The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, July 17, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

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R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

FARIDKOT
RESENTMENT: Resentment prevails among junior engineers (JEs), particularly of general category, of the PWD (BR) against the indifferent attitude of the Punjab Government for not making promotions during the past more than two decades in spite of the 20 per cent promotion quota allocated for them. According to reports, over 1000 JEs have been working in the department and most of them have retired on the same post after putting in more than 30 to 35 years of service.

FAZILKA
FOUR BOOKED: Subhash Chander (40) of Danger Khera village allegedly committed suicide on Friday by consuming poison. According to the FIR lodged with Khui Khera police station, his father Gopi Ram, brothers Bhalla Ram and Sohan Lal and his wife Kamla Devi reportedly forced him to commit suicide. The police has registered a case under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC against the all four.

JAGRAON
SNAKE-BITE: Avtar Singh (24), a grocer of Dholan village has died of snake-bite. He was reportedly sleeping when the incident occurred in the early hours of the day. He breathed his last in the local Civil Hospital. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

KAPURTHALA
DOWRY: The CIA staff on Saturday arrested Gurdeep Singh, husband, Manohar Singh , father-in-law and Kuljeet Kaur, mother-in-law of Harpreet Waila, a resident of Ratta Nai Abad village in the district, for harassing her for dowry.

KHARAR
JUDICIAL CUSTODY: Ms Harinder Sidhu, Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, remanded Jasbir Singh to judicial custody on Monday who was arrested by the Kharar police on Sunday following recovery of illegal country made liquor in a Contessa car (DL-2CG-6398) which had a red light installed on it. A case under the Excise Act has been registered against the accused and his companion who escaped.

SDM SEEKS INFORMATION: Mr Devinder Singh, SDM, Kharar has sought information from the police about the abandoned infant who was recovered on the Old Morinda road in Kharar on Sunday. According to the information, he has written to the SHO, Kharar, and demanded a report from him so that he could initiate a proper action in this regard. It is worth mentioning that this infant was spotted by some children and they informed their parents in this regard. The child was then taken to Khanpur village by the residents.

OCTROI COLLECTION PRIVATISED: The work of collection of octroi for Municipal Committee, Kharar has again been privatised in an auction held here on Monday. The contract which would start from August 1 for one year has been given to the highest bidder for Rs 1,45,00,000. Mr Gian Chand Gupta, executive officer of the committee, said as many as 13 private parties took part in the auction. Mr Jarnail Singh, Superintendent of the office of Deputy Director, Local Self Government, Ludhiana, President, Municipal Committee, Kharar, and other persons were present on the occassion.

LUDHIANA
STRIKE: The president of the workers’ union of Satluj Hospital, Sarabha Nagar, Mr Amarjeet Singh, stated that their strike had entered the second day. The union is demanding reinstatement of both the workers who were removed from their jobs without reason and notice. They also demanded a hike in their wages, parity with those in government hospitals and an inquiry about the misbehaviour of a senior doctor with one of the workers of the hospital.

COURSE: The Small Industries Service Institute, Ludhiana, has started a one-month entrepreneurship development programme on hosiery and readymade garments industry for women entrepreneurs. A total of 34 women entrepreneurs are attending the course.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the AISSF: president — Mr Jaspal Singh Boota; and members — Mr Harpreet Singh, Mr Baljinder Singh, Mr Gurdeep Singh, Mr Karamvir Singh and Mr Satish Kumar.

NOMINATED: The Punjab Government has nominated Mr Gurwinder Singh Dhillon as member of the Excise and Taxation Advisory Committee, Fatehgarh Sahib district. He has also been nominated as vice-president of the Punjab Pradesh Youth Congress (Kisan Cell) by Mr Randeep Singh Nabha, president, All-India Youth Congress (Kisan.

MANSA
STUDENTS’ DEMAND: A large number of students seeking admission to MBBS, BDS and allied courses in Punjab and appearing for Pre Medical Entrance Test (PMET), Punjab, demanded that government should adopt transparent system for conducting the test. They demanded that candidates should be allowed to take home the carbon copy of the optical mark reader (OMR) so that they may check their performance.

