R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

PUNJAB

NOMINATED: The district president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Mr Rashpal Singh Gill, has nominated all the existing office-bearers of the district unit for the next term of one year. He said there would be no change in the working committee and office bearers of the district unit of the party. 

APPOINTMENT: Dr Raman Sachdeva, lecturer in the orthopedics department, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital has been appointed vice-president of the Ethics Committee of Punjab, Indian Medical Association. 

SEMINAR: To celebrate the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, the Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR), Punjab, and the Inqlabi Kendra, Punjab, will organise a seminar on ‘Controversy about Bhagat Singh and his legacy from the Marxian perspective’ at Arya College for Boys on Sunday. Professor Randhir Singh, an eminent Marxist thinker and former professor at Delhi University will deliver a lecture which will be followed by a round of discussion informed Professor A.K. Maleri, president, AFDR. 

ELECTED: Mr A.R. Sharma, Managing Director, A.P. Solvex Ltd, Dhuri has been elected as president of the Solvent Extractors’ Association of Punjab at the annual general meeting of the association held at Ludhiana. 

LECTURE: To create health awareness among the general public, the Health Education Cell of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital will organise the 18th public health lecture on breast cancer on Friday at the Dumra Auditorium, DMCH. The lecture will be delivered by Dr J.D. Wig, Department of Surgery, PGIMER, Chandigarh. The lecture will be delivered in Hindi so that more people could understand it. Dr Wig will talk about the causes and symptoms of breast cancer. He will also throw light upon the treatments facilities available for it and how to detect it at an early stage so that it could be cured. He will answer the queries of the general public on the occasion. It should not be forgotten that breast cancer is the most commonest form of cancer found among women these days and its incidence is increasing day by day. 

STOLEN: Truck tyres worth over Rs 6 lakh were allegedly stolen on Tuesday from a tyre dealer’s shop at Kotisdekhan village in the district on the Moga-Makhoo road.

NAWANSHAHR
KILLED: Sidhuram 65, a resident of the Lallian Mohalla here was killed on the spot when he was hit by a mini-truck at the Banga road on Tuesday.

SEMINAR: A seminar on road safety and drug abuse was organised by the district police in collaboration with the Education and Health departments at Arya Girls Senior Secondary School here on Wednesday. Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, addressed the gathering.

CHANDIGARH

CAMP: The Inner-Wheel Chandigarh Central along with the NSS wing of the Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, organised an eye check-up camp, here on Tuesday. Dr R. K. Kapathia examined about 100 patients for various eye ailments. Free medicines were provided to the needy patients. 

HARYANA

FATEHABAD 
OPEN DARBAR: As many as 63 complaints appeared before the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Malik, at an open darbar held here on Wednesday. The SDM, Mr R.K. Chauhan, and the City Magistrate, Mr I.S. Dahiya, were present.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Hisar Central Cooperative Bank: president — Mr Balbir Singh Garewal; vice-presidents — Mr Jaibir Singh and Mr Rajbir Singh Poonia; general secretary — Mr Om Parkash Saini; and treasurer — Mr Ladhu Ram Jangra.

KAITHAL
ANIMAL LOVERS: The district administration will join hands with voluntary organisations to stop cruelty towards animals. This was stated here on Tuesday by the Deputy Commissioner, Dr Mahavir Singh, while addressing a meeting of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Dr Singh, who is a patron of the SPCA, warned that the administration would take strict action against those who violate laws while transporting animals.

DIRECTED: The district Consumer Forum, headed by Mr H.K. Moudgil, has directed the postal department and the Board of School Education, Haryana, to pay a compensation of Rs 5,000 and refund the fee deposited by a student, after holding them responsible for deficiency in services. This decision was taken following a complaint lodged by Tek Chand, a student of Kharkan village.

SONEPAT
INQUIRY ORDERED: The district administration has ordered an inquiry into the market fee evasion by some arhtiyas of the local fruit and vegetable market. This step has been taken on the basis of several complaints made to the authorities.

STRIKE: Tea- chers of C.R. State College of Engineering, Murthal, went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday to press for their demands. The teachers assembled on the premises of the college and raised slogans in support of their demands. 

YAMUNANAGAR
ANNUAL FUNCTION: The annual prize distribution function of the local Guru Nanak Khalsa College was held here on Tuesday. Mr R.S. Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, was the chief guest.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NAHAN
RENUKA FAIR: The historical Renuka Fair will be organised from November 6 to 16. This was stated by the Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rakesh Kaushal, while presiding over a meeting called for making arrangements during the fair.

Regional potpourri
UK varsity honours educationist

THE Thames Valley University, London held its annual convocation in New Delhi, specially confer the Doctor of Philosophy degree (honoris causa) on Stya Paul, an industrialist, philanthropist, educationist and president of Apeejay Education Society, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of education in India.

