R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
AWARENESS CAMP: "Safety saves" was the message conveyed to the couples at an AIDS awareness camp organised by the International Forum for Education and Development. The camp was held at the Railway Club here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Dr V. Mohan, Head, Department of Social and Preventive Medicines, Medical College, Amritsar, emphasised on the need to adopt healthy habits. Dr Rajinder Singh, Assistant Civil Surgeon, spoke about the services available at the government hospitals for HIV tests and safety measures that could be adopted to prevent its spread.

APPOINTMENTS: Prof Sukhdev Sharma was on Tuesday appointed, Head, Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit Department, Guru Nanak Dev University, in place of Prof Lekh Ram Sharma for a period of three years. Dr Prem Sagar Sharma, Head, Foreign Languages Department, has been given three years' extension by Dr H.S. Soch, Vice-Chancellor, according to a statement issued by the university.

FAZILKA
MURDERED: Sajjan Singh (75) and his wife, Vasso Bai (73), who were looking after the agricultural land of Surinder Singh, a resident of Ballamgarh village, for the past six months were murdered on Sunday night. A case was registered on a complaint lodged by their son, Darshan Singh.

LUDHIANA
PHOTO EXHIBITION: A photo exhibition of Mr Janmeja Singh Johl was organised by the Photography Club of the Fine Arts Department, PAU, in collaboration with Punjab Museum. The exhibition was inaugurated on Tuesday by the Dean, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Dr H.S. Garcha.

BABY SHOW: The local Municipal Corporation will organise a flower and a baby show on March 11 and 12, respectively, at the Nehru Rose Garden. The competitions will be held in the categories of pot plants, cut flowers and flower arrangements besides a baby show.

TRAINING CAMP: At least 1,500 landlords participated in a district-level farmers' training camp organised by the Punjab Agriculture Department here on Tuesday. The camp was inaugurated by Mr Arun Goel, Deputy Commissioner.

MOGA
NABBED: Seven dacoits belonging to a gang were nabbed while they were planning to loot banks and petrol stations here and at Amritsar. This was stated on Tuesday by Mr Shard Setia Chohan, SSP.

NAWANSHAHR
FARMERS' MELA: Punjab Agricultural University organised a kisan mela at its Kandi Research Station, Ballowal, 30 km from here, on Tuesday. Farmers from adjoining areas participated in the mela. The Vice-Chancellor, Dr G.S. Kalkat, inaugurated it.

GATE RALLY: Employees of the Punjab Roadways depot on a call given by the Punjab Roadways Mulazam Action Committee organised a gate rally here on Wednesday in protest against the faulty transport policy of the state government. They also demanded scrapping of kilometres scheme for private bus operators.

PHONE NUMBER: Mr R.C.Loi, Divisional Engineer (Phones) in a press note issued here on Wednesday said the telephone number of the District Consumer Redressal Forum had been wrongly printed in the latest telephone directory in the name of Mr Jaspreet Singh Bedi.

MEDICAL CAMP: The Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust, Dhahan Kaleran, organised a medical check-up camp at GNM Hospital here on Tuesday. Mr Bhag Singh, an NRI, inaugurated the camp. At least 704 patients were examined on the occasion.

PATIALA
CAMP: A blood donation camp was held at the local Thapar Polytechnic in which a large number of students and staff donated blood. The camp was sponsored by the Rotary Club.

PHAGWARA
QUACK HELD: The local CIA staff on Monday nabbed an unregistered medical practitioner Kuldip Singh from Dharakot. The quack was held under Sections 21, 61, 85 of the Anti-drug Act and Sections 15, 2 of the Indian Medical Council Act.

CHANDIGARH

HC LAWYERS: The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association has decided to intensify the stir launched by advocates for scrapping the “anti-people measures adopted by the government” and for protesting against the “indiscriminate lathi charge” on the agitating lawyers. In meeting held under the chairmanship of Ms Daya Chaudhary, it was decided that a rally of lawyers “of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh would be held in the High Court on March 13”.

