R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

BATHINDA
SPECTACLE BANK: The Divine Eye Research Foundation, Bathinda, will set up a spectacle bank for those who cannot afford to purchase costly spectacle. In a press note issued here on Sunday, Mr Rakesh Kumar narula, president of the foundation, said they had decided to set up the bank where the second hand spectacle could be deposited by the people.

GURDASPUR
SMUGGLERS HELD: The police has arrested four inter-state liquor smugglers and seized 168 bottles from their possession. According to Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, the accused have been identified as Diljit Raj of Chhanni Beli and Chander Shekhar of Indora in Himachal Pradesh, Gurdas Mal of Batala and Tilak Raj of Sujanpur. A motor-cycle used to commit the crime had been seized. The accused used to bring liquor from Himachal Pradesh and sell it in Pathankot. They have been booked under the Excise Act.

HOSHIARPUR
NATUROPATHY HOSPITAL: The Himachal Pradesh Government has given sanctions for setting up of a Nature Cure College and naturopathy Hospital at Gandhi Sewa Ashram, Oel, in Una district of Himachal Pradesh. This was stated by Mr Mahash Tirath Ram, a freedom fighter and organiser of Gandhi Sewa Ashram, Oel, here on Sunday.

MALERKOTLA
CAMP ORGANISED: The Bharat Vikas Parishad organised a dental camp at Meemsa village, 10 km from here, on Sunday. Dr Mohammad Shabbir, CMO, local Civil Hospital, examined 1,000 patients at the camp. Medicines were distributed free of cost.

MOGA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Rotary Club: president — Dr Ramesh lal Goel and general secretary — Mr Khushwant Rai Josahi.

NAWANSHAHR
PROTEST: The district unit of the Punjab Khet Majdoor Union will organise a “flag march” at Nawanshahr, Banga, and Balachaur on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, respectively, in protest against the failure of the government to check rise in price of the essential commodities and urged the government to withdraw the recent hike in power tariff. They also urged the government to increase the pension by Rs 500 per month being provided to widows and senior citizens. This was stated by Mr Bishan Lal Jhinger, secretary of the union, in a press note issued here, on Monday.

ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Kothi Road Shopkeepers Association: president — Mr Parveen Kumar Bhatia; vice-presidents — Mr Kewal Arora; Mr Mohinder Singh and Mr Mohinder Pal; general secretary — Mr Anil Ummat and treasurer — Mr Satish Ohri.

PATIALA 
EMPLOYEES'  RALLY: The Punjab State Electricity Board Karamchari Dal has taken strict notice of the attitude of the PSEB management towards the demands spelt by another trade union organisation, the Bijli Mulazam Front. In a press note, the dal has said that if the demands of the front were not met immediately, the dal will have to resort to an agitational approach. The note said that the dal would be holding dharnas and rallies in front of the PSEB head office shortly as the employees were getting restless because their demands were being not met. 

AUTONOMY ISSUE: Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, a former MP, and general secretary of the SHSAD, has asked the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to clarify his party’s stand on the autonomy issue. In a press note, Mr Chandumajra said that a resolution favouring autonomy status was passed in the J and K Assembly but was rejected by Parliament, which showed that Mr Badal’s stand on the issue was misplaced. He alleged that by using tools like the GATT, the Insurance Regulatory Act and signing of the WTO agreement the government was trying to vertically divide the people in all states. 

INAUGURATED: New link roads will be constructed at Rajpura subdivision by the year end. This was stated by Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Minister, Local Self Government, while addressing a gathering, after inaugurating a link road named after Kargil martyr Havaldar Jai Singh, near Jangpura village at Rajpara subdivision, today. He said Rs 11.50 lakh had been sanctioned by the state government for the village water works tubewell. Mr Tandon announced a grant of Rs 50,000 for the village school and Rs 1 lakh for repairing the streets of the village. 

SANGRUR
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Goel Bradari (Badbariye), president — Mr Faqir Chand Goel; senior vice-president — Mr Ajit Kumar Tapa; general secretary — Mr Jawahar Goel; and treasurer — Mr Roop Kishore Goel.

MEDICAL CAMP: A blood grouping and homoeopathic camp was organised at Baguana village on Sunday by the local Blood Donors and Health Care Society. Mr Harmohan Singh, chairman of the society, said blood grouping of 71 people was done. As many 102 patients were examined at the camp.

TARN TARAN
TRIBUTES PAID: Cutting across the party lines leaders of various political parties paid tributes to Dilbag Singh Daleke, a former Punjab Speaker, at his native village Daleke, 8 km from here, on Sunday. Among those who were present on the occasion included, Mr Tarlochan Singh Tur, Akali MP, Mr R.L. Bhatia, a Congress MP, Mr Sajjan Kumar Jakhar, a former Minister, Mrs Daljit Kaur and Mr Prem Singh Lalpura — both MLAs, and Prof Darbari Lal.

