R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

BATHINDA
UNEMPLOYED TEACHERS: A state-level meeting of the unemployed teachers was held at Teachers Home here on Sunday where the participants expressed concern about increasing unemployment. Hundreds of unemployed candidates possessing B.Ed, C.P. Ed and D.P. Ed degrees participated in the meeting which was presided over by Mr Narrotam Singh, District President of the Unemployed Teachers Union.

FAZILKA
RAISING DAY: Brig S.K.S. Rana, VSM, Station Commander of the local military station, on Saturday inaugurated the 39th anniversary celebrations of the raising of the brigade. He also laid wreaths at the War Memorial at Asafwala village, 7 km from here, to pay homage to the martyrs of the Indian Army who laid down their lives in the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971.

LUDHIANA
CONCERN EXPRESSED: The New Millennium Club has expressed its concern over the increasing crime, like murder and theft and the deteriorating law and order situation, in the city. Mr Kuldeep Singh Kreer, general secretary of the club, in a press note stated that news reports appearing daily in newspapers showed that anti-social elements had raised their activities despite best efforts by the police department to curb them. He said several cases of theft had been reported in Dugri region, near MIG colony, where gas cylinders and bicycles were stolen during daytime. He said though no loss of human had been reported yet such cases were a matter of serious concern. Club members appealed that police patrolling should be increased in order to nab the culprits. 

MEDICAL CAMP: A general medical camp was organised by the Bhai Ghanaya Ji Sewa Sanstha at Haibowal here on Monday. Over 126 patients were examined during this camp and free medicines were also provided. A blood group testing camp was also organised by the organisation. Mr Harcharn Singh (chairman). Mr Shamsher Singh, Mr Darshan Singh, Mr Gurdev Singh and many others were present during the camp. 

MOGA
ARRESTED: The Baghapurana police on Monday arrested Amarjit Singh of Bukkanwala in this district during a naka following the recovery of a scooter which the accused had stolen from a village sometime ago. The police also recovered a pistol and live cartridges from another person during the naka

NANGAL
EYE CAMP: The local Lions Club organised an eye camp at Barari village on Sunday. The camp was inaugurated by the Food and Civil Supplies Minister , Mr Madan Mohan Mittal.

NAWANSHAHR
TEENAGERS KILLED: Two teenagers, Gurdip Singh of Satgur Nagar and Sunil Dutta of Kabar Basar were killed when the motor cycle they were riding on was hit by a truck near the Rahon bus stand, 7 km from here, on Sunday. The police has arrested the truck driver and registered a case.

POPPY HUSK: The police has arrested Amarjit Singh, a driver, and seized 50 bags of poppy husk from him during a naka near Karyam village. His accomplices, Sukha Singh and Sukhjinder Singh, absconded.

CONSPIRACY: Mr Jasbir Singh, son of Mr Darshan Singh of Surapur village, who is residing in New Delhi at present, in a written complaint to the local SSP has alleged that Mr Baldev Singh of Anandpur Sahib (Ropar) in connivance with four others hatched a conspiracy and got the thumb impression of his father, Mr Darshan Singh, on the sale deed of his land under the influence of intoxicants. Although it is mentioned in the sale deed that Rs 8 lakh had been given to Mr Darshan Singh as advance, but nothing had been given to his father, alleged Mr Jasbir Singh.

CONVENTION: The district unit of the ex-servicemen cell of the Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee organised a convention here on Saturday. Col Jorwar Singh (retd), chairman of the cell, presided over the meeting at which problems being faced by the ex-servicemen were discussed. Mr Kartar Singh Sekhon, president of the district unit of the Congress, also addressed the convention.

PATHANKOT
JAIL INSPECTED: Ms Bhawna Garg, SDM, on Monday inspected the sub jail here. She also heard the problems of inmates.

APPOINTED: The Minority Department of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee appointed Mr Fazilat Masih as Chairman of the Gurdaspur unit of the department.

STUDENT BOOKED: A student, Gobind Singh, who was appearing at JBT centre No 3 here has been booked for stealing his answersheet. According to the police , Mr Devi Dayal, supervisor, posted at JBT centre No 3, alleged that on Friday when he was busy in counting answersheets, the accused allegedly stole his answersheet and fled away.

EYE CAMP: An eight-day eye camp, organised by the Chamunda Samaj Sewa Samiti, concluded here on Sunday. Mr Ashok Mahajan, Project Chairman of the camp, said more than 500 persons were examined and 85 cataract operations were performed. Medicines, food and spectacles were given to patients free of cost.

YOUTH CONGRESS: Mr Anil Sharma has been appointed general secretary of the District Youth Congress, Gurdaspur.

PATIALA
RAISING DAY: The Armoured Division will celebrate its 61st Raising Day on Tuesday, here. The celebrations will continue for three days. A number of retired and serving officers will attend the function that will have various sporting events and the traditional mess function. 

PAINTING COMPETITION: Ms Ravinder Kaur Bir, president, District Child Welfare Council, on Monday inaugurated a painting competition at Government Girls Senior Secondary School at New Power House Colony here. Girl students from Ludhiana, Sangrur and Patiala participated in the competition. Speaking on the occasion, Ms Bir said four schools have been started in the district to provide education free of cost to children from poor families. The paintings will be sent to the National Child Welfare Council for display at the national-level, said organisers. 

