R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMLOH
TEACHERS’ SELECTION: Mr Bachhatter Singh, chairman of the Teachers Selection Committee and District Education Officer, Fatehgarh Sahib, while talking to mediapersons here today said that 1076 teachers appeared for the interview before the selection committee recently. The interview session concluded on July 27 last month. All the teachers who were interviewed belonged to Fatehgarh Sahib district and Chandigarh. Those interviewed included 137 ETT teachers while others were B.Ed, M.Ed.

BARNALA
STAFF DEMANDS: In response to a strike-cum-dharna call given by the Private Colleges Non-Teaching Employees Union (PCNTEU) Punjab and Chandigarh, the non-teaching employees serving in the private colleges all over the state held dharnas on Saturday, informed Mr Raj Kumar Singla, general secretary, Punjab, PCNTEU, here. Mr Singla said the demands of non-teaching employees included revision of HRA rates, implementation of the Anomaly Committee report, payment of grade revision arrears in one instalment and immediate implementation of pension scheme which is already late by three years.

BATHINDA
MEDICAL CAMP: About 476 patients were examined by doctors during a medical camp organised by Desh Bhagat Dental College, Muktsar, at the college campus on Saturday. In a press note issued here, Mr Anshu Kataria, administrator of the college, said Dr Zora Singh, Chairman of Desh Bhagat Group of Institutes, was the chief guest and Mr Gopal Joshi, senior specialist, Small Enterprises and management Development and Mr Rajan Malhotra, senior specialist, Employment Activities were the special guests.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT: The Punjab Government has spent Rs 2 crore on welfare schemes for rural areas of the state. Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Science and Technology Minister, Punjab, gave this information on Saturday while addressing a gathering at Gillpatti village of the district. He was here to attend a camp for distributing SC certificates to Dalit families so that they could avail the benefits of welfare schemes launched for them.

50 CASES SETTLED: A lok adalat was held at Talwandi Sabo on Saturday. Mr K.K. Kakkar, Civil Judge (Junior Division) presided. Fifty cases pertaining to bank loans involving an amount of Rs 5,10,600 were settled.

DECISION CONDEMNED: Mr Ashok Kumar, president, Municipal Employees Union, condemned the decision of the state government to abolish octroi. In a press note issued here on Saturday, he said the decision was against the interest of employees. He demanded the adjustment of employees doing the job of octroi collection before the abolition.

DERA BASSI
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sri Brahman Mahasabha: partons — Mr Jagdish Lal Sharma, Mr Mohan Lal Sharma and Mr Krishan Kumar Sharma; president — Mr Anuj Sharma; senior vice-president — Mr Rameshwar Angreesh; vice-president — Mr Chandra Bhan Kaushik; general secretary — Mr R.D. Shastri; secretary — Mr Om Pal Sharma; joint secretary — Mr Rakesh Sharma, press secretary — Mr Navneet Sharma; cashier — Mr Ashwani Sharma; and auditor — Mr Harbans Lal Sharma.

ELECTED: Mr Amrit Pal Singh, a former president of the Dera Bassi Municipal Council and a senior Congress leader, has been elected as the president of the Dera Bassi Block Congress by Capt Amarinder Singh, president of the Punjab State Congress Committee. He has also been authorised to nominate the executive committee of the block Congress.

GURDASPUR
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Inner Wheel Club: president — Ms Prem Gupta; vice-presidents — Ms Ganjender Kondal and Ms Neelam Mahant; secretary — Ms Krishna Khanna; joint secretaries — Ms Veena Kondal and Ms Roopa Heir and treasurer — ms Reena Saraf.

HOSHIARPUR
ROAD REPAIR: The Punjab Government claims to have created history by making repairs of 27,000 km out of a total length of 34,000 km of link roads during the past 4 and a half years. This was stated by Mr Sohan Singh Thandal, State Minister for Civil Supplies, Punjab, after inaugurating the Saidpur-Jalowal link road on Saturday. he said a plan of Rs 3000 crore for the improvement of roads and bridges had been prepared. Construction of roads and bridges at a cost of Rs 1183.97 crore in Hoshiarpur district was being done, he added.

