R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

FEROZEPORE
Protest: Over 1,000 villagers, including men and women, staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Friday in protest against a proposal to auction Irrigation Department land in nearly 20 villages along the Indo-Pak border near here. Among others who addressed the dharna were Mr Sajwar Singh, Organising Secretary, PPCC.

KHARAR
PSU privatisation: The various employee unions, under the banner of the Majdoor Mulajam Talmel Kendra, Kharar, held a rally here on Friday to protest against the privatisation polices of the Union Government. According to a press note issued here, the rally was addressed by leaders of the Para Medical and Health Employees Union, the Punjab State Tubewell Corporation, the Technical Services Union, the Municipal Employees Union and the Class Four Employees Union.

LUDHIANA
Inauguration: The Director-General of Punjab Police on Friday inaugurated the computerisation of police stations of the Ludhiana police district. Mr G.S. Aujla, Inspector-General Police (Zonal), and Mr Kuldip Singh, SSP, Ludhiana were also present on the occasion. He inaugurated the system here in the police lines where the controlling server is based. He claimed that all police stations would be computerised in the state by the end of the year.

MOGA
Faulty phones: Mr Swaran Singh, a resident of Sangatpur village, in a complaint to the Telecommunications Department on Saturday said 16 of the 19 telephones installed in the village had been out of order for the past several months. He alleged that in spite of repeated complaints no officials had turned up to rectify the fault.

NAWANSHAHR
Meeting: A meeting of the scientific advisory committee of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Langroya, was held under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, Dr Roshan Sunkaria, on Friday. Among others who attended the meeting were Dr Jaspinder Singh Kolar, Director, Extension Education, PAU; and Dr A.K. Mehta, zonal coordinator, Indian Agricultural Research Institute.

CHANDIGARH

Slogan contest: Mr Sanjeev Arora, Fine Arts Master in Government Senior Secondary School (Boys), Sector 20-D, was presented merit certificates and a trophy as both his entries in teachers category of slogan-writing contest and collage-making contest were adjudged first in the Competition Master library-related competitions. Maj D.P. Singh (retd), Principal of Government College, Sector 46, gave away the prizes at a function organised on Friday by the Chandigarh Library Association. He was also awarded another certificate of appreciation for his contribution to the cause of library movement, particularly in the campaign, “Let’s popularise books and libraries.”

Bank launches scheme: The Sanawar branch of the State Bank of Patiala has launched a scheme ‘Karamchari Karja Suvidha Yojna’ to meet the needs of the persons in personal banking segment and with a view to increase credit to the retail sector, a press release said here on Saturday. According to Mr S.C. Dhall, Manager of the bank, under the scheme, loans up to Rs 50000 are given to employees of the central/state government and public sector undertakings for purposes like marriage, medical, travel and social functions.

HARYANA

AMBALA
Patwari booked: A case has been registered against the Patwari of Saungri for graft. The Patwari is alleged to have taken Rs 21,900 from one Phula Ram. The case was registered against him on Friday at Rajaud police station, a release issued by IG Police, Ambala Range, said.

Hostel for boys: The Kharga boys’ hostel, which has a capacity to lodge 20 students, was inaugurated here on Saturday by the President of Kharga Army Wives Welfare Association, Mrs Shivjot Sihota. The hostel, which is located in the heart of Ambala cantonment, will provide boarding and lodging facilities to wards of serving personnel, ex-servicemen and widows.

Relief for Orissa: To provide relief assistance to the postal employees of Orissa who were affected by the cyclone, the Haryana Postal Circle employees have sent them blankets. Responding to an appeal, the Haryana Post Master General, Mr Tej Ram Sharma, had requested the Haryana circle employees to collect blankets for sending these to Orissa, a press note said. About 2,700 blankets were collected and sent. The postal employees of the Haryana circle had earlier contributed a day’s pay to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

Ticket seekers: Several persons seeking the Bharatiya Janata Party ticket for the Ambala city Assembly segment, today, met and decided to honour the decision of the party high command with regard to the allotment of the ticket. The claimants to the party ticket from Ambala included Mr Faqir Chand, Mr Shiv Prasad, Ms Bina Chibbar, Mr Kirti Prasad Jain, Mr Satpal Goel and Mr Bharat Bhushan Agarwal. They decided to support the BJP nominee, a ticket claimant said.