TRANSLATION: Mr Reoti Saran Sharma, Hindi dramatist and member of the World Theatre Institute, UNESCO, participating in the Hindi Divas Celebration Programme organised by the NTAS, stressed the need for translating Hindi plays in regional languages to promote better understanding between various states and strengthen the regional and national threatre movement. 

TRAINING WORKSHOP: Thirty doctors from all over Punjab were given training in the treatment and rehabilitation of disabled during a three-day WHO workshop on prevention of disability and rehabiliation held here recently. Organising secretary of the workshop, Dr Ravinder Singh, said society could play a vital role in the rehabilitation of the disabled by judiciously utilising the resources made available for the physically challenged. 

CONFERENCE: Delegates and exhibitors from all over world are expected to take part in the seventh Asia Construct Conference and exhibition, being organised by the Construction Industry Development Council, New Delhi at Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi from October 3 to 6. The conference and exhibition will focus on various problems encountered by the construction industry and also seek solutions with a view to accelerating economic growth by improving infrastructure. This was stated by Prof J.S. Bakshi, coordinator, northern region.

THREATENED: The Punjab State Warehousing Corporation Employees Joint Action Committee has threatened to continue their agitation at the district-level if their demands are not immediately fulfilled. 

DEMANDED: The Residents Welfare Association, Phase-1, on Monday demanded that the PRTC buses should pick up passengers from Urban Estate. The association also demanded the opening of a post office and a health centre near their locality and the repair of street lights. It was also asked that the PSEB should collect power bills from Urban Estate complaint office instead of Bahadurgarh. 

AWARDED: Ms Charanjit Kaur Cheema, Principal, Government Girls Multipurpose Senior Secondary School, Model Town, has been honoured with National Award by the Vice-President of India for her contribution in the field of education. 

KAMGAR SENA: The Hind Kisan Kamgar Sena on Monday undertook the task of cleaning the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Disclosing this, Prof K.L. Bhatia, president of the Sena, said their next task would be to cleanse the statue of Sewa Singh Thikri Wala.

PHILLAUR
3 INJURED: Three occupants of a Maruti car sustained injuries when their car rammed into a poll on the GT road, between Phillaur and Goraya, on Sunday. The accident occurred when the driver of the car lost control of the vehicle. The injured were admitted to different hospitals, the police said.

TARN TARAN
CONSTABLE BOOKED: Anwar Masih, a constable posted at the local police district, has been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly accepting bribes from residents of his village of Kakka Kandiala. Police sources said a few residents had lodged a complaint with the SSP against the constable for taking bribes. The accused is said to be absconding.

EX-SERVICEMEN’S RALLY: The All-India Ex-Serevicemen League organised a rally here on Saturday in which a large number of ex-servicemen and members of their families participated. The participants highlighted their pending demands, including one rank-one pension and an increase in the medical allowance from Rs 100 to Rs 500.

CHANDIGARH

PANCHKULA
RE-ELECTED: Mr B.B. Kochhar has been re-elected president of the Market Welfare Association, Sector 7, in the general body meeting of the association held on Sunday. The other office-bearers are: senior vice-president — Mr Harvinder Pal Singh; vice-president — Mr Sanjay Thapar; and general secretary — Mr C.B. Gupta. 

HARYANA

RELAY FAST: The Haryana Roadways Workers Union launched a relay fast near the main bus stand here on Monday to press for the acceptance of its demands for the transfer of the General Manager and reinstatement of three union leaders. Leaders of the union announced that the agitation would be intensified if the demands were not accepted by the Roadways authorities and the state government.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
‘PUCCA’ ROAD: Members of Amarpur gram panchayat in a representation to the Deputy Commissioner have protested against the proposal to construct a “pucca” road in the village at an expenditure of Rs 40,000. They said this would benefit only one family while this money could be utilised for providing a path to a large number of families of ward No 5 of the panchayat.

CHAMBA
ENCROACHMENTS: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.C. Mehta, while addressing a meeting of district revenue officers on Saturday directed them to remove encroachments on the government land in Chamba district forthwith. He said the high-level committee of the state had decided to organise mass awareness camps on September 21 and 22.

HPTDC UNION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Chamba unit of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) Employees Union: president — Mr Kamal Raina; senior vice-president — Mr Roshan Chauhan; vice-president — Mr Roshan Thakur; general secretary — Mr Hem Raj Thakur; secretaries — Mr Bir Singh, Mr Dharampal and Mr Inder Kumar; press secretary — Mr Anil Sharma; and treasurer — Mr Balkrishan Sharma.

KUMARHATTI
NO DEVELOPMENT: the Barog panchayat in a press note issued here on Monday alleged that even as more than one year had passed since the Special Area Development Authority (SADA), Barog, was formed, not a single penny had been incurred for the development of the area falling under it.

SUNDERNAGAR
BAR ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sundernagar Bar Association: president — Mr K.P.Sharma; vice-president — Mr Ramesh Kumar; general secretary — Mr Jitender Thakur; joint secretary — Mr K.L.Pathania; and treasurer — Mr Ram Kishan.