R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

BATHINDA
POPPY HUSK: The local police has seized 22 bags of poppy husk from Surinder Kumar of Green Avenue here. A case has been registered in this connection.

FAZILKA
IMMUNISATION CAMP: About 548 persons were immunised against hepatitis-B at a camp organised by the Apex Club, here.

SUCCUMBED: Bansi Lal (33) of Radha Swami Colony succumbed to his burns here on Monday. He was cooking food on a stove in his house on Sunday when the incident occurred.

GURDASPUR
INAUGURATED: Mr Sucha Singh Langah, PWD Minister, inaugurated housing colonies for those belonging to the Scheduled Castes at Sahaari village and Jagowal Jattan villages on Sunday in the district. He said work on the widening of roads would start soon.

HOSHIARPUR
PROTEST: The local Government Primary Teachers Association will hold a district-level convention of primary teachers here on March 17 in protest against the proposed abolition of the Punjab Primary Education Directorate. It also threatened to launch an agitation in front of the office of the DPI (primary) on March 28.

SCHOOL BUILDINGS: As many as 150 government primary school buildings have been constructed during the past three years at a cost of Rs 2.03 crore in the district. This was stated by Mr Sohan Singh Thandal, State Minister for Food and Civil Supply, Punjab.

KAPURTHALA
CENSUS: Mr V.K. Singh, Deputy Commissioner, has said the population and house census would be carried in two phases. Keeping this in view, the Punjab Government has imposed restrictions on the change of boundaries of tehsils, districts and villages till the completion of the census, he added .

LUDHIANA
COMMUNITY CENTRE: The Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Mr Sujjan Singh, laid the foundation stone of a community centre at Malseehan Baajanto village on Sunday near here. The centre will be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.50 lakh.

MALERKOTLA
ASSOCIATION: Six members of the Parent Teacher Association of the local DAV School has resigned from their posts on Sunday because of the alleged misuse of school funds and grievances between parents and school administration. Parents sought the resignation of the Principal and the school managing committee and also the withdrawal of the fee hike.

MOGA
MEETING: Farmers at a meeting held at Baghapurana town on Saturday expressed concern over the hike in the urea price by the Punjab Government. They threatened to launch an agitation if the price was not rolled back.

PATIALA
ANNOUNCEMENT HAILED: The national President of the Rashtriya Ekta Manch and National Executive Member of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Dr Baltej Singh Mann, has hailed the announcement of the new chief of the RSS K.C. Sudarshan regarding the strengthening the Swadeshi economy in the country. He said the RSS was actively involved in protecting the interests of the minorities and refuted the contention that it was working against Christians. He said the RSS had also helped thousands of Sikhs in 1984 following the death of Indira Gandhi.

COURSE: The IAS and Allied Services Training Centre of Punjabi University will organise a course for personality development-cum-interview preparation for PCS (Judicial) candidates from March 16. Dr G.S. Bajwa, Director of the centre, said the candidates who had qualified in the written test of PCS (Judicial), conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission, were eligible to join this course.

SUNAM
COLLEGE FUNCTION: The local Government College on Saturday organised its annual function-cum-silver jubilee celebrations. Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Cabinet Minister, presided. Mr Dhindsa announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the development of the college. Mr Anuridh Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner, gave away the prizes.

TARAN TARAN
CONFERENCE: A political conference was organised on Sunday at Palasaur village, 5 km from here, by the UCPI. The encroachment of the 60-acre land of the gram panchayat, Palasaur, and the withdrawal of the false cases registered against 16 Dalits were the issues discussed.

FUNCTION: The prize distribution function of Mata Sahib Kaur Girls College, Fatehabad, was organised on Saturday which was presided over by the Nihang chief, Baba Ajit Singh Phoola of Tarna Dal. A cultural programme was organised on the occasion.

RALLIES: The Democratic Youth Federation of India and the Punjab Kisan Sabha organised rallies at Bath and Piddi villages. Leaders addressing the gathering sought more daily-use articles under the public distribution system.

VAN RECOVERED: The local police has recovered a Maruti van belonging to Mr Gurpal Singh bearing number DNH 4364, which was stolen from here on August 15, 1999. In another case local residents Gopi and Harpreet, alias Mahna, have been arrested under Sections 457, 380 and 34, IPC, in a theft case.

CHANDIGARH

HOMAGE: Homage was paid to the Kargil martyrs as well as to the departed members of the Chandigarh Defence Colony Welfare Association, Sector 35, on the occasion of its annual function-cum-elections. Members were critical of the increase in water tariff and also in taxes imposed by the UT Administration. The house re-elected Air Marshal Randhir Singh (retd) as President Lt Col T.S. Dhillon (retd) as Vice-President and nominated Maj D.S. Sandhu as General Secretary.

RS 500 NOTE: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in a statement here on Monday stated that the notes of 500 denomination issued by the bank from time to time continue to be legal tender and should be freely accepted by the public and the banks. Mr Ajit Prasad, Manager, further stated that the bank had not issued any list of series of notes.

