R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
MEMORANDUM: A delegation of the National Student Union of India (NSUI) presented a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Dr S.P.Singh, here on Wednesday. They were demanding the removal of restrictions from the holding of the elections to the students’ union and for the reduction in fee hike.

INAUGURATION: The Deputy Director, Health, Mr A.S.Sandhu, inaugurated a free medical-cum-eye check-up camp at DD High School, Chheharta, on Wednesday. Earlier, Mr K.C. Mahajan, president, Bharat Vikas Parishad , gave the welcome address.

DISTRIBUTED: Mr Brij Mohan Kapur, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, has distributed training certificates and Rs 200 as scholarship among 108 poor girls at a function held here on Wednesday.

JAGRAON
BOOKED: Acting on a tip-off, the local police raided Cheena Video Centre in Vijay Nagar Mohalla, and seized two colour televisions, two VCRs and a cassette of a blue film. While the owner of the shop fled from the spot Mukesh Kumar, an employee, was arrested. The police has registered a case under Sections 51, 52 and 68-A of the Copy Right Act and Section 292 of the IPC. 

KHARAR
STRIKE: The employees of the local Municipal Committee went on a strike here on Thursday and held a dharna outside the office of the committee in protest against the proposed decision of the Punjab Government to abolish octroi in the state. The employees marched in a procession and raised anti-government slogans. According to a press note issued, the rally was addressed among others by Mrs Daljeet Kaur, MLA, and Mr Ranbir Singh, president, Municipal Committee. 

SUSPENSION OF POWER: The supply of electricity here and surrounding villages would remain suspended on Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. due to urgent repair work. 

LUDHIANA
LEGAL AID: A seminar on the Legal Aid Programme, aimed at providing free legal services to people, would be organised in the Old Sessions Court here on Saturday 15. Giving this information, Mr S.S. Arora, District and Sessions Judge, said the seminar would be addressed by legal experts. He said as per the directions of Punjab Legal Service Authority, a special lok adalat would be held here on October 6 to settle pre-litigation and pending bank loan cases. The lok adalat would also take up various cases under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Acts, pending in various courts in the sessions division. 

CONG MEETING: An emergent meeting of Congress workers of Ward No. 69 was convened by the Congress Committee, Block No. 1, in New Kundan Puri here. Mr Chander Shekhar Sahota, president, BCC, presided over while the District Congress Committee (Urban) president, Mr Surinder Dawar, was the chief guest. Speakers at the meeting, including Mr Dawar and Mr Sahota, observed that people were fed up with the anti-people policies of the government. Mr Dawar announced the nomination of Mr Narinder Sarin as the president of Ward No. 69 of the party at this occasion and expressed confidence that the new team would do its best to motivate party workers to prepare for the coming assembly polls. 

PROTEST: The Maha Sabha Ludhiana, a social welfare organisation, has taken a serious view of the attempts to close the road connecting the L-block of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar with Sanet village. Mr J.S. Brar, president of the sabha, said in a press note here on Thursday that it was a thoroughfare which was being used by thousands of commuters every day. He said the road, which had been dismantled, should be repaired and opened to traffic at the earliest failing which the sabha would launch an agitation against the Improvement Trust. 

TWO CONVICTED: Kashmira Singh and Raju of Boparai Khurd village have been convicted for causing injuries to Chamkaur Singh of Chakk Bhattian village and sentenced them to undergo rigorous imprisonment of four years, besides a fine of Rs 500 each, by the court of Additional Sessions Judge, Mr G.S. Sran. According to prosecution, Chamkaur Singh had some money dispute with the accused. An FIR was registered at the Raikot police station on November 1, 2000, on the statement of Kulwant Singh, a son of Chamkaur Singh. 

MALERKOTLA
QUESTION PAPER: Resentment prevails among parents and students regarding the short supply of question papers for the house examination at the local Government High School for Boys. The students could not appear in the mathematics paper as the board supplied only three question papers for 126 students. Shortage of question papers for other subjects of various classes has also been reported.

MANSA
FLAYED: Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, general secretary of SAD and member, Rajya Sabha, while addressing a public meeting at Phaphre Bhaike village, in the district on Thursday said the Congress was responsible for river water disputes, terrorism and for economic crisis being faced by the farmers all over the country. Among others who addressed the public meeting were Mr Chatin Singh Samaon, former MP, Mr Mukhtiar Singh Tandian, district president, SAD, and Mr Jaswant Singh Phaphre Bhaike, former Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

NAWANSHAHR
DISTRIBUTED: Mr Jagjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, on Wednesday distributed as many as 104 fashion designing machines to the sewing and embroidery training centres being run by the District Literacy Society and the Rural Development Department. The machines were given by the District Small Savings Department, an official press note said here.

PATHANKOT
APPOINTED: Ms Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder, former Union Minister, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Minority Development, has appointed Mr Fazilat Masih as chairman, Minority Development , the District Congress Committee , Gurdaspur.

PATIALA
BOOKS DISTRIBUTED: Mr Madan Lal Mangla, president of the Agarwal Sabha, distributed books among needy and deserving students of Atma Ram Kumar Sabha Senior Secondary School from Dwarka Dass Education Trust here on Wednesday. Gurmeet Singh, a school student and an International cyclist, was also honoured on the occasion Mr Om Prakash Kapoor, manager of the school, handed over a cheque of Rs 7,200 to Gurmeet Singh. The school Principal, Mr Umesh Kumar Verma, gave a cash award of Rs 1,000 to the student. Mr Mangla gave a cash award of Rs 500 to the child. He also promised the students to honour those getting positions at the state and national levels meet. 

