R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
IMA DISCUSSION: A panel discussion on Consumerism and Medical Profession was organised here on Monday by the Indian Medical Association, Amritsar chapter. The meeting, which was attended by a number of doctors, discussed the running of the free dispensary and the laboratory by the IMA. Inaugurated by Mr R.L. Bhatia, M.P., the meeting had a question-answer session on consumerism, Dr R.S. Waan, spokesperson of IMA, informed here.

LAST DATE EXTENDED: Guru Nanak Dev University has extended the last date for receipt of admission forms for M. Phil (Punjabi) till July 15. This was stated in a press note of the university on Monday.

PRESIDENT’S RULE: The Shiromani Youth Akali Dal headed by Mr Kuldip Singh Kahlon, has demanded President’s rule in Tamil Nadu to end the misrule of Ms Jayalalitha, who he alleged had got former Chief Minister, Mr Karunanidhi and Mr Murasoli Maran, Union Minister, arrested out of vindictiveness.

OPEN ROAD ROUTE: The Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board has demanded that during the forthcoming Indo-Pakistan talks, the matter of opening of road routes for free trade between both countries be taken up. Mr Bhupinder Singh, director of the board, has called upon the Chief Minister, Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to take up this issue with the prime Minister as this would provide a great opportunity to farmers.

QUOTA DEMANDED: The All-India Taprivas and Vimukht Jaties Federation has demanded from the Chief Minister, Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to fulfil his poll promise of issuing a notification of giving five per cent service quota to these communities. The demand letter was handed over by Mr Nirmal Singh, president of the federation, to the Deputy Commissioner, to be forwarded to the CM.

BATHINDA
INAUGURATED: Dr Bawa Ram Gupta, Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, on Monday, while inaugurating the Malwa Institute for Medical Training in the city, said people should be educated against female foeticide and they must cooperate with the health authorities to check this malpractices.

LIONS CLUB: Mr D.S. Mastana has been nominated president of the Lions Club (Bathinda Fort) while Mr Raman Watts and Mr Kasturi Lal have been nominated secretary and treasurer, respectively of the club.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office bearers of the Dr Hahnemann Homoeopathy Service Society: president — Mr Rajesh Kumar Sharma; vice-president — Mr Jai Kishan; general secretary — Dr Nachhatar Singh; and finance secretary — Mr Balbir Singh.

GURDASPUR
ARMY BLOOD CAMP: As many as 200 units of blood were donated at a Blood Camp held at Tibbri cantonment on the premises of 172 Military Hospital on Tuesday. Ms Harbans Rajal, wife of the Brigade Commander inaugurated the camp. Col B.D. Singh, Commanding Officer, 172 MH, who supervised the camp said the Armed Forces Transfusion Camp, New Delhi, conducted the camp and armymen of all ranks donated blood.

HOSHIARPUR
HELPING POSTS SET UP: Keeping in view the heavy increase in road accidents, the police has set up a help-post at Darapur near Tanda on the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway. This was disclosed by Mr Sanjeev Kalra, SSP, here on Monday. Five policemen along with an ambulance had been deputed at this post. He said similarly helping posts had also been set up at Hajipur Chowk, Dasuya on the Jalandhar-Pathankot G.T. Road, at Mandiala on Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar Road and at Mahilpur on Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh Road.

PADDY PROCUREMENT: To review the procurement of paddy in the district a special meeting of procurement agencies officers, commission agents and representatives of truck unions was held under the chairmanship of Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, here on Monday. Mr Sohan Singh Thandal, State Minister for Food and Supplies and Mr Balbir Singh Miani, State Minister for Medical Education, Punjab were also present.

KHARAR
INSTALLATION CEREMONY: The joint installation ceremony of Mr Karam Singh Mundi, president, Rotary Club, Kharar, and Ms Babli Dhiman, president, Innerwheel Centre, Kharar, would be held at Arya College for Women on July 8 at 11 a.m. 

ERRATIC POWER SUPPLY: The sarpanch and residents of nearby Bajheri village have alleged that the PSEB was imposing power cuts to their village for 20 hours in a day. They alleged that even during the time of supply, the voltage was very low. They have demanded immediate action in this direction.