SAPLINGS PLANTED: In continuation of the plantinum jubilee celebrations, a sapling plantation camp was organised at DAV College here on Saturday. NCC cadets of 2 Punjab Girls Battalion planted eucalyptus and poplar saplings and a few ornamental plants at the college grounds and in Ravidas locality.

JANAMASHTAMI: A “shobha yatra” procession was taken out by managements of the various local temples in the main bazars of the city in connection with the celebrations of Janamashtmi festival here on Saturday. Thousands of men, women and children participated in the yatra and recited sankirtan. All bazars were decorated and illuminated. Sweets and fruits were distributed to mark the celebration.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been appointed office-bearers of the district BJP Kisan Morcha Committee: general secretary — Mr Subash Chander; vice-presidents — Mr Rewail Singh Muttani, Mr Mansha Ram Villan and Mr Hari Chand; secretaries — Mr Ravinder Kumar, Mr Baldev Singh, Mr Manohar Singh and Ms Roop Sethi and cashier — Mr Mangal Singh.

TWO ARRESTED: The Garhshankar police arrested Tilak Raj of Denowal Khurd and seized 8 kg of poppy husk from him on Friday. The police also arrested Bhoop Singh of Padmi in Bans Bareilly district of UP and seized 250 gm of opium from him. Cases under Sections 18, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act have been registered against both the accused.

3 BOOKED FOR ABDUCTION: On a complaint of Mooza of Deel village, Chamba district, the Mukerian police has registered a case against Alafdin, alias Alfoosh Ali, Asha and Kammo for allegedly abducting his 17-year-old daughter.

CASE REGISTERED: The Garhshankar police has registered a case against Iqbal Singh of Sembli for applying for a passport in the fictitious name of Sarabjit Singh.

LUDHIANA
CULTURAL PROGRAMME: Students of STG presented a colourful cultural programme at Nehru Sidhant Kendra to mark the first anniversary of its centre at Mall Road. The show comprised of dances, skits, modelling and choreography. Mr Suresh Arora (IPS), DIG, Ludhiana Range, was the chief guest at the occasion. He lauded the efforts of the students and advised them to work hard to rise above mediocrity.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
MEDICAL CAMP: A Hepatitis B immunisation camp would be organised by the local Lions Club on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Prabhatpuri Charitable Hospital, Amloh Road, Mandi Gobindgarh, Mr Gurmeet Channi, president of the club, told mediapersons here on Sunday. Mr Bhagwant Sharma, project chairman, said vaccination would be done at a subsidised rate of Rs 50 children and Rs 100 (adults).

MANSA
GOVT POLICIES FLAYED: Workers of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation (PSSF) and the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) staged a demonstration and held a rally in the District Courts Complex here on Saturday. They submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner enlisting their demands, to be forwarded to the Chief Minister, Punjab. Employees from various departments took part in the demonstration and the rally despite rain. Mr Sat Pal Dhaliwal, a senior leader of the PSSF, said the government was doing injustice by adopting anti-employee policies.

STRIKE OBSERVED: On a call given by the Private Colleges Non-Teaching Employees Union, Punjab and Chandigarh, the non-teaching employees of S.D. Kanya Mahavidyala here observed a stay-in strike for two hours. Mr Surinder Paul Bansal, secretary, Punjabi University wing of the union, said the non-teaching employees of private colleges will again observe a stay-in strike on August 18 to press for their demands.

LOK ADALAT: On the directions of Mr B.C. Rajput, District and Sessions Judge, Bathinda, Mr Harbans Lal and Mr Sukhdev Singh, Additional District and Sessions Judges, and Mr Raj Kumar Garg, Civil Judge (Junior Division), held a lok adalat on Saturday for bank loan cases. As many as 24 cases for recovery of loans amounting to Rs 20,44,100 were settled.

