Ludhiana
Office-bearers: Following the merger of the Hindu Shiv Sena, Punjab, and the Shiv Sena (Bal Thakre), the state president of the party, Mr Pawan Kumar Gupta, has announced the new office-bearers: chief patron — Mr Surinder Dogra; senior vice-president — Mr Vinay Jalandhari; vice-presidents — Mr Pramod Babla, Mr Amit Jhanji and Mr Pawan Prabhakar; general secretary — Mr Pushpinder Swami; organising secretaries — Mr Hans Raj Hans and Mr Anil Bitta; secretary — Mr Ravinder Arora; and spokesman — Mr Pawan Sharma. 

eye camp: As a part of campaign against blindness, the district health administration would organise a special eye camp in Lalton Khurd village on December 14. According to the Civil Surgeon, Dr Rajinder Kaur, check-up of the eyes would be conducted by specialists and operations will also be performed. 

hepatitis-B camps: Dr Rajinder Kaur, Civil Surgeon, has said that certain voluntary bodies and non-government organisations (NGOs) were holding vaccination camps against hepatitis-B, in violation of the health rules. She has directed all such organisations to seek approval from the health administration before conducting such camps. 

protest: On a call given by the All-India Federation Of University Teachers Association (AIFUTA/AIFAUTA) and endorsed at the general body meeting of the Pauta held on December 11 here, the teachers of the PAU participated in a protest march to Parliament in New Delhi and wore black badges on Tuesday. According to a press note issued here, the executive members also staged a dharna in front of the Vice-Chancellor's office in protest against the anti-teacher policies of the government. The teachers demanded complete and effective implementation of career advancement scheme, w.e.f. 1.1.96 along with other benefits of pay revision as per UGC/ICAR guidelines for all categories of teachers. 

Seminar-cum-discussion: Nav Lekhak Manch and Punjabi Likhari Sabha jointly organised a seminar-cum-discussion to discuss the newly published collection of stories, Sun Saran, by an eminent Punjabi writer, Ninder Gill. Mr Waryaam Sandhu in his paper described the collection of stories as ''different and new'' as the stories revolve around the scenario in scandinavian countries. According to Surjit Singh, the stories provide latest information about the lifestyle of the people in the West. Novelist Vasdev Dhaliwal described Ninder Gill as a writer with a difference, who has set a new trend in writing and he hoped that this new mind will contribute much to the Punjabi culture. 

reduced: The Container Corporation (CONCOR) has reduced export charges and unloading of break bulk cargo and stacking in CFS charges with effect from December 12, 2000. According to a press note of the Engineering Exporters Association of India (EEAI), a meeting of the association president, Mr Rajinder Jindal, was held with the Chief Manager, CONCOR, here where the matter was discussed. Mr Jindal said, the reduction will give a much required boost to the exporters. He said the CONCOR had earlier introduced high speed racks for transportation of import and export loaded containers which have reduced massively the transit time from Ludhiana to Mumbai. He said backed by the increased frequency of trains between Ludhiana and Mumbai, this has saved much time. Mr Jindal hoped that the railway freight for export cargo stuffed container from Ludhiana to Mumbai should be reduced. 

criticised: The Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CCIU) has criticised the sales tax raids and the seizure of hosiery goods at the railway station and other booking agencies on flimsy grounds. In a statement here on Tuesday the CCIU president, Mr Inderjit Singh Pradhan, and the general secretary, Mr Avtar Singh, described it as an arbitrary action of the Sales Tax Department which has further ruined the hosiery industry already reeling under recession. The two leaders urged the state and the Central Government to intervene immediately so that the goods are released immediately. 

Pensioners’ Day: Pensioners’ Day will be celebrated on December 17 at 11 a.m. at the Bhartiya Kisan Union's office, near General Bus Stand. Mr B. R. Kaushal, president, Punjab State Pensioner's Confederation (a representative body of Punjab Pensioners) said that Pensioner's Day would be celebrated under the aegis of the Retiree Cooperator's Association of Ludhiana. He said pensioners from all over the state would come and join for the event. Mr Kaushal, however, said the Punjab Government was yet to realise the importance of the day. The president said that pensioners from all over the country had been celebrating the day since 1982 and the Supreme Court of India in its judgement had also sanctioned basic facilities and benefits to the pensioners, saying that pension was a right of the pensioners and its payment did not depend on discretion of the government but was governed by the rules. 

MANSA
LOK ADALAT: A state-level lok adalat was held at the courts complex here on Saturday. Out of the 42 cases taken up, 14 were disposed of on the spot.

NAWANSHAHR
SWEATERS DISTRIBUTED: The local Doaba Seva Samiti distributed sweaters to poor and needy students at two functions organised on Tuesday. Mr Chamkaur Singh Kauri, president of the local municipal council and Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, presided over the functions.

OPENED: High-tech, sophisticated and within the reach of thousands of hearing impaired people, is the USP of the Widex India Private Limited, the country’s first senso centre in Sector 20. It was recently inaugurated by Dr S.B.S. Mann, Director Principal, Chandigarh Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. The centre will be equipped to handle all types of hearing impairment and loss. The staff will counsel the patients regarding how to improve their quality of life using modern aids. According to Mr Trilochan Singh Anand, proprietor, Electrotech Corporation, and managing director, Widex India Company, said, “A major presence of a large MNC hearing aid manufacturer in India will lead to a quantum jump in the level of services and products available to the hearing impaired. We will provide professional services in every major Indian city through accredited senso centres.”

MODEL SHOW: The Western Star Group and Citi Entertainment Network will organise Mega Model-2000 show at Tagore Theatre on Wednesday. Mr Anil Khurana will choreograph the show. Mr Navjit Singh Brar, chairman, All-India Crime Prevention Society, will be the chief guest. This was stated by Mr Naresh Kumar, event organiser of the show.

UNIT FORMED: The formation of the Panjab University unit of the All-India Sikh Students Federation (B) was declared on Tuesday. According to a statement, issues before the federation are affiliation of colleges in SAS Nagar to Panjab University, reservation for rural students in the university, promotion of Punjabi cultural activities and uplift of academic standards of the university.

FESTIVAL EXTENDED: The Haryana Tourism Department has extended the food festival Rampur ki dawat, being held at Red Bishop in Sector 1, by two days in view of huge crowds it has drawn during the past five days. In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the managing director, Mr Vijai Vardhan, said the food festival would end on December 14. He added that the next festival would feature delicacies of Lucknow, followed by those of Goa in the month to follow.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME: A six-week women entrepreneurship development programme will be conducted by the Technical Teachers Training Institute from December 15, a press note said here on Tuesday. The programme aims at empowering women by helping them to set up their business.

DHARNA: The coordination committee of the Central Government Employees and Workers, Chandigarh, held a dharna in support of the Postal employees strike, here on Tuesday. The leaders while addressing the dharna condemned the Central Government for not honouring the agreement it signed with the postal federation in 1998. The committee also expressed its solidarity with the striking electricity department employees. This was stated in a press release by Mr R.L. Moudgil, general secretary of the committee.

BLOOD DONATION CAMP: As many as 160 units of blood were collected at blood donation camp on the birthday of Mr Varun Gupta, here on Tuesday. The camp was organised by Mr Ved Parkash Aggarwal, grandfather of Varun in association with the Thalassemic Children Welfare Association. According to Mr Rakesh Gupta, father of Varun, this was the 10th such camp.

HONOURED: The Acupressure Research Training and Treatment Centre, Allahabad would honour a city-based acupressure specialist Dr Attar Singh. He would be honoured on December 21 at Allahabad. Dr Attar Singh, who has been practicing for more than 20 years, has successfully treated a large number of patients suffering from various diseases.

DONATED: Ms Vasundhra Kamesam, wife of Managing Director and Group Executive (National Banking Group), State Bank of India, donated a Maruti van to Sahayata Charitable Welfare Society, here. Ms Kamesam, speaking on the occasion lauded the services being rendered to the cancer patients of the region. She expressed her satisfaction over the role of SBI Ladies’ Club in getting the proposal of the van cleared.

