The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, January 15, 2001,
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

JALANDHAR
LECTURE: Swami Vivekananda was a unifier, reconciler and synthesiser who combined the best of modernity and tradition, rationalism and spiritualism, science and religion of the East and the West in his philosophy. This was stated by Dr Satish K. Kapoor while delivering a lecture at Rabindra Day Boarding School on the 138th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda on Friday.

KHAMANO
SHOP LOOTED: A liquor shop at Barwali Khurd village, near here, was reportedly looted by two unidentified youths on Saturday night. According to the police, two youths came to the vend on a white scooter and snatched Rs 8,000 from Sanjeev Kumar and Sanjay Kumar, who were manning the vend, at gunpoint. The Khamano police has registered a case under Sections 382 and 34 of the IPC.

SEMINAR FOR YOUTH: A seminar will be organised on Tuesday at Gurdwara Sahib, Ranwan, near here, to educate youths about physical, social and psychological changes and the related problems. A film will also be shown on these problems. The seminar is being organised by Crid Lip Project, Khamano block, and the Youth Clubs Association.

LUDHIANA
BODY FOUND: The highly decomposed body of a middle-aged man was found from the Jhurmat road bridge over Sidhwan canal on Sunday. The body was cremated in the evening by the Sadar police. The police said they received a telephone call from someone about the recovery of the body.

PROF BATRA DEAD: Prof J.R. Batra, a former head, Department of History, Government College for Boys, died on Sunday. Mr Yash Paul Ghai, additional general secretary, Punjab Government Pensioners Association, said the association had lost an activist.

FETE HELD: Stalls of games, eatables and handicraft items marked the Carnival Fete 2001 organised at Shivalikwala Doon School, Rishi Nagar, here on Sunday. Nearly 15 students of various schools of the city participated in a flower arrangement competition. Students danced to the latest Hindi and English numbers. There were stalls of a variety of games like tambola, target hitting and car racing. Students had put on display various clay models, glass paintings, sand paintings and soft toys. Dr K.K. Dhir, Registrar, Regional Engineering College, Jalandhar, was the chief guest. Also present on the occasion were Mr Sunil Maria, president of the managing committee, and Ms Mohini Albert, Principal of the school.

MANSA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Environment Society: president — Dr Vijay Singla; senior vice-president — Mr Anil Gupta; vice-president — Mr Kishor Seth; secretary — Mr Manoj Birla; and treasurer — Mr Mohinderpal.

TRI-CYCLES: Ms Raji P. Srivastava, Deputy Commissioner and president of the district unit of the Indian Red Cross Society, distributed 12 tri-cycles among poor handicapped persons here on Saturday.

ENCROACHMENTS: The local market committee has admitted to widescale encroachments in the grain market by traders in a statement submitted by it in a suit filed by the Nagar Sudhar Sabha through its president, Mr Kasturi Lal Garg, and others in the court of the civil judge. The sabha has demanded from the committee proper sanitation, cleanliness, drains, drinking water, proper flooring and removal of encroachments from the committee yard.

PATIALA
ELECTED: Mr Prem Singh has been elected president of the Private Building Labour Contractors Union. The other office-bearers are: chairman — Mr Sardara Singh; senior vice-president — Mr Harbir Singh; vice-president — Mr Ranjit Singh Thakedar; general secretary — Mr Inderjit Singh; and cashier — Mr Som Singh.

ROPAR
SCHOOL TIMINGS: Due to persistent cold wave the Deputy Commissioner, Mr G.S. Grewal, has changed the school timings from 9 a.m. — 2 p.m. to 10 a.m. — 2.30 p.m. The changed timings will remain in force till January 31.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the District Likhari Sabha: president — Dr Hem Kiran; senior vice-president — Mr Baldev Singh Kore; vice-president — Mr Man Singh Mann; general secretary — Mr Gurinder Preet Singh; secretary — Mr Jaswinder; and patrons — Mr Gurcharan Singh Saki and Mr Gurbachan Singh Kamal.

SAMRALA
TEACHERS UNHAPPY: “The lecturers’ gradation list issued by the Education Department of Punjab does not reflect the rulings of the Supreme Court of India in the Ajit Singh Janjua case-II,” said Mr Bihari Lal Saddi, Vice-President of the Government Secondary School Teachers Union of Punjab, on Saturday. Mr Saddi also demanded that the promotions of principals headmasters be made soon. Mr Saddi said the names of many lecturers had been omitted from the list and the print of the list was also not legible. He said the publication of the lists had been delayed and no promotion to the post of principal was expected to be made soon. “This is because the gradation list of women lecturers and heads of schools are yet to be framed,” he added.

CHANDIGARH

AWARDED: Mr Harinder Pal Singh, a city resident, has been awarded the National Youth Award by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. He received the award from Ms Uma Bharti, Union Minister, on Friday, in New Delhi, for his remarkable work done in the field of promoting Punjabi folk art form and national integration among his fellow youth. He also took a special drive in relief work for the flood victims in Orissa.

BODY FOUND: An unidentified 70-year -old woman was found dead in the shopping complex at Mansa Devi on Sunday morning. Police sources said the death was reported by shopkeepers in the vicinity who said that the woman, a beggar, was not waking up despite repeated attempts. Post-mortem was conducted and the body was handed over to a social organisation for performing the last rites.

BANK LOANS: The Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal, visited the regional office of Syndicate Bank, Sector 17, here on Saturday. Mr R.C. Budhiraja, regional manager appraised him of various activities and schemes of the bank. Mr R.P. Vohra, chief manager, said 1100 employees of the Municipal Corporation had been sanctioned loans by the bank, which would be disbursed by the Mayor.

PHOTO ARTIST: The Vice-President of the Friends of Photography, Mr Varinder Singh Kundu, has brought honours to the city. His colour slides have received recognition at the international exhibition of slides held at Lucknow recently with the approved practices of the Federation International de La Art Photographique, Luxemberg and Photographic Society of America.

DHARNA: The dharna of the Haryana Confed Employees Welfare Union in front of the Confed’s headquarter entered 11th day, here on Sunday. The union is on dharna against the decision of the Haryana government to dismiss 311 employees of the Confed. The various leaders who addressed the dharna criticised the government for removing the employees. Mr Sita Ram, general secretary of the union, said that 20 years of service still remains of all those who have been dismissed from the confed.

ELECTED: The following were elected the office-bearers of the local unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party: president — Mr Om Prakash Parjapati; vice-president — Mr Satvir Kumar Jandala; general secretary — Dharam Chand. As many as 21 other office-bearers of the unit would be announced soon. This was stated by Mr Ajit Singh Saini, secretary of the unit, in a press note, here on Sunday.

DISTRIBUTED: As many as 80 woollen garments and 30 pair of shoes were distributed to needy students of the Government High School, Sector 40, at its campus here on Sunday. The goods were given by Rotary Club and PTA. Mr A.S. Mann, a social worker, was the chief guest. Mr Khanahya Lal, local municipal councillor, was also presented at the occasion. A cultural programme was also presented by the school students.

LOHRI CELEBRATED: The Resident Welfare Forum (Kothi) Sector 46-D, celebrated Lohri with great enthusiasm and gaiety. The occasion was graced by Shri Rajkumar Goyal, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, and Mr Gian Chand Gupta, ex-Mayor and councillor.

HARYANA

AMBALA
EXPORTER'S VIEW: The Haryana Exporters Association on Saturday made certain suggestions for consideration before finalisation of the Budget for 2001-2002. The association suggested that the income tax exemption limit should be raised to Rs 85,000, surcharge on income tax levied at the time of the Kargil war should be withdrawn and age limit for senior citizens should be lowered to 60 years. It pointed out that the phased withdrawal of income tax deduction under Section 80 HHC was adversely affecting the Indian export market. It added that senior citizens should be exempted from TDS on their bank deposits and the rate of TDS should be lowered to 5 per cent on interest on bank deposits. It further said there should be a new section under Section 88 B in the income tax statute to provide 10 per cent rebate to an individual on education and medical expenses for two children. The rate of service tax should be reduced to 2.5 per cent, it suggested.

ALLOTTED: The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said on Friday that the district had been allotted Rs 24 lakh under the decentralisation programme for development work. In a meeting held at Panchayat Bhavan for the decentralisation plan scheme, Mr Gautam said 30 per cent of the money was meant for urban areas and 70 per cent of the amount was meant for rural areas, a press note said. Among others, the money is being utilised for building drains, streets, school rooms, school boundary of chaupals.

KALKA
REMANDED: A woman arrested in connection with alleged dowry death case, was sent to a police remand for three days by the Chief Judicial Magistrate. According to the information, local police had arrested Prakash Devi of Una in an alleged dowry death case. According to the sources, the accused among others, who were booked in the dowry death case of Renu Bala, who died of burn injuries last year here in Kalka. The husband of the deceased is already in the judicial custody. The accused were booked on the complaint of Dwarka Dass, uncle of the deceased. In another case, the Kalka police has arrested Francis Johan, for his alleged involvement in theft case, and was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate who released him after granting bail. The alleged accused had been evading arrest for a long time.

REWARI
BUFFALOES: Six buffaloes have died of an unknown disease at Nayagaon village, 7 km from here, in the past three days. A team from the veterinary hospital, which visited the village on Friday, provided treatment to the ailing buffaloes.

PRESS CLUB: Mr Tarun Jain was elected president of the Rewari District Press Club for the second consecutive term at its meeting here on Saturday.

SONEPAT
ACCIDENT: Four vehicles, including a Himachal Roadways bus and a truck, were involved in an accident due to thick fog on the National Highway No. 1 between Murthal and Bahalgarh, about 15 km from here, on Saturday. However, no one was injured.