The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, October 3, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
BUS MISHAP: Harminder Singh (32) of Khippanwali village was killed and five others were injured when the private bus in which they were travelling overturned near Balluana village on the Abohar-Malout road on Monday. The Sadar police has registered a case against Sukhdev Singh, the driver, under Sections 304-A and 279 of the IPC.

BATHINDA
MEDICAL CAMP: The local unit of the Bharat Vikas Parishad (Seva Bharati) organised a free medical check-up and treatment camp at the local Chandsar Basti. The camp was inaugurated by Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner. Prof Ashok Gupta, patron, Bharat Vikas Parishad, said about 350 patients were given medicines free of cost.

EYE CAMP: A free cataract surgery camp was organised by the Goodwill Society at Bhoj Raj Public School. As many as 45 operations were performed and more than 400 patients were examined. The camp was inaugurated by Mr C. S. Talwar, Chief Administrator, PUDA, Bathinda.

DHURI
HEPATITIS CAMP: The local Rotary Club organised a hepatitis-B camp here at Barn Mal Dharamshala on Sunday. As many as 254 persons were vaccinated on the occasion.

FEROZEPORE
CELEBRATED: The World Blood Donation Day was celebrated at the local Civil Hospital on Sunday. Various social service organisations, youth clubs and staff of the Health Department participated.

HOSHIARPUR
BODY FOUND: The body of Hardev Singh Kanoongo was found in his field at Patrana village on Sunday. The Sadar police has registered a case under Sections 302 of the IPC and 25/54/59 of the Arms Act.

JALANDHAR
NABBED: Two scooter-borne persons were nabbed by the Nawanshahr police after they attempted to rob Manjit Singh, a farmer of Langeri village, of his tractor on Sunday. A case has been registered.

KHARAR
CLEARED: The Rotary Club, Kharar, organised a kar seva for cleaning surroundings of Maharaja Ajj Sarovar on Sunday, in which students of local schools participated. Mr Khushi Ram, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, was the chief guest. Mr Ram praised the efforts of the club and stressed the need that we should pay more attention for cleanliness and saplings plantation because of the rise in pollution. He said the kar seva was important as it involves the participation of all people. He assured the gathering that he would soon meet Mr Swarna Ram, Tourism Minister, Punjab, and request him that this historical place should be developed as a tourist spot.

LUDHIANA
CAMP ORGANISED: The Sewing Machine Dealers and Assemblers Association organised the fourth homeopathic medical camp at Kashmiri Gate, Lakkar Bazar, here on Sunday. Dr H.S. Sandhu, Medical Officer of the Charitable Dispensary, examined the patients with the help and cooperation of Dr Tejpal Singh, Dr Tarun Choaudhry, Dr Gurpreet Kaur and Dr Lalit Chaudhry. A new laboratory to cater to the needs of the area was also inaugurated on the occasion in which tests would be done at concessional rates. The Association has been holding six monthly camps for the last two years.

SHOBHA YATRA: An impressive Ram vivah shobha yatra was taken out by the Shri Aggar Nagar Ram lila Committee in Aggar Nagar Part B here on Sunday. The shobha yatra, led by a ‘rath’ and a number of ‘jhankis’ started from Raghunath Mandir and went round the locality. Inaugurating the shobha yatra, the city Mayor, Mr Apinder Singh Grewal, emphasised the need of celebrating such festivals by people of all communities together so that bonds of communal harmony and mutual trust were further strengthened. He said these festivals should not be considered occasions for mere fun and frolic, but the underlying message should be understood and adopted for the good of the individuals and the society as a whole.

DEPRESSION CAUSES: Loneliness is the major cause of depression among the elderly. Its common symptoms are sadness, sleep disturbance, crying spells, restlessness and anxiety. Many of these persons express suicidal ideas.” this was stated by Dr Rajeev Gupta, a consultant psychiatrist, while speaking on the ‘Depression in the elderly’, at a meeting of newly constituted Senior Citizen Council at Khanna. Dr Gupta said that shift from joint to nuclear families had hit the elderly hard and the number of old people living alone was rising both in urban and rural areas of Punjab. He praised Mr S.S. Sodhi, former Principal of the Sidhwan College of Education, who had taken the initiative to make a council of the elderly in Khanna, in order to provide them a common social platform for healthy interaction. He advised the members to remain physically and socially active and take timely medical help in order to avoid any complications later on and cautioned them to avoid misuse of sleeping pills and tranquillisers as drugs make them more drowsy and accident-prone.

