R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
NOMINATED: Dr Renu Goel, Councillor, was nominated member of the District Sales Tax Advisory Committee for Amritsar Circle-I comprising 31 government and non-government members while three other councillors — Mr Madan Lal Aneja, Mr Rajesh Khandari and Ms Nirmal Kanta Suri — were nominated members of the Amritsar Circle II. The official notification was signed by Mr Avtar Singh, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner.

BARNALA
SENIOR CITIZENS: A long-pending grievance of nearly 1,800 pensioners has been redressed following the decision to set up a new branch of the State Bank of Patiala in the local Block Development Office complex. This would facilitate them in getting pensions. This was disclosed here on Wednesday by Mr N.S. Walia, SDM here.

BATHINDA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Punsup Employees Union, here: president — Mr Daljit Singh Karwal; vice-president — Mr Bagga Singh Sidhu; general secretary — Mr Suchha Singh Ahluwalia; joint secretary — Mr Makhan Singh Man and treasurer — Mr Rakesh Kumar.

SHSAD MEETINGS: Meetings of various Panthic agencies and organisations are being held at block and circle levels. The meeting of Mansa and Bathinda districts would be held on Thursday at diwan hall of Takht Shri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo. A state-level meeting of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) would be held on Friday next. This was stated by Mr Toga Singh, general secretary, SHSAD, in a press note issued here on Wednesday.

ROADS WIDENED: Nearly Rs 2.75 crore would be spent for patch works and link roads of Nathana-Bhagta-Bagha Purana and Slabatpura-Phul-Maur Mandi would be widened. The Chief Minister has directed authorities of the Public Works Departments to identify the roads in need of repair. Cheques amounting to Rs 19.25 lakh were distributed to 22 schools of Rampura Phul of the district for various development works. This was stated in a press note issued here on Wednesday by the Public Relations Department.

DEVELOPMENT WORKS: The youth clubs, NGOs, village panchayats should help in development works which would lead to improvement in quality and pace of work. This was stated by Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Minister for Science and Technology, Punjab, while addressing a function at Virk Kalan village, near here. He also distributed cheques amounting to Rs 1 lakh for various development projects.

DORAHA
PRIZE DISTRIBUTION “Punjab has lacked behind in many areas during the rule of Badal government. Both agricultural and industrial growths have received a set back in his time. The GATT agreement has destroyed the economic structure of the country and in such a sorry state of affairs, how can a man dream of happiness and prosperity?” said Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra while he was here to attend the annual prize distribution function of Nankana Sahib Public School at Rampur village near Doraha. Mr Tejinder Singh Rampur, President, School Managing Committee and member SGPC, gave a detailed report of the academics, sports and cultural achievements of the school. The prizes were distributed to the students by the chief guest. The guest of honour was Mr Mahinder Singh Grewal, MLA. Apart from others the occassion was graced by Mr Sukhdev singh Libra, Member Parliament, Mr Kuldip Singh Ghudani, advocate, Mr Inderjit Singh Lopon, Mr Paramjit Singh Rampur, Mr Manohar Singh Begowal. In the end, the vote of thanks came from the Principal of the school.

DERA BASSI
MEET: The Punjab police will organise a subdivision level two-day “Police Public Athletics Meet” in local Government High School on Saturday and Sunday. This is the first ever meet organised by the Punjab police. In a press statement Mr H.S. Bhullar, DSP, stated that apart from competitions in kabaddi, volleyball and tug of war, a cultural function would also be organised during the meet. He said a number of social organisations, including youth clubs, Rotary clubs and general public, were expected to participate in the meet. Those interested should send their entries by Thursday till 2 p.m. The Senior Superintendent of Patiala, Mr Harpreet Singh Sidhu, will honour the winners.

FARIDKOT
RECORD SUGAR: The Faridkot Cooperative Sugar Mill has produced a record sugar of 2.28 lakh bags by crushing 28.85 lakh quintal sugarcane during this season. The information was given here on Thursday by Mr R.S. Brar, managing director of the mill.

SEMINAR: The local Guru Gobind Singh Medical College will hold a seminar on national medicine update 2001 on Sunday at the college premises. According to the organising secretary, special focus will be laid to make the participants aware of the latest developments in the field of medicine.