JOINS: Mr Sarat Chander joined on Monday as a member of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Mansa. He had been appointed by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs, Punjab.

NOMINATED: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has nominated Mr Radha Lal, a former district president of the BJP, a member of the state consultative committee of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for Punjab. The 14-member committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Mr Vinod Khanna, MP from Gurdaspur constituency.

MOGA
COMPLAINED: Sher Singh of Ganji Gulab Singhwala village, under Baghapurana police station in this district, on Monday complained that he had not so far received Rs 5 lakh which Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had announced to give to the person who disclosed the name of the terrorist who had shot dead a resident of Baghapurana in 1998.

JAUNDICE CASES: The cases of jaundice are on the rise in the town during the past few days. Dr Satish Kaura, a local physician, said several such cases had been reported from the town and the rural areas.

URGED: Residents of several villages in the district on Sunday urged the Health Department to direct the doctors posted in their respective villages to perform their duties efficiently and should not remain absent from the hospitals and dispensaries. They said they were forced to go to distant towns and cities for treatment.

PATIALA
FOUNDATION STONE LAID: About 19,200 km stretch of link road has been repaired while another 2,000 km of link roads have been made up by the Punjab Government. This was stated by Raja Narinder Singh, Public Health and Urban Aviation Minister, Punjab, while addressing a rural conference after laying the foundation stone of the newly formed building in the Thangera village, in Nabha sub-division here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, he said that 12 schools in the sub-division have already been upgraded while another 60 km of road has been laid down by the government during the past three years. He urged the youth to work honestly and make themselves capable of making their own living.

TRAINING PROGRAMME: A five-day Calamity Prevention Training Camp was organised by the Red Cross Society at Government Girls High School in co-ordination with the school faculty members and students here on Monday. The camp was inaugurated by the Red Cross Society Vice-Patron, Mr Mohan Lal Gupta. Cure to various problems were discussed at the programme in which chidren were taught how to tackle with problems related with road accidents, heart problems, blood pressure, fever and advised the students to participate in activities like blood and eye donation.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The Lok Bhalai Sanstha comprising of Guru Nanak Nagar, Gurbax Colony and Jujhar Nagar passed a resolution on Monday to improve the water supply in these colonies and allow the rain water to pass through the main holes of sewerage. During a meeting held under the presidentship of Mr Inderjit Singh Boparai, various other demands including replacement of defected streetlights and sewerage problems meted by the residents of the colony were also discussed. During the meeting, Mr Balwinder Singh was appointed as the senior vice-president of the sanstha. The other office-bearers are: vice-presidents : Mr Raghbir Singh Uppal (Guru Nanak Nagar), Mr Narang Singh (Jujhar Nagar) and Mr Rachhpal Singh (Gurbax Colony); general secretary: Mr Kirpal Singh; and secretaries: Ms Amarjit Kaur Bhattal (Gurbax Colony), Mr Tahal Singh (Guru Nanak Nagar) and Mr Darshan Singh (Jujhar Nagar).

CONFERENCE POSTPONED: The conference that was scheduled to be held by the Punjab Nagar Palika Karamchari Mahansangh on July 28 and 29 has now been postponed to August 4 and 5. Stating this in a release, the Mahansangh President, Mr Balwant Singh Sandhu, said they had to postpone the conference due to certain unavoidable circumstances.

APPOINTED: Twenty teachers have been appointed as teachers in primary schools in district villages by the Punjab Elementary Education Project Committee, working under the aegis of Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council here on Monday. The appointment of 30 teachers and their orientation programme which will involve an expenditure of Rs 3.15 lakh will be borne by the council. The teachers have been appointed in nearby villages of Lalanchhi, Sadarpur, Bursat, Kathmathi, Beepur, Ablowal, Jhugian, Mehmadpur, Chuharpur, Dhablan, Moondkhera, Wajidpur, Tarora Khurd, Kheri Mallan, Jahlan, Hurdapur, Dughat, Kherimanian and Kuka of Patiala block III. Giving this information, Dr T.R.Sharma, Chairman of the committee, said that 10 more teachers have been appointed in Bunerheri and Patran blocks.

