R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ANNIVERSARY: Alpha TV Punjabi will celebrate its first anniversary on October 18 here. The channel will organise a mega event in Amritsar. The objective is to promote the cultural heritage and dignity of Punjabi culture.

BATHINDA
BOOK RELEASED: Controversial godman Chandraswami condemned sectarianism while speaking at a function organised by the S.S. Jain Sabha, Bathinda. The function was named “Tap Abhinandan” which was attended by a large number of volunteers of the sabha. The godman also released a book entitled “Jin-stuti”.

GURDASPUR
MEDICAL CAMP: As many as 763 persons were given vaccination at a hepatitis-B camp organised by the Medical Charitable Trust on Sunday. Mr B.K. Mittal, President of the district unit of the BJP, inaugurated the camp.

HOSHIARPUR
CONGREGATION: Mr Shakshi Gopal Dass, president of ISKCON, Kurukshetra, addressed a congregation at Shakti Bhawan in Krishan Nagar here on Sunday. He explained the philosophy of Karam yoga. Later, he recited “Harinam Sankirtan” for three hours.

LUDHIANA
Animal welfare camp: The Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry extension, College of Veterinary Science, PAU, is organising an animal welfare camp at Jandi village (distt Ludhiana ) on Tuesday. Experts from the department will treat diseased animals free of cost and deliver lectures for the guidance of farmers. A question-answer session will also be held. The farmers are advised to bring their animals well in time (between 8 am and 12 noon). 

CAMP: People for Animals in association with Hoechst Roussel, a drug company, organised an animal welfare camp at Jeev Daya Sadan, PFA Hospital for Animals and Birds, at Mandeep Nagar, Haibowal Khurd, on Monday. More than 80 animals including cows, buffaloes, dogs, horses and birds were examined and treated by Dr Rajiv Bhandari, Dr Surjeet, Dr Jaspal Hundal and Dr Zaffar Iqbal. Dogs were given anti-rabies vaccination and horses were immunised against tetanus toxoid. The camp was inaugurated by Dr B.S. Gill, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry, Punjab. Mr Jassal, sales officer, Hoechst Roussel, was also present on the occasion. 

World Anaesthesia Day: The Department of Anaesthesiology and Resuscitation, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital organised a seminar on the ‘World Anaesthesia Day’ on Monday. Dr Tej K. Kaul, Professor and Head of the Department of Anaesthesiology, talked about the importance of the day and explained and how Dr William T.G. Morton gave the first public demonstration of pain relief during surgery on this day in 1846. A lecture on ‘Premeditation” was delivered by Dr Anurag Tiwari. A cake was also cut by Dr Tej Kaul to mark the occasion. 

Computer centre openED: IBM Education and Training opened its first computer education centre here on Monday. The centre will offer courses in programming essentials, web applications, java applications and an advanced certificate course in software engineering. The certificate course will be of six-month duration an entrance test for the course will be held at the centre on November 5. 

BONUS: Members of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) have appreciated the plans of the Central Government to enhance the salary ceiling of Rs 2500 to Rs 3500 per month for eligibility of payment of bonus to the government employees by suitable amendment in the payment of Bonus Act shortly. The union leaders also appreciated the statement of the Union Labour Minister Dr Satyanarayan Jatia, that labour laws should strictly be implemented by all the state governments. It also warned that no amendments in labour laws should be made under the pressure of the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. They further demanded that the social security of the working community should be protected at all costs and the exploitation of children and women in industry must be stopped. 

MALERKOTLA
SEMINAR: A seminar was organised on yoga education at the local R.D. Jain College for Women here on Sunday. Dr Satish Kapoor delivered a lecture on the role of yoga in the all-round development of students. Ms Harbans Kaur Sidhu, Principal, appreciated the contribution of the Bharatiya Yoga Sansthan.

MOGA
UNCOVERED MANHOLES: Uncovered manholes at various places in the city are proving fatal. Gurdeep Kaur, wife of a milkman suffered injuries on Sunday when she fell into a manhole on the Zira road. A school-going child also fell in a manhole a few days ago. Residents have urged the authorities to cover the manholes.

NAWANSHAHR
COMMUNITY POLICING: Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, launched community policing at a function organised here on the ITI grounds on Saturday. The SSP said that in the first phase of community policing, an active group called Friends of Police, comprising school and college students had been constituted to assist the police in maintaining law and order, fighting drug addiction and traffic management.

MEDICAL CAMP: The local Bhai Ghanhaiya Sewa Samiti organised a medical camp at Chahal Khurd village, about 154 km from here on Saturday. Ms Surinder Kaur inaugurated the camp. About 500 patients were examined and blood groups of 700 persons were tested.

TRAVEL AGENTS HELD: The police has registered a case against unauthorised travel agents, Paramjit Singh and Kuldip Singh Bedi of Jalandhar, for duping Jaspal Singh of Shahpur Patti, and Bahadur Singh of Beerowal village. They allegedly took Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively, from them on the pretext of arranging to send them to the USA, said Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, in a press note issued here on Saturday.

LICENCES SUSPENDED: The Deputy Commissioner, Dr Roshan Sunkaria, has suspended the licences of as many as six commission agents for committing irregularities, said a press release here on Saturday.

