R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
Gas agency: A district police gas agency here was inaugurated by Mr Bakhshi Ram, Inspector-General (Amritsar border) here on Monday. New gas connections were distributed among police employees, widows of police personnel and retired police officials.

FAZILKA
Raped: A minor girl was raped by two youths of Hazararam Singh village on Monday. According to the FIR, the girl was allegedly raped by Sham Singh (18) and his accomplice of the same village when she was returning after collecting wood. A case has been registered.

HOSHIARPUR
Congregation: A congregation was held here on Sunday at Shakti temple. Mr Shashigopal Dass, president, ISKCON, Kurukshetra, presided.

Function: The annual function of the Him Mitter Mandal was held here on Sunday in which persons belonging to Himachal Pradesh, but presently residing in the city, participated. Mr Tikshan Sud, State Minister for Excise and Taxation, Punjab, was the chief guest.

Financial help: Grants worth Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 were given to ex-servicemen and widows, respectively, at a ceremony organised at the District Sainik Welfare Office here on Monday. Cheques were handed by a team of the Dogra Regimental Centre.

KHANNA
Sweaters distributed: The local branch of Canara Bank here on Monday distributed seaters, shoes and books to the poor students of middle and primary schools of Goh village. Mr R.L. Bhagat, Senior Superintendent of Police, here presided. Mr R.C.Sidhu, Senior Manager of the Khanna branch, inaugurated the function.

LUDHIANA
Stone laid: The Punjab Technical Education Minister, Mr Jagdish Singh Garcha, laid the foundation stone of the 2.80 km-long Brahmpura-Dumheri road, 45 km from here, on Sunday. He said the number of engineering colleges would be doubled to 16.

Seminar: A seminar was held at Punjab Agricultural University here on Monday where Maj-Gen (retd) Himmat Singh Gill, a defence analyst, laid stress on countering problems like militancy, narco-terrorism, insurgencies.

MOGA
Arrested: The district police has arrested a large number of persons dealing in contraband goods in the district. A huge stock of smuggled goods and illicit liquor were seized from them.

NAWANSHAHR
Resentment: Residents of the local New Adarsh Nagar are sore over the indifferent attitude of the local municipal authorities towards its development. They have been deprived of the basic civic amenties for the past couple of years, despite numerous requests to the authorities concerned, they alleged.

Protest march: The students of DIET, Nawanshahr, on Monday took out a protest march in the town and held a dharna here in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner to press the state government to scrap the "shikhia kari yojna".

PATIALA
Office bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Senior Citizens Welfare Society Urban Estate: President — Dr A.C. Arora; Vice-President — Mr Mann Singh Mann; General Secretary — Mr D.S. Uppal; Finance Secretary — Dr Mohinder Singh; Joint Secretary — Col J.P.S. Hanspal (retd) and Editor, Magazine — Dr P.S. Jammu.

PHAGWARA
Traffic blocked: Residents of the local Santokhpura Mohalla, mostly women, blocked traffic on GT Road on Tuesday for about half-an-hour in protest against the choking of their sewerage system. They alleged that the sewage water entered their houses.

Injured: Six persons were injured in a collision between two Maruti cars near Dawidha Rehana village on Tuesday on Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road.

Threat: The local Telephone Subscribers Association on Tuesday threatened to hold a demonstration if the telephone services were not restored. Mr T.D.Chawla, association's convener, alleged that hundreds of telephones were out of order in the town and complaints were not attended for days. He demanded a probe into the alleged use of substandard telephone cables.

Confusion about Id: The Muslim wing of the Akali Dal here and the Anjumane Dawate Islamia Committee on Tuesday flayed the Imam of Delhi for creating confusion about Id leading to a lot of inconvenience. Several Muslims had to return disappointed from idgahs on Sunday while others got late for saying their namaz.

Exemption sought: The Federation of Phagwara Small Industries have demanded that engine parts should be exempted from sales tax to save the industry from shutting down. The federation's spokesman, Mr Rajwant Singh Jhiukka, on Tuesday demanded a special quota of pig iron/ sheet iron for the industry. The federation flayed the local municipal council for imposing house tax.

