R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

BATHINDA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the Punjab State Veterinary Officer’s Association - president - Dr Amrik Singh; general secretary - Dr Ashok Gupta; joint secretary - Dr Baldev Singh and treasurer - Dr Chaman Lal.

ELECTED:The following have been elected office-bearers of the Arthiya Association of Goniana Mandi: president - Mr Parshotam Tandon; vice-presidents- Mr Banta Singh and Mr Naresh Kumar; general secretary - Mr Harjinder Singh Mann and treasurer - Mr Vijay Kumar.

SEVA BHARTI: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the Seva Bharti for the year 2000-2002: patron - Mr Jiva Ram Goyal; president - Mr Y R Handa; vice-president - Dr L D Gupta; organising secretary - Mr I D Pal; general secretary - Mr Binder Pal Goyal; joint secretaries - Mr R N Parsad and Mr P K Bansal and treasurer - Mr Madan Gopal Jindal.

BARNALA
SABHA: Mr Upinder Sharma, a former Punjab Minister, said here on Saturday that a two-day sammelan to celebrate ‘hirak’ (diamond jubilee) jayanti of the Punjab Sanatan Dharam Sabha would be organised at Devi Talaab Mandir, Jalandhar, on April 29 and 30. Jagatguru Shankaracharya and Swami Swrupanand would grace the occasion.

LIONS CLUB: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Lions Club for the year 2000-2001: president - Mr Pardeep Kumar Goyal; secretary — Mr Rajan Chopra and treasurer — Mr Mandeep Mittal.

FARIDKOT
GANG BUSTED: The local police has busted a gang of vehicle thieves. They have been identified as Raj Kumar and Sarabjit Singh of Hoshiarpur and Faridkot districts, respectively. In a press note issued here on Saturday, Dr Arun Kumar Araon, SSP, said they were nabbed near Machaki Mal Singh Wala village, 7 km from here while they were travelling in a stolen Maruti car bearing false registration number (DL-8C-3538). The car belonged to Mr Gursewak Singh, a resident of Chak Singh Wala. His car was stolen from the local GGS Medical Hospital in the month of February last year.

HOSHIARPUR
RICE MILL: On a complaint lodged by the Regional PF Commissioner, Punjab, the Garshankar police has registered a case under Section 309, of the IPC, against the owners of Ravi Rice Mill, Garshankar, for not depositing share of PF deducted by the owners from the wages of mill employees since August 1997, into the statutory fund account.

CASE REGISTERED: The Model Town police on Friday registered a case under Sections 419, 420 and 120 B of the IPC against Vir Singh, a resident of Dariyapur Kalan village for allegedly getting released an impounded Maruti car (DDU-7544). He had posed himself as Om Parkash, a resident of Pachhim Vihar, New Delhi, who was the real owner of the car. The car was impounded by the police for smuggling illicit liquor.

VAN STOLEN: A Maruti Van (HR-04-7076) of Ravinder Singh, a resident of Ambala, was stolen from Prahlad Nagar area on Friday. A case has been registered under Section 379 of the IPC.

LUDHIANA
POSTAL STAMP: Mr Krishan Kumar Bawa, Mr Kartar Bawa and Mr Hari Das Bawa, president, vice-president and patron, respectively of Bairagi Mahan Mandal, Punjab, in a joint statement issued here on Saturday said that the Central Government would soon release a postal stamp in memory of Swami Rama Nand, the founder of the “Bairag Math”.

TOPPERS: Ms Manveen K. Saini and Ms Simpy Joura, both first year MBA students of Punjab College of Technical Education, stood first and second, respectively in the Punjab Technical University’s first semester board exam. This was stated here on Saturday by Dr K N S Kang, Director, Punjab College of Technical Education.

MOGA
ACCIDENT: Three persons were injured when the car in which they were travelling dashed against a tree, 48 km from here on Saturday, on the Moga-Amritsar road.

UNDERWEIGHT LPG: Local residents on Sunday protested against the gas agencies which supplied underweight LPG cylinders to them.No action had been taken against them by the administration they added. Cylinders were found to be underweight by 2 to 3 kg, they alleged.

KHATRI SABHA: Mr K.K. Puri, president, Managing Committee of DM College, was elected president of All India Khatri Sabha here on Sunday.