DANDIYA NITE: Arena Multimedia organised a Dandiya nite at the Railway Officer’s Club to mark the Navratra festival. The bright and glittering evening was flavoured with music and dance with both girls and boys wearing traditional Indian outfits. The youngsters danced continuously to various disco dandiya tunes giving a professional touch to their dancing skills. Some of the boys wore shervanis and dhoti-kurtas with baandni dupattas. The dance floor was well decorated with balloons, flowers and garbhas. There were various prizes held for the performing people like well dressed couple, well dressed male and well dressed female. Pooja Seth and Ravi were declared the well dressed couple, Rahul won the best dressed male award and Nikita won the well dressed female prize. The nite continued for almost two hours as the youngsters were not ready to leave the stage.

MALERKOTLA
CAMP ORGANISED: A hepatitis-B camp was organised by the nagar panchayat of Mahmadpur village, 14 km from here, on Sunday. Mr Gurlavleen Singh Sidhu, SDM, inaugurated the camp. As many as 350 persons were vaccinated against hepatitis-B by Dr Kamal Bharti and Dr Kamna Sharma

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the All-India Punjab National Bank Officers Association, Bathinda region: president — Mr K.C. Sharma; zonal secretary — Mr Gurpiar Singh; organising secretary — Mr S.K. Garg; and treasurer — Mr G.R. Nagpal.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Naseer-u-Din Niazi Memorial Society: president — Mr Mohammad Akhlaq; senior vice-president — Mr Mohammed Ishtiaq; vice-president — Mr Arshad Mehmood Nandan; general secretary — Mr Liaqat Suhel; joint secretary — Mr Mohammad Mushtaq; press secretary — Mr Zahoor Ahmed Chohan; and treasurer — Mr Mohammad Akhlaq.

MOGA
OIL HIKE FLAYED: Mr Satnam Singh Sandeshi, President, PPCC (farmers wing), and Dr Malti Thapar, General Secretary, PPCC, on Monday flayed the hike in the prices of petroleum products. They also urged the government to withdraw the hike for the benefit of the consumers.

STIR THREAT: The Punjab Khadya Nigam Karamchari Sangh, has threatened to launch a statewide agitation if the management of the Food Corporation of India does not withdraw “false” cases against members of the sangh. It has also demanded the withdrawal of charge sheets issued to members in this connection by October 5.

PATIALA
CREMATED: The body of Harbhajan Singh, father of Mr Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, Joint Director, State Public Relations Department, was cremated here on Monday. The cremation was attended, among others, by Capt Amarinder Singh, president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress. Committee; Ms Preneet Kaur, Member Parliament; Raja Narinder Singh, Minister for public Health; Mr S.K. Sinha senior IAS office; Mr S.C. Jain, ADGP, Punjab; Mr J.S. Bir, Deputy Commissioner, Patiala; and Mr Ujagar Singh, District Public Relations Officer, Patiala.

CONCLUDED: The month-long celebration of swaran jayanti varsh depicted as Hindi month organised by State Bank of Patiala concluded here on Monday. Presiding over the function general manager of the bank, Mr. K. Balachandran motivated and inspired the people to use Hindi at their work place. During the month, Hindi workshops and various contests on banking terminology, translation and good handwriting were organised. On this eve participation certificates were handed out to all the participants in addition to the first, second and third prizes to the winners of each contest.

ELECTED: During the general body meeting of the Jan Hit Samiti organised here on Monday. Mr Shri Kant Sharma was elected president of the samiti. Following are the office bearers; patrons — Prof. B.K. Kapoor, Mr Raj Kumar Juggi, Mr G.S. Rekhi, vice presidents — Col. Amrik Singh Sahi and Mr Vijay Sethi, general secratary — Mr Vinod Sharma, joint secratary — Mr P.K. Jindal and treasurer Mr S.N. Jindal.

