not encouraging. Hotel owners complain against inadequate publicity to the scenic spots of this area and about the lukewarm promotion of tourist interest. It is felt that Palampur will be a big tourist draw if the government, as in the case of Parwanoo, gets working on the long-pending ropeway. The Himachal Pradesh Government is said to have submitted a proposal for a ropeway over a 500-metre-long section of the Neugal khud (see photo), linking Vandla and Kundi villages.

According to a recently published report, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 95 crore. However, at the site, nothing seems to stir. With the BJP Government at the Centre reduced to a caretaker one, will this project ever materialise?

Devoted to arts promotion

P.S.Verma, a Chandigarh-based painter-artist, has been honoured by Bathinda’s S. Sobha Singh Chitrakar Memorial Society for his contribution to art.

He was given a shawl and a citation by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Ladhar, to honour him on the concluding day of the four-day exhibition of paintings organised by the society recently.

Awards are not new to Verma who has devoted himself to the promotion of art. For this task, he has been organising the painting competitions regularly. He has also founded Shiv Kala Mandir at Kapurthala, Fine Arts Hobby Centre, and City Beautiful Arts School, both in Chandigarh, and the College of Arts, Panchkula.

Verma, who has painted hundreds of paintings so far on different themes, has been organising exhibitions regularly. He was initiated into this field by S. Sobha Singh, Pt Mohan Lal Murtikar and Munshi Khan of Malerkotla.

For his contribution to arts, he was awarded two gold medals by the Punjab Government (1978 and 1983), the Punjab state award (1968), Chandigarh Award and the Certificate of Honour by the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi. In 1991, the Punjab Government directed all the Deputy Commissioners to organise Verma's fine arts exhibitions in their respective districts. The state government sanctioned Rs 10,000 to each district for this job.

Verma has given training in fine arts to about 23,000 students so far. Demonstration of fine arts has been given by him in all the government and private schools of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula.

The painter told TNS that his aim in the life was only promotion of arts among public and motivate the youths to channelise their energy to create something new.

Wedded to social service

Besides religious activities, Ram Sharnam, an organisation of Jalalabad, has established its identity as a leading body by rendering social service in different fields, particularly in helping the downtrodden over the past five years.

Established in 1991 at Jalalabad, Ram Sharnam has so far organised 44 mass marriages of poor couples, whom it provided gifts worth Rs 11,000 each. In 1995 it distributed 101 tricycles to the disabled.

The next year, the body organised medical camp in which, besides examining and treating patients free, it adopted 12 patients of chronic ailments for complete treatment.

Ram Sharnam is also running a sewing centre where about 150 girls are taught free.

Again in 1996 when the area witnessed floods during the winter, the association again came to the rescue of the poor by distributing 1000 blankets to the needy.

Institution for myriad causes

The 25-bed Baba Mastnath Charitable Eye Hospital, located at Asthal Bohar, 8 km from Rohtak on the national highway, is the biggest charitable eye hospital in Haryana.

The hospital, established in 1948, has come a long way in treating eye patients belonging to the middle class and poor.

Dr Markandey Ahuja, Medical Superintendent, said nearly 60,000 patients visit the hospital for treatment while more than 5,000 were operated upon every year. He claimed that patients not only from the state but also from Nepal and Pakistan come to his hospital for treatment. He said some complicated cases were referred by Rohtak’s Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences to this hospital as it was equipped with the latest techniques and facilities. (Photo shows micro-surgery being conducted on an eye patient).

He said nearly one crore people suffered from blindness in the country. Of this, 80 per cent were affected with cataract, which was curable.

Dr Ahuja, who is also a director of Baba Mastnath educational institutions, said the eye hospital organised a seminar on its golden jubilee celebrations last month which was attended by 100 eye specialists from Haryana and Delhi.

Besides the eye hospital, the institution runs a general hospital, pharmacy, ayurvedic, dental and engineering colleges. These colleges conduct courses for MBA, B. Pharmacy and J.B.T. A residential senior secondary school is also being run.

Contributed by Suman Sachar, Chander Parkash, Ashok Grover and Vipin Sharma.