The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, February 5, 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

DERA BASSI
SEMINAR ON HEALTH: Eighteen girls participated in a seminar on ‘‘health, social and psychological issues of young and adolescent girls’’, organised by MANJHI, Punjab branch, at Mubarikpur, near here, on Saturday. Mr M.S. Dhillon, president of Punjab branch of MANJHI, said that a doctor interacted with the girls about health and various social and psychological issues.

HOSHIARPUR
LOK ADALAT: As many as 185 cases were taken up at a lok adalat held in the Sessions Court complex here on Saturday. Mr L.R. Roozam, District and Sessions Judge, said 27 cases under the motor accident claims, 14 cases under the Matrimonial Act and 47 cases of other categories were disposed on the spot.

PRACTICAL EXAMS: The practical examination in chemistry and physics of students of 10+2 who did not appear in the recent Punjab School Education Board examinations in the subjects due to a delay in receiving roll numbers or for other reasons will be held on February 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., respectively, at SD Senior Secondary School, Hoshiarpur. This was stated in a press note by the District Science Superviser.

COMPUTER EDUCATION: Computer education has been started in 700 government schools of the state and it will be introduced in all senior and high schools shortly. This was stated by Mr Tikshan Sud, Minister of State for Excise and Taxation, Punjab, while addressing a gathering at the annual prize distribution function at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Railway Mandi, here on Saturday. He announced a grant of Rs 50,000 for the school.

STIR THREAT: Leaders of the local unit of the Janata Dal threatened that they would launch an agitation if the district administration failed to register a case of dacoity against a commission agent of Kishanpura in Jalandhar who allegedly forced Mr Balesher Singh, another commission agent, to part with Rs 62,000 at Kakon chowk here on Friday. In a press note issued on Saturday, Mr Joginder Singh Saini, secretary of the local unit of the Janata Dal, said leaders of the party went to the Sadar police station to get an FIR registered in this connection but the police had not done so.

JALANDHAR
SURGERY TECHNIQUE: Cardiac hospitals and centres in the city are increasingly using a new surgical technique called Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB). The technique cuts the cost of bypass surgery and reduces by half the normal hospital stay period of about 12 days, according to Dr C.S. Pruthi, managing director of the local BBC Heart Care Centre.

KHAMANO
AID FOR GUJARAT: A jagran was performed here on Saturday night by RSS and BJP activists in the memory of those who died in the Gujarat earthquake. They also collected donations from devotees. Mr Radheshyam, one of the organisers, said the collection would be forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner.

LUDHIANA
CONTEST: Safal Adhyapak, a programme on paper reading, lecture demonstration, poem recitation, essay writing, shabad gyan, one-act play and play direction was organised at the Guru Hargobind Khalsa College of Education, Gurusar Sudhar, on Saturday. Mr Sukhdev Singh, senior lecturer, DIET, Jagraon, told the students about various ways of developing teaching skills. Dr J. S. Brar, lecturer at the college, gave a demonstration of various teaching aids made by him.

OFFICE OPENED: The Oriental Bank of Commerce opened a regional office at Miller Ganj on Sunday in order to provide better services to the customers in Ludhiana and Moga districts. Mr V.K. Kashyap, Assistant General Manager of the bank, told newsmen that the regional office would control 37 branches, five extension counters and four satellite offices in the area. The bank had a business of over Rs 950 crore in Ludhiana and Moga districts, he added.

DONATION FOR QUAKE-HIT: The Government Pensioners Association has sent a draft of Rs 5000 towards the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to aid the quake-hit people of Gujarat. The amount was collected at the monthly meeting of the association held on January 28.

SEMINAR: Mr Bharat Bhushan, Deputy Director, Small Industries Service Institute (SISI), in a press note has informed that the institute is organising a seminar on ‘International numbering standards and bar coding’ on January 5 in collaboration with the Engineering Export Promotion Council (NR). The seminar is being organised in view of the Central Government’s order which has made bar coding for export products mandatory with effect from April 4. The experts from EAN India and Great Eastern Impex Ltd will address the participants.

MACHHIWARA
ILLEGAL DIGGING: The illegal digging of sand from the Sutlej bed near Kalewal, Haidernagar and Mand Chaunta villages of this district is reportedly causing heavy loss to the state government. The issue was raised and discussed at a meeting of the Sarpanch Union of Koomkalan area, held under the chairmanship of Mr Rajinder Singh, sarpanch of Miani village, on Saturday.

MANSA
CENSUS-2001: Ms Raji P. Srivastava, Deputy Commissioner said here on Friday that all arrangement for Census-2001 had been completed by the district administration. She was addressing a meeting of sarpanches of the district.

FLAGGED OFF: Three trucks, two from Budhlada and one from Bareta town in the district, loaded with relief material for earthquake victims of Gujarat were flagged off from the district on Saturday by the Deputy Commissioner, Ms Raji P. Srivastava. The Deputy Commissioner said even beggars had contributed Rs 279 for the relief fund. The Pingalwara Committee, Budhlada, had decided to adopt 50 children from Gujarat, she added.

CLASH OF DATES: Resentment prevails among medical students and their parents due to the clash of dates of pre-medical entrance tests. According to them, Kasturba Health Society, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, AFMC, Pune, and the Veterinary Council of India, Delhi, have all fixed May 6, 2001 for their test. They have demanded that AFMC, Pune, and Kasturba Health Society, Wardha, should change their test dates keeping in view the convenience of the aspirants.

MOGA
URGED: Residents of Baghapurana town in the district on Saturday urged the administration to take measures for the cleanliness of the town. According to them heaps of garbage and bodies of pigs and other animals have been noticed in several corners of the town.

NAWANSHAHR
GUJARAT RELIEF: Students of the local Shivalik Public School have contributed Rs 1 lakh for the Gujarat earthquake relief fund. This was stated by Dr Darshan Singh Bedi, Principal of the school. Kirpal Sagar Academy has contributed Rs 37,426 and a truck-load of blankets, clothes , utensils etc for the purpose, according to Mr M.Ramachandran, Principal of the academy. Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust, Dhahan Kaleran, has contributed utensils worth Rs 61,000 for the relief fund.

AWARENESS PROGRAMME: A safety awareness programme was organised here at the railway station on Saturday. Mr R.P. Paul, Senior Divisional Safety Officer, Ferozepore division (Railways), addressed the gathering on the occasion.

REGULARISATION SOUGHT: The local unit of the PWD Field and Workshop Union, Punjab, at a meeting held here on Saturday under the chairmanship of Mr Balwant Singh, urged the state government to implement the notification issued on January 23 and regularise the services of employees.

RELIEF MATERIAL: Members of the local Snehi Sankirtan Mandli has sent a truck-load of relief material for victims of the Gujarat earthquake. This was stated by Mukesh Bittu and Manoj Pathak, members of the mandli.

PATIALA
HELP: The Punjab Finance and Planning Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, has accepted proposals worth Rs 45 crore to provide help to the families of soldiers who died in the Kargil war. This was stated at a meeting of the State Sainik Board held at Circuit House, organised by the Sainik Welfare Department, here, recently. Soldiers would be given representation in the grievance committee at the district and sub-divisional level. He said that till now three members of different families of the martyrs have been made PCS officers, 13 have been given grade-1 and grade-2 posts, 33 given the grade-3 and 43 people have been given grade-4 jobs. Besides, 16 people are given LPG connections while two have been provided with petrol pump licences. He said the government has increased the amount given to the widows of martyrs of the second World War from Rs 300 to Rs 800.

SAMRALA
APPOINTED: Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, president of the SGPC, appointed Mr Jagjit Singh Gill, an advocate from Ludhiana, as honorary additional secretary of the Nankana Sahib Education Trust, Ludhiana, on Saturday. Dr Balwant Singh Chahal, president of the Sikh Budhijivi Council, in a press statement here on Sunday hailed the decision and congratulated Mr Gill on his appointment.

CHANDIGARH

EXTENSION SOUGHT: Lecturers of affiliated colleges of Panjab University have demanded an extension in the last date of doing refresher/orientation courses from 31.12. 2000 to 31.2.2002 and release of selection grade from 1996. A delegation of college teachers headed by Panjab University senator Dr R.P.S Josh met the Director Public Instruction (Colleges) Ms Madhvi Kataria to draw her attention to these demands of the college teachers. A representation to this effect stated, “in many subjects like home science, dance, fine arts etc refresher courses had not been held and in some other cases the lecturers had not been relieved by principals due to shortage of staff in the respective subjects and in some other cases the lecturers could not avail the opportunity owing to family problems.”

CELEBRATED: Mat Pita Santan Diwas was celebrated at the Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45, here on Saturday. Mr Vikas Dev, secretary, Dev Samaj Managing Society, and Ms Satyawati, chairperson, College Managing Committee, were the guests of honour at the function. They asked students to imbibe values of respect for elders, especially parents. The highlight of the day was garlanding of parents by students. Principal Vimal Bhargava welcomed and thanked the guests.

CAMP: Kayasth Sabha in collaboration with the Rotary Club Chandigarh Midtown, organised a health care camp at Student Centre, TTTI, here on Sunday. The camp was inaugurated by Prof S.B.S. Mann, Director-Principal, GMCH, Sector 32. As many as 100 units of blood were donated by members. Many of them also pledged their eyes to the Eyebank, PGI. Besides senior doctors from the GMCH, sector 32, screened the people for hypertension and diabetes. According to Mr Sanjay Bhatnagar, general secretary, Kayasth Sabha, focus of the camp were the residents of Bapu Dham.

FETE 2001: The State Bank Ladies Club organised Fete 2001 at State Bank of India, local head office, Sector 17, here on Sunday. Fancy dress and on the spot painting competitions were held in which students of Government High School, Sector 24, and St Carmel Convent School, participated.

COMMUNITY KITCHEN: The Lions Club Rose organised a community kitchen for the inmates of Kusht Ashram at the Ashram here on Sunday.

SOOD MELA CELEBRATED: The 39th Sood Mela celebrated here in Sood Bhawan, Sector 44, drew about 1000 visitors here on Sunday. The main attraction of the fair was a contest for selecting prince and princess. Among other contests were best couple of the year, oldest couple, fancy dress, tambola, painting and, races. Following were the results, in order of merit: On-the-spot contest: Age (3 to 7 years): Abhi, Ridhi (7 to 12 years): Mahima, Shilpa; (12 to 14 years): Bhimika, Shivani. Races: (3 to 6 years): Himanshu, Abhi; (6 to 9 years): Viren, Varun; (9 to 12 years): Manav, Richa; (12 to 15 years): Akhil, Shivani; (15 to 20 years): Mohit, Aman.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Laboratory Staff Association, Government Home Science College, Sector 10: president — Mr Jagjit Singh; vice president — Mr Vinod Kumar; general secretary — Mr Harish Pandey; finance secretary — Ms Paramjit Kaur, and joint secretary — Mr Satyapal Bidla.

LAUNCHED: Sri Guru Granth Sahib Sewa Society, a charitable organisation, launched two hearse vans at the Gurdwara Sahib, Sector 34, here on Saturday. Mr S. Jasjit Singh Ahluwalia, Chief Commissioner, Income Tax, dedicated these vans in the service of humanity. The organisation is already running 24 hours free ambulance services in and around Chandigarh for accident victims and emergency cases. The hearse service will be a 24-hour free service for all. For service beyond 100 km, nominal charges will be made. The organisation can be contacted on the mobile numbers 98140-17102 and 98141-17101.

PANCHKULA
WORKSHOP ON YOGA: A workshop to highlight the benefits of yoga was organised at the Yoga Divya Mandir in Sector 7, here on Sunday, by the Panchkula Journalists Association. Conducted by Dr Shashi Shah, it was stated that yoga is the basis of life and western countries were taking to yoga for a healthy lifestyle. She added that yoga had helped in cases were medicine and science had failed. Vice-President of the temple Surinder Garg spoke on the activities being undertaken at the temple.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sacred Youth Club, Himshikha, Pinjore: president — Mr R K Sharma; vice-president — Mr Sabeeta Choudhry; general secretary — Mr Vijay Dogra; joint secretary — Mr Pasu Singh, and treasurer — Ms Monika Sharma.

ANNUAL FUNCTION: An impressive cultural programme was presented by students of A.C.C. D.A.V. Senior Public School, Surajpur, to mark their annual prize distribution function, on Sunday. Hymns from Vedic scriptures were recited by students to start the function. A play, Ramniya Hi Shrishtiresha, on the theme ‘‘Nature is impartial and generous to all creatures’’, staged by junior students was appreciated. Justice D.V. Sehagal was the chief guest of the function.

SAS NAGAR
RESIDENTS COMPLAIN: Residents of Nadha village have complained that the Nayagaon — Nadha road, a link to Chandigarh, has been inundated by water being discharged from a nearby colony. Mr Jeet, a resident of Nadha village said a number of residents of the village working at Chandigarh use the road.

HARYANA

JIND
RELIEF MATERIAL: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Hawa Singh Dhankhar, on Saturday flagged off 14 trucks carrying relief material worth Rs 11 lakh for Gujarat quake victims. The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Jind, sent a team of three doctors — Dr N.M. Malhotra, Dr Kuldeep Rana and Dr Ajay Goyal — along with medicines to Anjar area of Gujarat.

KAITHAL
SERVICES DISRUPTED: The STD services remained paralysed in the town on Friday, causing inconvenience to the public as no contact could be established to any other town from here.

KALKA
ANNUAL DAY FUNCTION: The prize distribution function of ACC DAV Senior Public School, Surajpur, was held on Sunday. More than 350 students participated and thousand attended the function. Principal Mr P.L. Chopra read out the annual report.

NAHAN
NABBED: Mr S.P. Singh, SP, Sirmaur, said here on Saturday that the police had nabbed Jagar Singh of Jarwa village under the Shillai police station who was absconding for the past two months and was the main accused in the murder of Jalam Singh of the same village last year.

SIRSA
THIEVES HELD: The district police has arrested Amit Kumar and Gopal of Panipat district along with Sat Pal and Ratan of Hisar district under Section 379 of the IPC for stealing electricity wires of a transformer in Moujukhera village of the district. This was stated here on Saturday by the district police chief. In another case of theft, Kulwant Singh of Mangal village in the district and Rajesh of Fatehabad district, both students of the local Government National College, were arrested with a motor cycle stolen by them three months ago from the college.

LIQUOR SEIZED: The district police has arrested Vinod Kumar and Ram Singh under Section 61/1/14 of the Excise Act and seized a large quantity of illicit liquor from their possession. This was stated by the district police chief. The police also arrested Som Nath, Ashok Kumar and Bansi Lal from Ellenabad town in the district under Section 13A/3/67 of the Gambling Act and seized cash and gambling bills from their possession, he said.

WEIR INSPECTION: Several BJP MLAs, led by former Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, will visit the district on Tuesday to inspect the weir being constructed in Ottu village of the district. This was stated here on Sunday by Mr Jai Veer Godara, member of the national executive of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.

QUAKE-HIT CHILDREN: The Vishwas All-India Mission will adopt 1,000 children affected by the Gujarat earthquake. The district president of the mission, Mr Brij Lal Khanna, said here on Sunday that free education would be provided to the children. Meanwhile, the Haryana Cooperative Transport Societies Welfare Association, Sirsa, has arranged for five buses to transport relief workers from Dera Sacha Sauda to Gujarat.

CONSTITUTED: To improve the mode of assessment of house tax, the Haryana Government has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of State for Local self-government, Mr Subhash Chand Goyal. This was stated by the president of municipal council, Mr Padam Jain, here on Sunday.

SONEPAT
BOY KILLED: Ritish, a 10-year-old boy, was crushed to death by a jeep on the Sonepat-Gohana road near Pinana village, about 20 km from here, on Saturday. According to the police, the boy was crossing the road for going to his home when the accident occurred. A case has been registered against the jeep driver.

APPREHENDED: Railway officials carried out surprise checking on trains at the railway station here on Saturday and apprehended at least 150 passengers who were found travelling without tickets. According to a report, 75 of them paid their fines on the spot and were let off while others were taken to Ambala for trial before the Railway Magistrate.

HOAX CALL: A hoax bomb call delayed a passenger train bound for Panipat for more than two hours at the Narela railway station, about 16 km from here, on Saturday. According to a report reaching here, the train was held up at the station after information was received that a bomb had been placed in the women’s bogie of the train. Thereafter, the railway authorities conducted a thorough search but failed to trace the bomb.

TRADER LOOTED: Three armed youths reportedly snatched Rs 10,000 at gun point from a trader at the old grain market in Gohana town, 35 km from here, on Saturday. According to a report, the armed youths came on a motor cycle and took away the sum when the owner, along with two others, was engaged in counting it.

DOCTOR SHOT AT: Dr Pardeep Mukhi, owner of a private nursing home near Murthal adda, was shot at by a youth on Saturday. According to a report, three armed youths entered Dr Mukhi’s nursing home and demanded Rs 50,000 from him. When he refused, one of them fired at the doctor. Dr Mukhi escaped unhurt but the youths managed to escape.