R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

BATHINDA
De-addiction drive: Mr Jatinder Kumar Jain, SSP, said voluntary organisations should launch a drive against the drug addiction. Mr Jain while addressing a function organised by the Voluntary Organisation Forum, here recently said even girls had started taking drugs. More than 27 voluntary organisations took part in the function.

JALANDHAR
Appointed: The President of the District Congress Committee, Jalandhar (rural), Mr Amarjit Singh Samra, has appointed Mr Amandeep Mittal as president of the Lamba block of the DCC.

LUDHIANA
SPCA meeting: A meeting of the local chapter of the Society For Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held on Sunday. Its members decided to urge the Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry for an early allotment of land for the construction of an animal hospital and funds for it.

MALERKOTLA
Arrested: The Sangrur police has arrested two persons who had decamped with two TV sets, a deck, a walkman, one gold ring and a cycle during various thefts committed by them in Dhuri. Dhian Singh, a resident of Sherpur, and Rajesh Kumar, of Dhuri, have been arrested in this connection.

Power cuts: The local industrialists are facing problems due to unannounced power cuts mainly during morning and evening hours. According to official of the PSEB, a transformer of less capacity has been installed in the area, whereas the total consumption exceeds the limit. Thus, they have to switch off the power to prevent overloading.

Camp: A dermatology and paediatrics camp was organised by the Hindu Charitable Trust at KMRD Jain College for Women, here on Sunday. Medicines were distributed, free of cost, among patients.

MOGA
Airport issue: Suspecting that the Punjab Government had shelved the international airport project in Amritsar, approved during the I.K. Gujral government, several organisations here on Sunday urged the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to intervene in the matter as Amritsar was an important commercial centre.

Fair price shops: The local Civil Supplies Department has given licences to 19 fair price shops to regularise the supply of essential commodities, according to reports reaching here on Sunday.

Jeep collision: Ajmer Singh, a resident of Thatibhai village, died here on Sunday when his jeep collided with a bus near Chenuwala village.

Power cuts: A large number of parents here on Sunday urged the PSEB to provide uninterrupted power supply to the town as the annual examination of their children would begin in the first week of March. They said the power usually went out daily in the morning between 6.30 to 7.30 a.m. and in the evening between 7 to 8 p.m.

Residents duped: Residents of this district, who wanted to go to Dubai, Singapore and the USA, have been duped by travel agents. They said here on Sunday that these travel agents had collected several lakhs of rupees from them with a promise to provide them with a job in these countries. They have urged the police to investigate into the matter.

Power disconnection: The PSEB has directed its officials to immediately disconnect the power connections of the Galoti, Assitan Lohara, Kaderwala, Nihalgarh Khosa, Kotla, Chuhar, Chak Randiala villages as the residents of these villages have not paid the dues.

Telephones disconnected: Telephone connections of several police stations in this district, including that of Ghal Kalan, have been disconnected following non-payment of the bills, according to reports reaching here on Sunday.

PATHANKOT
Traffic block: Residents of Dheera village on Sunday protested against the failure of the administration to supply drinking water to them for the past 15 days. Mr Ashok Soodan, President of the Shiv Sena, Gurdaspur district, urged the authorities to take steps in this regard. The villagers also blocked the traffic at the Jammu-Jalandhar road.

PATIALA
Octogenarians honoured: An annual meeting to observe golden age celebrations was held by the Elders Welfare Society at Siri Ram Arya Senior Higher Secondary School, Patiala, on Monday. Members who had completed 80 years of age were honoured and shawls were presented to them. They included Mr Amar Singh Kamboj, Mr Om Parkash Sayal and Mr H.K. Sayal.

Office-bearers: Mr Kundan Singh Nagra was elected President of the District Bar Association, Patiala, on Monday. According to press note, Mr Nagra’s group also wrested other key posts in the Bar. Mr G.S. Kaleka was elected Vice-President. Other elected office-bearers are Secretary — Mr Ram Kumar Goel; Joint Secretary — Mr Kapil Khanna; Cashier — Mr Baljit Singh Rohar Jagir; and Librarian — Mr Angrej Singh Sandhu.

PHAGWARA
High pitch orchestra: Despite ban on playing of the loudspeakers and orchestras some marriage palaces are reportedly flouting the ban. Even religious places keep their loudspeakers blaring during morning and evening hours. Administrative plea to restrict this practice has fallen on deaf ears.

Street lights: The Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar Welfare Society, on Sunday demanded installation of street lights in their locality. According to a spokesman of the society, while the street lights on main roads had started functioning, the residential enclaves still remained in darkness.

TARN TARAN
Camps concludes: The camp organised by the Forest and Wild Life Department, Punjab, at Harike bird sanctuary concluded here on Saturday. More than 100 students and teachers from different schools of Amritsar and Ferozepore districts attended the camps. Mr Gurmeet Singh, Director of the department, presided over the camps.

RANI MAJRA
Committee: Residents of the villages falling in the proposed township of Anandgarh constituted a 31-member committee — the Bhavishya Banao Sangharsh Committee — on Monday. Mr Dharam Singh, who was elected chief of the committee, said the Government should not ignore the interests of the villagers.

