R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
BADAL FLAYED: Mr Sukhdev Singh Sandhu, president of the district Shiv Sena, said at a meeting that Mr Parkash Singh Badal was trying to revive militancy by bringing back the hardcore militants like Wassan Singh Zaffarwal and Dr Jagjit Singh Chohan. He said the Badal government had withdrawn the security of some Shiv Sena leaders. The sena decided to burn the effigy of Mr Badal on August 19.

BATHINDA
NO POWER SUPPLY: The industrial units which get power supply from 33 kv grid substation on the Dabwali road will go without power from 8 am on Friday till 8 pm on Sunday. This was stated in a press note issued here on Thursday, which said the grid will remain closed for maintenance. It further said the residential areas and shops would get controlled power supply during this period.

DHARNA: Mr Ratan Sen Garg, senior vice-president of district unit of the Punjab State General Categories Welfare Federation, said a large number of activists of the federation would participate in a dharna to be held near the office of the DPI (S) at Chandigarh on Friday. In a press note issued here on Thursday he said the dharna would be held to urge the authorities to fulfill their demands.

EXHIBITION HELD: A painting exhibition was organised at Sarawan village, near Kotkapura, from Sunday to Tuesday by the Kotkapura Vishvas Lions Club. Mr Chander Arora, PRO of the club, said in a press note issued here on Thursday that the paintings were aimed to create awareness among the people about safeguards from deadly diseases like AIDS, hepatitis-B, diabetes etc.

RESOLUTION PASSED: The District Bar Association here passed a resolution on Wednesday demanding immediate resignation of the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, in the wake of the killings at the Jammu railway station on Tuesday. The resolution further urged that the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, should not visit Pakistan. The members expressed sympathy with the bereaved families and observed two minutes’ silence in the memory of those killed.

B.Ed COURSE: Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, will inaugurate the classes of the first batch of B.Ed course at the local College of Education on August 12. As the building of the college was still under construction, the classes would be started on the premises of the Regional Centre of the Punjabi University.

DORAHA
FOUNDATION STONE: Mr Sadhu Singh Ghudani, MLA, Payal, laid the foundation stone of streets in Araichan village, here on Tuesday. A stone laying ceremony was also held for a graveyard and the road leading towards it. Speaking on the occasion Mr Ghudani advised the youths of the village to stay away from drugs, and lend a helping hand in development works. Among those present on the occasion were Mr Atma Singh, a retired headmaster; Mr Acchara Singh and Mr Swaran Singh, sarpanches of Rampur and Malipur, respectively; Mr Kartar Singh and Mr Gurmit Singh, panches; Mr Avtar Singh Dhamot, and people from surrounding villages. A vote of thanks was proposed by Mr Gurnam Singh, the sarpanch of the village.

HOSHIARPUR
EXTORTIONIST HELD: Baljit Singh, alias Sonu, of Saggowal village was caught red-handed while taking Rs 10,000 from Jasbir Singh of Nasran village at Jandoli village on Tuesday. Mr Sanjeev Kalra, SSP, told mediapersons that a case under Section 387, IPC, has been registered in this connection.

ORDER HAILED: A meeting of the Association of Retired Teachers of Government Aided Colleges of Punjab, Hoshiarpur unit, was held here on Wednesday under the presidentship of Mr D.L. Anand, retired principal, in which the order of the Punjab & Haryana High Court passed on July 26 to implement the pension and gratuity scheme as per the amended Act was hailed. The association urged the Punjab Government to implement the said order within the stipulated period of three months.

RESENTMENT: Resentment prevails among the octroi employees of the Municipal Council here against the proposed abolition of octroi from August 15 by the Punjab Government. In a press note issued here on Wednesday, Mr Mukhi Ram, president and Mr Amarjit Khosla, general secretary of the Octroi Staff Union, said with the proposed abolishing of octroi, more than 15,000 employees in various municipal corporations and councils would become jobless. They warned the state government that if the proposed abolition of octroi was done, all the octroi employees in Punjab would launch a state-wide agitation.

CASE REGISTERED: A case was registered on Tuesday under Section 498-A of the IPC against Balbir Singh, his brother Paramjit Singh, father Tarsem Singh and mother Geja, all of Kadiana for allegedly torturing Sunita Devi for bringing inadequate dowry. In his complaint, Mr Dilbag Rai stated that he gave sufficient dowry to her daughter on her marriage, but the aforesaid persons used to torture her demanding more dowry.