The Vice-Chancellor of the TVU, Prof Kenneth Barker, honoured Stya Paul and conferred the prestigious degree on him on behalf of the Governors of the university’s academic board, in the presence of eminent personalities from different walks of life.

The Chancellor of the Thames Valley University, Lord Swraj Paul, opened the convocation and presided over it. Lord Paul, who is a member of the House of Lords said: “The association between the Apeejay Institute of Management & Information Technology and the TVU is a good example of the rapidly increasing collaboration of providers of higher education across the globe.” A total of 69 students of its institute of management & information technology received BBAs while eight were conferred MBA.

Accepting the doctoral degree, Mr Stya Paul said: “Although it (the degree) has been given to me personally, I accept it as a symbol of the successful, collaboration between the university and the Apeejay Institute of Management & Information Technology...” Our partnership has opened, new windows of education for students in this country.

Mrs Sushma Berlia, Vice-President of the society, presented mementoes to the scholar-guests.

The citation for the award says that the Apeejay Education Society, founded by Mr Stya Paul, has come to be counted among the best in the country with about 23 schools, colleges and institutions of higher learning. “Mr Stya Paul believes in excellence and modern value based quality education. He provides dynamic leadership, guidance, financial and administrative acumen”, it says.

Mr Stya Paul was born on October 4, 1919, in Bhiwani district of Haryana. He was brought up in Jalandhar. The eldest of seven children, he lost his mother very early and his father a few years later. As head of the family, business and familial responsibilities came to rest on his shoulders early in life, which were shouldered with love.

A gold medalist and record holder of MA honours’ in mathematics from pre-Independence Panjab University, he was a freedom fighter, and was in jail during the Quit India Movement.

He imbibed the qualities of hard work, fearlessness and love for the truth from his father, Mr Pyare Lal. These stood him in good stead as along with his brothers Jit, Swraj and the late Surrendra, he pioneered the Apeejay group into an industrial conglomerate.

He desired no monuments for himself, but there are living monuments all around in the shape of multitude of people one meets in different corners of the country from all walks of life, who know and respect him, and seem to be obliged to him in way or the other.

Innovative piles surgery

PROF Rajinder Karwasra, Head of Surgery (II) at the Pt B.D. Sharma Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, along with Dr Pradeep Garg, Associate Professor of Surgery, recently performed the stappler operation for piles for the first time in the state.

Dr Karwasra claimed at a press conference that the PGIMS was now on a par with premier institutes like AIIMS (Delhi) in stappler technology.

Giving details regarding the new technique, Dr Karwasra said the technique was invented by Italian surgeon, Dr Longo. In it, he said a haemorrhoides stappler was used to cut the haemorrhoids (piles) without causing any bleeding. The biggest advantage of such an operation was that the patient had to stay in hospital for a single day and there was practically no post-operative discomfort. Besides, the operating time was not much and the post-operative recovery was fast. There was no chance of complications like stenosis and relapse in this technique and it provided good results, he added.

Commenting on the causes of piles, Dr Pradeep Garg said these suffering from the disease was either a hereditary problem or because of long standing or certain diseases. Most of the time the cause of piles was not known and then it is called ideopathic.

Dr Garg said surgery of piles was associated with several problems like pain, bleeding, hospital, hospitalisation for a long time and, at times recurrence of the disease after surgery. He claimed the new technique overcame all possible complications of surgery.

Una’s neglected forts

KUTLEHAR, in Una district on Himachal Pradesh, is well known for its sprawling forest ranges, forts and fascinating flora and fauna. Prominent among them, is the Solasingi Dhar range with 16 historical forts dotting it. These architectural marvels offer an insight into the colourful mosaic of the rich hill heritage. But, one shudders at the poor upkeep of these sentinels of stone which once guarded Kutlehar kingdom.

At an altitude of 4500 metres, these forts command a panoramic view, overlooking Gobindsagar and Pong Dam water reservoirs. These forts are fast losing their identity due to lack of care. It is a matter of concern that out of the total 16, only six forts have stood the ravages of time. The other 10 forts seem to have slipped into obscurity, leaving behind only tell-tale traces. Believed to be built by the ruler of Kangra, Sansar Chandra, in 1809 these were captured by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who gave them a facelift.

The Solasingi forts are approachable via Bangana, Piplu, up to Jarola, by bus. From this point, one has to trek to Solasingi Dhar. On proceeding ahead, one can savour the natural beauty.

A closer view of these monuments, many of them in ruins, presents a true picture of their upkeep. While the outer walls of the forts are still intact, a portion of the inner walls has collapsed.

An architecture’s dream-come-true, huge stone slabs have been used in the construction of overhead ceiling. The stone used in the construction of these forts is so finely hewn that it leaves an onlooker enthused.

Contributed by Pran Sabharwal, Vipin and Ramesh Dhiman.