RAJPURA
WORKSHOP: A four-day workshop organised by the local Rotary Club concluded here on Monday. Attended by 34 youths from Suratgarh, Ferozepore, Faridkot, Barnala, Patiala, Nabha, Dera Bassi, Rajpura. They were taught leadership qualities, public speaking, ethical values, co-operation and self-help. The district governer Rtn Rajinder Taneja, selected one graduate to be sent to the USA of RYLA International.

CHANDIGARH

COMMITTEE: The following have been elected office-bearers of Shirdi Sai Samaj working committee: President — Mr Vijay Kumar; General Secretary — Mr Prem Nath Goel; and Finance Secretary — Mr R.L. Badhwar.

EXAMINED: In celebration of Gandhi Jayanti, as many as 200 patients were examined and distributed free medicine at an ayurvedic medicine camp organised by Lions Club, Chandigarh Classic in Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 40-B, here on Sunday. The camp was inaugurated by Dr Gulati, assistant director, Indian System of Medicine. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Gulati stressed the advantages of ayurvedic in curving life style diseases like asthama and hypertension. Special invitee to the camp Suriender Verma, Chairman, Citizen Awareness Group, stressed the need for opening more Ayurvedic dispensaries and 50-bed hospitals to cater to the needs of patients. The president of Lions Club, Mr P.C. Sharma, said, the camp had been organised to create public awareness on matters of health and hygiene. Dr Madan Gulati, Dr Dimple Verma, Dr Rajiv Kapila and Dr Nariender Bhartwaj examined the patients.

FREE TESTS: A free bone density checkup camp was organised by Dr Manuj Chhabra in the Sector 30 market on October 1. Around 170 people of middle and old age were examined using a computerised machine. Sixtyseven were found to be suffering from osteopania and 53 from osteoporosis. A test costing Rs 1,000 was done free of cost on patients suffering from lower back pain.

SAS NAGAR
SABHA: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sri Guru Ravi Dass Naujwan Sabha, Punjab: president — Mr K.R. Chaudhary; vice-president — Mr J.R. Kahal; general secretary — Mr P.R. Mann; finance secretary — Mr Gurdial Singh; legal adviser — Mr R.A. Sumon; and auditor — Mr Chanan Ram.

REMEMBERED: The birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri was celebrated on Monday at the local Shastri Model School. Prayers were offered and havan performed. Among those present were Mr B.B. Maini, Municipal Councillor, Mr Mohinder Singh, secretary, Phase 2 Gurdwara, and Mr K.L. Marwha, secretary of the local unit of the Bharat Vikas Parishad. The school manager, Mr Ram Lal Sewak, paying tributes to Shastri, said coming generations would remember with gratitude the “great little man” who illuminated the pages of history. He said Shastri translated Gandhian principles into practice.

BURGLED: Burglars broke into a house in Phase 9, here, while the occupants were away at Ludhiana. A police official said according to the owner of the house, Mr Ravinder Singh, the burglars took away Rs 25,000 in cash and five tolas of gold jewellery. The police is investigating the matter.

DEMANDED: The Trade Union Council of Mohali at its emergency meeting on Monday demanded that the closed industrial units in the town be started at the earliest. Withdrawal of the hike in the petroleum products was also sought in the meeting, said Mr Ramji Dass, general secretary of the council.

HARYANA

AMBALA
WORKSHOP: A training programme on “Planning for perfection” was organised by the Ambala Junior Chamber in Ambala Cantonment on Monday. The four-hour workshop, conducted by the national trainer of the Indian Junior Chamber, Dr Sushil Kansal, highlighted the need for effective planning in day-to-day activities for reducing stress and obtaining maximum output, a release said. There were sessions on stress busters, planning techniques and goal setting. Mr Sandeep Garg and Mr Lalit Kapoor won awards for outstanding participation. Mr Jagdeep Chadha was the project director. Mr Lalit Sachdeva, president, said that the chapter was planning to organise a two-day workshop on stress management for executives next month.

