R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AHMEDGARH
GRANT FOR SCHOOL: Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, senior vice-president of the PPCC and member Parliament, on Thursday presented a cheque worth Rs 1 lakh to the parent-teacher association of Sardar Kartar Singh Dukki Government Senior Secondary School, Latala. He presented the cheque from his discretionary quota for computer education. He also presented cheques to panchayats of Latala and Rangoowal villages for various development projects. Addressing a public meeting on the school campus, he stressed the need for promoting computer education. Mr Galib also inaugurated a computer room for which amount was donated by Mr Karam Singh, a philanthropist of the area.

AMRITSAR
STAFF REDUCTION DECRIED: The executive meeting of the Bharatiya Swayatshasi Karamchari Mahasangh, under the chairmanship of Mr Vijay Mehra on Wednesday, deplored anti-employee policies of the government. The meeting protested against the 10 per cent staff reduction, ban on new recruitment, move to freeze DA for the next five years.

MEMO TO BSP CHIEF: The Punjab Reserve Category Doctors Association presented a memorandum to Mr Kanshi Ram, National President, Bahujan Samaj Party, on Wednesday, regarding the cancellation of reservation of SC/ST/BC and other reserved categories for admission to the postgraduate medical courses. The association requested Mr Kanshi Ram to raise the question in Parliament.

NEW IT CAMPUS: The 110-year-old Khalsa College here has established new campus at Ranjit Avenue for conducting computer-based information technology and management courses. The honorary secretary of the college managing committee, Mr Charanjit Singh Chadha, told newsmen that during the current academic session, 80 seats for the BCA course had been allotted to the college. The new campus has been built on 16 acres with modern equipment and state-of-the-art computer laboratory, he added.

BOY KILLED: A 14-year-old boy was crushed to death by a bus at the Hukam Singh Road, near the fly over, on Wednesday. Shopkeepers of the area closed their shops as mark of respect to the dead.

BATHINDA
TWO ARRESTED: The police has arrested Dilawar Singh and Sukhdev Singh of Gangagarh for possessing illegal weapons. A case had been registered against the two a month back under the Arms Act.

FARIDKOT
OPD INAUGURATED: Mr A. Venu Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated new OPD complex and modern operating theatre at the local Civil Hospital on Thursday. Later, talking to mediapersons, Dr V.S. Mohi, Civil Surgeon, said the new building having the latest equipment like 300 mA X-ray plant, computerised ECG machine, ultrasound, cardiac monitor, defibrillator and surgical cautery would help in treating gynaecology, paediatrics and immunisation patients. Staff of eight doctors in different specialities and 37 paramedics would provide services round-the-clock, he said.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
MASS TRANSFERS: Resentment prevails among the officials and the staff of the Public Relations Department due to mass transfers. This decision of the government has also been criticised by the leaders and workers of the ruling alliance. Sources revealed that the transfers had been done keeping in view the directions of the Election Commission.

FEROZEPORE
POLICE HELP LINE: The local police has established a police help line control room to solve the grievances of women and children on priority basis. Inaugurating the control room on Wednesday, Mr Narinder Pal Singh Sidhu, SP (Headquarters), said specialised training would be imparted to the lady police force at the Police Training Academy, Phillaur.

APPOINTMENTS: Ten cases of terrorism-hit families have been recommended for appointments in various government departments and 26 more cases, which were under consideration, were discussed. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, said this while presiding over a meeting here on Wednesday.

GARHSHANKAR
SUICIDE: Mintoo Ram, of Dagham village, lodged a complaint stating that his brother Lalloo had a confrontation with Dara and Joga a few days ago, following which he committed suicide by consuming poison, fearing police action.

ONE DEAD: Manjit Singh, a local resident, died after consuming some poisonous substance. He was taken to the local Civil Hospital where he was pronounced brought dead.

INDEFINITE DHARNA: The Kandhi Sangharsh Committee’s state secretary, Mr Darshan Singh Mattoo, stated that the indefinite dharna being held by the committee would continue till the announcements made by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a ‘sangat darshan’ programme regarding development work were not put into practice.

STABBING CASE: Jaswinder Singh of Nangal Khurd and Saravjit Singh of Mahilpur were arrested by the police for stabbing Pakhar Singh of Pathrala to death. Annoyed over being named for kidnapping a girl by Pakhar Singh to the police, the accused committed the crime.

HOSHIARPUR
GANG-RAPE: Three persons, namely Kittu of Kainthan, Surjit Singh of Keharwala, Suresh Kumar and one unidentified youth allegedly abducted a girl student of Guru Nanak Dev Public School, Dasuya, while she was going to school in Bajwa village on Tuesday. They took her to a room where they allegedly gang-raped. She escaped and reported the matter to the Dasuya police which has registered a case under Sections 363, 376, 342, 506 and 34 of the IPC against them.

LIQUOR SEIZED: The Mukerian police arrested Yudhya and Bimla, alias Bimbo both residents of Abakha village and seized 15,000 ml and 14,250 ml illicit liquor from them, respectively, on Tuesday.