CHANDIGARH

JD(U) raises demands: The local unit of the Janata Dal (U) on Monday reiterated its demand for the restoration of the post of the Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh. At a meeting, the unit also wanted that 50 per cent of the total budget should be spent on colonies and villages.It demanded water and power connections for people who had built their houses outside lal dora of villages and a policy of rehabilitating migrant labourers as tenants.The unit also demanded withdrawal of resumption notices. The members criticised the President of the local unit of the Congress for dissociating the unit from the black flag demonstration outside the venue of the first meeting of the Administrator’s Advisory Council, a press note of the unit, said.

Medical camp: More than 400 schoolchildren and 50 staff members of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya were examined at the 89th free medical camp, organised by Care Health Society in collaboration with State Bank of Patiala, Ram Darbar, at the school building in Sector 25 on Monday. According to Dr R.P. Singh Chib, General Secretary of the society, the patients were examined by specialists and free medicines were given to students. The camp was inaugurated by Dr Joginder Singh, Director, Health Services, UT.

New treatment for piles: As many as 45 patients having piles were examined and 37 were treated with infrared coagulator at a free inaugural treatment camp held at a diagnostic clinic in Sector 21-B, on Monday. Dr Neeraj Nagpal, in a press note, claimed that this new treatment would be available for the first time in the region and that the new treatment for piles (haemorrhoids) involved no surgery, anaesthesia, hospitalisation or pain and promised immediate return to work.

Bharat Petroleum: The stall of Bharat Petroleum was adjudged best at the three-day Festival of Gardens,which concluded on Sunday. According to a press note, the public was educated about LPG and its uses, with emphasis on safety aspects of using it in the kitchen. Mr P.S. Gill, SDM, presented the trophy for the best stall. S

PANCHKULA
Free medical camp: A total of 264 patients were examined at a free medical multi-speciality check-up camp organised by the Survival of Young and Adolescent foundation, at Indira Colony in Sector 16, on Monday. Dr Ramnek Sharma, Founder Director of the group, said chest and skin infections, malnutrition, anaemia and upper respiratory tract infections were attended to at the camp. Free medicines were also distributed among patients. Dr Sharma, said counselling on balanced diet was imparted, and tips to improve the haemoglobin and iron content in the body, were stressed upon. Young boys and girls were educated on aspects of personal health and hygiene and relevant IEC material on gender bias was distributed.

HARYANA

ROHTAK
Academy demand: The convener of the Haryana Literary Journalist Union, Dr Keshavanand Mamgain, on Sunday urged the Haryana Government to raise the Budget of the state Sahitya Academy, besides filling up of the post of the Director at the earliest.

SONEPAT
Revenue loss: The Haryana Government has suffered a huge revenue loss due to large-scale smuggling of liquor from Delhi and UP to this district. The Excise Department has failed to check the menace. According to official sources, the police, however, had succeeded in arresting liquor smugglers and seized a large quantity of liquor during the past six months.

Three arrested: The city police has foiled an attempt to smuggle liquor and arrested three persons in this connection. Mr K.P. Singh, SSP, told mediapersons here on Monday that they have been identified as Joginder of Khanda village, Harbir of Jharoti and Suresh Kumar of Ashok Nagar area of the city. A Tata Sumo and 72 bottles of wine have been seized and a case under the Excise Act registered against them.

Traffic congestion: The deteriorating infrastructure and ever increasing number of vehicles on the roads have worsened the traffic condition of this industrial city. Encroachments, unauthorised parking, traffic violation and absence of traffic marks have further aggravated the problem. Poor condition of the roads have also exposed the callousness of the municipal council, the PWD (B&R), market committee and HUDA.

Rail traffic disrupted: The rail traffic on the Sonepat-Delhi section of the Northern Railway remained disrupted for more than 90 minutes following the snapping of electric wires from the railway track near Sandal Kalan Railway Station, 6 km from here on Sunday. According to a report, a number of long-distance and suburban trains were held up at Sonepat, Ganaur and other stations.

Two hurt: Two persons, including a woman, sustained injuries when a jeep carrying them overturned on the Sonepat-Murthal road, near Sector 15, 2 km from here, on Sunday. According to a report, the police had signalled the jeep driver to stop but fearing the challan, he tried to flee and this resulted in the accident. A case has been registered and the jeep impounded.

Security deposits lost: As many as 47 out of 56 candidates who contested the Assembly elections from six seats — Baroda (R), Gohana, Kailana, Sonepat, Rai and Rohat, have lost their security deposits. According to official sources, these include two from the Congress, HVP(2), BSP (5), and one each from the CPM and the BKP (M), the Samajwadi Party, the Jan Parishad, the SUCI and the Lok Dal (Ajit), while others are Independents.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SHIMLA
Move opposed: Employees of the State Printing and Stationery Department have opposed the governments move to convert the department into a society. Mr Ashok Sood, chairman of the committee, has urged the Chief Minister to invite them for talks before March 3 failing which the employees would be forced to start an agitation.

UNA
Lok Adalat: Mr J.N. Barowalia, District and Sessions Judge, presided over a lok adalat in the district court complex here on Saturday, in which 19 out of 35 cases were solved as per information given by the public relations office here on Monday.