The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Friday, March 16, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

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PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
MEDICAL CAMP: The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi, run by the first Indian on Mt Everest, Major H. P. S. Ahluwalia, will hold the first-ever free medical check-up camp on Saturday and Sunday at Amritsar Club. The spokesman of the Centre said the health check-up campaign was being conducted in collaboration with the Escort Heart Care Institute. Those suffering from spinal injuries, locomotor disabilities and heart problems would be treated.

PROTEST: On a call given by the AIIEA, employees of the LIC and GIC went on a two-hour walkout strike on Wednesday in protest against the government move to delink the GIC and subsidiaries. The employees gathered at Dharam Singh Market and held a demonstration.

EYE CAMP: A nine-day eye camp, being organised by the Radha Swami Dera Baba Teja Singh at Saidpur in which more than 6,000 persons suffering from eye ailments would be examined, was inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Narinderjit Singh, in the presence of Dera Head Sant Rasila Ram here on Wednesday.

BARNALA
CONSUMER DAY: An open-house session on the occasion of Consumer Day was held here on Thursday on the Telephone Exchange premises. Mr Gail Chand, GMT, Sangrur, presided over the function. More than 200 telephone subscribers attended.

BATALA
CONVOCATION: The annual convocation of the local DAV College for Girls was held here on Wednesday at the college campus. Dr Gupta, Director of the DAV College Managing Committee, New Delhi, was the chief guest and Mrs S. Roty, founder principal of the college, was the guest of honour. Nearly 300 students were awarded degrees on the occasion.

BATHINDA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the district unit of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union: president — Mr Gurjant Singh; general secretary — Mr Gurdev Singh; and treasurer — Mr Tejinder Singh Bhullar.

ELECTED: Mr Heera Lal Bansal has been elected president of the Ram temple being run by the Senior Citizen Home, according to Mr Mulakh Raj Madaan, secretary of the home, here on Thursday.

TRAINING CAMP: A training camp for farmers of the region was held at Lehra Mohhabat village. During the camp various agricultural experts taught farmers about the crops to be sown in the coming kharif season.

MOCK DRILL: The local unit of the National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) conducted a mock drill on March 7 to check the effectiveness of its emergency services. This was stated in a press note issued here on Thursday by the General Manager of the NFL, Mr M. K. Varshney.

CAUGHT RED-HANDED: The Vigilance Bureau of the district has arrested Amritpal Singh, veterinary officer, of Fata Maloka village, for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 300 to conduct a post-mortem examination of goat of Gulab Singh, resident of a village in Mansa. The Superintendent of Police, district unit of the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, said in a press note issued here on Wednesday that the officer was arrested red-handed in presence of official witnesses, Mr Harmesh Singh, SDO, PSEB and Mr Harwinder Singh, inspector, Department of Agriculture.

MEDICAL CAMP HELD: A medical camp was organised on Tuesday at Doda village of Muktsar district under the ‘out reach camp for the rural area’ project being run with the help World Bank. In the camp, nearly 690 patients were examined. Various doctors of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation participated.

SHSAD CONVENTION: A convention of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) would be held on Saturday at Talwandi Sabo under a campaign launched by the party to get rid of corrupt politics of the ruling SAD. This was stated by Mr Ishatpal Singh Khialiwala, district general secretary of the party, in a press note issued here on Wednesday. He said top leaders of the party, including its president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, would participate in the convention.

FAZILKA
KILLED: Sandeep Kumar (30) of the local Amar colony died in an accident on Wednesday night. According to information, he was going on his motor cycle when it was hit by a vehicle on the grain market road. A case has been registered.

HOSHIARPUR
MAN ROBBED: Two scooter-borne youths robbed Ram Parkash of Piplanwali, Gali Tanda Urmur, of Rs 45,000 while he was going on a cycle to the bus stand at Tanda on Wednesday morning. Ram Parkash was going to Pathankot. After snatching the money, the youths fled away.