CHANDIGARH

HONOURED: The Managing Director, State Bank of Patiala, has honoured Mr S.C. Dhall, Branch Manager of the bank’s Sector 32 branch, for the commendable work done by him when he was heading the bank’s Sanawar branch. The Sanawar branch has been rated excellent run branch as it has done well in all area of operations.

HARYANA

AMBALA
RESOLUTION PASSED: The Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar, on Monday passed a resolution in favour of continuation of house tax at the old rates. Both the ruling as well as the Opposition members of the House said that the old rates for the house tax must continue. They also strongly objected to the new formula proposed for the house tax. The House deliberated on three resolutions, including house tax rates, octroi and trade tax. 

FARIDABAD
LITERACY CAMPAIGN: The District Literacy Committee has decided to launch campaign in phases from Saturday to educate people, according to Mr Anand Mohan Sharan, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the Committee. In a survey conducted recently 3.23 lakh persons were found to be illiterate in the district. The campaign would start from 15 villages of Faridabad (rural), Ballabhgarh (rural), Palwal, Hathin and Hodal blocks and three urban wards of the Municipal Corporation.

FATEHABAD
WORKSHOP: A two-day workshop on “Communicative English” organised by the local Dayaram Public School concluded here on Sunday. Mrs Neeraja malik, a lecturer in English and wife of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Malik, was the chief guest. She appreciated the efforts of the school in improving children education. Mr D.P. Mutsuddi, a former Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan, New Delhi, and a former Divisional Manager (Education), Tata Steels, Jamshedpur, was the resource person.

CASES SETTLED: As many as 16 complaints came up for hearing in the District Grievances and the Public Relations Committee meeting held here on Saturday. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Malik, presided over the meeting, while senior officers of the government departments, including Mr Pradeep Kasni, Additional Deputy Commissioner were present at the meeting. At least 14 out of 16 complaints were settled on the spot.

SIRSA
ARRESTED: The city police has arrested Malkeit Singh, alias Billoo, and Balwinder Singh for their involvement in nine theft cases, including those that took place at various temples. The police has recovered stolen goods, including three two-wheelers, gold, silver, cash, television sets, cooking gas stoves and LPG cylinders.

INJURED: A quarrel between two neighbours which resulted in a shoot out left two persons of each group injured at Bagguwali village of the district. According to an information received here on Sunday, quarrel started between Ranjeet Singh and Bhure Singh over a common wall which Ranjeet Singh wanted to construct. The argument turned violent and they attacked each other with staffs and sharp-edged weapons.

OLD-AGE PENSION: The left out cases of old-age pension will again be scrutinised. This was disclosed by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Amit Jha, in a press note issued here on Sunday. Senior citizens who failed to get their files scrutinised could now appear from July 15 to July 17. Besides, files of those who had applied for pension in January and February would also be scrutinised during these three days. Fourteen committees have been constituted for this purpose.

KILLED: One person died while another suffered injuries as tractor-trailer fell into Makhosarani canal on Sunday. According to the information received on Sunday, Sohan and Vinod of Kutiana village were returning from Adampur after selling wheat when the headlights failed and with no side railing their tractor fell into the canal, 6 km away from Kheri in Nathusari Chopta block of the district.

SONEPAT
ELECTION: Mr hargopal Taneja and mrs Rachna Sethi were elected as the president and Secretary, respectively of the Elite Educational Society, at a general body meeting held here, on Sunday.

STRIKE: The road traffic between Gohana and Panipat remained disrupted for few hours following a strike call given by the drivers of the Haryana Roadways buses, on Sunday. They were protesting against the alleged beating up of a driver by a police constable, Bharat Singh, posted at a police post near Ghillaur village of this district.

MURDER: Suresh, a youth was allegedly murdered at Nizampur village in Gohana subdivision of this district on Sunday. An old enmity is said to be the motive behind the murder. A case has been registered. However, no arrest has been made so far.

KILLED: A scooterist was killed on the spot when he was hit by a bus near Halalpur village, 20 km from here, on Sunday. According to the police, the victim has been identified as Virender. he was on his way from halalpur village to Kharkhauda town. A case has been registered against the bus driver.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
EYE CAMPS: The district Blindness Control Society in collaboration with some voluntary organisations had organised 29 eye camps in 1999. As many as 1,090 persons were operated upon. The president of the society-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jagdish Chander Sharma, while presiding over the meeting here on Saturday said out of 164 of middle and high schools society had reserved children of 135 schools in 1999.

REWARD: The Yuvak Mandal Niharkhan has been declared ‘‘best organisation’’ in the district by the Nehru Yuvak Kendra and awarded prize and a commendation certificate by the regional youth coordinator, Mr Ravinder Pal Singh Thakur, here on Sunday.