R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
BOOK RELEASED: “Khusboo ke lehrey” a book of ghazals by Urdu poet Anjum Ludhianvi was released here by renowned Urdu poet Aziz Bihar at Dharm Singh Auditorium, Art Gallery, Amritsar on Wednesday. The poet was honoured on the occasion and a shawl presented to him.

MOCK TEST: More than 250 students took mock test for PMT and CET conducted by Khalsa College here on Wednesday. Principal of the college, Dr M.S. Dhillon, told newspersons that the college had the initiative to prepare students to take competitive tests to ensure their entrance to professional colleges.

DEMANDED: The All-India Sikh Students Federation has demanded a Dalit Sikh Academy in addition to a government holiday on the martyrdom day of Baba Jivan Singh.

BATHINDA
INAUGURATED: Swami Vivekanand Study Circle ( SVSC) and Vigilant Citizen Forum ( VCP) have opened their offices at DAV Senior Secondary School here which were inaugurated by Mr C S Talwar, Joint Secretary, PWD ( B&R). This was stated by Mr Dinesh Vashist, president of the SVSC, in a press note issued here on Wednesday.

EYE CAMP: The Divine Eye Research Foundation would hold a free eye check-up camp and eye donation awareness camp on Sunday at Dashmesh Public School, here. This was stated by Mr Rakesh Kumar, president of the foundation, in a press note issued here on Wednesday. He said cataract operations would be done free of cost at the camp.

DORAHA
Two injured: Two persons were injured in an accident on the GT Road, near Doraha, yesterday evening. According to the reports, Paramjit Singh and his uncle Pali who were going to their native village, Nazampur, on Wednesday evening on their scooter were hit by some speeding vehicle in the dark. The team led by ASI Harbans Singh provided first aid to them. 

FEROZEPORE
GRANT SANCTIONED: The state government has sanctioned a special grant of Rs 12.15 crore for various developmental activities in this border district. An information to this regard was given by Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Irrigation Minister, Punjab, while presiding over a meeting of the on-going developmental works in the district.

KHARAR
Two killed: Two persons who were injured on Wednesday near Radiala village died on the way to the PGI. According to police, Mr Baljinder Singh and Mrs Jaspal Kaur who were travelling on a scooter (PB-27-2292) was knocked by a tractor near Radiala village on the Kharar-Kurali road. They were taken to the Civil Hospital, Kharar, and from the hospital they were referred to the PGI. The police has registered a case under Sections 279 and 304-A, IPC against Dalbir Singh of Tewar village. Meanwhile, two persons were injured in another accident near Ballo Majra village on the Kharar-Mohali road on Wednesday. 

LUDHIANA
School opened: Sparkle Nursery School was inaugurated by Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal, former MP, at Sarabha Nagar here on Wednesday. The school has been equipped with computer, television and other electronic gadgets for providing multimedia education to the kids, said Ms Vandana Rajeev Rai, Principal of the school. 

NSS camp: A ten-day camp of the National Service Scheme (NSS) being organised by the Directorate of Students Welfare Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), began in two villages of Pamal and Pamali. According to the NSS programme coordinator, Dr K.S. Verma, the programme was inaugurated by the Director Students Welfare, Dr K.S. Sekhoon. The volunteers are from the PAU and its affiliated colleges like the College of Agriculture and the College of Home Sciences. Dr Verma informed that the NSS volunteers will carry out environment related activity in the two villages and create awareness about various issues. They will also help in eradication of the congress grass, plantation of trees, filling up of ditches in and around the villages. He said girl volunteers will give presentations on various activities related to the household chores. They will also create awareness about diseases like AIDS and the TB infection, besides the social evils like drug addiction and alcoholism. The NSS teams would be led by Dr H.S. Jassal, Dr R. Kalra, Dr R. Mohindra and Mr S.S. Sooch. 

sports fair: A village sports fair will be organised by the Guru Nanak Gram Sudhar Sabha Sport Club on January 19, 20, 21 and 22, 2001 in Butahri village. These sports include bullock-carts races, kabaddi, football and dog races etc. The first winner in kabaddi will receive a cash award of Rs 10000 while the second winner will get Rs 8000. In football, the first prize winner will get Rs 8000 while the second winner will receive a cash award of Rs 6000, informed Dr Balwindar Singh Butahri. 

celebrations: The management of the Rajindra Gymkhana Club will organise New Year celebrations on the evening of Saturday here. Surjit Bindrakhia, a Punjabi pop singer, will enthrall the audience. Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, will be the chief guest and Mr Sanjiv Gupta, DIG, Patiala range, will be the guest of honour. 