EVE TEASING: The Model Town Police here has registered a case under Sections 452/323/341/294/34 of the IPC on Tuesday against one Rajinder Bhatia and his accomplices, for teasing a minor girl of the local Model Town locality and beating and assaulting her mother.

FORGERY CASE: On a complaint lodged by Mr Gurmit Singh, lamberdar of Lehli Khurd village, the local police has registered a case under Sections 419/420/465/468/471, 120B of the IPC against Gian Kaur, wife of Karam Singh of Marule village, P.S. Mahilpur, for forging signature of the lamberdar on land sale deed documents. In his complaint Gurmit Singh alleged that Gian Kaur had forged his signatures on the sale deed documents while purchasing a 5 marla land in village.

KAPURTHALA
PROTEST MARCH: A large number of workers of the Shiv Sena on Wednesday took out a protest march on scooters against the demolition of idols in Afghanistan and against Pakistan for abetting terrorism in Kashmir. They also held a rally in the District Courts and presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner for onward submission to the President in which they demanded imposition of President’s rule in J and K, cancellation of Samjhauta Express and Delhi-Lahore bus service and abolition of Article 370.

KHAMANO
TRUCK UNION: A deadlock prevails in the local truck union for its presidentship. A meeting was held on the premises of the DSP’s office on Wednesday. An SGPC member, Mr Kirpal Singh, from Samrala, helped both parties to arrive at a compromise.

INSURED: A ‘Dak Bima Yojna Mela’ was organised here on Thursday. Mr A.S. Pahuja said in this camp 30 persons were insured for Rs 1 lakh.

SCHOOL AFFILIATION: Shivalik Public School, Manderan, Fatehgarh Sahib, has been given affiliation by Punjab Education Board, SAS Nagar. This was informed by the principal of the school.

LUDHIANA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of district unit of the Electro Homoeopathic Doctors Association: president — Rajesh Arora; vice-president — Ranjit Singh; secretary — Sangram Singh; joint secretary — Vijay Bindra; assistant secretary — J.B. Rao; and cashier — Lakhanpal.

MACHHIWARA
EYE CAMP: A total of 87 patients were operated upon at a free eye camp at primary health centre, Machhiwara, on Wednesday. It was organised by Malwa Welfare Club with the help of the district Health Department. More than 900 patients were examined at the camp.

CLASS IV STAFF: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Class IV Government Employees Union Punjab’s Punsup Department State sub-committee Punjab’s district Ludhiana body: president — Mr Basatat Singh Raikot; senior vice-president — Mr Sukhdev Singh Doraha; general secretary — Mr Hari Ram Bhatti; assistant secretary — Mr Ram Sewak Ludhiana; publicity secretary — Mr Ashok Kumar Khanna; and cashier — Ms Manjit Kaur.

VILLAGE UNION: The following have been elected office-bearers of Village Development Organiser Union Punjab’s Ludhiana district body: president — Mr Karnail Singh Machhiwara; general secretary — Mr Gurminder Singh Samrala; cashier — Mr Sukhdev Singh Machhiwara; vice-president — Ms Harjit Kaur Samrala; and press secretary — Mr Nirmal Singh Pakhowal.

NEW SCHOOL: Mr Anil Sood, president of nagar panchayat Machhiwara, inaugurated Sri Guru Gobind Singh Preparatory School, near National College for Women Machhiwara on Thursday. Ragi jathas recited the shabad-kirtan and performed the religious ceremony.

BAAZIGAR BODY: The following have been elected office-bearers of Baazigar Committee Machhiwara: president — Joginder Singh; vice-president — Balaki Ram; cashier — Kashmiri Lal; and secretary — Madan Gopal.

MANSA
BLOOD DONATION CAMP: The District Red Cross Society organised a blood donation camp on Wednesday. Ms Raji P. Shirivastava, Deputy Commissioner-cum-president of the society, inaugurated the camp. The Deputy Commissioner said the society would organise monthly blood donation camps.

