R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

BARNALA
Poppy husk seized: On a tip-off, the police raided a poppy husk-selling joint falling under Sherpur police station. This was stated by Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, here on Saturday. The police found Ranjit Singh, alias Pappu Bajigar, a local resident and Amarjit Singh, alias Bhola, a resident of Sherpur, making packets of 3 kg each of poppy husk for selling in the market. The SSP said six bags of poppy husk, weighing about 2.5 quintals, were seized from the spot.

BATHINDA
Demands: Mr Gurjit Singh Mann, President , Punjab Government College Teachers Association (PGCTA), on Saturday urged the Punjab Government to implement the association’s demands, including total service benefit and arrears of revised pay-scales. In a press note issued here on Saturday, he pointed out that the state government had not notified the UGC recommendations regarding the pay-scales and other service benefits for the college teachers and they were being deprived of their genuine rights.

HOSHIARPUR
Road Safety Week: To provide information about traffic rules to the general public and to inculcate in them a spirit of following them, the district transport authorities have launched a special drive in connection with the Road Safety Week celebrations in the district. Mr N.S. Walia, District Transport Officer, said special eye check-up camps were organised with the help of Punjab Roadways during the week.

Development scheme: With the help of the Central Government and the World Bank, the Punjab Government has prepared a special scheme for the overall development of sub-mountainous areas of the state. This was stated by Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, in a press note issued here on Sunday. He said the Integrated Watershed Development Project (Hills-II), 1999-2000, had been started by the Central Government for the overall development of sub-mountainous areas of UP, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K states of the country. The living conditions of two lakh people living in 270 villages in Punjab would be improved through providing them special incentives under this project.

KHANNA
Seminar: A seminar on traffic awareness was organised at A.S. Senior Secondary School here by the local Lions Club on Saturday. It was attended by students of Hindi Putri Pathshala, DAV Model School and A.S.Senior Secondary School. Mr R.L. Bhagat , SSP, was the chief guest.

MOGA
Killed: Two persons were killed on the spot and three others, including a scooter-borne youth, his wife and a child, were seriously injured in different accidents near here. A student, Jasbir Singh, resident of Kokrikalan village in the district was killed when his scooter was hit by a vehicle on the Moga-Ludhiana road due to dense fog. Another youth lost his life when he was run over by a truck on the Moga-Amritsar road, about 45 km from here. A report said three persons, a man, his wife and a child, were seriously injured when their scooter collided with a tractor near Baghapurana town, 15 km from here, due to dense fog.

NAWANSHAHR
Resentment: Resentment prevails among the residents of the nearby Sauna village over the working of the local Public Health Department (Rural Water Supply) as it had failed to provide them with the drinking water facility from the Barnalakalan Water Works. Mr Mehanga Singh , Sarpanch of the village, alleged that although the Barnalakalan Rural Water Supply Scheme had been launched sometime ago to provide drinking water facility to as many as four villages, including Sauna, yet the residents had still been deprived of piped water.

Vaccination camp: The local Rotary Club organised its third Hepatitis -B vaccination camp here on Sunday. As many as 272 children were vaccinated at the camp, according to Mr Rajnish Jain and Mr R.K. Jain, President of the club and the Project Director, respectively. A fourth booster-dose will be given in January, 2001, according to a press note.

PHAGWARA
Chickenpox cases: Cases of measles and chickenpox are being reported in and around here these days. Sources said here on Friday that both are viral diseases and curable even though the chickenpox vaccine is quite expensive.

SANGRUR
Murder case solved: The Barnala police is stated to have solved the murder case of Jasmail Singh, alias Bhola, a resident of Cheema village in Barnala subdivision of the district. This was stated by Mr Ishwar Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Barnala. Jasmail Singh was murdered on December 18. Following some clues, the police arrested Gurmail Singh, alias Tota, a real brother of the deceased , and Baljit Singh, Gurmail Singh's brother-in-law. During investigations, they confessed that they had murdered Jasmail Singh with lathi blows because of some dispute.