KHAMANO
GRANT DISTRIBUTED: A function was held in the SDM complex on Tuesday for distribution of Rs 1.41 lakh as compensation among farmers, who had sold their paddy at a rate lower than the MSP. Mr Nirbhai Singh, SDM, Mr Darshan Singh, BDO, Mr Sharvail Singh, secretary of the market committee, were among those present on the occasion.

MANSA
SEMINAR: The district police in collaboration with the district unit of the All-India Anti-Terrorism Front will organise a seminar on AIDS awareness on Thursday at the local truck union office. Dr Hazari Lal Bansal, chairman, Punjab AIDS Control Orgnaisation, will deliver a lecture on the theme, said the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mansa.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the Punjab Seeds, Pesticides and Fertiliser Dealers Association: patron — Mr Kasturi Lal Garg; president — Mr Tarsem Chand Midha; vice-presidents — Mr Ashok Mittal and Mr Girdhari Lal Fatta; general secretary — Mr Subhash Mandall; secretary — Mr Bhim Jindal; and treasurer — Mr Suresh Kumar.

ROTARACT CLUB: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Budhlada town branch of the Rotaract International Club: president — Mr Deepak Garg; and secretary — Mr Parshant Goyal.

NAWANSHAHR
SMALL SAVINGS: The district has been adjudged first in the state for mobilising small savings amounting to Rs 4.77 crore in the months of April and May, 2001, informed Mr Jagjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, in a press note here on Tuesday.

SANGAT DARSHAN: The district administration organised a sangat darshan programme at Kathgarh village, 30 km from here, on Monday. Mr Jagjit Singh, DC, presided over the function and heard grievances of the people.

POPPY-HUSK SEIZED: The police has seized 70 kg of poppy husk from the residence of Tarlok Singh of Mallpur village and registered a case under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act, said Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, in a press note here on Tuesday.

PATHANKOT
BONUS DEMANDED: The Punjab Subordinate Services Federation has urged the state government to announce bonus for its employees. Mr Subhash Sharma, senior leader of the federation, has said the government had been distributing crores of rupees during ‘sangat darshan’ programmes but had been ignoring the employees who had been instrumental in the speedy development of the state.

PATIALA
STRIKE CALLED OFF: Both the Associate Banks’ Officers Association comprising Unit State Bank of Patiala and All-India State Bank of Patiala Employees Federation have decided to call off their proposed strike for July 4 following conciliation proceedings by the Regional Labour Commissioner, Central, at Mumbai. As per an official press release, all the branches of the Bank will function normally.

MEETING: The Sarbhit Sewa Charitable Trust has decided to hold a general meeting of the citizens at Shiv Shakti Sewa Dal Hall on July 8 to discuss the construction of an old age home apart from discussing other issues such as upliftment of the depressed, and neglected sections of society. OC

OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Vikram Raj Singh Chauhan was re-elected president during the eighth annual meeting of the North Zone Forensic Science Association held at Punjabi University, Patiala, here on Tuesday. The other elected members are: vice-president — Mr Inderjit Singh; secretary — Mr Balbir Singh Batth; joint secretary — Mr Harbax Singh Mander; and cashier — Ms Navjot Kaur.

SANGRUR
CENTRE FOR DISABLED: Under the national programme for the rehabilitation of the disabled, a district disability rehabilitation centre will be set up at a cost of Rs 25 lakh here in the first week of July. Mr Rajesh Dhiman, Assistant Commissioner (General), said this on Wednesday.

SIRSA
BSNL LINES: Two Remote Line Units (RLU) of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited have been commissioned, while the third will be commissioned in the last week of July, Mr Sanjeevan Kumar, Area Manager, said here on Sunday after inaugurating the second RLU of 1,000 lines at Barnala Road here. He said after the commissioning of the three RLUs, the majority area of the city would be able to get telephones on demand.

CHANDIGARH

ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office bearers of the MES Contractors Association, Chandigarh chairman — Mr Jagmohan Singh; president — Mr A.K. Gupta; vice-president — Mr Amarjit Singh; general secretary — Mr Kuldeep Singh Sandhu; joint secretary — Mr Raghbir Sigh Rehal; and treasurer — Mr Lovlesh Sahni.