SAMRALA
HARSH LANGUAGE: Mr Bihari Lal Saddi, vice-president, Government Secondary School Teachers Union, Punjab, on Thursday condemned the harsh language used by the DPI Schools, Punjab, Chandigarh, Mr Jagtar Singh, towards teachers, while addressing a workshop of teachers held at Samrala Senior Secondary School on Wednesday. Mr Saddi drew the attention of the authorities towards the red tape and corruption prevailing in offices.

TWO DEATHS: Ajit Gautam, an instructor at Samrala ITI, was killed in an accident on Wednesday. The wife of Ajit Gautam — Santosh — who was under treatment in Delhi due to illness, also died after hearing the news on Thursday.

SAMRALA SHO: Mr Arvinder Kumar, took over as SHO Samrala on Thursday. SI Gulzar Singh has been transferred to Khanna.

SANGRUR
HONOURED: Dr A.S. Mann, Homoeopathic Medical Officer, Dhuri, has been honoured with ‘Hahneman Award’ recently by the Council of Homoeopathic System of Medicine, Punjab, for his service in the field of homoeopathy.

TARN TARAN
CONSUMER PROTECTION: The local subdivisional Consumers Welfare Forum has decided to observe consumers protection day here on Thursday. Mr Jatinder Kumar Sood, chairman of the forum, said here on Wednesday the local SDM, Mr Gurinder Pal Singh Sahota and Divisional Engineer Telephone, Mr O.P. Kohli, would address the consumers.

CHANDIGARH

MISS EVENING: Ms Aman Panag was adjudged Miss Evening at the annual farewell function of hostellers of Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26 held in the hostel yesterday. Ms Deepali and Ms Shweta Sharma were chosen first and second runners up in the function, which was attended by the hostel residents, along with staff members. Ms Romota was selected as Miss Charming. The chief guest at the occasion was Mr Gurdev Singh Brar, vice-president, Sikh Education Society, while Maj-General Narinder Singh (retd) was the guest of honour. The guests were welcomed by the principal, Ms Harjit Khanna.

DHARNA HELD: On a call given by the All India Audit and Accounts Association, activists of the Punjab Civil Accounts Association observed a day long dharna on Thursday to urge upon the Central government to implement the judgement of the hon’ble Tribunal granting pay parity to Sr Accountant/Sr Auditors with assistants of Central Secretariat. The association strongly criticised the policies of downsizing and privatisation being pursued by the Central government. Later, a mammoth lunch hour rally was also held.

SWEEPERS DEMANDED: The Block Nationalist Congress Party, Block No 12, has urged the Municipal Corporation to depute sweepers in Sector 32-C, so that the area could remain garbage free. This was demanded by Ms Kanchan Chaudhary, president of the Block unit.

PROTEST: The Foothpath Workers Rozgar Bachao Samiti, comprising shoe repairers, barbers, second hand booksellers and others will observe a strike against the Chandigarh Administration and Municipal Corporation (MC) on Thursday in front of the MC Office, Sector 17, here. The strike is in protest against the non-issuance of identity cards to roadside workers and also against their alleged harassment by the MC staff and police personnel. The Samiti is also demanding pucca booths for themselves.

RALLY: A joint rally by the Joint Action Committee of Punjab and UT Employees and Mulazam Sangarsh Committee, Punjab against the reported non-acceptance of their demands by the Punjab Government and also against the alleged anti-employee Union budget, is being held on March 22 at Sector 17 here.

HONOURED: Outstanding NSS volunteers were honoured at the annual NSS function of the Government Post Graduate College, Sector 46, here on Wednesday. Dr C.L. Narang, Co-ordinator, NSS, Panjab University, was the chief guest. The following students of the college were declared outstanding volunteers: Amit Sharma (BAIII), Sunil Parmar (BA III), Satwinder Kaur (BA III), Vandana Sharma (BA III), Harjinder Singh (B.Com. III) and Hari Om Arora (BBA III).