PANCHKULA
SARPANCHES ELECTED: Thirty five sarpanches of the 164 panchayats have been elected unopposed which leaves 398 candidates in the fray of 129 panchayats for the March 16 poll. While there are 173 fighting elections in the Pinjore block, there are 30 candidates in the Morni block, 122 in the Barwala block and 73 in the Raipur Rani block. A total of 890 panches have also been chosen unanimously, which leaves 716 in the fray. Also, 34 panchayats have been elected unopposed in their villages. — TNS

ENCROACHMENT: The Estate Office continued with its anti-encroachment drive in Sector 12-A on Wednesday. An illegally constructed store and a boundary wall on the premises were razed to ground near the previous office of the SDM. The department will remove encroachments by jhuggi-dwellers on HUDA land in Sector 14 on Thursday.

HARYANA

AMBALA
BAR PANEL: The District Bar Association has decided to go on an indefinite strike from Thursday in protest against the lathi charge on lawyers of Delhi a fortnight back. The President of the association, Mr S.K. Sharma, said the strike had been observed on the call of Delhi and Punjab Haryana High Court Bar Associations.

NOMINATION PAPERS: The nomination papers of 416 candidates for the municipal committees/councils of Ambala district were found valid. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ram Niwas, here on Wednesday. He said 15 nomination papers of Ambala City Municipal Council were found invalid and now 209 candidates were in the fray. Mr Niwas said the BJP, BSP and the NCP had decided to contest the municipal elections on their party symbol. He said the symbol to other independent candidates would be allotted on March 13.

ONE KILLED: Sawan Ram, a resident of Mulana, was killed in a road accident on the Ambala-Jagadhri road near Mulana on Tuesday night. According to a police report, he was hit by a vehicle. A case has been registered.

HISAR
BUSTED: With the arrest of four persons, the police claims to have busted a gang of robbers operating in Rajasthan, Rohtak, Hisar and Jind districts of Haryana. Mr Sohan Lal, SP, said here on Wednesday that the suspects had been identified as Ram Niwas, Harkesh and Rohtash, all residents of Pokari Khera village and Naresh, a resident of Singhpura . A case under Sections 399 and 402 of the IPC has been registered against them.

KURUKSHETRA
ELECTED: The following have been elected Sarpanch and panches of the Bathala village panchayat: Sarpanch — Mr Narinder Singh; and panches — Mr Rulda Singh; Mr Balwinder Singh; Mr Tarlok Singh; Ms Simarjeet Kaur; Ms Balwinder Kaur; Ms Kamlesh Rani; Mr Lakhwinder Singh; Mr Baldev Singh and Mr Niamat Mashi.

REWARI
STONE LAID: Dr M.L.Ranga, Minister for Health, Haryana laid the foundation stone of a Rs 1-crore sewerage project at Bawal, 14 km from here, on Sunday. A polytechnic college would also be established there, he added.

SONEPAT
INJURED: At least seven members of a family sustained injuries when their car dashed against a stationary truck on the GT Road near the Ganaur Chowk, 20 km from here, on Tuesday. According to a report, two of the injured persons succumbed to their injuries at a private hospital. They have been identified as Manoj (30) and Mahima (2).

SIRSA
BOY FOUND: Ankush a student of the local Vivekanand High School, alleged that he was abducted after school hours. When he gained consciousness, he found himself at the Agra railway station. A local resident found him crying and informed his mother and the police about his whereabouts.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KUMARHATTI
MISHAPS: One person was injured here on Tuesday when a tractor carrying him rolled down into a 50-foot gorge. An eyewitness said the driver lost control of the vehicle due to some technical problem. The injured has been referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where his condition is stated to be serious. In another accident 16 members of a marriage party were injured when a private bus rolled down into a 25-foot nullah at Darog on Tuesday. A case under Sections 279 and 337, IPC, has been registered.

NURPUR
SELECTED: The American Biographical Institute , North Carolina, has selected Mr K.K.K.Lath, SDM, as an honorary member of the Research Board of Advisers. Mr Lath was conferred this award on February 11.

PARWANOO
VEHICLES CHALLANED: Mr Sanjay Sharma, Assistant Commissioner, challaned 14 vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Act on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway at Parwanoo on Tuesday. Mr Sharma also warned the drivers of school buses and taxis against overloading their vehicles.