PATIALA
MEETING: The Punjab Home Guards Welfare Association on Friday said a meeting of the association members would be held on Thursday at Nehru Park here. Issuing a press note, Mr Gurmeet Singh, president of the association, said the meeting would take into consideration various demands that had been put forth to the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister but nothing had come out of it so far. The demands comprised of giving facilities of police patron, Rs 200 per day and recalling the jawans who were serving at places more than 100-150 kilometres away. It urged the Punjab Government and the Central Government to look into their demands.

EFFIGY BURNT: The employees of the Patiala Aviation Club burned the effigy of Mr S. K. Mittal, secretary of the club, in protest against the non-payment of salaries to its employees for the past 23 months. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Balwinder Singh, president, said the matter was forwarded to the Chief Minister and Finance Minister, who had assured that the payments would be released soon to the employees. However, the employees claimed that nothing had been done by the authorities. The employees added that if the payments were not made at the earliest, they would launch an agitation.

SAMRALA
DHARNA: Congress workers will stage a dharna in front of the SDM court on Monday in protest against the alleged police inaction in the murder case of Sukhdev Singh, district vice-president of the District Congress Committee, Ludhiana. This was stated by Mr Isher Singh Meharban, a former minister and general secretary of the PPCC, here on Sunday. Capt Amarinder Singh, state president of the party, and various other leaders will sit on dharna, he said.

CHANDIGARH

MEDICAL CAMP: Over 150 patients were examined at a medical camp held on the premises of the Sector 7 gurdwara, here on Sunday. It was inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner, Ms Jyoti Arora. The camp was organised in association with a private health clinic. Four doctors examined the patients at the camp.

HARYANA

BHIWANI
17 ARRESTED: The police has arrested 17 persons in separate cases of clashes and theft in the district. The SP, Dr Suman Manjri, informed here on Saturday that Mahabir and Baljit of Basai village were arrested under Sections 107 and 151 of the IPC, whereas Satish of Dhani Roda was arrested in a case already registered against him under Sections 147 and 323 of the IPC. Hawa Singh a truck driver of Sai village, was arrested for crushing a person to death. The CIA staff arrested Chandgi of Chhota Dhana village under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC.

NOMINATED: The secretary of Haryana Badminton Association, Dr Manjeet Kumar, has been nominated manager of the Indian badminton team to participate in the Singapore Open Championship to be held at Singapore from August 14 to 19. A fax message sent by the honarary secretary of the Badminton Association of India informed.

FATEHABAD
GRANTS DISTRIBUTED: Cheques worth Rs 3.77 crore were distributed among various panchayats as grants for development activities announced by the state Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, during his “sarkar aapke dwar” programme. The cheques were distributed at a function organised at the local Bal Bhavan on Saturday. The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr C.S. Rana, presided over the function.

GURGAON
RESENTMENT: Resentment prevails among residents of Mohankhanpur village, about 60 km from here, against the police for its shoddy handling of a murder case of a person killed on Friday might. The dead was one of the employees of a petrol pump in the village. The police earlier registered a case of suicide. Following protests from several quarters, the case was converted into that of murder.

SONEPAT
JANMASHTAMI CELEBRATED: Janmashtami was celebrated today in the city and other parts of the district today with religious fervour. Almost all temples were tastefully decorated. Tableaux depicting the life of Lord Krishna were the main attraction. The devotees thronged the temples throughout the day and late in the night. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

PAONTA SAHIB
COLLEGE BODY: All four seats in the Students Central Association elections of Paonta College have been won by the Hill Student’s Union. The elected students are: president — Kamlesh Sharma; vice-president — Kuldeep Thakur; general secretary — Suresh Sharma; and joint secretary — Poonam.