SEMINAR: The Department of Physics, Panjab University, will organise a two-day National Conference on ‘Recent Development on Disordered Materials’ from Thursday. Scientists from institutes like TIFR -Mumbai, IITs, BARC - Mumbai, HBTI -Kanpur and from leading laboratories of the country are expected to take part in the conference. Besides, researchers from various universities of the country will also be participating. Scientists from Germany and Nepal are also expected to attend the conference. Eminent physicist, Prof. S.K. Joshi, former director general, CSIR, New Delhi will deliver a lecture on frontline areas of research on the concluding day.

EXHIBITION: Centre for Entrepreneurship Development for Women, Canara Bank, will hold a three-day exhibition of goods and services marketed by them from March 25 to March 27 at Lajpat Rai Bhavan. The centre has invited women interested to participate to book stalls before March 17.

PANCHKULA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Shri Brahman Sabha, Panchkula; president, Mr K.D. Prabhakar; senior vice-president, Mr R.N. Trikha, Mr M.L. Sudan and K.K. Moudgil; vice-president, Ms Usha Sharma, Ms Madhu Sharma, Mr Ravinder Mohan, Mr J.L. Sharma; advisors, Mr M.M. Sharma and Mr Charanjit Sharma; general secretary, Mr I.S. Sharma; joint secretary, Mr Vinod Sharma; finance secretary, Mr T.R. Sharma; cultural secretary, Ms Satinder Trikha; Ms Nirmal Moudgil and Ms Nirmala Sharma; organisational and propaganda secretary, Mr N.K. Jhingan, Mr Aditya Sharma and Mr Rakesh Sharma; press secretary, Mr K.N. Sharma and audit officer, Mr H.R. Sharda. This was stated by Mr I.S. Sharma, the founder and the general secretary of the Sabha.

HARYANA

AMBALA
4 KILLED: Four members of a family in Ambala city were killed in a road accident near Karnal last evening. The deceased were identified as Vivek Jain (30), his wife Monika Jain, their son Anchal (3), and daughter Shagun (7). Vivek was an engineer and employed in Delhi. He was coming to Ambala in his car to see his parents at Ambala City when his car collided with a bus near Karnal. A large number of people attended the funeral procession.

LINEMAN ELECTROCUTED: An assistant lineman of HVPN was electrocuted near Basson Wala Chowk, Ambala city on Wednesday night. According to information, the lineman, Jagmel Singh, was repairing the transformer line, when all of sudden current was released in the line. The police registered a case in this regard.

GAMBLERS ARRESTED: The police arrested eight gamblers in Ambala Cantt on Wednesday night and seized Rs 54,700 from their possession. According to information the police had received an information that some people were gambling at Napier road at Ambala Cantt. The police raided the spot and arrested the gamblers.

SHOPS PENALIZED: Action has been taken against six fair price shops of the district where irregularities were detected. Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said that one depot had been cancelled, the security amount of two depots has been taken and supply to three depots suspended. There are 386 fair price shops in the district, out of which 143 are in urban areas and 243 are in rural areas.

HELD: The local police has nabbed a satta player in Mullana. Bishna Das, a resident of Kalpi, was caught playing satta. A case has been registered against him.

SALES TAX: Haryana Pradesh Sarafa Association, while expressing disappointment in the Haryana budget, said that the lack of reduction in sales tax on jewellery was adversely affecting their business. Association general secretary, Mr Gyan Chand Aggarwal, said that contrary to the directions of the Union Government regarding same sales tax in different states through which the sales tax was reduced to one per cent, the state government had raised the sales tax to four per cent on jewellery, a release said. He said that the association apprised the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and Finance Minister, Mr Sampat Singh of the situation, but no action had been taken in this regard.

BHIWANI
RECRUITMENT RALLY: Recruitment rally for candidates, ex-servicemen and wards of martyr servicemen of Bhiwani, Rewari and Mahendergarh districts will be held at Chandigarh on March 27. The Recruiting Officer, Charkhi Dadri, Mr Ajay A. Oka, said the rally would be organised in the playground of Sector 7 here.

