R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
Rally: Jat Sikhs held a rally at the District Collectors office complex in Sriganganagar, 40 km from here on Thursday. They were demanding reservation in service and education in Rajasthan. The rally was addressed by Mr Gurjant Singh Brar.

AMRITSAR
Arrested: The Vigilance Department has on Thursday arrested Patwari, Kulwant Singh of Hardeo Sarli for allegedly taking a bribe. Mr Savinder Singh, SP, Vigilance Bureau, in a press note said the patwari had reportedly taken a bribe of Rs 400 from Karam Singh for providing documents of his land. A case under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused.

FEROZEPORE
Case registered: The local Vigilance Bureau has registered separate cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act against two officials, according to the Bureau's SP, Mr R. Hardial Singh Mann. Persons against whom cases were registered are Balwinder Singh, a patwari, at Ghallkalan and Chaman Lal, Sub-Inspector, Food and Supply Department. The accused were caught red handed while accepting bribes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000.

JALANDHAR
Dharna: The Punjab PWD Workers Union and the INTUC (Punjab) staged a dharna in front of the Office of the Executive Engineer of the PWD, Mr M.S. Gill (Central Works) here on Thursday against the indifferent attitude of the state government. The leaders of the Union, Mr Chattar Singh Bhullar and Mr Harbhajan Lal condemned the state government for delaying the implementation of their long pending demands.

MOGA
Bogus cases: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr K.B.S.Sidhu, said here on Thursday that 6,039 cases out of the total 26,000 monthly pension cases were found to be bogus during investigation.

Land reclaimed: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr K.B.S. Sidhu, said here on Thursday that 18.62 hectares of land in the district had been reclaimed at a cost of Rs 20,60,000 in the current financial year. A sum of Rs 6.83 lakh was also distributed as subsidy for this purpose, he added.

Unemployed youths: The district administration has distributed Rs 10 lakh as subsidy among 71 unemployed youths in the current financial year. This was stated here on Thursday by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr K.B.S. Sidhu. A sum of Rs 20 lakh had been spent for laying underground pipelines, he added.

PATIALA
Truck stolen: A truck (PB-11-C-0398) was stolen from near the Truck Union here on Friday morning. A case under Section 379, IPC, has been registered.

One dead: Mr Vijay Kumar, a middle-aged man, died in an accident near Kaintal petrol station here on Thursday night. He was riding a bicycle which was hit by a car. The police has registered a case under Sections 279 and 304, IPC, against the car driver. While the driver fled from the scene, the car has been impounded.

Theft: Burglars broke into the house of a Subedar near the army area here on Friday and decamped with household articles, including stove and gas cylinders. A case has been registered.

Cassettes stolen: Mr K.P.S. Bhullar, SDO, PSEB, reported to the police that some audio-cassettes were stolen from his car parked outside Green Hotel here on Friday. The police has registered a case and questioned some suspected persons.

PHILLAUR
Road accident: One person was killed and 30 others were injured in a collision between two cars, PRTC bus, Tata Sumo, and tractor-trailer on the GT Road near Phillaur on Friday. The decreased has been identified as Brij Mohan of Samrai village. A case has been registered.

CHANDIGARH

Installed: Mr Gurcharan Singh and Ms Aditi Bamra were installed as Presidents of the Lions Club and Leo Club of Greater Chandigarh, respectively, at a ceremony held on Thursday.The ceremony was conducted by Mr N.K. Grover, Vice-Governor of District 321-F.

Shanti path: The Suryavanshi Jayarwar Rajput Sabha will organise shanti path and havan at the Sector 29-A Sidh Baba Balak Nath Dharamshala on January 2 for the peace and prosperity of mankind.

KHARAR
Debate: Roopinder Kaur of Government High School, Kandala, in the district has secured the second position in a state-level debate organised by the Punjab Education Board, according to the Head Mistress of the school, Mrs Paramjit Kohli.

HARYANA

FARIDABAD
Prostitution: The police has on Wednesday arrested 17 persons, including five women, on a charge of prostitution during raids conducted at two places in Sector 19. Those arrested have been identified as Kiran Sharma and her husband Anil Sharma. They were allegedly running the brothel from their house.

ROHTAK
Accident: Jai Bhagwan, a resident of Kharkana was on Thursday crushed to death by a truck near Meham town on the National Highway no. 10. A case has been registered.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Haryana Dental Surgeons Association: president — Dr Pawan Kumar Dhanwal; secretary — Dr Narender Malik; and treasurer — Dr Sudhir.

SIRSA
Chautala govt: A memorandum was submitted to the President of India through the Deputy Commissioner by the district unit of the BSP on Thursday. They were demanding suspension of the Chautala government and imposition of the President’s rule during the coming Vidhan Sabha elections. Earlier BSP workers took out a procession and assembled at the local Hathi Park. The district president, Mr Mool Chand Rathi addressed the gathering.

SHAHABAD
Children's adoption: The local Rishi Markandeshwar Temple Committee has offered to adopt destitute children of cyclone hit families of Orissa. The president of the committee, Mr Kesar Dass Gambhir, said here on Tuesday that the committee was prepared to adopt 50 needy children.

Tour schedule: A senior member of the Haryana State Congress Election Committee and former Kurukshetra MP, Mr O.P. Jindal, will undertake an intensive tour of Kurukshetra from December 29 to 31 and address public meetings at various places. This was stated by a local Congress leader, Mr Jeet Ram Dua here on Tuesday.

SONEPAT
Arrested: The Gohana police has arrested Manoj, a resident of Madina village on Thursday, for allegedly robbing two local shops on December 24 and 25.

Demonstration: Employees of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) held a demonstration in front of their office on Friday in protest against the non-fulfilment of their demands by HUDA authorities.

Disrupted: Rail and road traffic was disrupted on Friday due to dense fog. According to a report, all long-distance and suburban trains were running behind the schedule. Traffic movement on the GT Road and other highways were also disrupted.

Culprits arrested: The city police has arrested two youths and cash worth Rs 6,900, a suitcase, a pistol and a cartridge were recovered from them. The SSP, Mr K.P.Singh said here on Friday that the culprits had been identified as Suresh of Bhainswal Kalan village and Ramesh of Jasrana village.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Campaign: National Service Scheme students of Government Senior Secondary School at Panjgain, 20 km from here took out a procession against the use of polythene bags in the district. The incharge of the camp, Mr Raj Kumar, said panchayat leaders and mahila mandal members also participated in the campaign.

Eye check-up camps: The District blindness Control Society will organise free check-up camps at Ghawandal from January 7 to 11, Ghumarwin from January 20 to 23, and at Soldha from January 28 to February 1. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr M.L. Mahajan, said here on Thursday that these camps would be organised in collaboration with the OFMU and the National Institute for Visually Handicapped, Dehradun.

Advisory committee: The Himachal Government has added five more members to its Sales Tax Advisory Committee. The commissioner-cum-secretary (excise and taxation) said names of five members were Mr Hemchand Sood, Mr Jai Kumar, Mr Satish Bagrodia; Mr Piush Behal; and Mr Ajeet Butail.

KULU
Councillor: The no-confidence motion moved by some BJP councillors turned into a fiasco as these councillors withdrew the motion on Thursday. The Congress councillor will continue as the president of the local Municipal Committee.
Internet: Internet has not been working properly for the last one month. The local subscribers have complained about the failure of the whole system. Even ping tests carried out by the local subscribers had failed, to restore the system.