R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

HOSHIARPUR
SUICIDE: Gaurav (32) allegedly committed suicide by consuming celphos tablets at Sham Gali of Bahedurpur Chowk on Wednesday following a dispute with his father. His father suffered a sudden heart attack and died on the spot on seeing the deteriorating condition of his son before he died.

KHANNA
CATTLE FAIR: The Khanna police on Thursday forcibly dispersed about 200 persons who were trying to hold a cattle fair at the local camping grounds. According to the information available, that District Magistrate of Ludhiana had banned the cattle fair following the break-out of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle.

DELEGATION: A delegation led by Mr Jagdev Singh, convener of the Lok Sangharsh Committee, met the SSP of Khanna on Thursday and demanded withdrawal of cases against eight persons, including a khet mazdoor union leader. He alleged that the police had tortured Mr Harjinder Singh, the union leader, on the behest of an octroi contractor. He said the SSP had assured him that all the cases would be withdrawn before June 14, the next date of hearing.

LUDHIANA
VET HOSPITAL: The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has planned to construct a veterinary hospital at Mattewara village. The society aims to treat all stray animals in the hospital. To begin with, only a boundary wall and water supply will be possible with the meagre amounts available.

HEALTH AWARENESS: To create health awareness among the masses, June 1 to 15 is being observed as Family Health Awareness Fortnight. According to a press note, various camps will be organised at different areas during these 15 days.

IMA’S APPEAL: Dr Gursharan Singh, president of the local unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), on behalf of the association, has appealed to the doctors having ultrasound facility at their clinics to get themselves registered at the Civil Surgeon’s office. In a press note, he said this had been made mandatory as per a High Court ruling in an attempt to stop female foeticide.

YOUTH AKALI DAL: A meeting of the All India Youth Akali Dal (Badal) was held here under the presidentship of Mr Inderpreet Singh Bhattal, adopted a resolution to urge the party leadership to nominate senior party leader, Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, from Ludhiana rural constituency in the coming assembly elections. The AIYAD functionaries observed that Mr Dhillon had made tremendous efforts for alround development of the constituency during the last four years, after the party high command entrusted the responsibility for the same to him. Prominent among others present in the meeting were Mr Ajit Singh Batra, Mr Arshwinder Singh, Mr Jatinder Singh Tinkoo, Mr Balraj Singh, Mr Harpreet Singh, Mr Amrik Singh Tuli, Mr Avtar Singh, Mr Joginder Singh Bagga, Mr Gurpreet Singh Dharampura, Mr Amrik Singh Grewal, Mr Gurjit Singh Bal and Mr Balbir Singh Khangoora.

RASHTRIYA KRANTI PARTY: The state unit of the Rashtriya Kranti Part will meet here on June 10 to discuss the prevailing political situation and the organisational set up at the state and the district level. According to Mr Jasbir Singh, district chief of the party, the meeting will be attended, among others, by Mr Kuldip Singh Shatrana, state president and Baba Joginder Singh Khanna, general secretary.

SAD-B CIRCLE JATHEDAR: A large number of political activists, led by Dr Surjit Singh, chairman, Dr Ambedkar Nagar Welfare Society, joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), in a meeting of the District Akali Jatha (Urban). The acting district-president, Mr Avtar Singh Makkar, who presided over, nominated Dr Surjit Singh as circle jathedar, Ms Gurmeet Kaur as circle incharge of Istri Akali Dal and Mr Naresh Datt as jathedar of Youth Akali Dal. Prominent among those present in the meeting were Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Director, Markfed, Baba Ajit Singh, senior vice-president, District Akali Jatha, Mrs Surjit Kaur Dang, councillor, Mr Harbhajan Singh Dang and Mr Jatinder Singh Tinkoo.

CARNIVAL: Pragati India Group and Pronetra Infotainment, in association with VLCC, will organise a carnival for youngsters ‘Infotrac’s Nexgen Carnival’ 2001. A VLCC spokesperson said that the carnival would start from June 13 and conclude on July 19, 2001. It will include activities like workshops on modelling and beauty, supported by VLCC. The special attraction of the three-day carnival will be the display of various stalls on products related to youth and an ‘IT Park’. An ethnic and costume based talent and personality contest for teenagers, Nazakat Ms Teen Ethnic 2001, will also be held at VICC centre as a part of the carnival. The contest will be choreographed by Lakme Model Arunima.

MACHHIWARA
PREPARING FOR POLL: Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, the Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, has started preparing for elections. He has started holding sangat darshan programmes and meetings of SAD-BJP workers, besides laying stress on development works. A meeting in this regard was organised here on Thursday. He appealed to the workers to highlight the government policies and to redress the local problems of the people. He also went to inquire about the health of Mr Ravinder Nath Luthra, the first sarpanch of Machhiwara, who had been lying ill for the past few days.

ONE SUCCUMBS TO INJURIES: Baljit Kaur (2), daughter of Mr Jagir Chand, a former municipal councillor of Machhiwara, succumbed to burn injuries here on Thursday. She had got married to Mr Jasvir Singh of Mand Shian village six months ago. She received burn injuries while preparing tea on a stove on May 29.

MALERKOTLA
2 ARRESTED: The police arrested Charan Jeet Singh of Baddi village under Section 302 of the IPC for murdering his father in the village near Sherpur on Wednesday. A land dispute was alleged to be the cause of the murder. In another case, the police arrested Krishan Kumar for hitting Bashir Mohd of Binjoki Khurd village with a jeep near Uppoki village on Wednesday. A case under Section 304A of the IPC has been registered.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Youth Club, Dulman Kalan village: president — Mr Kulwinder Singh Dhaliwal; general secretary — Mr Param Jit Singh; treasurer — Mr Karamjit Singh; joint secretary — Mr Paramjit Singh neela; and press secretary — Mr Pargat Singh Khalsa.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
MEETING: A meeting of Congress workers of the district will be held on June 13 at Sirhind. It will be presided over by its district president, Dr Sakinder Singh. Ms Nirmala Sakhwat, secretary of the All-India Congress Committee, will be the chief guest, according to a press note.

