R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

JALANDHAR
ARRESTED: The district police arrested a person for issuing fake pollution check certificates at BMC Chowk here on Thursday. The SP (Traffic), Mr L.K. Yadav, said the accused, Ritesh Kumar, was issuing certificates without checking vehicles.

KAPURTHALA
SENTENCED: Mr Jagroop Singh Mahal, Special Judge-cum-Additional Sessions Judge, on Wednesday convicted Jodh Singh, a Junior Engineer of the PSEB posted at Phagwara, under the Prevention of Corruption Act on the charge of taking of bribe of Rs 500.

LUDHIANA
250 PATIENTS EXAMINED: A surgical camp was organised by Dewan Hospital and Advanced Laparoscopy Surgery Centre here on Friday. It was inaugurated by Dr L.S. Chawla, a former Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University. Dr Narottam Dewan of the hospital said nearly 250 patients were examined. Four poor patients were registered, who will be operated upon free of cost at the hospital. Ms Neeta Dewan, Director of the hospital, said tests were conducted free of cost.

LOHRI FUNCTION: The Urban Estate Residents Welfare Society will organise ‘Lohri festival’ at the parking lot of Phase II, Dugri, on Saturday. Mr B.R. Kaushal, its president, said a cultural programme would be organised. The Ludhiana Social Welfare Society, Upkar Nagar, will celebrate the festival in the Dasehra Ground of Upkar Nagar on Sunday. Mr Surinder Dabar and Mr Rakesh Pandey will be the guests of honour. 

PAPER READING CONTEST: Senior section students of New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, participated in an inter-school paper reading contest on ‘Life of Lal Bahadur Shastri’ here on Friday. Nearly 26 students of Classes IX and X participated. The contestants were divided into four houses and spoke in detail about the life and achievements of Shastriji. Ragini Khanna of Class X from Tagore House stood first. Aanchal Jain of Class IX from Laxmi Bai House was declared second. Third prize went to Lovin Dhawan of Class X from Nehru House. Consolation prizes went to Richa Sood of Class IX from Nehru House and Aman Sehgal of Class X from Laxmi Bai House. Ms Sonia Bajaj conducted the contest. Ms Shelly Sharma and Ms Monika Sharma pronounced the judgement. The chief guest on the occasion was Mr Sunil Maria, President of the school committee. Principal H.C. Gupta gave away prizes to students. 

RANGOLI CONTEST: An inter-house rangoli contest was organised by students of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School here on Thursday. Over 35 students from senior classes participated in the contest. Girls used saw dust, flowers, pulses, glitters, sparkles, aluminium foil and candles to create different rangoli patterns. Deepika and Shruti from Rohin House were declared first. Second prize was bagged by the teams of Shivani, Parul and Sucharika of Aryabhatta House and Roop of Bhaskar House. Third prize went to Minakshi of Rohini House and Tarunveer and Sumita of Apple House. Ms Raman Aggarwal coordinated the show. Ms Monika Dhoul and Ms Anju Sharma were the judges. Ms Paramjit Kaur, Principal, appreciated the efforts of the students.

OLD STUDENTS’ MEET: At the executive committee meeting of the Old Students Association of Government for Women, here, held on Thursday, it was decided to hold the old students’ meet on January 25. On this occasion three eminent old students, who have excelled in various fields, would be honoured, according to Ms Inderjeet Gill Vashisht, Principal. Ms Amrit Bose, secretary, Indian Women Hockey Federation and joint secretary, Indian Olympic Association, would preside over the function. A brief cultural programme will be presented. 

MANSA
TEACHERS’ RALLY: The Unemployed B.Ed Teachers Front held a demonstration here on Friday. Addressing the rally, Mr Bikkar Singh, president of the front, said the state government had failed to provide employment to thousands of unemployed B.Ed teachers.