SAMRALA
RURAL SPORTS: Four-day rural sports meet of Kot Gangurai village would be held from August 15. The Guru Nanak Dev Sports Club , Kot Gangurai, 13 km from here has started preparations for the meet, said. Mr Satinder Singh and Mr Mewa Singh, president and secretary of the club, respectively. The sports would include bullock cart races, kabaddi, pigeon fight play cards, volleyball and athletics.

TARN TARAN
RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE: A world religious conference was organised on Saturday here by the Hari Sangat Bhagat Bhagwan Mission, Matlok, which was attended by hundreds of persons. Preachers of different religions and sects addressed the gathering.

DEMANDED: Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal, and Mr Darshan Singh Gill, president and general secretary, respectively, of the local parents association in a letter to the president of the Municipal Council have demanded the repair of the Jandiala road near Central Khalsa Hospital and Sri Guru Karkrishan School. They have also sought the removal of soil on the Goindwal Sahib road.

ABDUCTED: The police has registered a case under Sections 366A and 120B of the IPC against four persons, including two women, for allegedly abducting a teenaged girl of Chhapri Sahib village. Police sources said here on Saturday that the accused had been identified as Bindo, Harjit Kaur, Kashmir Singh, alias Sheeru, of Chhapri Sahib village and Jassa Singh of Khankot village in Sultanwind.

CAMP CONCLUDES: Mr Gurinder Singh Kairon, senior Congress leader, has called upon Congress workers to unite against the alleged misrule of the Punjab Government which has failed on all fronts in the state. He said this while addressing the concluding ceremony of a five-day camp of the Congress Seva Dal organised under the guidance of Ms Leela Verma, a state-level Congress leader, here on Saturday.

CHANDIGARH

UNION CONSTITUTED: Employees of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, have constituted a Govt. Medical College and Hospital Union, Chandigarh. The union has been registered with the Registrar, Trade Union. Those who were elected office-bearers of the union are: president — Ms Kuljeet Kaur; senior vice-presidents — Mr Vikas Sharma; vice-president — Ms Pradeep Kaur; general secretary — Mr Laxmi Kant Tiwari; secretary — Mr Raj Kumar Sandal; joint secretary — Mr Rajan Jacob; organising secretary — Mr Shyam Kumar Saroch; and cashier — Mr Kanshi Nath Yadav. General secretary, PGI Employees Union, Mr Ashwini Munjal and general secretary, Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, Mr Subhash Talwar, have been appointed advisors to the newly formed union.

SAPLING PLANTATION: A sapling plantation function was organised at the Pracheen Hanuman Mandir in Sector 32-A. In a press note Mr Raj Kumar Sharma, a president of the Sanatan Dharam Hari Mandir Sabha, said saplings of various kinds were planted in the mandir premises by the mandir management committee. He said saplings were supplied by the UT Forest Department. Some of the saplings were of Ayurvedic medicines.

FLAYED: The Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, District 4, flayed the authorities for improper maintenance of phataks on Monday. The party in a press note said the phataks were in bad conditions. Shashi Shankar Tewari, district president of the morcha, said cattles kept in the phataks were dying of hunger and sickness. He said while the central government was making every effort to save the animals, the minister concerned, Ms Maneka Gandhi, had directed all authorities concerned to take proper steps in this regard. He alleged that the phatak authorities charge at least Rs 500 per animal by way of challan fees. Every day around 40-50 animals were brought to these phataks. He demanded that a committee be constituted for looking into these matters.

