R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
APPOINTED: Mr Aman Prasher has been appointed general secretary of the Punjab unit of the NSUI, Mr Sumerjit Singh Saini, president, NSUI, Punjab, informed here on Saturday.

EYE CAMP: The Lions Club, Golden Temple, and the Leo Club organised a free eye and dental check-up camp on the occasion of the UNO day on Saturday. The camp was inaugurated by Mr Surinder Mahajan, former governor of Lions Club International, at Shanti Niketan High School. About 600 persons, including 300 students, were examined.

BATHINDA
COMPLAINT: Doctors of the local children’s hospital stopped work for about two hours on Saturday in protest against the manhandling of their woman colleague by a Class IV employee. In a complaint submitted to the Civil Surgeon of the local Civil Hospital, the doctors alleged that the employee of the same hospital had misbehaved with the doctor and other staff members.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
PADDY PURCHASE: Procurement agencies in the district had purchased 3,74,802 metric tonnes of paddy till Saturday, said the local Deputy Commissioner, Mr B.S.Sudan, talking to mediapersons here on Saturday after a meeting of procurement staff of various agencies. He said private traders had purchased only 18,941 metric tonnes of paddy. He directed the agencies to make payments to farmers by November 2.

LUDHIANA
DALIT SENA: The President of the Dalit Sena, Punjab, Mr Amar Singh Mehmi, has claimed that more than 25,000 workers from all over the state will take part in the national rally being convened at Delhi on November 28 by the Union Communications Minister, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan. Addressing a workers' meeting at Gill Road here on Sunday, he said a series of meetings was held at different places in Punjab to mobilise the party workers for the rally. Five special trains will leave from Ludhiana, Bathinda, Amritsar, Ferozepore and Patiala on the evening of November 27 to carry the Dalit Sena workers to Delhi which would return the next day. About 5,000 workers were expected to join from the city, Mr Mehmi added. The district President, Mr Kartar Singh Patna, informed that the state party chief also addressed similar meetings at Dhandari Kalan in the city, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib. A meeting to take stock of the preparations would be held at Jalandhar on November 5. 

NAGAR KIRTAN: Gurpurb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev will be celebrated in the city on November 11. Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, would take out a nagar kirtan in this connection on November 8. According to Mr Jasbir Singh Walia, President, and Mr Gurbaksh Singh Bhatia, General Secretary of the sabha, prominent band parties, kirtani and shabdi jathas, gatka parties, school children, istri singh sabhas and other social and religious organisations will take part in the nagar kirtan. 

MALERKOTLA
LEGAL AUTHORITIES: The Punjab Government has appointed legal services authorities in the Malerkotla, Barnala and Sunam subdivisions of Sangrur district. The following have been appointed as legal services authorities: Malerkotla — Mr Fazail-ur-Rehman Mufti Dar-ul-Rehman, Mr Vinod Mehra and Ms Kamlesh Goyal; Barnala — Mr Krishan Chand, Ms Shashi Sobat and Mr Sher Singh; Sunam — Mr Gurdial Singh, Mr Vikram Sharma and Ms Geeta Rani.

PROMOTION POLICY: Resentment prevails among senior officers in the Education Department. They say that the Punjab Government has neither promoted any school officer nor prepared a fresh seniority list for the past many years. Those promoted have been selected through a pick and choose policy, they allege.

MOGA
PROGRAMME HELD: A cultural programme Denfest, organised by Desh Bhagat Dental College, was held on Saturday at Muktsar, about 75 km from here. It was inaugurated by Mr Harnirpal Singh, member, Legislative Assembly. Mr Jaswant Singh, Subdivisional Magistrate, Muktsar, was the chief guest. It was presided over by Dr Zora Singh, Chairman of the Desh Bhagat Singh group of institutions.

PATIALA
GRANT: Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance and Planning Minister, Punjab, announced a grant of Rs 25 lakh for the Lord Vishkarma temple after inaugurating the 22nd free camp for eye diseases at the temple here. He appreciated the stitching and embroidery centre run by the temple and said this will help the girls in becoming independent. Mr Mohan Lal of the temple society said around 1000 patients were diagnosed each year in the eye camp and the needy are operated and medicated as required.

PHILLAUR
MURDERED: A Tata Sumo driver, Harjit Singh, was found murdered in the fields near Haripur Khalsa village on the Phillaur-Noormahal road on Saturday. The police suspects the passengers who had hired the Tata Sumo. Harjit Singh was killed with sharp-edged weapons and the vehicle taken away. The police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 204 of the IPC.

