R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
Eye camps conclude: Eye camps being held in rural areas since January 30 concluded here on Friday. Border villages like Rajetal, Tibbi, Ghariala, Matewall and Ruriwala were covered under the drive by the local District Blindness Control Society. As many as 5,714 persons were examined and 659 cataract operations performed.

Convicted: Dr Rajinder Singh, Civil Surgeon, has said Balwant Kaur and her son Surinderpal Singh were convicted under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, by Mr B.S. Sandhu, CJM, on Wednesday for manufacturing and selling spurious drug. They have been sentenced for three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 200 has been imposed on them under various Sections.

DERA BASSI
One held for kidnapping girl: The Dera Bassi police arrested Suresh Khan of Bartana on Saturday for kidnapping Darshani, a minor girl. She was rescued from near the Chandigarh Railway Station. According to a press note issued by Mr H.S. Bhullar, DSP, a complaint was lodged by the girl's father, in which he said Suresh Khan, a neighbour, had kidnapped his daughter by alluring her on January 5, when she was alone in the house. After registering a case under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC against the accused, the police handed over the girl to her parents.

GURDASPUR
Body found: The police on Saturday found a body near Alinangal, 3 km from here. According to the SSP, the deceased has been identified as Suba Singh of Kathiali who was living at Behrampur. The man had been missing for the past few days.

Resentment: Resentment prevails among farmers of Bariar village for the government's failure to dig a channel linked with Alinangal drain. They said they had repeatedly approached the authorities in this regard but nothing had been done so far. As many as 500 acres of the village land is water-logged due to the absence of a drain.

KAPURTHALA
Man killed: Anil Sharma (38) of the local Shakti Nagar mohalla died when a tempo hit his scooter on the railway road on Thursday. A case has been registered against the driver of the tempo who is reportedly missing.

Prohibitory orders: The District Magistrate, Mr V.K. Singh, on Friday extended prohibitory orders in this district to March 31. The use of loud speakers and the plying of trucks, tractors and carts on the Kapurthala-Amritsar road from the bus stand to the octroi post have been banned. The use of unauthorised red light atop vehicles has also been banned.

Ministers visit: Mrs Satwant Kaur, Youth Services Minister, on Friday visited Guru Nanak Nagar Theigh Kanjla, a centre for imparting vocational education to unemployed youth. She said the youth should be imparted vocational education keeping in view the growing industrialisation.

MULLANPUR GARIBDASS
Panchayat not to take part in rally: The panchayat of Mullanpur Garibdass has decided not to participate in the rally to be held in protest against the proposal to build Anandgarh city. Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, General Secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, has given a call for staging a dharna against the move of the state government. Mr Diwan Singh, Sarpanch of Mullanpur Garibdass, said the proposal would lead to development of the area. The villagers would not protest against the move before the government announces the terms of of acquisition of land and the resettlement of the villagers. The Sarpanch said the villagers of the area would meet in Mullanpur on Sunday to discuss the issue at the panchayat level.

PATHANKOT
Brahmin Sabha: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sri Brahmin Sabha, Sujanpur: president — Dr Darshan Tripathi; vice-president — Dr Jatinder Sharma; general secretary — Mr Bharat Bhushan Sharma; and treasurer — Mr Goldi Sharma.

PATIALA
Two killed in mishaps: Two cyclists were killed in separate accidents in the city on Saturday night. Fakir Chand (65) of Tafazalpura was killed when he was hit by a bus at the traffic lights near the bus stand. Amrik Singh (65) of Chalaila village was run over by a Swaraj Mazda near the PRTC workshop on the Nabha road.

ZIRAKPUR
School children honoured: Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister of Punjab, on Friday appealed to parents to devote time towards the education of their children so as to make their future bright. He was speaking at the annual prize distribution function of GS Memorial Public School here. Besides distributing prizes to students, he announced a grant of Rs 51,000 for the laboratory and the library of the school. A cultural programme was presented by the students on the occasion.

CHANDIGARH

Lajpat Rai's birth anniversary observed: Government College, Sector 11, in association with Servants of People Society, observed the 135th birth anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai on Saturday. Dr Varinder Mehndiratta, a former chairman of Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, presided over the function. He urged the youth to imbibe the values of discipline, patriotism and nationalism. Students staged a play titled Jang-e-Azaadi.

Tabla maestro’s death mourned: Mr M.L. Koser, Secretary, Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, has mourned the death of tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha Khan. Mr Koser described the death of Ustad Alla Rakha Khan as an irreparable loss to Indian classical music, especially to the Punjab Gharana of tabla, to which the legendary Ustad belonged.

HARYANA

FATEHABAD
SBI staff: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local State Bank of India Staff Association; president — Mr Harbhagwan; vice-president — Mr Charan Singh; secretary — Mr Ramesh Monga; and treasurer — Mr Kanwar Bhan Chilana.

HISAR
Fellowship: Dr R.D. Sharma, former Dean, and the Deans of the Colleges of Veterinary Science and Animal Science, Dr D.N. Garg and Dr Narender Singh, respectively, along with five professors of CCS Haryana Agricultural University have been given with the Fellowship of the National Academy of Veterinary Sciences. The fellowship was conferred by Mr H.N. Yadav, Union Minister of State for Agriculture, at a convocation of the academy in Delhi on Thursday. The professors who received the honour are Dr Jit Singh, Dr A.P. Singh, Dr S.K. Verma, Dr R.P. Uppal and Dr K.L. Ahuja.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NAHAN
Criticised: Mr M.K Sharma, president of the Himachal Medical Officers Association (HMOA), Sirmour, has criticised the attitude of leaders of the 'Swasthya Vibhag Karamchari Mahasangh who were opposing a pen-down strike of the HMOA. He said there was no reason why the strike should be opposed by employees working under them.

Donation: Employees of the State Bank of India posted in Himachal Pradesh gave Rs 1 lakh to Mr Amar Pal, general secretary, SBI Officers Association, Chandigarh circle, on Friday for flood victims of Orissa.

Computer centre: Mr Rakesh Kaushal, Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour, inaugurated a computer centre at the Rural Development Agency here on Thursday.

Health camps: Mr V.K. Chopra, Chief Medical Officer, Sirmour, said here on Friday that more than 50 reproductive health camps would be organised in different parts of this district during this month. Medical experts would impart education regarding antenatal and postnatal care. Family planning operations would also be performed at the camps.