TARN TARAN
CONVENTION: Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal, President of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Eye Surgeons’ Association, in a press note issued here on Wednesday, said the association had decided to organise a state-level convention on December 30 at lecture hall of the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, to know the latest trends in ophthalmology and to discuss and redress the grievances of the PCMS.

CHANDIGARH

SAS NAGAR
annual function: Tiny tots of Sri Hemkund Public School celebrated the annual cultural function at Sri Guru Ravi Das Bhavan, Phase VII. Mr K.B.S. Kang, vice-president, Shiromani Akali Dal, Youth Wing, was the chief guest. The function was started by a religious song dev Shiva mohe and followed by colourful programme like western dance, national song, giddha etc. The function concluded with prize distribution. 

HARYANA

AMBALA
thefts: Members of the Central Phoenix Club, Ambala Cantonment, have expressed concern over cars being stolen from outside the club. A club member, Dr Vinay Kumar Malhotra, in a letter addressed to the Commissioner, Ambala Division, said “cars of members are frequently stolen from the parking area of the club.” The chairman of club, Mr J P Aggarwal, said the security for cars would be looked into. 

seized: The police has seized 60 country-made liqour pouches in two different incidents and nabbed three persons for gambling. The SP, Mr K K Mishra, said on Wednesday the police in Ambala City had seized 25 liqour pouches from Kishan Lal, 35 liqour pouches were seized in Naraingarh from Ram Kumar. The police also arrested Shyam Lal for gambling. Two other persons, Pravin Kumar and Janak Raj, were also nabbed in the Baldev Nagar area for gambling. 

robbed: A truck driver was drugged and the money he was carrying was stolen here on Wednesday. The driver has reported to the police that he was drugged by two persons in the Model Town area and he fell asleep. When he woke up, he found that a bag containing Rs 15,000 was missing. 

land acquisition: The Vidya Nagar Welfare Society is concerned over land acquisition to be carried out in Ambala Cantonment. The society which is located at Nanhera, stated that the decision to acquire land had led to anxiety among members since they had build the houses after putting in their hard-earned money. The society members, including Mr Dilbagh Singh and Mr Devgan, said the houses had already been built in the area which is proposed to be acquired. “We want that the senior officials should keep the areas, where houses have already been built, out of the land acquisition since a large number of poor people are already residing there,” they said. 

REWARI
HONOURED: As many as 18 students who had topped in school, college and university examinations in the district this year were honoured by Prof A.P. Shastri at a function held here on Monday. Professor Shastri, who is a noted scholar of Sanskrit language and literature, was honoured by Swami Dharam Dev, president of the Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Pataudi.

MEETING: A meeting of the state executive committee and district presidents of the Janta Dal (U) will be held at Gurgaon on January 7. The meeting will also consider expansion of the party throughout the state, according to its state president of the party, Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi.

SONEPAT
KILLED: A woman was killed when she was hit by Ambala-bound Shatabdi Express at a railway crossing near Hindu College here on Wednesday. According to the GRP, the deceased has not been identified so far.

CASE REGISTERED: A case was registered against three farmers of Garhi Brahmnan village for stealing canal water for irrigation purposes from Kalupur minor. According to the police, the complaint was lodged by the officials of the Irrigation Department on Wednesday.

QUILTS DISTRIBUTED: The Jan Kalyan Seva Samiti distributed woollen clothes and quilts among poor students and persons at Jagdishpur village, near here, on Wednesday.

INJURED: Three persons, including a Deputy Commandant of the Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP), sustained minor injuries when the car in which they were travelling was hit by a Matador on the G.T. Road near Pio Munyari Chowk, about 15 km from here, on Wednesday. According to a report, the Deputy Commandant was going from Yamunanagar to Gurgaon alongwith his family.

HURT: Sanjeevan, an aged man, sustained injuries when he tried to get down from a moving bus on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road near the Civil Hospital here on Wednesday. According to the police, the injured belonged to Bihar and had come here to meet his brother.

ASSAULTED: Two persons attacked Jaswant at Rasoi village, 16 km from here, on Wednesday. The police is investigating the case. No arrest has been made so far.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SHIMLA
FAREWELL: The Director of Education, Himachal Pradesh, Dr Shyam Sunder, was given a farewell party by the H.P. School Leaders Association on Wednesday.