R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
OFFICE-BEARERS: A state-level meeting of the Punjab State Cooperative Inspectors Association elected the following as office-bearers of the association: state president — Mr Bhupinder Singh Walia; general secretary — Mr Karamjit Singh Chatha; senior vice-presidents — Mr Nirmal Singh and Mr Kaur Singh; vice-presidents — Mr Nirvair Singh, Mr Jaswant Singh Dhillon and Mr Kaur Singh; and organising secretaries — Mr Shamshad Ali, Mr Guljar Singh Sandhu and Mr Sukhdev Singh Mann.

FARIDKOT
ALLEGED: The United Communist Party of India (UCPI) has condemned the Punjab Government for allegedly befooling the people regarding the arrest of hardcore militant Wassan Singh Zaffarwal. Comrade Sukhinder Singh Dhaliwal, state president of the UCPI, alleged that the Chief Minister had played this drama only to hide the facts about his links with Zaffarwal.

KHAMANO
WHEAT PROCUREMENT: About 200 quintals of wheat crop has been purchased by government agencies here. Mr Sharnail Singh Gill, secretary of the Market Committee, said all arrangements had been made in the mandis.

LUDHIANA
FUNCTION: The Shri Sidh Sewa Mandal, Dhuri Line, will pay school fee to needy students at the 14th annual programme to be held at Mandir Baba Balak Nathji on Sunday. The function will be inaugurated by Dr Ashwini Chaudhary, consultant microneuro surgeon, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital. Mr Surinder Sharma, president of the organisation, said a cultural programme would also be held.

LECTURE: The Punjab Agricultural University unit of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle organised a lecture on “Dimensions of personality development” at students’ home on Friday. Dr Swarandeep Singh, president, PAU Speakers Forum, suggested steps for developing personality. Earlier, Harmandeep Singh, a student of the Department of Soil Sciences, welcomed the dignitaries. Dr Ranjit Singh, Dean, College of Agriculture, was the chief guest. Mr Sarabjit Singh, Assistant Professor of the Department of Journalism, summed up the discussion.

BAISAKHI FUNCTIONS: An impressive function was held at Gurdwara Mai Bishan Kaur, Professor Colony, here on Friday. Prominent raagis and kirtan groups dwelt on the founding of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh. The kirtan presented by Hazoori ragis, Bhai Sukhdev Singh, Bibi Sukhcharan Kaur and Bhai Ajmer Singh, captivated the audience. Later, Principal Ram Singh, chief organiser, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, and Dr Devinder Singh of the local Sikh Missionary College gave educational lectures on the Khalsa Panth and the importance of Baisakhi. The circle in collaboration with DMC Hospital also organised a blood donation camp. As many as 50 persons donated blood and nearly 200 others got their blood group checked free of cost. Langar was served on the occasion. Another mela was held at Bhaini Sahib under the patronage of Satguru Jagjit Singhji, who in his address said that in these hard times remembering God could bring peace.

TRADE FAIR: About 20 cycle and cycle parts manufacturers will participate in the international bicycle fair at Cologne, in Germany, from September 13 to 16. It will help them to assess them their standing in the international market, said Mr D.S. Chawla, president, of United Cycle and Cycle Parts Manufacturers Association.

MACHHIWARA
INAUGURATED: A maternity and surgical nursing home was inaugurated here on Friday by Dr Kuldeep Singh, a surgeon. Various doctors and prominent dignitaries were present on the occasion. The in charge of the clinic, Dr Sukhwinder Kaur, said she would try her level best to impart all sorts of medical facilities to the people of this area.

WHEAT PROCUREMENT: Government agencies started procuring wheat on Saturday. It was started in the presence of Mr K.B. Singla, DFSO, Ludhiana, according to Mr H.S. Sidhu, AFSO, Machhiwara. In the current season the arrival is expected to be 6.50 lakh quintal. Due to moisture in the wheat, the procurement work is slow.

MALERKOTLA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Malerkotla Adventure Club: president — Mr Seikh Karrar Hussain; vice-president — Mr Asgar Ali; general secretary — Mr Assif Hussain; and treasurer — Mr Mazhar Ali.

BAN SOUGHT: Oxytocin, which should ideally be administered selectively and carefully on cattle and only under the supervision and on prescription of a veterinary doctor, is, however, being used with impunity by dairy owners here. The Malerkotla Welfare Association has demanded an immediate ban on the sale of Oxytocin injections in open market.

MANSA
GRANT RELEASED: A sum of Rs 10.40 lakh was released during the financial year 2000-2001 to seven gram panchayats in the district for construction of 42 new houses and repair of 20 old houses of people living below poverty line. These funds were received from the Central Government under the Pradhan Mantri Gramodya Yojana (Gramin Awas). This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner here on Friday.

MOGA
BAN ORDERS: The District Magistrate, Mr Kanwalbir Singh Sidhu, on Friday imposed a ban on gathering of people in front of examination centres to avoid incidents of copying. The order, issued under Section 144 of the CrPC, will remain in force till these examinations are over.

PATIALA
CAR STOLEN: The car of Dr Rajan Girdhar was stolen from the busy Lahori Gate area of the city. According to police sources, the doctor had parked his car in a by-lane near his house during the night but when he woke up in the morning and prepared to leave for duty he failed to locate his white Maruti car (PB-29A-0076). He immediately reported the matter to the Kotwali police station. The police has lodged an FIR. 

ASSOCIATION: The Punjab and Chandigarh Ayurvedic Colleges Teachers Association (PCACTA) will be merged into the North Zone Ayurvedic Colleges Teachers Association (NZACTA) at a meeting scheduled to be held here on Sunday. The already existing PCACTA will also decide the line of action of the association regarding the agitation which is being planned to be conducted on May 1 against the non-fulfillment of their demands. 

SAMRALA
NEW ADDL SECY: Jathedar Jagdev Singh Talwandi, President of SGPC, has appointed Dr Balwant Singh Chahal as Additional Secretary, Nankana Sahib Public School Samrala. This appointment has been widely welcomed.

CHANDIGARH

ELECTED: Following have been elected the office-bearers of Block Nationalist Mahila Congress, Block No 5 of the UT — President; Ms Sneh Lata; Vice-President — Ms Rani, General Secretary — Ms Reena, Secretary — Ms Giano, and Joint Secretary — Ms Sonia.

HARYANA

AMBALA
CHAMPIONSHIP: Yogita Sharma has won a gold medal in the trio’s category of the National Sports Dance and Fitness Federation championship. She won a silver medal in the senior women’s section at the championship held recently in Patiala. Yogita is pursuing M.PEd from IGIPESS in Delhi after completing her diploma. 

CONFERENCE: The Ambala chapter of the World Conference of Religion for Peace will organise All Religion Conference at Ambala Cantt on Sunday. The secretary of the chapter, Mr Balkesh Vats, said that the Chairman of the Minority Commission, Mr Zaraf Ali Naqwi, and the national president of the WCRP will participate in the conference. 

ROBBERIES: Robberies in three medical stores of Naraingarh have been reported. According to the police, the robbers took away cash from the stores. The police has registered a case in this regard. 

BHIWANI
MISSING: Mr Satyavan Chahar, a junior engineer with the Public Health Department here has been missing for the past several days. A report in this connection was lodged by his wife, Ms Santosh Chahar, on April 8.

HISAR
SENTENCED: The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr B.M. Bedi, has sentenced four persons to three-year imprisonment and fined them Rs 2,000 each on the charge of aborting pregnancy. They include Ravi Datt and his three sons, Naresh, Sumesh and Marvand of nearby Sulchani village. According to the prosecution, they, along with two other persons, had beaten up a pregnant woman of the same village mercilessly when she was alone in her house two years ago. Following this, she had a miscarriage.

RELIEF SOUGHT: The local Hailstorm Relief Action Committee has urged the state government to provide relief to the farmers whose crops had been damaged completely during the hailstorm on March 28. This was stated in a press note issued by the committee on Saturday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KULU
NALWAR MELA: A seven-day “Nalwar mela” began at Gram Panchayat Hat on Friday. Mr Maheshwar Singh, MP, inaugurated the mela.

SHIMLA
URGED: Mr D.R. Dhiman, a former chairman of the Bilaspur Zila Parishad, has urged the government to carry out an environment impact assessment and prepare a catchment treatment plan accordingly before starting work on the 800-mw Kol Dam project. He said the Sutlej river, on which the project was being built, was prone to floods and the area fell under seismic zone.