APPLICATIONS INVITED: The Union Ministry for Environment and Forest on Monday invited applications from non-governmental organisations and governmental organisations for taking part in the national awareness campaign during 2001-2002. The theme chosen for this year campaign is ‘sustainable development’. A press note issued by the coordinator of the society said a workshop for representatives of NGOs and governmental organisation in Haryana would be organised by the Environment Society at Karuna Sadar, Sector 11, on Wednesday, to enable them to fill in forms and plan their activities in their respective areas.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Managing Committee of PUSHPAC: president — Prof Jaya Prakash; vice-president — Mr Jai Krishan Naithani; secretary — Mr K.K. Bhasin; and treasurer — Mr B.K. Dev.

PANCHKULA
DENTAL CAMP: A free dental check-up camp was held at Blue Bird High School, Sector 16, here on Monday, by the International Lion’s Club Chandigarh Nightingale, where an awareness on dental care was highlighted. The members of the club distributed toothpaste, toothbrush and mouthwash among students, while two doctors taught them the technique of brushing teeth. The Principal, Ms V. Vhatnagar, lauded the efforts of the club.

HARYANA

AMBALA
FAKE CASSETTES SEIZED: The Superintendent of Police, Mr Sandeep Khirwar, said a man has been arrested for making fake audio and video cassettes and CDs. Mr Khirwar said Ramesh Kumar run a shop in Ambala City where he used to make and sell the fake cassettes and CDs. He said that acting on a tip-off, a police team raided the shop and recovered 423 fake audio cassettes. 100 fake video cassettes, six fake blue film CDs, six blue film cassettes, 100 labels and 200 empty CDs, a release said. Besides that fake cassettes of popular movies like Gadar, Aks and Ek Rishta have also been recovered, he added.

GRANT: The Haryana Government has released Rs 3 crore for development works in Kalka constituency under the second phase of the Haryana Rural Development Fund Administration Board. The development works have already been announced by the Chief Minister of Haryana. As per the sources, the amount released by the government would be spent on development works such as construction of school rooms, chaupals, panchayat ghars, dharamshalas and construction and repair of rural streets.

KAITHAL
CREDIT CARDS: Farmers in the district will be issued credit cards and a special scheme has been drawn under the guidance of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Phateh Singh . The decision was taken on Saturday at a meeting chaired by the Deputy Commissioner, which was attended by Mr Rajeev Mehta, SDM, Guhla, Mr N.S. Sangwan, Managing Director, Cooperative Bank, Kaithal, Mr B.S. Malik, Deputy Director, Agriculture, and other bank officials.

KALKA
SDM VISITS FLOOD-PRONE AREAS: The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Kalka visited flood-prone areas of the sub-division on Monday. The SDO (PWD), BDO, SDO (National Highway) and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kalka, were also accompanied him. According to the SDM, the team visited the area of the sub-division which is likely a flood-prone area. They visited Rampur Sodian village, Rajipur, Malla road, Kaushlaya bridge, Bhuana area and Nolta village. The SDM said the team has been asked to keep a watch as the monsoon has set in. The team also visited the area of local Kali Mata Mandir where a landslide has taken place. The orders have been issued to clear the landslide immediately.

SHRAVAN SHIVRATRI: The Shri Trimurti Dham Samiti, Kalka, has decided to hold Ramcharitmanas akhand path as a part of Shravan Shivratri celebrations on Tuesday at Trimurti Dham from 8 a.m. according to temple spokesman Amar Dass. Other attractions of the programme on Wednesday are: Shivnam jaap (9 a.m.) Rudra pujan (6 p.m), followed by bhandara on Thursday at 12.30 p.m.

SONEPAT
TEXTBOOKS: Resentment prevails among students and their parents against the non-availability of textbooks for Class 1 to Class VIII in this city and the district. Many parents alleged that the closure of the supply centre by the Board of School Education, Haryana, was the main cause of the shortage of textbooks.

ASSAULT: Four persons, including three women, were seriously injured when they were assaulted by some persons at Kheri Dahiya village, about 10 km from here, on Sunday. All injured persons have been admitted to a hospital. A case has been registered.