FARIDABAD
Convicted: Mr R L Sankhla, Additional District and Sessions Judge, on Thursday sentenced Raju of Jaindipura (Palwal) to seven years' rigorous imprisonment for injuring Dal Chand on December 18,1992. The other co-accused Hans Raj, Girraj, Hukum Chand, Trilok, Vijay, Sant Ram and Anjir were also sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment.

10 hurt: Ten students of St Albans School were injured when an auto-rickshaw in which they were travelling was hit by a truck at Labour Chowk on Thursday. The truck driver escaped leaving behind the vehicle.

KALKA
Rishi Ashram: Shri Jagadguru Shri Ramajujacharya will inaugurate Rishi Ashram at Maranwala (Kalka)-Nalagarh-Baddi road, on the birthday of Sadguru Swami Balyogi on Tuesday at 12 noon.

ROHTAK
Body found: The police has recovered the body of youth from the Dawla-Jaroda road in Jhajjar district. According to police sources, the body was found lying on the road and it bore several injury marks. A complaint was lodged by Aitbaar Singh of Dawla village in this regard. Meanwhile , in another incident Shiv Prasad was killed on the spot when he was hit by a truck in Bhagat Singh Market here on Thursday.

SIRSA
Recovered: The district police has recovered stolen goods worth Rs 3.75 lakh, according to Mr K.K. Mishra, SP. He said during the last month the police had registered 192 cases and seized 70 kg of narcotics and recovered Rs 20,000 from gamblers.

SONEPAT
Dharna: An indefinite dharna launched by the joint action committee of the HUDA Karamchari Union entered its 33rd day here on Saturday. The agitators shouted slogans against the state government and the HUDA authorities.

Protest: A relay fast launched by the ECE Karamchari Union in support of its demands entered its fourth day on Saturday. The workers held a demonstration and raised anti-management slogans.

Food poisoning: Dalbir, a youth, died of food poisoning at his house in Bhatana Zaffarabad village, 10 km from here, on Friday. According to information here, he was rushed to the local Civil Hospital where he was declared dead.

Robbery bid: Four armed miscreants made an attempt to loot Mr Harvir Singh, a resident of Rohna village, 20 km from here, on Friday. According to information, he was waylaid by the robbers who fled, when he raised the alarm. He lodged an FIR with Kharkhauda police station.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Meeting: A meeting of the district unit of the Highly Qualified Unemployed Union was held here on Thursday under the presidentship of Mr Surinder Singh Minhas. The union urged the Chief Minister to provide government employment to those who have crossed 38 years.

Freedom fighter dead: Mr Bansi Ram Thakur (78), father of Mr Sadaram Thakur, HVC leader, died at his residence in Behal Kandela village, near here, after a massive heart attack on Thursday. He was cremated on Friday. He played an important role during the freedom movement.

KUMARHATTI
Theft: Thieves entered the house of Major Komal Kiran Sharma at Kasauli on Thursday and decamped with goods worth Rs 20,000, Rs 5,000 in cash. The owner of the house was on duty at military hospital, Kasauli, when the theft occurred. A case under Sections 457 and 380, IPC, has been registered.

KANGRA
Road tax: Nearly 425 private bus operators of Kangra and Chamba districts have deposited Rs 55.76 lakh as special road tax, according to the Regional Transport Officer, Mr Gian Singh Thakur, here on Friday.

NURPUR
3 shops gutted: Three shops were gutted at Rey under the Indora police station on Thursday. Fire-engines of the BBMB, Talwara, reached the spot and controlled the fire. It is estimated that a loss of Rs 10 lakh was incurred in the fire. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained.