R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
RELIEF MATERIAL: Students of various educational institutions sorted and packed clothes collected from residents of the subdivision as part of relief material for victims of devastation earthquake in Gujarat.

BATHINDA
RESIGNED: Mr P.L. Garg, president of the local Consumer Welfare Council, resigned from his post on Saturday. This was stated by Mr M.R. Madan, press secretary of the forum, in a press note issued here.

TRUCK LOADS: The Brahma Kumaris organisation has sent nearly 20 truck loads of relief goods for the earthquake victims in Gujarat. An ambulance has also been sent.

EYE CAMP: The Divine Eye Research Foundation (DERF) will hold an eye camp on Sunday at the local Bhai Veer Singh Public School situated at the Dhobiana Basti. This was stated by Mr Rakesh Narula, president of the DERF, in a press note issued here on Saturday.

CANCELLED: The DSO, Mr Harbajan Singh, said the license of Jagdish Chandra Verma, owner of a fixed price shop, had been cancelled because of the alleged irregularities found in distribution.

BANNED: Mr Jaspal Singh, District Magistrate, has imposed a ban on the sale of uncovered eatables like fruits, vegetables and sugarcane juice etc. According to a press note issued here on Friday, the ban has been imposed as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of diseases.

RELIEF FUND: The local pubic library and is members, led by Mr J.S. Ghai, general secretary of the library, have donated a sum of Rs 14,000 for the quake victims of Gujarat. This was stated in a press note issued here on Friday.

INAUGURATED: A free homoeopathic dispensary was opened on Friday by the Khatri Biradri Welfare Association at its city office. The dispensary was inaugurated by Mr Bhan Singh Bhaura, MP. He donated Rs 25,000 for the dispensary and Rs 50,000 for the community centre of the association.

BARNALA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Engineers Club for 2000-2001: president —Ram Singh, senior vice-president — Mr Jaswant Rai; vice-president — Mr Jagdish Rai Goyal; general secretary — Mr Mangat Rai Goyal; and treasurer — Mr Mangat Rai Goyal; and treasurer — Harish Chander.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
RECRUITMENT: The recruitment for the GD soldiers belonging to the Sikh community will be held from February 14 to 16 at Lalru in Patiala district. According to Capt Kesar Singh, District Sainik Welfare Officer, the recruitment will be made for Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar, Patiala, Ludhiana and Sangrur districts.

GARHSHANKAR
SUICIDE: Roshan Lal (30) of Rampur Jhanjowal committed suicide by consuming poison on Thursday night. The Mahilpur police had registered a case under Section 174 of the IPC.

HOSHIARPUR
ROAD BLOCKED: Vehicular traffic on the Hoshiarpur-Phagwara road remained suspended for more than two hours on Friday following a dharna by the employees of GNA industry at Mehtiana in protest against the retrenchment of some employees. Later, SDM and senior police officers intervened and resumed the traffic.

JAGRAON
BOOKED: Mr Kulbir Singh, process server, attached to the court of Mr Harpal Singh, Additional Civil Judge (Sr. D.), was arrested by the police when he was creating nuisance under the influence of liquor in front of the office of ADA on the court campus. Kulbir Singh was got medically examined and booked under Sections 34/5/61 of the Police Act. 

KHARAR
RELIEF: The Lions Club Kharar has sent two trucks loaded with eatables and other goods for the quake victims of Gujarat. Five members of the club will also leave for Gujarat. The total estimated value of these goods is about Rs 4 lakh. Employees of Kashetriya Punjab Khadi Mandel Kharar has decided to contribute two day’s salary to earthquake relief.

KHAMANO
DHARNA POSTPONED: The proposed dharna in front of the CM’s residence at Chandigarh will now be held on March 2 instead of February 12. This was decided at a meeting of ‘jabar virodhi action committee’ which was chaired by Bhinder Singh Ranwan after his release from a jail in Patiala on bail. 

BHOG: The bhog of Sri Akhand Path will be performed at Khamano Khurd on February 11 in memory of those killed in the earthquake in Gujarat. This was stated by social worker Hardev Singh Kang who had also taken part in relief work at Gujarat. Mr Kang visited the most affected villages, including Malia Meena, Bachau, Chitka, Anjara, Gandhidham, Morvi Dhangra, Surinder Nagar and Ahmedabad and took part in the relief work. 

LUDHIANA
LOK ADALAT: A telecom lok adalat was organised in the office of General Manager, Telecom, here on Friday to redress public complaints regarding NTC, external shifts, excess metering and other matters. Mr V.S. Srivastava, GMT, presided over the lok adalat, in which 29 complaints were taken up and 20 were settled on the spot. 

PROFESSOR INVITED: Dr Joginder Singh, Head, Department of Economics and Sociology, Punjab Agricultural University has been invited as visiting scientist at social sciences division, IRRI, Philippines. He will be visiting Philippines for six months and will work on rice economy of India. 

MANDI GOBINDGARH
EXCISE DEPT: The Central Excise Department will observe six-day week, and all offices under the Central Excise Commissionerate-1, Chandigarh, will remain open on Saturdays. In a notice issued in this respect, this practice will remain in operation till 31.03.2001. 

KIDS GESTURE: Students of S.N.A.S. School, Mandi Gobindgarh, have contributed Rs 1700/- to Prime Minister National Relief Fund (Gujarat Earthquake). They have also sent a truck load of clothing, shoes and woollens etc. 

ANNUAL DAY: The annual session of the Punjab State Karamchari Dal will be held in its office complex at Fatehgarh Sahib on February 22. This was stated here by state senior vice-president Mr Kanwaljit Singh Bhagrana. 

COMPETITION: Ten patterns were selected on Saturday from each category from Class VI to Class X for the final phase of the Verdhman Ao Bune competition during the Patiala zone inter- school knitting competition organised in the Central Library here, in which children from various parts of Patiala and Sangrur districts participated. Company sources disclosed that 21 schools participated in today’s contest which pitted 250 children against each other. Participants were given a choice to knit anything they wanted using single or multiple colours. The knitting yarn and needless were provided free of cost to the participants. Company sources said the 240 best patterns from all the six zones would be displayed at an exhibition to be organised in Ludhiana and three best patterns from each class would be selected for cash awards. 

CHANDIGARH

DONATED: The Ropar Chemists Association on Saturday donated life-saving medicines worth Rs 31,000 for Gujarat quake victims. The medicines were handed over to the Civil Surgeon, Mr RS Saggo, and District Drug Inspector, Mr Amit Duggal. 

HARYANA

AMBALA
PCO HOLDER: The Haryana State STD PCO Holders Association has demanded an increase in commission and service charges. In a memorandum addressed to the Union Minister for Communications, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, the association has pointed out that with the introduction of new scheme of local dialing within 200 km, the telephone exchanges become busy, resulting in delay in putting through STD/ISD calls through PCOs. The association has demanded that commission be enhanced to 40 per cent in one slab applicable to urban, rural and hilly area instead of three slabs, as 16 per cent commission introduced in 1989-90 has not been enhanced till date. The association has demanded service charge on ISD/collect calls be Rs 10 per call and minimum guarantee of Rs 1680 in urban areas be abolished. State and central sales tax and central excise duties be abolished on STD equipment, the association has demanded.

AWARDED: The Ambala branch of chartered accountants has been awarded for commendable performance in 2000. The award was presented to Mr Subhash Goel, chairman of the branch, along with members and office-bearers, Mr AD Gandhi, Mr Naresh Dhingra, Mr Bhupinder Singh and Mr Ajay Katyal, at a function held in Delhi on the occasion of 48th AGM-cum-prize distribution function by the Northern India regional council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, a release said. 

MEET: The 17th All-India general secretaries meet of the Oriental Insurance Company’s officers association was held here on Saturday. Delegates from all over the country attended the meet. The association appealed to all its members to give their best and to transform work culture. 

KALKA
STOLEN: Robbers decamped with cash and valuables after breaking into a house in Kurari Mohalla here recently. The theft took place when the owner of the house was away to see her relatives at Ambala. The estimate of loss could not be ascertained. The local police has registered a case. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

JAWALAMUKHI
WATER EXPLORATION PLAN: Irrigation and Public Health Minister Ramesh Choudhary told mediapersons on Friday that the Himachal Pradesh Government had decided to formulate a plan to undertake the scientific exploration of water to utilise it for drinking and irrigation purposes.

KUMARHATTI
WATER LIFTING SCHEME: The lack of sufficient funds has resulted in delay of the waterlifting scheme for the Kyar and Dagroh villages, alleged residents here on Friday. Meanwhile, the concerned JE refused the funds shortage and asserted that the work of pipe laying had recently been completed and the scheme would be made operational before summer.

SOLAN
PROCESSION: Nearly 100 senior citizens, belonging to different communities, took out a procession to emphasise the spirit of brotherhood amongst the members of different faiths in the region on Friday. The HP Mahila Congress chief, Major Krishna Mohini, Maulana Geelani and Colonel Sandhu participated in the procession.

SEIZED: Mr Sudarshan Katoch, Range Forest Officer, Nalagarh, acting upon prior information, seized 25 young sheesham trees that had been cut illegally in the Maganpura forests, near Nalagarh on Thursday. The forest officials said the cutting of more than two trees, even from privately owned land, was prohibited under the Forest Act.