R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

LUDHIANA
THEFT: A case of theft has been reported in the Shastri Nagar area here, on Thursday. Thieves decamped with jewellery and cash worth several thousands of rupees from Mr Harwinder Pal Singh’s house.

NAWANSHAHR
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the district unit of the Indian Dental Association: president — Dr Kavipal Singh, senior vice-presidents — Dr Tirath Singh and Dr Meena Rana, general secretary — Dr Rakesh Kumar Chopra, and treasurer — Dr Avtar Singh.

PATHANKOT
FIRE: An electrical shop at municipal market caught fire here, on Thursday. The owner of the shop Suresh Wadhera, said the fire engines took time in extinguishing the fire due to the narrow road. The fire is stated to have been caused by a short circuit.

LAND GRAB: Three persons have been arrested in a land grab case. The owner of the land, Mr Gopal Krishan Puri, said some people were found digging the land near Nalwa Bridge for erecting a fence. The land was purchased from Bal Gopal Dass of Dehradun in 1973 through Mr Jagdish Raj his manager in the name of Kamla Devi, wife of Mr Puri. Some persons with fake registry deed along with 50 labourers started digging the land. On hearing from a Chowkidar Mr Puri’s son asked them to vacate the land but they refused. On verification the registries possessed by them were found to be fake. Gurdip Slingh, Pardip Singh and Kuldip Singh have been arrested in this connection.

PATIALA
IRREGULAIRITY ALLEGED: The Indian Association of Biology Teachers (Colleges) on Friday alleged that the Punjab School Education Board had wrongly deputed school teachers to conduct the practical examinations of plus two class students studying in Colleges. Association General Secretary S.K. Gupta said this was a grave irregularity and departure from the past. He said since the inception of the Board, the practice was that college teachers were deputed as examiners for theory as well as practical examinations for college students, while school teachers were deployed for school student, of plus two. He said the Association demanded that the decision be revoked immediately.

PHILLAUR
SNATCHED: Two scooter borne miscreants snatched away Rs 20,000 from Milkhi Ram near the local Canara Bank at pistol point here, on Wednesday. In another case some miscreants stole a donation box from cremation ground at Apra village in this subdivision on Wednesday.

SAMRALA
PROBE SOUGHT: The Punjab Veterinary Officers Association at a meeting held here on Wednesday demanded an inquiry into the misuse of cattle welfare funds. The association also urged the government to give the management of cattle fairs to the Vet Department. The meeting was held under the presidentship of Dr Gurjeet Singh.

SANGRUR
LECTURE: Prof A.K. Vashist, Business Management Professor at Panjab University, on Wednesday stressed on quality management education in the backward regions of the state. He was delivering a special lecture on “Capital budgeting — its applications, significance and various techniques “at Bhai Gurdas College of Engineering and Technology here. Professor Vashist said the capital investment decision was of single most importance in any business enterprise. He explained the various techniques of capital investment, including the net present value method, the index rate of return and the profitability index.

TARN TARAN
FARMERS’ TRAINING: The Department of Agriculture, Punjab, and a pesticide company Novartis jointly organised a farmers training programme on Wednesday at Fatehabad township under the movement ‘Dharti di sewa, Waheguru di sewa’ (Service to land, Service of God). The programme was presided over by Dr Kirpal Singh Sandhu, Deputy Director, Agriculture, and a plant pathologist, Dr R.N. Sandhikar, was the chief guest. More than 100 farmers were given knowledge about kharif crops and soil fertility.

CHANDIGARH

CONTEST: The Speakers Association and Study Circle (SAASC) of Punjab Engineering College will organise an inter-school literary competition called Stimulus 2000 on April 20. It will include events like debate, dumb charades and quizzes. All major school of Chandigarh will take part in the competition.

MEDICAL CAMP: The Survival of Young and Adolescent Foundation (Surya) organised a seminar on reproductive child health (RCH) and a free medical camp in collaboration with the Social Welfare Advisory Board, Chandigarh, at Government High School, Hallomajra, here on Friday. As many as 230 patients were examined and given treatment by specialists at the seminar, which was organised to observe ‘‘Vikas Parav-2000’’. Patients suffering from chest infection, skin diseases, gas trouble, malnutrition, anaemia and upper respiratory infection were also examined. Earlier, the seminar was inaugurated by Dr Joginder Singh, Director Health Services, UT. Dr Supriya, a RCH consultant, presided over the function.