PATIALA
OFFICE-BEARERS: Dr O.P.S. Kande was installed President of the Punjab unit of the Indian Medical Association at a simple ceremony in Government Medical College here on Sunday. Dr R.C. Garg of Barnala and Dr Manmohan Kaushal of Gobindgarh took over as Vice-Presidents.

FILM SCREENED: Rang Lok DI Gatha, a TV documentary film, depicting history of world Punjabi theatre movement, produced and directed by Pran Sabharwal, was exhibited here on Friday to mark the 86th birth anniversary of the modern Punjabi theatre movement. Mr Sabharwal urged the authorities and theatre lovers to observe April 6 as World Punjabi Theatre Day, as it was on this day in 1914 that an Irish lady Norah Richards staged Prof I.C. Nanda’s play Dulhan at Dayal Singh College, Lahore.

ROPAR
ANNUAL FUNCTION: The annual prize distribution function of the local government college was held on Thursday at the college hall. Dr Kehar Singh, Chairman, Punjab School Education Board, was the chief guest.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Ropar Readymade Garments Association: chairman — Mr Raj Kumar Sharma; president — Mr Arihant Jain vice-president — Mr Sandeep Kumar; secretary — Mr Raman Sharma; and treasurer — Mr Nirmal Singh Mittar.

RAID: A three-member team comprising Dr Rajinder Singh, Civil Surgeon, Mr J.C. Sabharwal, Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), and Mr Ashok Duggal, District Drug Inspector, conducted a raid at a medical store on Kurali-Neolika road on Thursday. The team seized 15 drugs for chemical examination.

CREDIT PLAN: The annual credit plan outlay of the district for the year 2000-2001 was launched by Mr G S Grewal, Deputy Commissioner, here on Friday. The plan was prepared by UCO Bank. Mr Grewal said the total plan outlay for the current financial year was Rs 263.87 crore whereas it was Rs 219.39 crore last year. He said Rs 149.43 crore had been allocated for agriculture, Rs 40.89 crore for small scale industry and Rs 45.25 crore for other priority sectors. Mr Jagwant Singh Brar, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Mr P. K. Dutta, Regional Manager, UCO Bank, Punjab region, and Mr Gurmeet Singh, Lead District Manager, were present on the occasion.

TARN TARAN
SUICIDE: Baldev Singh (35), a resident of Doda village, committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree at Bugha village where his in-laws reside. He had consumed large quantity of wine before hanging himself. The police has lodged a complaint under Section 174 of the Cr PC.

POWER THEFT: The local PSEB authorities have launched a drive against power theft and cases amounting to Rs 67 lakh have been detected in the month of March. This was stated here on Saturday by Mr G S Virdi, Superintendent Engineer. He said efforts had been made to recover Rs 7.79 crore from the consumers. Arrangements have also been made to repair the transformers before the paddy season to provide better power supply.

CHANDIGARH

SUPPORT: The Punjab State Cooperative, boards, corporation workers and the Employees Mahasangh have decided to extend support to the ongoing agitation of the Punwire Employees Union, Punjab Wireless System Employees Union and the Punwire Officers Association. The Mahasangh has appealed to the Punjab Government to accept all genuine demands of the employees, which include release of salary for the past one year and re-activation of the working of Punwire.

LIONS CLUB CHIEF: Mr Bhaskar Arya and Mr V.K. Gulati have been elected President and Secretary, respectively, of the Lions Club Chandigarh Plaza. Other office-bearers are : Vice-Presidents — Mr Subhash Garg, Mr Jagmohan Goyal and Mr K.P. Deshmukh; and Treasurer — Mr V.K. Gulati.

HEALTH CAMP: The Chandigarh Health Care and Nature Cure Society organised a free treatment camp at Sector 44-D where 20 patients suffering from joint pains, cervical and lumber spondilitis and knee pain were treated. The camp continued from April 2 to 8. Dr Iqbal Bhalla conducted the camp.

CURRENCY NOTES: Some currency notes have been found near the Kairon Block in the PGI. The claimant can collect the same by contacting Mr P.L. Sharma, Private Secretary to Deputy Director (Admn) PGIMER, Chandigarh, or on phone no. 747050 (O).