HARYANA

AMBALA
WELFARE ASSOCIATION: A meeting of the Citizens Welfare Association, Mahesh Nagar, was held under the presidentship of Mr Shiv Dayal Gupta. The member of the association demanded the Mahesh Nagar should be cleaned, roads should be constructed, colonies must be cleaned and streetlights must be made operational. Vice-president of the association R.K. Bansal suggested that if pigs are prevented from entering the colony, then civic conditions will be improved, a release said.

MEETING: A meeting of the local unit of the BJP was held under the presidentship of Mr Shish Pal Bhola. A decision was taken to set up a committee for the forthcoming elections for ward Nos. 24 and 29. Among others, the members of the committee are Mr Shiv Nandan Dhir, Mr Gyan Chand Aggarwal, Mr Kamal Jain and Mr Ved Duggal. The committee will be headed by Mr Shish Pal Bhola and Mr Shubhadesh Mittal. 

MUSHARRAF’S VISIT: District unit vice president of Shiv Sena Rajan Kohli has criticised the invitation extended to Pakistan President General Musharraf. Mr Kohli said that there will be no gainful development from Musharraf’s India visit. He stated the cost incurred on hosting General Musharraf’s visit should be utilised in development work, a release said.

ASSOCIATION: The Palika Vihar Welfare Association, Ambala city, has demanded that a permanent solution must be found for water logging in their area. The association has said a road passing through their area is water logged which leads to inconvenience for the people. During the monsoon, water enters the houses of the colony which damages household goods, a release said. The association has been raising this issue with the authorities concerned since 1996. They have said that if prompt action is not taken, they will be forced to hold demonstration to press for their demand.

SONEPAT
CASH STOLEN: A bag containing Rs 30,000 was allegedly stolen from a bicycle parked in the Main Bazar at Gohana town, about 35 km from here, on Sunday. The bag belonged to Mr Mohinder Singh Malik, an ex-serviceman, who informed the police.

FAREWELL PARTY: Mr Sardar Singh, senior teacher and in charge of the IED cell of Government Senior Secondary School, Model Town, was given a farewell party on his retirement on Monday. According to a report, he was also given a warm send-off by the Principal, colleagues and representatives of various Sikh religious institutions at a reception organised in his honour.

14 HURT IN CLASH: At least 14 persons, including four women, were injured in a clash between two groups at Mahra village, about 15 km from here, on Monday. According to a report, a dispute over a street was stated to be the main cause of the clash.

PHONE BILLS: The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) on Tuesday authorised the United Commercial Bank of India to collect telephone bills from subscribers in Kundli and Jakhauli villages with immediate effect. The BSNL also plans to set up Internet dhabas at Rai, Kharkhauda, Gohana, Mundlana and Baroda shortly.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

JAISINGHPUR
PANCHAYAT MEETING: The second meeting of the Maila gram panchayat concluded on Sunday. It was presided over by pardhan Ms Tambo Devi. Number of issues were raised by villagers and solved by the sabha.

KULU
INAUGURATION: Mr Maheshwar Singh, Member of Parliament, laid the foundation stone of the auditorium of the Senior Secondary School, Dhalpur, here on Monday. Later, he inaugurated the five-room building of the Government Middle School, Pipla Aage near Bhuntar. This building has been constructed by the local people without government aid.

PARWANOO
INSTALLATION CEREMONY: The installation ceremony of new office-bearers of the Rotary Club of Kalka for the year 2001-2002 was held here on Monday evening in Hotel Shiwalik at Parwanoo. About 200 people attended the function. Mr J.P. Sibia, governor of Rotary Club 3080, was the chief guest and Mr T.S. Anand, assistant governor of the rotary, was the guest of honour. Mr Gurjeet Singh, past president of the club, handed over the collar of the president and secretary to Mr Rajneesh Behal, Incoming president, and Mr Ish Kapoor, secretary, for the year 2001-2002. While speaking on the occasion, Mr Sibia said the Rotary Club of Kalka has been doing a good job as far the project work is concerned and has completed sapling plantation, medical check-up camp, blood donation camp, pulse polio eradication programme along with many other projects. Mr Sibia also stressed on the need of youth exchange programmes and to bring awareness among the masses about the job oriented projects. The other office-bearers of the club for the year 2001-2002 are: Mr Ajay Chaudhary — vice-president; and Mr Bipin Bogra — treasurer.