SEMINAR: The Consumers Forum, Chandigarh, organised a seminar on ‘Telephone services — present and future aspects’ on Saturday. Senior functionaries of the department attended the seminar. The Secretary of the forum, Lieut-Col Sarwan Singh (retd), said services in the telecom sector were good but improvement was required. The PGMT, Mr Prithipal Singh, informed that the cash card that allowed STD facility was available in 12 more cities. He said subscribers should avoid paying bills on the last date.

PANCHKULA
35 ELECTED UNOPPOSED: Thirtyfive sarpanches of the 164 panchayats have been elected unopposed , leaving 398 candidates in the fray for 129 panchayats. While there are 173 fighting elections in the Pinjore block, there are 30 candidates in Morni block, 122 in the Barwala block and 73 in the Raipur Rani block. — TNS

PARWANOO
HEPATITIS CAMP: The Rotary Club of Parwanoo will organise the third phase of Hepatitis-B vaccination camp on March 26 here in the Nagar Palika office. The club has arranged these doses on subsidised rates. The Rotary Club had charged Rs 65 for Children up to the age of 19 and Rs 130 for elders above 20.

SURPRISE CHECK: Mr A.J.V. Parsad, Director, Urban Development, Himachal Pradesh, paid a surprise visit to the office of Nagar Palika Parishad here on Sunday. He found the working of the office satisfactory and directed R.K. Kaundil, Executive officer of Nagar Palika to make a proposal to beautify the Parwanoo barrier, which is entry point for tourists to Himachal Pradesh. He also asked the Executive Officer to make a proposal to construct a welcome gate at the barrier, for which the government will give grant-in-aid.

SAS NAGAR
COMPLAINT: Residents of Sector 70 here have complained of wild growth in open spaces and in certain parks of the sector. Citing an example, residents said the open space in front of house no 2640 was full of wild growth.

HARYANA

AMBALA
MC POLL: As many as 117 candidates remain in the fray in 31 wards in the Ambala City Municipal Council election after the withdrawal of nomination papers by 44 candidates on the last date of withdrawal here on Monday. According to the Returning Officer for Ambala City Municipal Council, Mr Arun Kumar maximum seven candidates are in the field in ward number 31, while there will be direct contest in ward number in 2, 8 and 11. He said that ward number 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, 18, 21, 22 and 25 has been reserved for the female candidates,while ward number 2, 13, 14, 28 and 29 are reserved for SC/BC candidates.

ONE KILLED: One person was killed and five others were injured in three separate road incidents in the district. According to the police, one person was killed and three others injured when a three-wheeler collided with a four-wheeler on GT Road near Jandli bridge. In two other incidents, two persons, including a resident of Ugala village were injured seriously and were admitted to hospital. The police has registered three cases in this regard.

SHOP BURGLED: A theft was reported in a jewellery shop at Palledar Mohalla of Ambala cantonment here on Monday. According to the police, the owner of the shop, Mr Rajinder, came to at his shop as usual but found the lock of his shop broken. Some jewellery items were found missing. The police has registered a case.

TWO LOOTED: Miscreants reportedly looted villagers near Chajju Majra, 25 km from here, on Sunday night. According to police report, Banta Ram and his son Som Nath were returning to their village after selling their sugarcane produce at Amloh, an adjoining area in Punjab. They were having Rs 13,010 with them. Banta Ram complained in FIR that when they were crossing Tangri bridge on their tractor-trolley some miscreants, who were in a truck, came and switched off the light of their tractor and tied their hands. They took their cash forcibly at pistol point and fled towards Ambala in their truck.

HISAR
ACCIDENT: Balwan Singh, DSP (headquarters), died in a road accident near Barwala, 25 km from here, on Saturday. According to police sources, he was coming to Hisar from Gianpura village on his scooter when a vehicle crushed him to death. A case has been registered.

KAITHAL
CONVOCATION: The Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Dr Hoshiar Singh, presided over the convocation held at PKSD Postgraduate College here on Sunday. The Principal, Major K.K. Sirohi, awarded degrees to the graduates and postgraduates.

KURUKSHETRA
BLOOD DONATION CAMP: The NSS unit of the local Regional Engineering College, the district Red Cross Society and a team from Pt B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak organised a blood donation camp on the college campus. Prior to the camp a sapling plantation programme was also held.

SIRSA
ELECTION PROCESS STARTS: The state Election Commissioner has ordered the initiation of the election process afresh for the panchayat of Madhosangana village as the returning officer of the panchayat could not scrutinise the nomination papers properly. The polling has been fixed for March 26.

SONEPAT
COMPETITION: Atlas Cycle Industries Limited here and its sister concerns won a maximum of 38 prizes at the Flower and Vegetable Show and Competition organised on the premises of the S M Hindu Senior Secondary School here on Sunday. Mr Sudhir Rajpal, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated the show.

KILLED: A man was killed when a vehicle knocked him down near the Gita Bhavan chowk here on Sunday. According to another report, the Rai police recovered the body of a worker on the GT Road near Pio Munyari, 15 km from here, on Sunday.

SUICIDE: Pardeep (20) committed suicide by allegedly taking insecticide in his house at West Ram Nagar here on Sunday. According to the police, a family feud lead to the incident.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KUMARHATTI
ILLICIT LIQUOR: The police has arrested a man and seized 36 bottles of country-made liquor from him at Simbal village, 21 km from here, on Saturday. A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered.