R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

• Monastery gets a facelift
• MLN artistes shine
• Honoured 10 times

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Income Tax Bar Association: president — Mr H.S. Goolery; vice-president — Mr Rejinder Singh Aurora; secretary — Mr Gurmeet Singh Chawla; and joint secretary — Mr Ajay Gupta.

BARNALA
THRASHED: Kiranjit Kaur, a married woman, has alleged that some persons from her in-laws family along with some members of the Notified Area Committee thrashed her, taking away her gold ornaments on Monday from her parents’ house at Handiaya village, 5 km from here. A complaint has been lodged with the Handiaya police chowki.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the district unit of the Punjab, Chandigarh Patrakar Parishad: president — Mr Surjit Singh Sahi; general secretary — Mr Gurvinder Singh Grewal; vice-presidents — Mr Dilbag Rai Sood and Mangat Saidpur; patrons — Dr Swaran Singh Nirdoshi and Mr Ram Saran Sood; cashier — Mr Ashok Jhanjhi; and organising secretary — Mr Jagdev Mehra.

HOSHIARPUR
NETWORK SERVICES: The local Telecom Department introduced the Intelligent Network Services for the subscribers of Hoshiarpur city and its surrounding areas on Wednesday. Mr Mohan Lal, General Manager, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, Hoshiarpur, said at a press conference.

ALLOCATED: Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, MP, has allocated Rs 1.50 lakh out of his Local Area Development Fund for the construction of two rooms at the typing and computer centre being set up for widows and dependent girls of ex-servicemen on the premises of the local Sainik Rest House.

KHAMANO
FREE EYE OPERATION CAMP: A three-day free eye operation camp organised by the Sahara Welfare Club concluded here at Satluj Public School. About 250 patients were checked and a total of 12 eye operations were performed during the camp. The patients were given free medicines and goggles, according to President of the club, Mr Gurdeep Otal. The operations were performed by Dr Naresh Chauhan, an eye specialist posted at Government Hospital, Bhari.

BANK BRANCH EXCELS: The State Bank of Patiala, Khamano, leads all the branches of this bank in the Fatehgarh Sahib district on account of the business and progress in the last financial year that ended on March 31, 2001. The total business of this branch upto March 31, 2001, was Rs 21.84 crore. Total profit of this year was Rs 67 lakh. According to the Manager, Mr S.K. Dhindsa, all records of this branch has been computerised from January 1,2001.

LUDHIANA
HONOURED: Ninder Gill, a noted Punjabi writer, was honoured by the Nav Lekhak Manch for his contribution towards Punjabi literature. He was awarded Nanak Singh Memorial Award. This award is given annually in the memory of the eminent Punjabi writer, Nanak Singh. The function was held in Sirahu village near Ludhiana.

MALERKOTLA
DENTAL CAMP: Under the intensive dental health care programme of the Punjab Health Department, Dr Mohd Shabbir, CMO, Dental Civil Hospital, Malerkotla, organised a check-up camp at Robin Model School, Dhuri, on Tuesday. Seven hundred and fifty students were checked.

ASSOCIATION’S PLEA: The Malerkotla Welfare Association, in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner had demanded a ban on the manufacture, storage and use of polythene bags in the district. Mr Munish Jindal, president of the association, said it had become a health hazard.

MANSA
DISMISSED: Sub-Inspector Budh Singh who was posted with the Ist battalion of the Indian Reserve Battalion, Patiala, and was convicted by Mr S.S. Gupta, Special Judge, mansa, under Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, has been dismissed from service with effect from March 5. A case had been registered against him at the Bhikhi police station following a complaint of Bharpur Singh of Ghurne village.

BOOKED: The police has registered a case under Section 409, IPC, against Darbara Singh Jatana, former principal of Government Senior Secondary School at nangal Kalan village in this district, on the complaint of the gram panchayat and residents of the village. In the FIR, it has been alleged that he had committed a criminal breach of trust regarding school funds, amounting to lakhs of rupees.

MOGA
URGED: Tomato growers of the region said on Tuesday that they were forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices as the price of the vegetable had gone down considerably during the past few days. They urged the authorities concerned to fix its prices.

COMPLAINED: Students of almost all local institutions here on Wednesday complained that their schools forced them to buy text books and exercise books at higher rates, although these books were available in the open market at cheaper rates. They urged the authorities to take action against the managements of such schools.

RICE MILLS: The parents of school-going children here on Wednesday complained that due to the release of paddy husk by the rice mills, the children had started complaining of respiratory problems and irritation in eyes. At present, there are 40 such mills in the town.

NAWANSHAHR
FIRE: Fire broke out reportedly due to a short-circuit at the local Gautam Rice Mills on Monday. Husk was destroyed in the fire, which was put out within a few hours . The fire brigade reached the scene the after one and a half hours.

ARRESTED: Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, in a press note issued here on Tuesday said the Banga police, had arrested Sukhbir Singh, Satnam Kumar, Gurpreet Ram, and Surinder Kumar, all residents of Thandian village, Maninder Singh of Jeendewal village and Kamaljit Singh of Banga and seized sharp-edged weapons from them. During interrogation, they admitted that they had been involved in various cases of looting in the district. A case had been registered.

POPPY HUSK: Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, in a press note released here on Wednesday said the police intercepted a truck (PB 29 B-9010) coming from Anandpur Sahib and seized 112 bags of poppy husk from it. The police has arrested Balbir Singh, cleaner of the truck. The driver, Gurmukh Singh, escaped.

LINK ROADS: Mr Jagjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, in a press note issued here on Wednesday said Rs 3 crore had been received under the Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojna. Under the scheme, villages having population of 500 to 1000 persons would be provided link roads.

PHAGWARA
CASH LOOTED: Three miscreants looted Rs 2700 from a liquor vend at the local Bhullarai Road on Monday and injured an employee, Ashok Kumar. A case under Sections 382/34 of the IPC has been registered.

PHILLAUR
WHEAT: About 62,80,165 tonnes of wheat have arrived in different mandis of the state till Tuesday. This was disclosed by the Punjab Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, on Wednesday.

SUNAM
FAULTY TELEPHONES: The normal functioning of the local SDM office here has been badly affected for the past one month due to the installation of faulty new telephone sets by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited authorities at the office. Mr Praneet Bhardwaj, SDM, confirmed this on Wednesday.

TARN TARAN
FAKE CURRENCY: The Sadar Police seized 39 currency notes of the 100-rupee denomination from Dalbir Singh, a resident of Dugri village, on Tuesday. A case under Section 420, 489-A of the IPC has been registered against him.

ZIRAKPUR
SHOP GUTTED: Goods worth thousands of rupees were gutted in a fire which broke out in a confectionary shop of Mr Balihar Chand at Chhat village, 5 km from here, on Monday night. A team of police personnel along with the in charge of the Lohgarh police post reached the spot and helped villagers to put off the fire.

CHANDIGARH

REHABILITATION WORK: Rehabilitation of sum-dwellers of the Janata and Kumhar Colonies in Sector 25 has begun. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr M. Ramsekhar, revealed that 21-day time has been given to deposit Rs 6,000 as a lump sum amount. The remaining amount would be collected in the form of equated monthly instalments, which would include ground rent. The eligible persons would be given plinth sites in Sector 25. Allotment letters bearing the joint names of husbands and wives, in order to provide security to women, were being issued. Slum-dwellers would be removed after giving a fixed statutory period to finish construction at the new sites.

HARYANA

AMBALA
ASSOCIATION MEETING: A meeting of the Open School Welfare Association was held at Saraswati Open School on Wednesday. The meeting was held over a complaint received by the association regarding a Mahesh Nagar-based private coaching centre. Sixteen students of the centre had not been able to take the examination due to the centre for not forwarding the examination fees in time. The association president, Mr Balkesh Vats, said the complainants had demanded action against the centre and sought justice so that they do not lose one year.

LAWYERS STRIKE WORK: The District Bar Association suspended work for a day on Wednesday. The work was suspended in protest against the “victimisation” of lawyers in different parts of the state. The lawyers cited two instances, one in Panchkula and the other in Panipat.

LAND DONATED: Mrs Vimla Suda, a resident of Ambala Cantonment, has donated one acre of land for a new building of DAV Public School in Simbla village, Barara, according to a press note.

TRADERS' PLEA: The Ambala Cantonment Traders Federation has requested the Ambala MP, Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, to set up a committee, with its office in Delhi, for motivating industrial units of Delhi to shift here. The committee should work as liaison with the Haryana Government to provide them facility of establishment of the units in Ambala. “The land for factory and residential area to be allotted at concessional rates, electricity connection and permission for construction should be given on priority basis,” according to a press note. Mr Kataria assured the deputation that he shortly constitute the committee and take up the matter with the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

IMA HARYANA: The Indian Medical Association, Haryana, president, Dr D.S. Jaspal, said the association at its state council committee meeting has resolved to form a disaster management committees to provide relief to the victims in case of any mishap. He said similar committees would be formed at the branch level. Dr Ved Beniwal patron, IMA, Haryana will look after the committee at state level, according to a press note. The IMA welcomes the bio-medical waste bye-laws but there is a need to adopt modern methods for disposal of hospital waste. It was felt that incinerators are a big health hazard. The incinerators are being phased out the world over as these violate standards of air pollution, the note stated.

ISO-14001 CERTIFICATION: Stockists for Amul products here said that Mother Dairy, Gandhi Nagar, has recently got ISO-14001 certification. The stockist said a variety of Amul products are available here which includes butter, ghee and milk products, according to a press note.

HONOURED: On the occasion of Labour Day, students of Convent of Sacred Heart, Ambala Cantonment, felicitated labourers at Seva Kendra. The labourers were garlanded and given sweets by the students. Among others the principal, Mrs Lukhwinder Kaur, and the Director, Mr Pradeep Prem, were present on the occasion, according to a press note.

KAITHAL
BANNED: The District Magistrate, Mr Phateh Singh Dagar, has banned the burning of straw by setting the fields on fire with immediate effect. The order will remain in force till May 31. Any person found violating the order will be liable for punishment under Section 188 of the IPC.

SONEPAT
POWER BREAKDOWN: Thousands of people living in the old section of the city remained in darkness for more than three hours following a power breakdown on Tuesday evening. According to residents, the breakdown occurred around 7 p.m. and the supply was restored around 10.30 p.m.

NOTICES ISSUED: The Pollution Control Board, Haryana, has issued notices to 294 brick-kilns of the district directing them to fix pollution free chimneys. Otherwise they would be closed in accordance with the law.

TRAFFIC DISRUPTED: Traffic on the Kharkhauda-Delhi road remained disrupted throughout the night on Tuesday following the uprooting of electricity poles after a truck rammed into them, near Ferozepore Bangar village, about 25 km from here, on Tuesday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
CHARGE TAKEN: Mr Joginder Singh Rana joined as Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur district on Tuesday. He replaced Mr Jagdish Chander Sharma who has been transferred to Mandi district as Deputy Commissioner.

ELECTED: Mr Baldev Singh Thakur was elected president of the Banta village Satarkta Samiti on Tuesday. Mr Bhagat Ram and Mr Ramesh Rao were elected vice-president and general secretary, respectively of the samiti.

CHAMBA
REPAIRS: The Municipal Council of Chamba has decided to undertake immediate repairs of the town’s streets, lanes and alley-ways which were damaged by the Irrigation-cum-Public Health Department while laying sewers and pipes for augmenting the water supply scheme. Mr SP Dhall, president of the council, disclosed that an annual budget of Rs 1.34 crore had been passed by the municipal council.

Monastery gets a facelift

The Tibetan monastery at Kasumpti in Shimla is being decked up for the first visit of the Karmapa who is expected to come on May 6 for a week-long tour of Shimla.

The inside and the exterior of the monastery is being painted. The Karmapa will stay in the monastery during his visit here, a local lama said. The road leading to the monastery was also being repaired.

The Karmapa will also visit the monastery at Sanjauli and deliver discourse.

However, all this will depend on whether his visit here is cleared by the Union Home Ministry.

The monastery at Kasumpti was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in August, 1992. It is considered a replica of the 400-year-old Buddhist monastery at Dorjidak in South Lhasa, Tibet, which was destroyed by the Chinese in 1949.

The earlier incarnation of the monastery established in 1610 was the oldest of the six of the Nyengmabe tradition. Five of these were destroyed by the Chinese while the sixth escaped as it was located in Ladakh area of J&K.

The local lamas say the monastery has many rare scriptures and symbols which were brought by the fleeing lamas from the original monastery. Research on Buddhist philosophy, tantra and rituals is also being conducted in the monastery where the Thubten Dorjidak Aewam Chokgar Institute has been established.

MLN artistes shine

Mukand Lal National College, Yamunanagar, has created a record of sorts in dramatics. Students of the college have prepared and staged various dramas in the past four-five years and have won honours in various competitions at the university, inter-university, state and national levels.

Dr Ramesh Kumar, Principal of the college, says the play “Jab Main Sirf Aurat Hoti Hoon” was declared the best at the Sixth All-India National Youth Festival at Gandhi Nagar (Gujarat). Our students represented Haryana and it was for the first time that our state won the first position at the national level, he said.

Recently another play “Poster” written by Dr Shankar Shesh was adjudged as one of the first four plays of the nation at the All-India Inter-University Youth Festival held at Banaras (UP).

Mukand Lal National College has been the champion of Kurukshetra University for several years in the field of dramatics. Its team won the first position at the All-India Inter-University National Youth Festival (Jhankar-2001), organised by Panjab University, Chandigarh, in March, 2001.

Dr Ramesh Kumar said a young dramatist, actor and director, Dr Sanjeev Chaudhry, a lecturer in Hindi of the college, has directed these dramas.

The college is providing financial assistance to a number of students for doing professional courses in dramatics and prestigious drama courses with the result about 20 actors are working and producing serials and dramas in Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and other centres in the country.

Honoured 10 times

Having put in 38 years of graceful service and cornering many departmental commendations during this period, Mr Harbans Singh Chakal, an Establishment Officer in the office of Circle Education Office at Jalandhar has retired on April 30. Before joining here in August last year, Mr Chakal has remained posted at Chandigarh for most of the time.

Talking to the TNS, Mr Chakal claimed that he has been awarded with appreciation awards by the Education Department for his unblemished track record and service for more than 10 times. Mr Chakal is grateful to his bosses and colleagues who have showered so much of love on him which has been acting as a driving force during his career spanning three decades. However, he is sore that unlike teachers, there is no provision of any state or national level award for the best among the ministerial staff of the Education Department.