KHAMANO
GRANT: Mr S. K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, payed tributes to Naik Dharam Singh, who was killed in an encounter with terrorists at Kupwara on July 27, at Mushkabad village, near here on Wednesday. He said it was our duty to look after the families of martyrs. He announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh to the family — Rs 1 lakh each for parents and wife. He added that a plot or an amount of Rs 5 lakh would also be given as per the will of the family. The martyr’s wife would be employed at village government school, he said, adding that it would be named after the martyr’s name. On demand by villagers, he announced that a grant would be allocated for the repair of village Dharamshala, and a road from Mushkabad to Taprian village would also be constructed. Paying tributes to the martyr, Mr M. S. Randhawa, Deputy Director, Sainik Welfare Board, announced that the soldier’s family would be given an exgratia amount of Rs 5 lakh and insurance money worth Rs 3.75 lakh, besides monthly pension equal to his last salary. Mr Isher Singh Meharban, a former Minister, and some other leaders also paid tributes to the martyr.

MEETING: The Akali Dal (A), in a meeting held here on Wednesday hailed the formation of the Panthic Morcha. Mr Mohinder Singh Maneli, circle president, presided over the meeting. The meeting was of the view that the morcha would come to power in the ensuing Assembly elections in Punjab and the anti-Punjab forces, including Akali Dal (B) and the Congress, would be defeated. Mr Surinder Singh Maneli, vice-president, youth wing of the Akali Dal (A), also expressed satisfaction over the formation of the morcha.

LUDHIANA
CELEBRATED: The members of the Triveni Ladies Club celebrated Teej and the Independence Day here on Thursday. Ladies were dressed in bright-coloured Punjabi outfits and sang a variety of Punjabi songs. The club had also arranged a Teej queen contest, which was won by Ms Parneeta. The members performed various cultural items, like Giddha and solo dances on various Punjabi numbers. The club had arranged various surprise gifts for the members and guests. The Sarabha Ladies Club celebrated the festival of Janmashtami here at Basant Resorts on Thursday. A Raas-Lila was performed by children of the club members. They danced to different numbers, like pag ghungroo baandh meera naachi re, manmohan ghansham re kitne tere roop and aisi lagi lagan meera hogai magan. The members included Ms Meenu Aggarwal, Ms Rama Shourie, Ms Shammi Bindra and Ms Neelam Manchanda.

CRITICISED: The Punjab Agricultural University Teachers Association (PAUTA), in its meeting held on Thursday resolved to condemn the “dictatorial” and “undemocratic” attitude of the Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala. In a communique issued by PAUTA, the president, Dr Hari Singh Brar, and general secretary, Dr M.L. Gupta, said PAUTA was shocked that the VC had denied the admission to the son of Dr B.S. Khera, president, PUTA, in Punjabi University. It appealed to the Chancellor and Chief Minister to intervene in the matter.

NAWANSHAHR
OFFICE INAUGURATED: Mr Satnam Kainth, president, Bahujan Samaj Morcha and former MP, inaugurated the party office at Garhshanker Road here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, he said the morcha would emerge as a third force in the state.

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY: The devotees of Dera Sacha Sauda (Sirsa) organised “Naam Charcha” at Garhi Ajit Singh village near here, on Wednesday to mark the birth anniversary of Sant Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, present master of the dera, informed Mr Ashok Kumar, sevadar of the dera.

‘RELEASE GRANT’: Mr Prem Singh, a local SAD leader and sarpanch of Langroya village in a press note accused the district administration of adopting dilly dally attitude in releasing a grant of Rs 2 lakh announced by the CM, Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for the village school in December, 1999.

PATIALA
PENSIONERS IRKED: The Punjab Pensioners Welfare Association on Thursday express resentment against the state government for not implementing the recommendations of the Fourth Punjab Pay Commission giving this information, the association president, Mr H.S. Sodhi, and general secretary, Mr Dayal Singh Bajaj, said Punjab pensioners which were announced by Captain Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, at Fatehgarh Sahib on April 25.