CHANDIGARH

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Bhartiya Sangeet Samiti: Patrons — Harmohan Dhawan and Satya Pal Jain; Advisor — Mr Harish Mitter; President — Dr Ramesh Mishra; Vice-President — R.S. Sham; General Secretary — Raj Kumar Rangra; Finance Secretary — M.S. Rana; Chief Organising Secretary — Shesh Ram Thakur; Organising Secretary — Mahinder Rana; Culture Secretary — Manju Sharma; Joint Secretary — Ratan Lal Kondal; Office Secretary — Nanda Kanwle; Auditor — M.L. Chauhan; Executive Members — Santosh Kumar, Meena Sharma and Varinder Singh.

SAS NAGAR
Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Chandigarh Medical Representatives Association: President — Mr Sanjeev Mahajan; Vice-President — Mr Ranjit K. Puri; General Secretary — Mr Rajesh Shingari; Joint Secretary — Mr Chander Bhushan; and Treasurer — Mr Vikram Sikka.

Demanded: Residents of Phase 3B1 have urged the local administration to solve the problem of inadequate parking and encroachments in front of the market here. Developing parks, controlling the menace of stray cattle and proper street lighting and sanitation has also been demanded by the association.

Mandeep tops: Mandeep Kaur, a student of cutting and tailoring trade at Industrial Training Institute for Women, has topped in the state-level examination of craftsman training conducted by Punjab State Board of Technical Education and Industrial Training.

Urged: The Punjab Panchayti Raj Non-Pensioners Association has urged the Special Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, Punjab, to decide on the suggestions and objections submitted to him by the association.

Pullovers' distribution: Mr O.P. Popli, Subdivisional Magistrate, will distribute pullovers among needy students at Government Primary School, Phase 5, on Monday. These pullovers have been provided by the House Owners Welfare Society.

HARYANA

FATEHABAD
Municipal committees: A sum of Rs 57,68,445 received under various schemes like grant to urban local bodies, recommended by the 10th Finance Commission, environment improvement and central assistance for slum development programme is being spent by the municipal committees in the district. Stating this to mediapersons, Mr Anil Malik, Deputy Commissioner, said the Fatehabad Municipal Committee was spending Rs 17.72 lakh.

HISAR
Lawyers’ strike: Lawyers of the local Bar Association will observe a two days’ token strike from Monday in protest against the Central Government ’s proposal to allow foreign lawyers to practice in India and to renew lawyers’ licences after every five years. A decision to this effect was taken by the association at its meeting held here on Saturday.

Gang busted: The CIA staff is stated to have busted a gang of dacoits and vehicle thieves, operating in several districts of Haryana and Dehra Doon. Superintendent of Police Sohan Lal said here on Sunday that the police arrested three members of the gang, including its kingpin, following a tip-off that they were planning to commit a dacoity while sitting on the Ghora Farm road here on Saturday. The police has seized one .12-bore pistol, along with cartridges, and recovered a stolen motorcycle from them. The arrested persons have been identified as Naresh, a resident of Indira Colony, Devender of Government Colony and Baljit Singh, a resident of Dhani, all from Hisar.

Ex-servicemen's rally: The local Armoured Division will organise an ex-servicemen's rally in the district on the premises of the Hisar Military Station (Satroad) on January 15. A spokesman for the division said here on Sunday that certificates of honour and badges of sacrifice would be given to 100 widows of soldiers killed in action during wars since 1948. He said a free medical camp to treat eye and ENT diseases would be organised on the occasion.

ROHTAK
Arrested: The police has arrested robbers of two gangs and recovered stolen items, including a car and jewellery, worth about Rs 17 lakh from them in two cases since Friday. According to police sources, three youths travelling in a Santro car, were intercepted by the CIA staff near the town on Friday. One of them identified as Hemant, alias Sonu, a resident of Nazafgarh in Delhi, escaped. His two accomplices, Vijay Kumar, alias Nikku, a resident of Nand Nagari and Trilok Singh of Rajouri Garden, both from Delhi, were arrested. The police also recovered arms and ammunition from them. In another incident, the police arrested two youths, Monu, alias Binu, and Bijender after a raid here and recovered looted items worth about Rs 3 lakh from them. Two of their accomplices, Kala and Kishan of Gohana Road here and Atail village, respectively, could not be arrested.

