R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
HONOURED: Mr G. Krishnamurti, Chairman, LIC, was honoured here on Friday at Sri Durgiana Temple by Mr Nand Lal Nagpal, general secretary, Sri Durgiana Committee, Mr Surinder Kumar Billa, president, All-India Hindu Shiv Sena and Mr Murari Lal.

BATHINDA
DEMANDED: Activists of the struggle committee of Punjab State Electricity Board, Bathinda circle, has demanded that the government should cancel the transfers of employees of Patiala, U.B.D. and Faridkot circles. In a press note issued here on Friday, Mr Om Parkash, a member of committee, said that government should repeal the agreement with private companies on the Gobindwal Project.

GARHSHANKAR
ARRESTED: The Mahilpur police of Garhshankar subdivision has arrested Tarlok Singh of Jorhea (Garhshankar) and Gurdev Ram of Badesaron for possessing 27,000 ml of illegal liquor, Nasib Singh of Binjon with 9,000 ml, Mohinder Singh of Lanari with 3,750 ml, Vijay Kumar of Hoshiarpur and Mohinder Singh of Sajjanwal with 18,000 ml under the Excise Act. The police has also booked Harbhajan Singh of Barian Khurd and Sanjeev Kumar, Balbir Singh and Paramjit Kumar, all of Mahilpur, under the gambling Act.

REVIEW SOUGHT: Mr Jai Gopal Dhiman, President of the Social Democratic Party, has demanded that the free supply of electricity to farmers be reviewed by the Punjab Government. He said electricity charges should instead be on the basis of the farmers economic position.

STOLEN: The local police has arrested Purshotam Lal of Aima Mohalla under Section 379, IPC, for stealing 14 quintals of khair wood from Beerampur forests. According to the SHO, more arrests in this connection are possible.

CAUGHT: The Mahilpur police has arrested Kaka who was involved in the two thefts at Ghamiala village. A sum of Rs 1,000 and some stolen clothes were recovered from him.

HOSHIARPUR
ANNUAL FAIR: The third annual fair in memory of Baba Amroodanwale was held at Thathal village, near Chohal, on Friday. Thousands of devotees from all over the district, including Mr D.R. Bhatti, IG, Training, Jalandhar, paid obeisance at the samadhi of the Baba. Mr Kulwant Singh, a noted social worker and farmer of the area, was the chief guest on the occasion. A wrestling competition was also organised and qawwalis were sung. Free langar was also served.

KHARAR
GRANTED: DAV Model High School, Kurali, has been granted affiliation up to class XII, according to a press note issued here on Saturday by Mr Sushil Kaushal, Manager of the school. 

LUDHIANA
DEMANDED: The Punjab Waste Dealers' Association on Saturday demanded the abolition of sales tax on waste products of yarn and hosiery goods. In a memorandum submitted to the Minister for Excise and Taxation, Punjab, the association pointed out the tax was being imposed on the material for which the tax has already been paid thrice. The memorandum said the state government was levying a sales tax of 4 per cent on all kinds of waste products which occur during the process and manufacturing of yarn of all kinds and hosiery goods. The waste products are recycled to manufacture inferior kind of yarn used for the manufacture of inferior class of hosiery sweaters, blankets and shawls, which are used by the poor. It pointed out that the government levied a sales tax of 4 per cent on fibre and that yarn was also taxable. Further, the hosiery manufactured out of this yarn was also taxable. The association said levying of tax in a multiple manner might have disastrous effect on petty and small waste dealers as well as those mill owners who use the recycled yarn. It warned the business might shift to other places, resulting in loss of revenue to the state. It demanded immediate withdrawal of sales tax on recycled yarn. 

HAILED: Mr Yogesh Diwan, a former General Secretary of the District Youth Congress, on Saturday hailed the Assam Government move to throw out illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from within the state. In a statement, he said citizens of Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka were continuously infiltrating into India, which could have serious ramifications as some of them could include agents of certain foreign agencies. Mr Diwan further said the trend needed to be checked with a firm hand because there had been instances when suspected agents of Pakistan's ISI had infiltrated from Bangladesh borders into India, with a clear brief of carrying out acts of sabotage and creating chaos. Moreover, the arrival of illegal immigrants also adversely affected the economy of the country, which was already over-populated, he added. 

PHAGWARA
LAND GRABBING: Senior leaders of the Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, including district and block presidents, Rajbant Singh Jhikka and Harbail Singh Pahwa on Friday criticised the illegal construction of a Shiv mandir near a nullah and opposite the cremation ground on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road. They said some mischievous elements were trying to grab the government land in name of religion. These leaders said religious places be they temples or gurdwaras should not be illegally constructed on government land.

CHANDIGARH

MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT: Dr J.L. Chaudhary, Medical Superintendent, General Hospital, Sector 16, has been repatriated to his parent state, Haryana. Mr K.K. Garg, Civil Surgeon from Rewari, has been appointed the new Medical Superintendent of the hospital. The orders to this effect were passed by the UT Health-cum-Finance Secretary, Mr Rakesh Singh, last week. According to the transfer orders, Dr Chaudhary will be relieved only when Dr Garg assumes charge of his new assignment. 

HARYANA

INAUGURATED: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal, inaugurated a Haryanavi feature film, “Lado” here on Friday. Actor Ashutosh Rana, actress Aruna Dutti and director Ashwani Chaudhry were among those who were present on the occasion. The film has been selected for the National Award for the first time in the history of Haryanavi films.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NURPUR
NEW SDM: Mr Vidhan Chand Tuly joined as the Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate Nurpur. His predecessor Dr Naresh Kumar Lath has been posted as General Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner Hamirpur.