SEMINAR: The All India Peoples’ Resistance Forum in collaboration with the Jamhuri Morcha, Punjab, and other like-minded organisations organised a seminar on the proposed Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2000 (POTA), which the Centre is going to bring in place of TADA, here at Punjab Mata Vidhayawati Bhavan here on Saturday. Dr Harish Dhawan from the Peoples’ Union for Democratic Rights, New Delhi, said the proposed POTA was more dangerous than TADA.

PATHANKOT
DHARNA: The dharna organised by the local unit of the Shiv Sena here entered the eighth day on Monday. They demanded the release of the Shiv Sena workers who had been arrested at Patralva village on September 7. Mr Ashok Sudan, district president of the Shiv Sena, threatened to start an agitation if their demands were not met.

SANGRUR
SCHEME STARTED: The Sangrur police has started a community policing scheme with a view to improving the public-police relations, the image of the police and to enhance transparency in the working of the force. A spokesman of the district police said on Saturday that the scheme would be implemented in phases which included awareness programmes in schools and colleges.

TARN TARAN
MELA ENDS: More than 200 artistes presented items during the two-day inter-state youth cultural mela organised by the Socio-Economic Development Programme, diocese of Amritsar. The mela concluded here on Sunday.

CHANDIGARH

strike supported: The UT Forest Employee Welfare Association has decided to support the UT Subordinate Services Federation in observing the 4-hour pen down strike on Wednesday informed the president of the association. 

World Food Day: The students and staff of the Government Crafts Institute for Women, Chandigarh on Monday celebrated the World Food Day-2000 here in a befitting manner. They took a pledge to save and preserve food and stop its wastage. A cultural programme was also presented by the students of mark the day, said the principal of the institute. 

COMPETITION: As many as 45 students from Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36 participated in a writing competition organised by the NIIT LEDA family club in Sector 38 here on Sunday. Paramjit Singh and Jasneet Kaur of Class II won the first and the second prizes respectively in the first category, while Palak and Arashdeep Kaur of Class VI and V respectively, remained the winners in the second category. The winners will be further shortlisted for the international competition to be held in November, informed Mr Amrit Singh, club head. 

CELEBRATED: The working committee of Shirdi Sai Samaj celebrated the Mahasmadhi Divas of Shirdi Sai Baba Jee on Sunday. A large number of devotees participated in the function. The president of the samaj honoured the artists. 

EXAMINED: As many as 1,150 children brought up by Angan Wari workers as well as the Social Welfare Department UT, Chandigarh, were examined by a team of doctors in health check-up camps organised by Lions Club, Chandigarh Mid town and Lions Club, Chandigarh Supreme, in association with the Municipal Corporation in Colony Number 5 on October 10 and 15. One of the children was found to be a heart patient and another a TB patient. Later they were referred to the PGI and Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32 for further investigations, said Mr K.K. Bansal, Secretary of the club. 

Programme: The Regional Resource Centre for Adult and Continuing Education, Panjab University, will organise a programme on “Literacy skills and vocational training” at Government High School, Sarangur, on Tuesday. The programme is organised in collaboration with the Rotary Club (Mid Town), Chandigarh. It will be inaugurated by Ms Madhavi Kataria, Director, Social Welfare, UT. 

STRIKE TOMORROW: Members of the Chandigarh UT Subordinate Services Federation have decided to observe a 4-hour pen down strike in support of the striking UT employees on Wednesday . Gate rallies were also organised in front of the office of the Forest Department in Sector 19, in Sector 26, at CTU Depot-III and Maintenance booth in Sector 27 by the employees of the engineering wing. Later a deputation also met Mr Harmohan Dhawan, former Minister of Civil Aviation regarding their demands, said Mr Sant Singh Saini, general secretary of the federation. 

TEACHERS MEET DPI: A deputation of the members of the Coordination Committee of Government UT Teachers on Monday met Mr D.S. Saroya, DPI Schools regarding the suspension of Mr J.S. Tiwana, a lecturer of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37-C and requested him to handle the case carefully. They also appealed to the DPI to take suitable steps to restore the teacher’s dignity, said Mr Savinder Singh, convenor of the committee. 

COURSE: The Adult Education Department, Chandigarh, in collaboration with the Food and Nutrition Department of the Government of India, Sector 23, has started a two-week training course on food preservation and nutrition for learners to mark the World Food Day at Female Literacy House in Sector 42 from Monday. 

PANCHKULA
SUGGESTION: The Panchkula Welfare Association has suggested that specially appointed safai karamcharis should be entrusted with the task of maintaining cleanliness at apni mandis held weekly in the sectors of the city. The association, in a press note, added that care must also be taken to ensure that only farmers have access to these mandis which were started with the idea of eliminating the middleman. While stressing the need of maintenance of mandis, the association opposed the move of shifting the mandi to a permanent place in Sector 21, stating that any such idea was bound to defeat the purpose of the mandis at the doorstep of the people. 

HARYANA

INJURED: Rajesh (20) was injured seriously when he was hit by a car on the GT Road near Hassanpur Kurar village, about 10 km from here, on Sunday. The car driver fled the spot.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

INAUGURATED: Kumari Shyama Sharma, vice-chairperson of the Himachal Pradesh Planning Board inaugurated a senior secondary school at Trilokpur here on Friday. This school will cater to the needs of four panchayats-Trilokpur, Burma Papri, Palion and Kala Amb.