FUNCTION: The 30th annual religious function of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math began here on Sunday. Many Sanyasis and Brahmacharis from all over India accompanied Tridani Swami Om Vishnupad 108 Shreemad Bhakti Ballabh Tritha Goswami Maharaj, President Acharya of the All-India Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Organisation and Vice-President of the World Vaishnav Association. The programme will continue till April 14 during which spiritual meetings will be organised from 7.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.

HOME CARE: Inscol Hospital in Sector 34 here a satellite unit of Apollo Hospital, New Delhi) will shortly open the facility of “Home care service”. The service will be available round the clock. The service aims to reduce hospital and nursing home stays and to facilitate a more comfortable recovery in familiar surroundings.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Private Schools and Colleges Workers Union here: Chairman — Mr V.P. Vadera; Mr Mohamad Mokarmardin; Vice-President — Mr Handry Hardev Das; General Secretary — Mr Gyan Bahadur; Secretary — Mr Om Prakash Morya; Treasurer— Mr Jeet Bahadur and Deputy Treasurer — Mr Dhan Raj.

PANEL: Mr Deepak Thapar has been elected President of the Debts Recovery Tribunal Bar Association, recently formed by lawyers here. According to a press release, Mr Bhupinder Kakkar was elected Vice-President, while Mr P.K. Khindria was declared elected Secretary.

HARYANA

FATEHABAD
2 COMMIT SUICIDE: A teenaged boy and a girl committed suicide by allegedly consuming a pesticide at Bhodia Khera village here on Friday. According to reports Subhash was in love with Raj Bala, who belonged to some other community. Members of the two community objected to their affair. Their bodies were found on the terrace of a room built on the tubewell where the family of Subhash worked.

KAITHAL
POPPY HUSK SEIZED: The police on Friday seized 45 bags of poppy husk weighing 40 kg each from the house of Gurmel Singh, a resident of Sangan village. This was stated here on Saturday by Mr M. S. Mann, SP. Sher Singh of Dheer village was, however, arrested. Gurmel Singh has absconded. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused. The value of poppy husk is stated to be Rs 13 lakh in open market.

REWARI
4 ARRESTED: The CIA police arrested Saleem and Jameel, both residents of Saksura village of West Bengal and Rakesh and Amar Negi of UP for allegedly committing a robbery at OTC factory here on Sunday last. Four countrymade pistols and six cartridges had been seized from them, according to Mr A G Chawla, SP.

JUDICIAL PROBE: Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, Congress legislator, has demanded a judicial probe into the alleged beating of the three persons by the police at the polling booth of Ward No 27 during the municipal elections here on Sunday last. The police had registered a case of rioting against them. He also demanded withdrawal of cases registered against Congress activists and others.

SONEPAT
MURDERED: Mr Ram Kishan (60), was allegedly murdered by his sister-in-law, her son and two others while he was asleep at his house at Nuran Khera village, 40 km from here, on Saturday. A property dispute was stated to be the cause of the murder. Ram Kishan was unmarried and had three brothers. Two of them had died earlier and his third brother was undergoing treatment at the medical college hospital in Rohtak. Ram Kishan used to live in the house one of his brother. Mrs Santosh Devi, a daughter of victim’s brother had lodged an FIR with the Baroda police.

CAR SNATCHED: Mr Vikas Mukhija, a resident of Sector 15, was allegedly robbed of his car by three motor cycle borne youth at a pistol point while he was on his way to his house on Saturday.

FIRE: The fire which broke out at a six-storey cold storage, was brought under control after 35 hours by 40 fire engines brought from Sonepat, Delhi, UP and Haryana in the HSIDC complex at Kundli along the Haryana-Delhi border, 25 km from here, on Saturday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KANGRA
“SARSON DIVAS”: A one-day “sarson divas” was organised by the scientists of a local oilseeds research station at Siholpuri in Rati block of this subdivision on Saturday. As many as 200 farmers participated in it. Dr K. S. Thakur, in charge scientist of the oilseed station, urged the farmers to use better seeds of cauliflower and sarson. Scientists also imparted training to farmers in crop production, crop disease and pest management.

SHIMLA
Criticised: The local unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Thursday held a rally on the Himachal Pradesh University campus in support of its demands. Speakers at the rally criticised the anti-student decisions of the university.