CAMP HELD: As many as 72 scouts, guides, bulbuls and cubs participated in a three-day camp held at Kendriya Vidyalaya AFS High Ground. At the camp which began on December 8, the participants were trained to become disciplined, loyal, honest and value the dignity of labour. This was stated in a press release by Mr D.S. Pilkhwal, principal of the school.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Paudi Garhwhal Indiacot Malaa Bhrant Sanghtan: president — Mr Jaswant Singh Rawat; general secretary — Mr Ram Prasad; adviser — Mr Hira Singh Bist; treasurer — Mr Maan Singh Nagi; cashier — Mr Shekhar Singh Bist and cultural secretary — Mr Manbir Singh Gosain.

PENSION SCHEME: More than 30 principals of non-government-aided colleges of the region met at GGDSD College, Sector 32, on Tuesday. They resented that they were not being paid according to the grades laid down by the UGC notification and there was anomaly as some teachers were drawing salaries higher than them. The association requested the Punjab Government to implement the pension-cum-gratuity scheme. It also appealed to the Panjab University to declare results in time which would allow the colleges to finish admissions in time.

BHIWANI
ILLICIT LIQUOR SEIZED: The police has recovered 20,000 pouches of illicit liquor from the house of Mange Ram of Sanga village, near here. A case under the Excise Act has been registered in this regard.

FATEHABAD
CENSUS TRAINING: A training camp for the government officials, who have been assigned duties under Census-2000, started at the local Bal Bhavan on Tuesday. The City Magistrate, Mr I.S. Dahiya, inaugurated the camp.

MOTORCYCLE STOLEN: Two unidentified persons stole a motorcycle from the Jagjiwanpura area here on Monday. Mr Rajiv Gilhotra, the owner of the motorcycle, has lodged a complaint with the police.

FINED: The District Consumer Protection Forum has asked an SDO of the Vidyut Prasaran Nigam to pay Rs 500 as damages to a local advocate, Mr Om Parkash Mehta, who had been given faulty electricity bills. The forum has also ordered the SDO to pay an additional sum of Rs 500 as court fees .

KAITHAL
FOUNDATION STONE LAID: Mr Lila Ram, MLA, laid the foundation stone of a temple being constructed by the Seva Sangh at the Kushth ashram here. Mr Prabhat Ranjan Deo, SP, was the chief guest.

NARNAUL
RESIDENTS SORE: Residents of nearby villages are sore over the road under construction from Narnaul to Buhana via Dohar Mohanpur. A 2 km strip of the road has not yet been completed, which is causing problems to travellers.

REWARI
PANCHAYAT ACT: The district administration has initiated measures for strict adherence to Section 175 (Q) of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, which invalidates the election of a panch or sarpanch found to have had more than two children after April 22, 1995. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mrs Sumita Mishra, here on Tuesday.

SONEPAT
CAR RECOVERED: The Kundli police recovered a car near the Haryana-Delhi border, about 25 km from here, on Monday. The car was allegedly looted at Gharaunda in Karnal district. When the driver reached Kundli police station near the Haryana-Delhi border, he was asked to stop but he tried to escape after damaging the barrier. A constable fired shots at the car tyres, which stopped the car. The police recovered the car but the driver managed to escape.

EVE-TEASING: Three motorcycle-borne youths were caught by officials of women’s police station for eve-teasing here on Monday. They were paraded at the local Gita Bhavan Chowk by the police

MISSING STUDENT TRACED: The police traced a missing handicapped student from the bus stand of Jahri village, about 5 km from here, on Monday. The student was missing from his school since morning.

THEFT: Thieves struck at a shop in the Model Town area on Monday by breaking the shutter and decamped with sanitary goods worth about Rs 2 lakh. An FIR has been lodged with the police in this connection.

JAWALAMUKHI
RESENTMENT: Resentment prevails among local residents over the functioning of a toll-tax barrier here. The barriers contractor has allegedly been over charging the tourists as well local residents. The Deputy Commissioner of Kangra, Mr R.C. Kapil, admitted that there were some complaints regarding the matter assured that he would look into the matter and do the needful.

KULU
2 KILLED: Two persons were killed and 11 injured when a truck fell into a gorge near Raskat village in the Parvati valley on Monday. The injured have been hospitalised . The deceased have been identified as Man Singh (17) of Rota village, and Room Singh (24) of Kasol village of the district.

KUMARHATTI
ALLEGED: Shopkeepers of Dharampur, 4 km from here, are dissatisfied over the decision to shift the bus stand to Parow. They alleged that this had adversely affected their business.