ARRESTED: With the arrest of six persons, the Sardulgarh police has busted a gang of robbers who were planning to loot petrol stations and liquor contractors. Members of the gang also confessed to have committed a robbery at a liquor shop at Varranpur village, Haryana. They have been identified as Ranjit Singh, Jarnail Singh, Buta Singh and Sohan Singh of Jandhu Kalan village, and Gurbachan Singh and Puran Singh of Therankalan village.

MOGA
ROAD SAFETY: Road safety week was observed on the premises of the office of the Moga Truck Union here. Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kanwalbir Singh Sidhu, urged people to observe the traffic rules. He urged vehicle owners to use dipper at night. He asked them not to indulge in drunken driving.

PROTEST: Chowkidars posted at various villages in the district have not been paid salary for the past seven months. At a meeting held at Baghapurana town on Friday, they decided to go on a strike if their salary was not released immediately.

PHAGWARA
EYE CAMP: During the road safety week, the Saviour Youth Club and the traffic police organised an eye check-up camp on Thursday. More than 200 drivers were examined and provided medicines.

SAMRALA
ONE KILLED: Subedar Harbhajan Singh (retd) was killed in a road accident near Bondli village, 3 km from here, on Friday. He was coming to his native village, Balian, on the cycle when he met with the accident. The body was handed over to his brother after post-mortem.

TRAINING: The training on the use of electronic voting machines was held in the office of the Municipal Committee here on Friday, under the supervision of Mr S.S. Brar, SDM. Mr Rashpal Chand, tehsildar, told supervisory officers from all departments about the use of the machines and asked them to train the political parties.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The Brahmin Sabha has decided to help poor Brahmin girls. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Ludhiana District Brahmin Sabha held at Civil Rest House here on Friday. It was presided over by Mr Kulwant Rai Sharma, its state general secretary. The following have been unanimously elected office-bearers of the sabha: patron — Mr Brahm Dutt Sharma; president — Mr Ram Pal Gosain; senior vice-president — Mr Brij Lal Shastri; vice-presidents — Mr Balraj Sharma and Mr Virinder Kaushal; general secretary — Mr Kulwant Rai Sharma; organising secretary — Mr Tarsem Kumar Sharma; joint secretary — Mr Madan Lal Sharma; and propaganda secretary — Mr Manohar Lal Sharma.

HARYANA

AMBALA
SURPRISE VISIT: Eightyseven officials and employees were found absent during a surprise visit by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Mahinder Kumar, to different offices here on Friday. Mr Kumar first visited Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar, and found 37 personnel absent. He also visited the District Industries Centre and Subdivisional Education office. A number of absentees were found at PWD (B&R) office, according to a press note. The DC said strict action would be initiated against those who were found absent during duty hours.

BHIWANI
ROAD SAFETY: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Harpal Singh has urged people to be cautious while driving and obey traffic rules. He has asked two-wheeler riders to wear helmets.

RALLY: A district-level birth and death registration and anti-female foeticide rally will be held jointly by educational institutions, the Deshbhakt Society, the Gramin Vikas Mandal, Nihalagarh, and the Census Department, Haryana on January 12 at Charkhi Dadri.

KILLED: Dilbag, a hair dresser, was hit by a vehicle while he was on his way home to Kharak village. In another incident, Kalu of Talu village attempted suicide by consuming poison. He has been admitted to the local Civil Hospital.

SHAHABAD
BLOOD DONATION: As many as 111 youths of the town, including volunteers of NSS units of Arya Kanya Mahavidyalaya, M.N. College and Government Senior Secondary School, donated blood at a camp organised by the Bharat Vikas Parishad and the State Bank of India on Wednesday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NURPUR
17 INJURED: Seventeen passengers were injured when an HRTC bus hit a tree at Raja Ka Bagh, near here, on Thursday. Two passengers received multiple injuries and were referred to the Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala, while four others were admitted to the civil hospital, here.

BLOOD DONATION: A local voluntary organisation, Ashadeep, will organise a blood donation camp on the Army Day on January 15 in the memory of jawans who sacrificed their lives while fighting terrorists. Chief Minister P.K. Dhuman will inaugurate the camp.