BODY FOUND: An unidentified body of a man around 32 years was found from a link road of Birampur on Tuesday evening. The Garhshankar police has registered a case.

SUICIDE: Harnek Singh of Garhshankar committed suicide by consuming some poisonous material on Tuesday. Yoga Singh and Dara Singh had thrashed him, due to which he felt insulted and consumed poison.

THREE KILLED: Kulwinder Kaur (30) and her two-year-old daughter, Raj Rani died on the spot when a car hit their scooter near bus stand at Bhunga on Wednesday. In another accident Daljit Verma of Phagwara died on the spot when his car (DBA-4854) dashed into a tree near Phuglana on Tuesday.

LUDHIANA
NEW COURSES: Two new courses (BCA and PGDCA), in affiliation with Panjab University, will be started at the Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Gujarkhan Campus, Model Town, from the coming session. Giving this information, Ms Anoop Kaur Bansal, Principal, said while the admission to the BCA course would be held in a centralised manner at the Khalsa College for Women, the admission forms for the PGDCA course would be available in the college till July 14.

VACCINATION CAMP: The People For Animals, Ludhiana, will organise a free rabies vaccination camp for domestic and stray dogs at Jeev Daya Sadan, Mandip Nagar, near PAU, on Friday from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., said Mr Sandip Jain, PFA president.

INCOME TAX OFFICES: Income tax offices at Khanna and Mandi Gobindgarh are being upgraded with postings of Joint Commissioners. The area of Khanna, Payal and Samrala and Sahnewal Revenue divisions will be covered under the Khanna range. According to information received in the IT office at Khanna, the new Joint Commissioner will take charge on July 9. The new team of income tax officials at Khanna will comprise a joint commissioner, an assistant commissioner, five income tax officers and eight income tax inspectors. A similar team would man the IT office at Mandi Gobindgarh which would look after the area of Rajpura and Sirhind.

MACHHIWARA
VALMIKI SABHA MEETING: A meeting of the Punjab Pardesh Valmiki Sabha Centre Committee was organised here, under the chairmanship of tehsil president Ujagar Singh Hedon, in which problems being faced by the Dalits were discussed. The sabha also demanded to end safai contract system in Municipal Councils and to fill vacant posts. Mr Geja Ram, state president of the sabha also addressed the meeting. On this occasion, following were elected office-bearers of the Machhiwara unit of the sabha: president — Mr Mangat Rai; general secretary — Mr Mohinder Paul; propaganda secretary — Mr Devraj Bali; cashier — Mr Brij Paul; advisers — Mr Hans Raj Hans and Mr Sukhdarshan; in charge, Mahila Wing — Ms Suneh Lata; and joint secretary — Mr Dilbar Singh.

PARBANDHAK COMMITTEES: The following have been elected office-bearers of The Milk Producers Cooperative Society, Lubangar: president — Mr Mohan Singh; vice-president — Mr Ranjit Singh; and committee members — Mr Jeet Singh, Mr Ratan Singh, Mr Manjit Singh, Mr Gurdial Singh, Mr Karnail Singh, Mr Minder Singh and Mr Channan Singh. Similarly, the following have been elected as office-bearers of the Parbandhak Committee of The Milk Producers Cooperative Society, Lakhowal Kalan: vice-resident — Mr Sushil Kumar; and committee members — Mr Nirmal Singh, Mr Channan Singh, Mr Mohan Singh, Mr Piara Lal, Mr Rampal, Mr Satpaul and Mr Harjinder Singh.

BVDS OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the newly formed Koom Kalan unit of the Bharatiya Valmiki Dharam Samaj: president — Mr Jaswinder Singh Sahota; general secretary — Mr Kuldeep Singh Pahwa; vice-president — Mr Rajinder Kumar; joint secretary — Mr Lakhbir Singh; cashier — Mr Guljar Singh Sahota; and propaganda secretary — Mr Sukhwinder Singh Sahota.

MANSA
ELECTED: Mr Tarsem Chand, municipal councillor, Budhlada was elected Vice-President of the local civic body on Wednesday. Mr Tarsem Chand, the Congress-CPI candidate, and Mr Lehri Singh, the BJP-SAD (B) candidate, polled seven votes each but Mr Tarsem Chand was declared winner by toss. The election was conducted by the Tehsildar, Mr Baljinder Singh.

FOUR REMANDED: Four accused, named Sukhpal Singh, Baltej Singh, alias Kala, Sewak Singh and Najam Singh, all residents of Bir Khurd village, who were arrested by the Bhikhi police in connection with an attempt to loot Bhikhi branch of the Punjab National Bank, were produced before Mr Raj Kumar Garg, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, and remanded in judicial custody till July 18. The Bhikhi police had registered a case under Sections 457, 380 and 511 of the IPC against them.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The Punjab Education Department has approved the office-bearers of the managing committees of Khalsa High School and Dashmesh Public High School here. This was disclosed by Mr Narinder Pal Danewalia, joint secretary of the managing committees. The following are the office-bearers of the managing committees: president — Mr Harbant Singh; vice-president — Mr Jagjit Singh, Advocate; secretary — Mr Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, MLA, Mansa; manager — Mr Dalip Singh, Advocate.