HAILED: The inclusion of Mrs Sushma Swaraj into the Union Cabinet has been welcomed by the local Bharatiya Janata Party leaders here. A joint statement issued by the BJP district president, Dr Bharat Bhushan Jathwad, the Ambala cantonment mandal president, Mr Shish Pal Bhola, the district BJP general secretary, Mr Ravindra Dhawan and the mandal general secretary, Mr Shubhadesh Mittal, said that Mrs Swaraj was considered to be the “daughter of Ambala”. The leaders stated that a large number of congratulatory messages have been sent from Ambala to Mrs Swaraj. The leaders observed that Mrs Swaraj has always been looking after the residents of Ambala. They are also convinced that Ambala will stand to gain with Mrs Swaraj being the new Information and Broadcasting Minister. A press note issued by the BJP Haryana Mahila Morcha president, Ms Neeta Kheda, said with Mrs Sushma Swaraj being appointed as the I&B Minister, the women of the country have been honoured. She said that Mrs Sushma Swaraj has given importance to Ambala Cantonment during her political career and a grand welcome would be accorded to her when she arrives at Ambala.

FATEHABAD
COMPETITION: Colonel Public School, Tohana, in the district won a state-level group song competition organised by the Bharat Vikas Parishad at Gurgaon on Sunday. This was stated by the school Principal, Col O.P. Rathee (retd).

KAITHAL
YOGA CHAMPIONSHIP: The three-day state yoga championship concluded at the local RKSD College on Saturday. Mr L. M. Goel, Financial Commissioner (Revenue), presided. Hisar district won the overall championship and Sirsa was second.

REWARI
ARYA SAMAJ: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Arya Samaj (Moti Chowk): president — Mr Kartar Singh Saini; vice-president — Mr Suryakant Saini; secretary — Mr Kishanlal Arya; and treasurer — Mr Gian Chand Bajaj.

HIKE CRITICISED: The General Secretary of the Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress, Mrs Veena Jhamb, has criticised the BJP-led government for hiking the prices of petroleum products. She has threatened that the Mahila Congress will launch an agitation if the government did not roll back the hike immediately.

SHAHABAD
INSTALLED: Mr Amarjeet Singh Kalra, Mr Harsh Kohli and Mr Tilak Sagar were installed as president, secretary and treasurer, respectively, of the local Lions Club by Mr Sudhir Singla, vice-chairman, Multiple Council, Lions District-321, at a ceremony held here on Saturday.

SONEPAT
LIQUOR SEIZED: As many as 216 bottles of English wine and 1,200 pouches of country-made liquor were seized by the police and officials of the Excise and Taxation Department from a car near Kharkhauda town, 19 km from here, on Sunday. Occupants of the car, Suresh and Rahul were arrested and a case under the Excise Act was registered against them.

SUSPENSION URGED: The UTUC (Lenin Sarani) urged the state government on Monday to order the suspension of police officials who allegedly lathicharged agitating workers of the Maruti Udyog. It also threatened to launch an agitation if the government failed to accept the demand.

‘BHOOMI POOJAN’: A large number of devotees participated in a “bhoomi poojan” function of the Shree Archnarishwar Sidh Ashta Mandir on the G.T. Road near Qumashpur village, about 12 km from here, on Monday.

HIKE CONDEMNED: Mr Bhagat Singh Balhara, convener, Bharatiya Grameen Aanchal Samiti, on Monday condemned the hike in the prices of petroleum products and urged the Central Government to immediately withdraw it in the interests of the common man.

BLOOD DONATION: As many as 50 students of various government and private schools voluntarily donated blood at a blood donation camp here on Sunday.

MEMORANDUM: Nirmala, a resident of Rajlu Garhi, on Monday sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and the DGP, Haryana, Mr S.P.S. Rathore, to order the arrest of the persons involved in the murder of her husband, Kitab Singh. She alleged that the police was trying to hush up the case.