PHILLAUR
Murder: Javed Mohammad was stabbed to death by his own friend, Mohammad Gulab, at Rurrka Khurd village in Phillaur subdivision on Sunday. A minor quarrel between the two was said to be the cause of the murder, the police said. A case has been registered under Section 302, IPC and arrested the culprit.

TARN TARAN
Demonstration: Workers of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) organised a demonstration at Khadoor Sahib on Sunday demanding the arrest of the ASI and the Head Constable responsible for raping the daughter of a poor man of Darapur village against whom a case had been registered 15 days back. A memorandum was presented to the SDM, Khadoor Sahib, in this regard

CHANDIGARH

Blood donation: Around 125 units of blood were collected by the PGI team at a blood donation camp organised by the Lions Club Panchkula Central in collaboration with the Indian Express Blood Society on Tuesday.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local chapter of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India: chairman — Mr Punit Kumar Abrol; vice-chairman — Mr Parveen Gupta; and secretary — Mr J.S. Ahluwalia.

Camp: The State Bank of India, PEC branch, organised a blood donation camp in Police Lines, Sector 26, on Tuesday. It was inaugurated by Mr A.S. Kumaria, AGM, SBI. Mr Alok Kumar, ASP Traffic, was present. Mr K.B.S. Aulakh, Traffic Warden, was the coordinator of the camp.

KHARAR
Blood donation: As many as 106 persons donated blood at a blood donation camp organised by the local Rotary Club in collaboration with the Blood Bank Society of the PGI at Arya College for Women on Monday. Mr Ashok Sharma, President of the club, donated blood for the 21st time and Mr Balwant Singh Rangi President elect, donated blood for the 19th time.

Protest: The Milkmen Union and the Halwai Union has decided to observe strike on January 17 to protest against the decision of the Punjab Government to set up the Dairy Development Board in Punjab.

PANCHKULA
Pensioners' body: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Himachal Pensioners Welfare Association, Panchkula zone: President — Mr D.R. Sood; Vice-President — Mr M.L. Aggarwal; General Secretary — Mr S.D. Bhargwa; Joint Secretary — Mr M.K. Vinayak; and Advisors — Mr R.K. Aggarwal and Mr J.K. Kakkar.

HARYANA

AMBALA
Strike: Lecturers of non-government-affiliated colleges observed a strike on Tuesday and submitted a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner. They are demanding regular payment of salaries and release of grant.

Defection: Mr Mehar Singh, a member of Ambala Sadar Municipal council, has announced to join the BJP in the presence of Ms Sushma Swaraj here on Tuesday. He was earlier in the HVP.

SIRSA
Identity cards: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Amit Jha, said here on Monday that those who had not yet got their photo-identity cards could get them made. He added that the centres and the schedule for getting the cards had been announced.

SONEPAT
Promoted: The Haryana Government has promoted Mr Rajpal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and posted him as the Additional Superintendent of Police here with immediate effect.

Blankets distributed: Mr M.R. Aggarwal, former president of the Rotary Club (Uptown) distributed 125 blankets among the poor at a function organised here on Monday. He also handed over a cheque of Rs 500 to Anju, a student of Government Girls School.

Pensions distributed: The district administration distributed Rs 200 each as pension among 2,200 persons on Monday. These persons had been identified during the survey undertaken by the state government under the old-age pension scheme.

Support: The Regional Rajput Sabha on Tuesday decided to extend its support to the candidates of those political parties which will fulfil its demands during the forthcoming Assembly elections. This was stated in a press note issued here.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Funds release: The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to release the entire construction funds with a view to expedite the construction of health centres and institutions in the state. This was stated by the Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda, at Kuhmajhwaad, 45 km from here, on Sunday. He laid the foundation stone of a civil dispensary.

DHARAMSALA
Theft: Watches worth Rs 4 lakh were stolen from a shop in the main Kotwali Bazar on Sunday. A case has been registered.