SAMRALA
LADIES CLUB: The Ladies Club was started for the first time in Samrala. The club aims at serving as a platform for women to voice their views and opinions. The President of the club, Mrs Manjot Hans, said that until fresh elections were held, Mrs Vandana Gupta, Mrs Dhaliwal and Mrs Kusam Kaushal would hold the offices of Secretary, Cashier and Entertainment Secretary of the club, respectively.

LEO CLUB: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Leo Club: President — Mr Harinder Pal Kalra; Secretary — Mr Rahul Khullar; Vice-Presidents — Mr Abhe Jain (Chhena), Mr Kapil Khullar and Mr Pawan Kumar; Cashier — Mr Maninderjit Singh Jaggi; Joint Secretary — Mr Deepak Khullar; and Press Secretary — Mr Harpreet Bedi. 

INJURED: Two persons of Kishanpura village received serious injuries when their scooter hit a tractor. The injured, Didar Singh, and his son, Palwinder Singh, were admitted to a local hospital.

CHANDIGARH

SRIJAN SANKALAP— The Gayatri Parivar Mission with following of more than nine crore devotees all over the world would be organising a five-day ‘Srijan Sankalap Vibhuti Mahayagya’ along the Ganges at Haridwar from November 7. This was stated by Mr Chander Mohan Sharma, Convenor, N.W Zone, in a press release, here on Sunday. This function would be the culmination of 12 years of continuous exalted prayer for producing spiritual energy for the welfare of the mankind. The function would be fourth step of the Mahapurnahuti. The fifth and final would be performed all over the country on January, 29, 2001.  

HARYANA

JIND
SHOT AT: Suresh, a restaurant owner was shot at and injured by an armed youth, Dilbagh, at his restaurant in Sindhvi Khera village on Saturday following a dispute over the payment of a food bill. According to reports, Dilbagh, along with two other youths, took a meal at the restaurant and refused to pay the bill. The police has registered a case under Section 307 of the IPC and under the Arms Act against Dilbagh and arrested him. Suresh has been admitted to the local General Hospital.

RAPE BID FOILED: Raja of Baroli village allegedly abducted a minor girl and tried to rape her. Mr Rajpal Singh, Superintendent of Police, Jind, said here on Sunday that Raja had forcibly taken the girl to his house. But the girl raised the alarm, he said. The police has registered a case under Sections 363, 376, 501, 452 and 506 of the IPC against Raja and arrested him.

BOOKED: In a dowry death case, the police has arrested Kitab Singh, the husband of the deceased Rajwanti on Saturday. Rajwanti had died under mysterious circumstances at Kheri Masania village in the district a few days ago. The father of the deceased in a complaint to the police alleged that the in-laws of his daughter had poisoned her to death. The police has registered a case under Sections 304-B and 498-A of the IPC.

SIRSA
INJURED: Nine persons have been injured in three disputes in the district. In Suratia village, three men allegedly under the influence of liquor assaulted Sawaran Singh, Raju and Karamtej whereas in Chakkan, an old dispute led to an attack on Ram Partap, Santosh, Balwant and Sharbati. In Kherekan, two groups clashed over the use of fireworks, leaving Om Parkash Nihal Singh injured. The police is investigating the cases.

SONEPAT
ATTACK: Ramesh and Tara Chand sustained injuries when they were attacked by a group of persons at Asawarpur village, about 15 km from here, on Saturday. A dispute over money and old enmity are stated to be the reasons behind the attack. The police is investigating the case.

DOWRY DEATH: The Ganaur police has registered a case of dowry death against three persons, including the husband of Suman. Suman was allegedly burnt to death at her in-laws’ house in Ghasauli village, about 20 km from here, on Saturday.

FASTING VILLAGER: A former Sarpanch, Mr Sube Singh (82), who had been on fast since October 19, was whisked away by the Baroda police from Nooran Khera village and admitted to the Community Health Centre at Gohana town, 35 km from here on Saturday. The police has registered a case under Section 309 of the IPC against him. The former sarpanch had begun the fast to force the administration to remove encroachments on panchayat land. Meanwhile, another villager Sewa Singh has begun a similar fast.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
SCHOOL BUILDINGS: The Himachal Pradesh Government has undertaken the construction work of 235 primary school buildings in the district under the District Primary Education Programme. Work on 50 buildings has been completed and 114 buildings are nearing completion. Mr T.D. Negi, DC, Chamba, stated this here on Sunday, adding that the drinking water facility had been provided in 105 primary schools.

MANALI
KILLED: An Army driver, Puran Singh, was killed when a van hit him near Palchai village on the Manali-Rohtang road on Saturday. The police has registered a case and arrested the van driver.