R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
Demanded: Mr J.S. Kabli, general secretary of the Union of Avery Employees, northern India and senior vice-president of the Social Welfare Association here have demanded an increase in the income tax exemption limit to at least Rs 1 lakh. In a letter to the Union Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, Mr Kabli said when the BJP was in the opposition, it had raised this demand. He also sought the exemption of tiffin allowance from income tax being paid by public sector companies to its employees for having their lunch during duty hours.

HOSHIARPUR
Acupuncture camp: Mr Tikshan Sud, state Minister for Excise and Taxation, inaugurated a month-long acupuncture treatment camp organised by the JKM Public Welfare Society, Kulu, at White House here on Tuesday. Dr Darminder Thakur, who did PhD. in acupuncture from China claimed that diseases like hypertension, cancer, diabetes, paralysis, kidney disorders, liver infections and gall bladder stones could be cured by acupuncture.

KHARAR
Telephones not working: Mr Shamsher Singh, President of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, Ropar unit in a press note issued on Tuesday, alleged that telephones of the rural exchange of Gharuan were not working for the past about one month and no action was being taken despite repeated requests. He demanded early action in this direction — FOC

Mentally upset woman missing: Ms Prem Lata of Nia Shehr Badala village lodged a report with the Kharar police on Monday that her 30-year-old daughter, Renu Bala, who was mentally upset for the past seven or eight years, was missing since, February 13. She informed the police that her daughter boarded a bus going towards Bassi Pathana and could not be located till date. — FOC

Free eye operation camp: The Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sports Club, will organise a free eye operation camp in Sahoran village in Kharar on Sunday. According to a press note issued on Monday, Dr Charanjit Singh will check patients and perform the operations under a HelpAge programme. — FOC

PATIALA
Engineers’ association office-bearers: The general body meeting of the Punjab Pollution Control Board Engineers, Association has elected the following as office-bearers the association: — Mr Nazar Singh Manshahia; Vice-President — Mr Rajeev Garg; General Secretary — Mr Pawan Garg; Joint Secretary — Mr Rajeev Sharma; Finance Secretary — Mr Rajeev Goyal; and Press Secretary — Mr Arun Kakkar. — FOC

CHANDIGARH

Justice Harbans Singh bereaved: Mohan Singh, a son-in-law of Justice Harbans Singh, a former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, died at Escorts Hospital in New Delhi on Tuesday, after an unsuccessful bypass surgery. He was 60. Bhog and antim ardas of will be held at New Delhi Friends Colony Gurdwara on Thursday. — TNS

Sanskrit Day celebrated: Kendriya Vidyalaya Number 1 celebrated Sanskrit Year 1999-2000 at Manekshaw Auditorium, Chandi Mandir, on Tuesday as part of a national endeavour to increase awareness about use of Sanskrit. Dr Anirudh Joshi, Head of Sanskrit Department, Panjab University, was the chief guest. Students of the school participated in several events related to Sanskrit. — TNS

School holds art competition: Government High School, Khuda Ali Sher, held an art competition, sponsored by the State Bank of Patiala, on Tuesday. Prizes were distributed and sweets and participation certificates given to all. — TNS

Parishad seeks Jain's patronage: A delegation of the Sanskrit Adhyapak Parishad on Tuesday requested Mr Stay Pal Jain, a former MP, to become the patron of the parishad so that the language could develop in the region. Mr Jain accepted the request of the delegation and assured it of his co-operation for the development of Sanskrit. — TNS

PANCHKULA
Welfare association office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sector 12-A Welfare Association: President — Mr Hans Raj Gupta; Patrons: Mr J.C. Sanger, Mr M.G. Sharma, Mr D.P. Kundra, Mr O.P. Chopra and Mr Lakshmi Chand; Senior Vice-Presidents — Mr Tara Chand Goel, Mr Tek Ram Moun, Mr Sajjan Kumar and Mr Ashok Kumar Aggarwal; Vice-Presidents — Mr K.D. Malik, Mr P.S. Gabi, Col K.R. Devgun, Mr B.D. Sharma, Mr Mahanand Vashishth and Mr B.S. Chohan; General Secretary — Mr Kartar Singh Alavadhl; Finance Secretary — Mr Surinder Sharma; and Joint Secretaries — Mr K.L. Verma, Mr R.K. Sood, Mr P.C. Joshi and Dr R.K. Behl. — TNS

HARYANA

FARIDABAD
Two held: The police has arrested two persons on the charge of assaulting a contractor on the campus of the Haryana Urban Development Authority here. The arrests were made on the complaint of Mr G.D. Kaushal that he was beaten up and his mobile phone, cash and wrist watch were snatched by them. He was also allegedly forced to withdraw a tender at gun-point.

HISAR
Fatal mishaps: Two persons were killed in an accident involving a Maruti car and a Jeep near Mayyar village, about 15 km from here, on Monday. The deceased were identified as Major Singh and Soma from Abohar. In another incident, Mam Chand was killed in an accident involving a Tata Sumo and Jeep near Siwani, about 30 km from here. In a third mishap, Ravi (8) was crushed to death by a Maruti car in Bhodia Khera village.

KAITHAL
Honoured: The local branch of the IMA organised a function to mark its silver jubilee. Dr Ashok Kataria, president of the state unit, was the chief guest. Dr H.C. Aggarwal, charter member, was honoured. Dr Vinod Gautam and Mr Sushant Garg, winners of the sports meet, were also given prizes.

Girl dead: Krishna (17) of local Dogran Gate locality who was admitted to the Civil Hospital here following a stove burst on Saturday succumbed to her burn injuries on Sunday. In another incident, Misro(24) was admitted to the hospital with 80 per cent burn injuries. In her statement before the Additional CJM, Mr R.K. Khangwal, she was reported to have stated that she fell on the stove while cooking.

SIRSA
Arrested: The police arrested two hardcore criminals involved in many dacoity cases in the district. Harminder Singh of Bhuttiwala, Karanpur was booked on a complaint lodged by Hardeep of Dewan Khera village while Buta Singh of Jassibag of Bathinda was booked under the Arms Act in connection with a dacoity at a petrol station. Stolen goods were also recovered from their possession.

SONEPAT
Traffic disrupted: Rail traffic on the Sonepat-Delhi section remained disrupted on Monday following the derailment of three wagons of a goods train at Ambala cantonment. All long-distance Uttar Pradesh trains were held up at various stations and some of them were diverted via other routes. However, the Delhi-bound long-distance trains passed through the section behind schedule by two to five hours in the evening.

Yajna begins: A week-long yajna, organised by the Vedic Yajna Samiti on the RSS ground near the telephones exchange, began here on Monday. It will be followed by a Langar.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
Resented: Mr Des Raj, chairman, Zila Parishad, has expressed his resentment over the delay by the PWD in clearing the Dalhousie-Khajjiar snow-clad highway. In a press note issued here on Tuesday, Mr Des Raj said that the blockade of highway had impeded the flow of tourists to the hill resort of Khajjiar. He urged the Himachal Chief Minister to provide a snow-cutter to the PWD for clearing the highway.

KANGRA
Body found: The police on Tuesday recovered the body of a 41-year-old fireman, who was missing since February 5, from a khud near Chilgiri forests in the district. Paras Ram of Pukhari in Chamba district was serving as a fireman in the Dharamsala fire station.

KUMARHATTI
28 challaned: The police challaned 28 vehicle owners for violating the Motor Vehicle Act at Parwanoo, 21 km from here, on Sunday. As many as 20 vehicle owners were challaned for driving under the influence of liquor and eight scooterists were challaned for not wearing helmets.