SCHOLARSHIPS: The Punjab Elementary Education Project Committee working under the aegis of the Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council, New Delhi, will give the first instalment of scholarship of Rs 150 per month each to 20 students for three years on August 12 at Government MP Senior Secondary School here. Giving this information, Mr T.R. Sharma, Chairman, said the DEO (Secondary), Mr Kharag Singh, would preside over the function and Mr Kulwinder Singh, general secretary would distribute the pocket money.

SAHNEWAL
SEMINAR: A seminar on “Scientific approach and the role of Tarksheels” would be organised at the Government Senior Secondary School for Boys on Sunday at 10 am. This was stated by Mr Dalbir Singh Katani, general secretary, Ludhiana zone, Tarksheel Society, and Mr Rupinder Raman Dharaur, secretary, Sahnewal unit. They said a decision to this effect was taken in a meeting organised by the unit a few days ago.

CHANDIGARH

PANCHKULA
PROGRAMME: A training programme for members of the Gram Vikas Samitis began at Pinjore, on Thursday. The idea of the programme was to educate members on the various development projects to be carried out with the funds released by the government. The government has released Rs 3 crore which would be distributed among samitis in Pinjore, Barwala, Raipur Rani and Morni. The first session was held in the Pinjore block, the programme will also be held on August 10 at Barwala, August 17 at Raipur Rani and August 21 at Morni. TNS MOVE RESENTED: Residents of Group Housing Societies in Sector 5, Panchkula, have resented the proposed move of the government to hike the water and sewerage tariff in Haryana. ‘‘The graded tariff scheme proposed to be introduced for consumers of different categories is, no doubt, a step in the right direction but societies, being a multi-house hold entity, the consumption should be calculated on per unit basis instead of a whole. As most of the residents have taken home loans for this dwelling unit from various institutions, the proposed hike becomes unbearable and quite taxing,’’ said Mr Deepak Rai Walia, president of New Kuteer Society.

HARYANA

BHIWANI
EX-SERVICEMEN: The Haryana Ex-services League has demanded a separate pay commission for the defence personnel, the vice-president of the state unit of the league, Col Brahmanand (retd) said on Wednesday. The district president of the league, Major Bharat Singh Nehra (retd), informed that a delegation of members of the league consisting of executives from all states met the Union Defence Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh in Delhi and apprised him of their difficulties.

ANIMALS RESCUED: With the cooperation of activists and the district president of the People for Animals organisation, Mr Hans Raj, the police nabbed two trucks loaded with sheep and goats which were being taken from Rajasthan to Delhi for slaughter. The police has arrested the two truck drivers in this connection. The truck drivers said these animals were being taken to the Idgah slaughter house in Delhi. The police has registered cases against Sri Ram of Khemo village and Ramesh of Swamisehi village of Rajasthan, both drivers of the trucks, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

PANIPAT
CAMP FOR DISABLED: As many as 424 physically challenged persons have been given artificial limbs during the first three days of the 10-day Grand Disabled Welfare Camp organised by the district Red Cross Society and the Sri Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, Jaipur, at the local Bal Bhawan. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr M.R. Anand, said 198 callipers, 44 artificial limbs, 54 tricycles, 99 crutches, 19 wheel-chairs and 10 other apparatuses like shoes and hearing-aids were distributed.

SIRSA
SEMINAR HELD: A seminar on “ Criminalisation of politics and the dangers” was organised by the local centre of Panchnad at Shiv Shakti Blood Bank here on Tuesday night. Mr Bhupender Dharmani, secretary of the local Panchnad centre, stressed the need for overhauling the educational system with greater thrust on nurturing national character and national responsibility.

YAMUNANAGAR
DENTAL CAMP: Mr R.S. Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, while speaking at a function organised by the Dental Association, Yamunanagar branch, in collaboration with Colgate Palmolive India Limited at DAV Dental College here on Wednesday stated that most of the school children suffer from dental cavities and pyorrhea. Dr B.R. Chetal, president, Indian Dental Association, Yamunanagar and Dr I.K. Pandit, in charge, dental camp also spoke on the occasion.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

LINKS RESTORED: The communication links of Doel and Chotta Bangal areas which were snapped due to the flashfloods were restored by the Telecom Department on Wednesday. Stating this here, Mr O.P. Sikka, General Manager, Telecom, Dharmsala, said the recent flashfloods had caused a communication failure in these areas.