QUESTION PAPERS: The Board of School Education, Haryana, has categorically denied conducting examinations of class V. Mr R.P. Gupta, Secretary of the Board, said news items in various newspapers regarding leakage of question papers of class V had the Board’s name totally wrong. He said the examinations of class V were conducted by the Education Department whereas the middle, matric and higher secondary examinations were conducted by the Board.

FATEHABAD
COMPENSATION: The District Consumer Redressal Forum has asked the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to give a compensation of Rs 1,500 each and a court fee of Rs 500 each to two consumers, Jaswinder Singh and Swaran Singh, both of Chimoo village in Rattia, for inordinate delay in installation of their “tatkal” category telephone connection.

HISAR
ARRESTED: The police has arrested Satish Kumar, brother of notorious criminal Subhash Fauji, for helping his brother to escape from the Balsmand police post last year. The police had arrested Subhash Fauji for attempt to murder. A mob had freed Fauji after ransacking the police post. The police had registered a case against more than 150 persons, along with Satish Kumar, on a complaint by Mr Jaibeer Singh, ASI, under various sections.

ACCIDENT: A youth was killed when a three-wheeler, in which he was travelling, was hit by a bull in the Mill Gate area here on Wednesday. According to the police, the vehicle was on its way from Mill Gate to the bus stand when a bull hit it due to which it overturned. The youth died on the spot.

THEFT: The police arrested one Radha Krishan, a local resident, for stealing a shisham tree here on Wednesday. He had stolen it from a vacant plot in Patel Nagar area.

JHAJJAR
2 KILLED: Two persons, including a woman, were killed in different road mishaps in the district since Tuesday. Ramphal of Ujava village was killed in a collision between two tractors on the Delhi-Hisar road in Bahadurgarh. Both the vehicles were coming from Rohtak. In another incident, an aged woman was killed when a vehicle hit her near Mie in Bahadurgarh. Cases have been registered.

KURUKSHETRA
LOK ADALAT: Mr R.K. Sondhi, member secretary of the District Legal Services Authority here, on Wednesday, said a special Lok Adalat for bank loans cases would be held in the premises of the District Courts, here on Saturday. He requested loan borrowers to attend the Lok Adalat so that they could avail themselves of benefit of special concessions given by the RBI under its special policy.

CHILD ADOPTION: Mrs Jyoti Arora, Deputy Commissioner and President of the district branch of the Haryana State Council for Child Welfare, Bal Bhavan, here on Wednesday, said a female child, two-and-half year old Mahak, was in the care of the council at Chandigarh. She appealed to such parents who had no children and were interested in adopting a child. She further said those interested could apply to the Honorary General Secretary, Haryana State Council for Child Welfare, House No 650, Sector 16-D, Chandigarh, so that all formalities could be finalised well in time.

QUAKE RELIEF: The Headmistress of Sant Nischal Public School, Dera Ladwa, Mrs Neelima Mohan, on Wednesday, presented a cheque of Rs 12,476 to the Deputy Commissioner, Mrs Jyoti Arora, for the Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fund. Mrs Arora expressed her gratitude for this noble gesture.

PANIPAT
BOY KILLED: An eight-year-old boy of Samalkha was knocked down by a Tata-Sumo near the Hathwala road on the G. T. Road on Tuesday. The boy Raman was reportedly returning home when he was hit by the vehicle. He was admitted to the Community Health Centre, Samalkha, but later succumbed to injuries. The driver of the vehicle managed to escape, along with the vehicle. A case has been registered.

SONEPAT
POCKET PICKED: Jugti Ram, a farmer, was robbed of Rs 20,000 when his pocket was picked at the main bus stand here on Wednesday. According to a report, he was boarding a Rohtak-bound bus when the incident occurred. He, later, got a case registered.

LIGHTNING STRIKES: A buffalo was killed by lightning at Panchi Jatan village, about 15 km from here, on Wednesday. According to another report, the lightning also struck a place near 132 kv grid power substation on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road but no damage was caused.