R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
NEW COURSE: The Adult Continuing Education and Extension Department of Guru Nanak Dev University and the Community Polytechnic, Palahi, will start a one-year-course in cloth cutting, tailoring and designing for the unemployed women from July 1 on the university campus. This was stated by Mrs Satnam Kaur Sekhon, Assistant Director of the department.

WHEAT PROCUREMENT: Wheat procurement in the district has exceeded its target by 14 per cent as compared to last year. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Narinderjit Singh, said here on Monday that over 8.83 lakh tonnes of wheat had arrived at 139 mandis in the district.

CRITICISED: The Electronic Goods Association in a press note here on Monday criticised the local municipal corporation for charging higher octroi on electronic goods as compared to their counterparts in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala. The association was planning to move the high court in this connection.

BARNALA
DRINKING WATER SHORTAGE: Residents of Dhanaula, 10 km from here, have been facing an acute water shortage since last Saturday. On being contacted Mr Shakti Kumar Kaushal, Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Dhanaula, said the water supply was affected because of power failure.

BATHINDA
ALLEGED: Mr Hem Raj Mittal, district chief of the RSS, and Mr Mohit Gupta, member, All-India Working Committee of the Bharatiya Yuva Janata Morcha, on Monday alleged that certain persons were trying to create a wedge between the BJP and the RSS units of the district. They said if BJP leaders did not stop levelling false allegations against the RSS functionaries, then it would take certain steps in this regard.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
OVERBRIDGE: A railway overbridge at Sirhind railway crossing will be constructed at a cost of Rs 7.5 crore. The work on the project will start before June 15 and completed within one-and-half year. This was stated by Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy Commissioner, while addressing the meeting of the District Development Committee here on Sunday.

HOSHIARPUR
ARRESTED: Jarnail Singh and Devinder Singh, alias Bhilli, both of Atalgarh village have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping Balbir Singh, a taxi driver of the same village, on the intervening night of May 12 and 13. A case was registered on a complaint by Balwinder Singh, brother of Balbir Singh, under Section 364/34, IPC.

CAMP: A hepatitis-B camp was organised by the local Rotary Club (Mid-Town) at Baba Hanj Convent School at Kang Mai village on Sunday. Dr B.K. Mehta, president of the club, said 500 kids, including the staff of the school, were given vaccination.

STATUE INSTALLED: A statue of Maharishi Balmiki was installed with religious ceremonies at the Balmiki Temple near the Clock Tower here on Sunday. A function was organised in this connection which was presided over by Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

KHARAR
NOTICE ISSUED TO BINDRA: Ms Neelam Arora, Additional Civil Judge, on Tuesday issued notices for June 14, to the Punjab Cricket Association and its President, Mr I.S. Bindra, in a suit of recovery of Rs 20,99,000. A contractor had pleaded that he was not paid his dues for construction work in the cricket stadium in SAS Nagar.

LUDHIANA
NSS CAMP: A 10-day NSS camp organised at Devki Devi Jain College here concluded on Sunday. Mr Amrit Lal Jain, Senior vice-president of the college managing committee, presided over the function. He donated Rs 2,100 to the volunteers.

PATIALA
APPOINTMENT FLAYED: The Punjab Ayurvedic Medical Services Association on Tuesday condemned the decision of the Punjab Government to appoint an allopathic doctor, Dr G.S. Preet, as Director, Ayurveda. In a statement here, the association President, Dr Harmanjit Singh, said a senior state ayurvedic doctor should be given charge.

SEWA SAMITI OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sri Tung Nath Sewa Samiti: President — Mr R.K. Puri; Vice-President — Mr Manmohan Jand; General Secretary — Mr S.L. Sharma; Cashier — Mr Hargobind Sharma; and Propaganda Secretary — Mr Romesh Chand.