GARHSHANKAR
RESIGNATION SOUGHT: The Garhshankar Block Congress Committee and the Mahilpur Block Congress Committee of Hoshiarpur district on Thursday organised protest rallies at Garhshankar and Mahilpur, respectively in support of their demand for resignation of the Vajpayee Government following the Tehelka expose.

HOSHIARPUR
DAV SCHOOLS: The DAV College Managing Committee here has decided to start DAV Public Schools at Suratgarh, district Sriganganagar (Rajasthan), Ellenabad district Sirsa (Haryana), and Sardulgarh, district Mansa (Punjab) from this academic session. This was disclosed by Mr Amar Nath, joint secretary of the Managing Committee, in a press note issued here on Wednesday.

KILLED: Noni, six-year-old daughter of Mour Singh of Denowal Khurd village, died on the spot when a scooter hit her while she was crossing a road here on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the body of Tarsem Lal (32), a labourer of Repur police station, Hajipur, was found in canal sewer near Hajipur on Tuesday.

WOOD SEIZED: The Talwara police seized 12/13 quintal logs of khair wood worth Rs 35,000 from the fields of Sham Singh, son of Brahm Dass at Bhavnour village, on Tuesday. A case has been registered in this connection under Section 102 of the CrPC.

ARRESTED: The Tanda police arrested Balwinder Singh of Nangal Khunga village on Tuesday for being in possession of 6,750 ml of illicit liquor. A case has been registered against him.

KAPURTHALA
SUICIDE COMMITTED: Vipan Kumar (22), a labourer from Bihar, on Friday committed suicide by strangling himself in his room in the local labour colony. His body was found hanging from a ceiling fan. It was brought to the local Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The police has registered a case in this connection and is investigating the matter.

REMANDED: Mr B.J. Nangli, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, on Tuesday remanded Ravi Kumar, a local goldsmith, to judicial custody till April 17 for duping a youth of Rs 80,000. The district police arrested Ravi Kumar for taking the amount from Sandeep Kumar of Dhapai village promising to send him to Germany but instead he sent him to Russia from where he was deported to India.

LUDHIANA
MAHAVIR JAYANTI: To mark the beginning of the celebrations of 2600 years of Tirthankara Mahavira’s Janma Kalyanak and observe the first Ahimsa Day, a function would be held at Shri Jain Muni Shyam Vihar Charitable Trust , New Kirti Nagar, Chandigarh Road, opposite Vardhman mill, on Friday morning. According to Mr Dev Raj Jain, Chairman of the trust, prominent Jain munis and political personalities including Mr Sat Pal Gosain, Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha and Lala Lajpat Rai, MP, will grace the occasion. The Ludhiana chapter of People For Animals will also organise an exhibition on the occasion, according to Mr Sandeep Jain, President, PFA. The purpose of the exhibition is to educate the people by way of charts and pictures as to what constitutes cruelty to animals. The exhibition also aims at promoting vegetarianism. Free treatment to animals would be given at the Jeeva Daya Sadan, Haibowal, which is run by the PFA, added Dr Jain. Dr Jain said the PFA would further pursue their efforts for getting various slaughter houses in the city closed. They have already met the Deputy Commissioner in this connection and urged him to do the needful at the earliest. Dr Anupma Jain, Vice-president, PFA, would supervise a free langar near the old courts tomorrow. 

STOLEN: Certain unidentified persons have stolen about 2000 feet long cable of the Telecom department, Ludhiana, here on Thursday night. The cable was stolen from near Army complex Dholewal Chowk. According an FIR registered at division No. 6 police station at the complaint of Mr S.S. Sehgal, SDO, Telephone, the cable was stolen from a main roll kept at the place for laying the cable. The police has got no clue about the thieves so far. 

BOY 'KIDNAPPED': A 17-year-old boy, allegedly kidnapped and beaten by about three persons on Thursday, was admitted to Civil Hospital here after he managed to escape from their custody. The boy was seemingly ‘kidnapped’ due to some family problems and not for any ransom. According to an FIR registered at Basti Jodhewal police station on the complaint of Mr Gurcharran Dass, the father of the boy Sonu. The father alleged that the boy was kidnapped by Surinder Kumar and 2 others of Samrala. He has also alleged that his son was kidnapped at the behest of his wife with whom he is having estranged relations. The police said that the boy was taken away by the three accused from a shop near Tibba road to Nakkodar. The boy was also beaten but later he managed to escape and called up his father. The police has not arrested anyone so far. 

STOLEN: Copper and brass worth thousands have been reported to be stolen from a factory in Focal Point here. According to an FIR registered by the police, about 800 kg of brass and another 40 kg of copper were stolen from the factory of Mr Raj Thapa. However, no arrest has been made so far. 

CASE CANCELLED: The district police has cancelled a case of cheating, forgery and conspiracy in a land dispute case against Daljit Singh, District Commandant, Home Guards, posted at Patiala. The case was registered against the Home Guards officer and 8 others on February 16 last on the complaint of Ram Singh, owner of Sohi Badam Bagh, near here. All of them have been exonerated of the charges. The booked persons were accused of forging documents to claim certain property of Ram Singh. The case was registered on the recommendation of the Ludhiana SSP. However, an inquiry conducted by SP (Operations), Ludhiana, has found that the case was registered on false allegations. It said the allegation against the persons that they had got signature and thumb impression of the brother of Ram Singh under the influence of liquor was found to be false. The inquiry report was sent for further study to the DA (Legal) who recommended for the cancellation of the case.

FUNCTION POSTPONED: As many as 81 students of Punjab Agriculture University, have to wait for getting their awards for their achievements in sports and cultural activities for uncertain period. According to the reliable sources the annual prize distribution function of the university, which was scheduled to be held on April 9, 2000, has been postponed till further notice by the authorities. 

CONDEMNED: Homoeopathic Physician Society, Punjab, condemned the caution notice issued by Dr Lalit Verma, Secretary, Central Council of Homoeopathy, regarding the award of degree to the DHMS prior to 1983 by the Punjab Council whereas the Central Council had agreed that the diploma was equivalent to degree in the year 1990. The society also demanded immediate resignation of the ‘irresponsible’ Secretary. Dr Inderjit Singh, secretary and Dr Kuljeet Singh Bhalla, president, HPS, Punjab, in a press statement on Friday said Dr Verma had issued the notice on April 2, 2001 but the period to get applications for the award of degree by the Punjab Council expired on March 31, 2001. The society members alleged that Secretary, CCH, had diverted from the decision of the CCH and was not a ‘capable’ secretary. Meanwhile, the society members have hailed the statement of Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Punjab Minister for Medical Education, of giving fulfledged degrees instead of honorary degrees to the diploma holders. 

ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED: In yet another case of illegal possession of property of an NRI, the Sarabha Nagar police has registered a case against a city resident for illegally occuping a plot of an NRI Sanyogta Anand, who is living in Canada. The case has been registered against Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Durga Bhawan Dandi Swami Chowk, here. The complainant alleged that she had purchased a plot in Barewal Awana in 1993 but the accused illegally occupied it in November 2000. He said all his efforts to get the land vacated have not borne any fruit so far.

MOGA
WHEAT PROCUREMENT: The Director, Food and Supplies, Mr Vajaralingam, Punjab, on Wednesday visited almost all wheat procurement centres in the district to personally see the arrangements made for wheat procurement for the coming wheat crop in the district.

MINOR RAPED: A minor was allegedly raped at Dhatrath village in the district by a youth of the same village. According to a report here on Thursday, the rapist Jaiveer has been absconding after the crime. The police has registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC at Pillu Khera police station.

MAN KILLED: One person was seriously injured after he fell from a bus near Ram Rai village on Wednesday. He was admitted to the local General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased has been identified as Baru Ram of Bhougra village.

MANSA
DE-ADDICTION CENTRE: The drug de-addiction centres set up by the District Red Cross Society here has achieved very good results during its short tenure of only six months. This was disclosed by Ms Raji P. Shrivastava, Deputy Commissioner-cum-president of the District Red Cross Society, here on Thursday. She said the centre which started on October 1 last year had cured nearly 136 patients.

PRIZE DISTRIBUTION: The prize distribution function of rural tournament held at Bhame Kalan village in the district on Wednesday was organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra. Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, General Secretary of the SAD(B) and Rajya Sabha member, presided over.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Punjab State Arthiya Association: patron — Mr Paras Ram (Muktsar), president — Mr Narinder Pal Danewalia (Mansa); senior vice-president — Mr Harinder Singh Sahni (Budhlada); vice-presidents — Mr Meg Raj Goyal (Sunam) and Mr Tersem Chand (Bhikhi) and general secretary — Mr Bawa Singh (Jaitu).

STUDENTS’ FEDERATION: Mr Kulwinder Singh Uddat has been unanimously elected district president of the Students Federation of India (SFI) at its meeting held here on Wednesday.

SAMRALA
CULTURAL PROGRAMME: Malwa Sabhyachark Walfare Club, Bondli, Samrala, is going to organise a cultural programme and Natak Mela on April 9 in connection with Baisakhi according to Mr Rajvinder Singh, Director, Akas Rang Manch. Mr Sandeep Hans, SDM, Samrala, will preside over the function while Jathedar Kirpal Singh Khirnian, member SGPC, will distribute the prizes.

CHANDIGARH

PANCHKULA
AID PROMISED: British Rotarian couple, Mr Allan Smith and Ms Lynn Smith, assured the office-bearers of the National Handicapped Welfare Council, Haryana, that they would take up the case of aiding construction of their institute in Sector 12, here on Wednesday. During a visit to the site where construction work had been suspended for want of funds, the couple said that they would ask local Rotarians to take up the cause of the institute for the physically-challenged and help in the completion of the project. The project director, Mr K.C. Wadhawan, informed them that the institute would cater to 200 physically-challenged persons.

HARYANA

JAIN INSTITUTIONS: The Jain institutions in Ambala would involve themselves in social and public welfare activities. It was stated by the secretary of SA Jain College Management Committee Mr Kirti Prashad Jain, here on Thursday. Speaking in a function on the eve of Mahavir Jayanti he said Lord Mahavira was the symbol of peace and non-violence and the people should follow his teachings.

HISAR
JEWELLERY RECOVERED: Jewellery worth Rs 12,000 was recovered from a thief who was arrested here on Wednesday. According to the police, Ishwar Singh, alongwith his two associates Mahender Singh and Rampal, had stolen jewellery, colour televisions and VCRs from three houses in the town. Mahender Singh and Rampal had been arrested earlier.

TWO ARRESTED: Two persons were arrested for demanding ransom from a poultry farm owner. According to the police, Pahlwan and Satyadev of nearby Piranwali village had demanded a ransom of Rs 5,000 from Arun Kumar, resident of the local Patel Nagar, last month.

JIND
ROAD MISHAP: One person was killed and 10 others injured when a private bus in which they were travelling collided with a tractor-trailer on the Jind-Narwana road, about 30 km from here, on Wednesday. The injured have been admitted to the General Hospital at Narwana. The deceased has been identified as Jai Kumar of Jagraon town in Punjab. The police has registered a case.

KAITHAL
INAUGURATED: Mr Ajay Chautala, MP, inaugurated and laid foundation stone of development schemes worth Rs 73 lakh here on Wednesday. He had earlier inaugurated building of Bal Bhavan and Community Centre. He also laid the foundation stone of the indoor power substation to be built at the local mini secretariat and a rural secretariat at Patti Afgan.

YAMUNANAGAR
STUDENT’S IMMOLATION BID: The Principals’ Association has expressed anguish and concern regarding an immolation bid by a student of D N College, Hisar, at the residence of the Principal of the college, Dr Ramesh Kumar, president of the association , said here on Wednesday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

ULTIMATUM: The HP Public Works Department Government Contractors Union at Ghumarwin, near here, was served an ultimatum to the PWD authorities that if all their pending bills were not cleared by Friday, they would be constrained to launch a protest on Saturday. This was stated in a press note issued here on Wednesday.

MANDI
CRUSHED: A tractor driver Anil Kumar was crushed under his own tractor at Jogindernagar, 56 km from here. His body was sent for a post-mortem examination to the local Civil Hospital. The cause of accident could not be known immediately.

FINANCIAL CRISIS: Financial crisis in Himachal Pradesh have assumed alarming proportions as nearly 10,000 daily wagers in the zone have not been paid dues for a period varying between one and three months. Mr Rajinder Singh Guleria, president of the PWD Workers Union, Mandi district, said here on Wednesday.