SONEPAT
Arrested: With the arrest of two youths, the Rai police on Friday claimed to have solved a case of robbery which was committed on January 6 near Jatheri village in the district. Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr K.P.Singh, told mediapersons here on Friday that the arrested youths had been identified as Manoj of Ferozepur Bangar village in the district and Yogesh of Bakarwara village in Delhi. The police, he said, had recovered a stolen Maruti car from them. He said the police had registered 12 cases under the Excise Act and arrested 15 persons after 192 bottles of liquor were recovered from them. The police also arrested two persons and seized 140 gm of charas from them. Cases under the NDPS Act have been registered against them. Mr Amanjit Singh who has been elected President of the Dhuri Bar Association.

Crime against women: Dr John V.George, Inspector-General of Police, Rohtak Division, has said at least 2,000 cases relating to crime against women are reported every year. He was speaking at a function organised in connection with a mass contact campaign by the police at the PWD (B&R) rest house, Rai, about 15 km from here, on Saturday.

SIRSA
Looted: Thieves looted valuables from three shops in the local Nohria Bazar on Saturday. It is learnt that jewellery worth Rs 15,000 was stolen from a jeweller’s shop and Rs 3,000 was stolen from a nearby sweets shop.

Arrested: One person was arrested in a case of theft under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC. Police sources said on Sunday Nakshatter Singh of Dabwali city was arrested on a complaint by Shayam Lal for breaking into his house and stealing a bicycle and cash. The district police has also arrested two persons in different cases. Sant Lal of the local Rania Gate was arrested under the Excise Act for possessing illicit liquor. His accomplice, Kulwant, escaped. Shayam Lal of Multani Colony was arrested under Sections 294 and 510, IPC, for creating nuisance in a public place under the influence of liquor.

NARNAUL
Resentment: Resentment prevails among the members of District Bar Association over insanitary conditions prevailing in the Mini Secretariat, specially litigants’ hall, here. In a statement issued here on Saturday, Mr Vichitra Dev Sharma, President of the association, urged the Deputy Commissioner to look into the problem.

Demonstration: Activists of the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) organised a demonstration here on Friday under the leadership of Mr Rajindra Singh, district secretary of the Mahendragarh unit of the SUCI. The demonstration was held in support of their demands and against the policies of the government over supplying yellow ration cards to the poor, supply of power and increasing crimes against women and children. Farmers also took part in the demonstration.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Found dead: Ramesh Kumar, alias Meshi (35), a mechanic working in the main market here, was found dead hanging from a hook in the verandah of his residence on Friday under mysterious circumstances. The police is investigating whether this is a case of suicide or murder.

Demanded: The Himachal Pradesh Government should open a training institute for the blind in the state on the pattern of the one in Dehra Doon to help the blind to become self-reliant. The demand was made by Mr Bhagat Singh Verma, advocate and a CPI leader, who is also a member of the zila parishad, while addressing the first-ever state-level Blind Welfare Function organised jointly by the district administration, the state welfare department and several social organisations.

Financial aid: A total of 303 families against an annual target of 300 families have been provided with financial aid here by the district unit of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation till September, 1999. The district wing of the Himachal Pradesh State Women Development Corporation has helped 51 women against a target of 50 during the same period. Presiding over a meeting here on Friday of representatives of various nationalised banks and departmental officers concerned, Additional District Magistrate R.D. Panwar said till September,1999, Rs 13.50 crore had been utilised against an annual target of Rs 28.08 crore in the district.

KANGRA
Inaugurated: Agriculture Minister Vidiya Sagar inaugurated a dental x-ray plant and a cardiac detector in the local subdivisonal hospital here on Saturday. The Minister announced that a bio-apparatus would also be installed in the hospital which would be donated by the District Red Cross Society. He said orthopaedic tools had been made available to the hospital in order to provide better facilities to the patients. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr M.L. Vaidiya, said as the hospital was overburdened, it required to be upgraded to a 100-bedded one from the present 50-bedded.

UNA
Legal literacy camp: Mr J.N.Barowalia, District and Sessions Judge, presided over a legal literacy camp organised by the district legal services authorities at Gagret, 36 km from here. More than 500 persons, including chairmen of Amb and Gagret block samities, members of block samities, pradhans and uppradhans of gram panchayats, presidents and vice-presidents of Mahila Mandals of Gagret and Amb block participated. Mr Barowalia, addressing those present at the camp, stressed the need for providing free legal aid and setting up lok adalats and explained in detail the benefits of these schemes.