STRIKE: Two units of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) from Patiala and Rajpura went on strike in protest against the arrest of PCCTU leaders in Ludhiana on Wednesday. Both units of the union condemned the police for arresting the leaders who were holding peaceful rally at Ludhiana. The leaders included state president, Prof K.B.S. Sodhi and general secretary, Prof Jaspal Singh Randhawa. 

SAPLINGS PLANTED: The Punjab National Bank Regional Office, Chandigarh branch, organised a sapling plantation function at Government Senior Secondary School Mohinder Gang, Rajpura, in association with the local Lions Club here on Wednesday. Mr N.C. Jain, Senior Regional Manager of the bank, was the chief guest at the function. 

VANAMAHOTSAVA: The Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Youth Sports Club at Nanansu observed Vanamahotsava, which was inaugurated by Mr Varinder Singh Brar, DSP, Traffic Police. Speaking on the occasion, the club president, Mr Gurdarshan Singh Gandhi, said they would plant around 1,100 saplings at the village. 

EYE CHECK-UP CAMP: An eye check-up camp was organised at Gurdwara Khalsa Mohalla here on Thursday by Shri Guru Hargobind Sahib Sewa Society. Over 500 patients were examined by a team of six doctors and free medicines were also distributed. Mr Harinder Singh Vinda, general secretary, Punjab Youth Akali Dal, inaugurated the camp. 

BLOOD DONATION: The district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party Yova Morcha on Thursday offered to donate blood for those injured in the terrorist attack in New York and Washington. The morcha president, Mr Inder Kumar, said over 500 volunteers were ready for the purpose. 

SAMANA
CAMP: The Manglam unit, Punjab, and the Kings Club held a three-day camp at Aggarwal Dharmshala here for providing artificial limbs to the handicap. The camp was inaugurated by Mr Surjit Singh Rakhra, former Chairman, Sugarfed, Punjab. At the camp 50 tricycles, 12 wheel chairs, 15 artificial limbs for hands and feet, etc were distributed. The closing ceremony was presided over by an industrialist, Mr Ramesh Garg.

SAMRALA
CHEQUES DISTRIBUTED: Mr Amrik Singh Dhillon, MLA, has distributed cheques worth Rs 25 lakh from discretionary grants of Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, MP, during the past 15 days. 

ELECTION: The election for the post of vice-president of the local Municipal Council will be held on Friday, according to Mr Devinder Singh Grewal, Executive Officer of the MC. The election was to be held last month, but the Deputy Commissioner had suspended it in view of the absence of an official observer. Now, Mr S.S. Brar, SDM, had been appointed as the observer, Mr Grewal said. 

SCHOOL UPGRADED: The Government High School, Kubbe, has been upgraded to senior secondary level. A function was held on Thursday to mark the occasion. Mr Kirpal Singh Khirnian, a member of the SGPC, addressed the gathering on the occasion. He highlighted the work done by the Badal government for the welfare of farmers, Dalits and BCs. 

ZIRAKPUR
NEW TRAINING CENTRE: The management of New Angel Public School opened an Industrial Training Centre here on Wednesday. Mr Jaswant Singh Saini, chairman of the school, said the centre was provisionally affiliated with the National Council for Vocational Training, New Delhi, and would start with four trades — Electrician, Welder, Computer and Cutting and Tailoring — from September 21. He said the admission to the trades would strictly be as per the guidelines of the government. Preference would be given to the candidates of rural areas. The session for electrician trade would be of two years while the rest would be of one year each.

CHANDIGARH

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Chandigarh Housing Board Supervisors Union; chairman — Mr J.L. Malhotra; vice-chairman — Mr Shamsher Singh Choudhary; president — Mr Kuldip Singh Bakshi; vice-president — Mr Kaka Singh; general secretary — Mr Bachan Singh; joint secretary — Mr Rajiv Sharma;office secretary — Mr Achhar Singh; treasurer — Mr Kishori Lal; propaganda secretaries — Mr Ashwani Kumar and Mr Mohan Lal; and adviser — Mr Iqbal Singh.

HARYANA

AMBALA
NOTICES ISSUED: Three fair price shops have been sent explanation notices following inspection by officials from the Food and Supplies Department. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr D.D. Gautam, said 719 quintal levy sugar had been disbursed among 1.13 lakh people living below the poverty line. He said during the current month, while 505 tonne of wheat had been disbursed among those living below poverty line, about 50 tonne of wheat had been disbursed among those living above poverty line, a press note stated. 

STRIKE OBSERVED: The District Bar Association observed a strike on Thursday in protest against the incident of robbery at the house of the president of the association, Sonepat, a few days back. The decision was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of its president, Mr S.M. Sharma, here. The association expressed concern over on law and order situation in the state. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KUMARHATTI
MEETING: The meeting of the Kasauli constituency Congress committee was held at Dharampur, 4 km from here, on Wednesday. Mr K.D. Sultanpuri, former president of the Pradesh Congress Committee, came down heavily on the anti-people policies of the Dhumal government. Meanwhile, Mr Jai Paul Aggarwal and Mr Geeta Ram, were unanimously elected president of the Kasauli Block Trade Union and Kasauli Scheduled Caste cell, respectively.

SHIMLA
REWARD FOR BOARD: The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, has given a reward of Rs 51,000 to the housing board for the timely completion of a housing project at Sundernagar. The Chief Minister has appreciated the quality of work done by the housing board within the estimated cost and saving about Rs 12 lakh.

BUDDHA FESTIVAL: The Department of Tourism of the centre in collaboration with the Himachal Pradesh Government is organising a Buddha festival on September 15 and 16 at Reekong Peo. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, will inaugurate.

UNA
SENTENCED: Special Judge R.L. Raghu here on Wednesday sentenced Om Prakash of Kuthar Kalan village under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act to rigorous imprisonment for six months and fined him Rs 2000.