10+2 RESULT: Mr Darshan Singh, principal, Gandhi Senior Secondary School, disclosed in a press note issued on Thursday that the result of Ten+2 of the school this year is 100 per cent. He said a total of 76 students appeared in the said examination and all have been declared successful.

PATHANKOT
CASH FOUND: R.P. Singh, an SHO posted at Sadar police station, found a bag containing Rs 25,000 in cash and some valuable articles, while on a patrol duty.

PATIALA
TWO ARRESTED: A vigilance team arrested two senior Bank employees against charges of accepting graft. Vigilance sources disclosed here Thursday that a vigilance team from SAS Nagar arrested branch Manager Rajeev Kumar God and Assistant Manager, Mr Vasudev Sharma, of State Bank of Patiala, Tripuri Saidan Branch, while accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 from Mr Balbir Singh, a resident of Anand Nagar. Sources said both the officers were caught redhanded during the raid for having demanded the bribe money to clear a loan amount of Rs 60,000 under the Prime Minister Self Employment Scheme.

HONOURED: Dr Surjeet Patheja has been honoured with excellent leadership award for the year 2000-2001 by Mr D.K. Sood, District Governor, 2001-2002, according to an official announcement here on Thursday. She has also been appointed District Chairperson (Lions Quest) of the Lions Clubs International, District 321-F, for the year 2001-2002.

WEB SITE LAUNCHED: The Government Mohindra College launched its own Web site in the Sabha Bhavan, here on Wednesday. The official press release stated that it is the only college affiliated to Punjabi University that has a website of its own. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Vidwan Singh Soni, Principal of the college, said the website designed by Mr Parveen Kumar and Mr Joga Singh of Spider Solution Systems contains all important information about the college, including its history, present faculty, their addresses and contact numbers, facilities available to students in the college, date and place of admission and other details.

CAMP: A personality development camp was organised at Kali Devi Temple, Langar Complex, here from June 30 to July 5. The camp was conducted by Mr Raj Kumar Bharti, a yoga expert from Gayatri Tirth, Shanti Kunj, Haridwar, under the aegis of Gayatri Pariwar, Patiala. The camp was organised both in morning as well as evening hours in order to suit the timings of the learners. One such camp had been organised earlier also this year, in which about 120 persons took part. The camp focused at teaching related exercises that would bring peace of mind and body to the learners. Special yoga classes for the school going children were also held so that they can overcome the extra burden of studies encircling them at such tender age. During the camp, a hawan was also performed in which about 100 devotees took part. Mr Raj Kumar Bharti elaborated upon life improvement programmes during the camp.

SADHNA SHIVIR: A yoga and sadhna shivir will be organised by Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha at Ahluwalia Dharmshala in Ambala city from July 6 to 8. Giving this information, Dr R.K.Dhiman, member of the team, said that the followers of Ananda Marga from Punjab, Chandigarh and Kurukshetra will be participating in the seminar. Dr Dhiman said that a senior Archarya will undertake activities proposed for sadhna shivir and will describe its practical aspects in human life. Ananda Marga which is known for its working in various relief operations both during natural calamities as well as man-made calamities, has even been recognised by United Nations Organisation (UNO). A medical camp will also be organised on July 7 and 8 at the shivir.

PHILLAUR
121-YR-OLD WOMAN DEAD: Lashman Kaur, died at the age of 121 years at Rampur-Jagin village on Wednesday. She was the grandmother of the village sarpanch, Mr Amrinder Singh.

SAHNEWAL
ACCIDENT: A truck collided with a Tata Sumo near Tibba village at 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday night. Harnek Sikh of Chrik village, Jarnail Singh of Butter Kalan, Deepa Singh, Resham Singh, Tirath Singh, Roobi Master, Satnam Singh, Dhir and Deepa, all of Daudar village in Moga, received injuries in the accident. The Tata Sumo (PB-10AC-4881) was going towards Moga and truck (PB-13A-9895) was coming from the opposite side and was driven by Balwant Singh of Falliwal (Sangrur).

CHANDIGARH

SAS NAGAR
DEMAND: A municipal councillor from Phase XI, Mr Amrik Singh, has urged the State Education Minister to get a notification issued for upgradation of a primary school to middle level. Mr Amrik Singh said the minister had promised to get the school upgraded but nothing had been done so far.

HARYANA

KURUKSHETRA
REFRESHER COURSE: The Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Mr R.S. Chaudhry, said the subject of mathematics was a dire need of mankind. He was speaking at the concluding session of a three-week refresher course on Wednesday, The course was organised by the Mathematics Department of the university under the aegis of the University Grants Commission. The convenor of the seminar and chairman of the department, Dr V.P. Kaushik, presented detailed report of the refresher course.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NAHAN
SENIOR CITIZENS: As many as 216 destitute senior citizens of Sirmaur district, who are not covered under the National Old-age Pension Scheme, would be given 10 kg ration free of cost every month under Annapurna Yojana. This information was given by the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, Mr Rakesh Kaushal at the meeting of Food Supply and Rural Development official, on Wednesday.