CHANDIGARH

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME: A six-week women entrepreneurship development programme, sponsored by the Small Industries Development Bank of India, commenced at the Technical Teachers’ Training Institute in Sector 26 on Monday. Dr S. Krishnamurthy, Principal of the TTTI, in his presidential address, spoke about the need for entrepreneurship promotion amongst women in the fast-changing economic scenario of the country. Ms R. Puri, a former Dean of Panjab University, in her inaugural address emphasised equal opportunities for women. Mr Yadav from the SIDBI highlighted the role played by the SIDBI in furthering the cause of entrepreneurship in the country.

MOBILE COMMUNICATION: As part of the World Telecommunication Day celebrations, the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers will hold a programme on mobile communication at the IETE building in Sector 30 on Wednesday. Mr R.N. Gupta, Chief General Manager, Punjab Telecom Circle, will be the chief guest. Senior executives of leading mobile operators will attend the programme.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the General Insurance Employees Association (NZ), Chandigarh unit: President — Mr I.P. Gupta; Senior Vice-President — Mr Anand Kumar, Vice-Presidents — Kanchan Kumar, Mr Jagmohan Singh Walia, Mr Ravi Shankar and Mr Kuldip Singh; Secretary — Mr O.P. Sachdeva; Organising Secretary — Mr M.K. Bhatia; Joint Secretaries — Mr Deepak Malik, Mr H.S. Patpatia, Mr Sanjeev Sethi, Mr Gurbirpal Singh and Mr Hari Mal Thakur; Treasurer — Mr Rakesh Verma; and Assistant Treasurer — Mr Arun Kundlia.

BANK SHIFTED: The extension counter of Punjab National Bank, Modern Housing complex, on Tuesday, moved to a new spacious place at Bay Shop 53, Shopping Complex, MHC, from its old rented premises. “The counter which began operations in October 1996, has done business worth Rs 4 crore,” said Mr O.P. Vyas, Senior Regional Manager of the PNB, who was the chief guest at a function held on the occasion.

CARNIVAL POSTPONED: The Sector 17 Shopping Carnival, originally scheduled to be held from May 21 to 28, has been postponed. It will not be held from May 28 to June 4, Ms Priti Kohli of Samvad announced on Tuesday. She said that all clearances and permissions for holding the shopping carnival had been obtained from the authorities concerned.

HARYANA

FATEHABAD
SUCCUMBED: A married woman, who reportedly got burnt while cooking, succumbed to her injuries here on Monday. The victim’s husband, Satish, brother-in-law Ashwani and sister-in-law Kanta were also injured while trying to save her.

ONE DEAD: Darshan Singh (35) of Rattia town in the district died on Monday when his scooter was hit by a Jeep near Hamjapur village on the Fatehabad-Rattia road. The jeep driver absconded.

YAMUNANAGAR
MC ELECTION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local municipal council: president — Mrs Sangita Aggarwal; and vice-president — Mr Sujit Kumar.

MP FUND: BJP leaders sought an increase in the MP area development grant from Rs 2 crore to 5 crore. Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, secretary, All-India BJP, and an MP from Ambala, said here on Monday that as inflation had increased, the amount was meagre for developing a constituency.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
ONE KILLED: Harbhajan Singh (80) was killed and six members of his family were injured seriously when their Maruti van rolled down near Suharghat on the Chandigarh-Manali national highway No. 21 on Monday. Their condition was stated to be serious. The cause of the accident was not known.

SHIMLA
MEDICAL CAMP: The local Indus Hospital organised a free medical and health education camp at Charkhari village of Karsog tehsil , Mandi district, on Sunday. All tests were conducted free of cost and medicines were given to the poor.

KULU
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Telecommunications Engineering Service Association: president — Mr R.K. Sharma; DET(A and P), Kulu; district secretary — Mr Naresh Thakur, SDO(T), Manali; assistant district secretary — Mr A.P. Gupta, SDE (MIS), Kulu; and district treasurer — Mr Kirpal Singh, SDO(T), (Kulu).

NURPUR
NOMINATED: Mr Naresh Kumar Lath, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, has been nominated for the Secular India Harmony Award-2000 by the United Children Movement for promoting national integration.