PENSIONER'S BODY: The following have been elected office-bearers of the district unit of the Pensioners’ Welfare Association: president — Mr Balwant Singh Sodhi; senior presidents — Ms Vidya Nagar and Mr Gurcharan Singh; general secretary — Mr Dharam Chand Verma; press secretary — Mr Mohinder Singh Sirhandi; chief advisors — Mr Ram Saran Sood and Mr Rajinder Singh.

NAWANSHAHR
ARRESTED: Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, in a press note issued here on Thursday said the Banga police had arrested a proclaimed offender Kaku Ram of Haroli village in Una district who was wanted by the police since 1984 in various cases under the Arms Act, the opium Act and the NDPS Act registered against him. The police also arrested Jaila of Kingeran Choe village, near Nakodar, and Gurmail Kaur of Jabbowal at Mahil Gahilan village on Thursday and seized 7 kg of poppy husk. During a raid at Bhuara village the police seized 351 kg of poppy husk from the house of Mr Rango. A case under Sections 15, 61 and 83 has been registered.

HEALTH CAMP: The Guru Nanak Mission Hospital, Dhahan Kaleran, organised a health awareness drive-cum-free medical check-up camp at Kaleran village in the district on Wednesday. More than 100 patients were examined. Medicines were given free of cost. Mr Sushil Kaur, PRO, in a press note here on Thursday said the hospital would organise such camps in 70 villages of the district.

ARRESTED: Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, in a press note issued here on Thursday said the police had arrested proclaimed offenders Bhajan Singh of Aur village, Khadur Ram of Mukandpur village and Satnam Singh of Garupur village and seized 4 gm of smack and four bags of poppy husk. It also arrested Kewal Singh and Kuldip Kaur of Chhokeran village for duping Bahadur Singh and Satnam Singh of Chahar Masara village of Rs 7 lakh.

PATIALA
APPOINTED: Dr Balwinder Kaur Brar took over as the Head of the Punjabi Department of Punjabi University, Patiala.

AWARDED: Dr T.S. Thind, Senior Plant Pathologist at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has been awarded Fulbright Fellowship by the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI) for visiting the University of California, Davis, for four months. Dr Thind, who is specialised in need-based use of fungicides in plant disease management, has also been nominated as member of the Chemical Control Committee of the International Society of Plant Pathology for a term of five years.

COMPETITIONS: The district-level competitions of literature writing and recital poetry in Punjabi will be held on June 21 and in Hindi on June 22. Last date for the submission of forms is June 10. According to Mr Madan Lal Hasija, Director, State Language Department, every year such competitions are held by the department in order to encourage the children to develop interest in Literature.

REQUEST: The residents of Rathia village have requested the Deputy Commissioner to remove the problem of animal carcass disposal spot inside the village area. They complained that the spot is a source of pollution for the school children passing the way while returning to their homes. The residents have urged the DC to shift the animal carcass disposal spot from the existing area to some other place so that the passerby do not have to suffer.

BARSI: The annual barsi of Baba Narain Das would be celebrated at village Gobindgarh, with fervour. On June 8, the Akhand Path would begin. The programme will be managed by Baba Balwinder Singh, president and Sarwan Singh.

CHANDIGARH

PANCHKULA
WORKSHOP: The Panchkula Journalist Association, will organise a two-day workshop on “Cyber Journalism” in Sector 11 from June 9 to 10. Mr Surinder Bhatia, General Secretary of the Association, said that Mr Manoj Yadav, SP, Panchkula will inaugurate the workshop.

HARYANA

AMBALA
WOMAN DIES: A woman died at the Ambala Cantt railway station this afternoon. A railway passenger said that a middle-aged woman, who is yet to be identified, had reportedly complained of acute pain before she died. He said that he had tried to help the woman. The police then took her to hospital.

RICKSHAW CHALAK SANGH: The Haryana Rickshaw Chalak Sangh president, Mr Mohan Lal, said officials of the municipal councils and cantonment board have been apprised of the problems being faced by the rickshaw-pullers. He said that the officials concerned have asked that the rickshaw-pullers must have licence and have assured that facilities will be provided to the rickshaw-pullers, a release said.

MEETING: The district-level meeting of the Kisan Club was held under the presidentship of Mr Rajbir Singh. Mr Singjh said it was decided that the next meeting will take place in a village. He said that the club is helping the farmers in getting information about the latest techniques, a release said.

JHAJJAR
TWO KILLED: Rajendra of Silana village died on Thursday when a jeep in which he was travelling collided with a truck coming from the opposite side on the Sisana-Jhajjar road. In another incident, Jageram (55) was killed when a jeep hit him near the Dilli Gate area here on Wednesday. The police has registered cases.

KAITHAL
REVIEWED: The Commissioner and Secretary, Industrial Training and Vocational Training, Ms Promilla Issar, held a meeting of district officials to review the ongoing developmental works and take stock of the law and order situation in the district. She directed officials and executive engineers responsible for the maintenance of the drainage system to make coordinated efforts to improve it.

DEMOLITION: At least 40 houses and other structures were demolished in the industrial area by a squad, led by Mr H.C. Jain, Duty Magistrate and the General Manager of Haryana Roadways. Most of the land in the area was encroached upon in the absence of any action taken by the authorities concerned.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

WARNED: The local Municipal Workers Federation held a meeting here on Thursday and warned that it would start an agitation, if the government failed to implement the agreement arrived at between it and the local Municipal Corporation.