HARYANA

AMBALA
AWARDED: The Ambala railway division has been awarded the best performance shields in track, bridge and operation fields among the northern divisions. This was stated by Mr Vijay Kumar, Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala Division here on Friday. He said on the occasion of the Railway Week to be organised on April 17 at Ambala Cant at divisional level, about 200 railway officials would be awarded for their performance. The DRM said the railway in the division had made special arrangements to clear summer traffic. He said two special trains would be started in the division to meet the summer rush.

SHOT AT: A constable at the Nanyola police post under the Naggal police station was seriously injured when one of his colleagues fired at him with his service revolver here on Friday. The injured Constable Rajinder Singh was shifted to the PGI, Chandigarh. According to the police report, Harjinder Singh, the colleague of the injured Constable, got provoked over a minor issue and fired at him. The police has registered a case against Harjinder Singh.

ELECTED: Mr Rajinder Kumar Guddu, a councillor of the BJP, was elected the leader of the BJP councillor group in the Ambala City Municipal Council here on Friday. A senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar proposed his name for this post, while Mrs Poonam Rawal and Raj Kumar Mal (both councillors) seconded the proposal.

SIRSA
RAPED: A woman of Mediawala village in Amritsar, who was staying with her maternal uncle, Joginder Singh of Jagmalerain village was raped by Sadhu Parkash Muni two years ago. He coarsed Baldev Singh, Anup Singh and Lakhinder Singh to persuade her against naming him in the court. The woman also alleged that her uncle and nephew were in league with the accused as they tried to force her to withdraw the case. Baldev, Anup and Preetpal have been arrested and a case registered against them.

ARRESTED: The district police has arrested seven persons involved in a feature film piracy case from the Bansal Theatre here, on Thursday. The cinema hall was raided after receiving a complaint from the regional manager of a film who found that the film was being shown illegally. The manager of the cinema hall along with six others have been arrested under the Copy Right Act. The cinema hall has been sealed.

SONEPAT
TRIBUTES PAID: Tributes were paid to Dr B.R. Ambedkar at functions organised on the occasion of his birth anniversary here, on Friday. Leaders of various political parties highlighted Dr Ambedkar’s contribution and urged the people to follow his path. Processions, rallies and functions were also organised and all government offices, educational institutions and banks remained closed for the day.

BODY RECOVERED: The Kharkhauda police recovered the decomposed body of a youth from a canal and sent it for the post-mortem examination at the medical college hospital in Rohtak on Thursday. The body was found floating in the canal. A case has been registered.

MUSHROOM MELA: The HAIC Agro Research and Development Centre has decided to organise a mushroom mela at Murthal in this district. According to Dr V.S. Pahil, scientist in charge, the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, will inaugurate it. He told mediapersons here on Friday that mushroom growers from all over the country and scientists from various universities will attend the mela.

GRANT BONUS: The Haryana Government Cooperative Department Ministerial Staff Association on Friday urged the state government to grant bonus from 1998 to 2000 to all Class III and Class IV employees. This was stated at a meeting presided over by Mr Randhir Singh Chahlia, president of the district unit of the association here, on Thursday. Mr Surinder Kumar, general secretary of the unit, also attended the meeting. They also demanded an increase in uniform allowance of Class IV employees from Rs 85 to 200 a year and filling of vacant posts through promotions and a loan of Rs 5,000 to Class III employees for purchasing wheat.

ARRESTED: The city police on Thursday arrested Deepak Kumar and Tara Chand on the charge of manhandling policemen. They were challaned for not possessing a driving licence. They quarrelled with the policemen and tried to snatch the challan book from them.

KILLED: Yajinder Kumar, a resident of Nangal Kalan village, was killed when his scooter was hit by another vehicle on the G.T. Road near Pio Munyari, 25 km from here on Thursday.

SEIZED: The staff of a private cassette company seized 1,955 illegal audio cassettes from a number of shopkeepers at Gohana town, 35 km from here, on Thursday. Cases have been registered against the shopkeepers.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KULU
SANCTIONED: A sum of Rs 3.50 crore has been sanctioned for the solid waste management project to be started at Kulu and Manali. This was stated here on Thursday by Mr Sumer Nath Awasthi, President, Municipal Council. The meeting was attended by a Norwegian delegation headed by Mr N. Samugernam and a Joint Director of the Country and Town Planning Department, Executive Engineer, Town Development, President and all members of the municipal council. Mr B.S. Rajpal, Executive Engineer, Town Development, said the project would be completed in three months.

SHIMLA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Reporters (Gazetted) Association: president — Mr B.J. Negi, vice-president — Mr Ram Rattan Verma; general secretary — Mr R.L. Mehta; joint secretary — Mr Shyam Lal Sharma and finance secretary — Mrs Urmila Kashyap.