R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

FACILITIES SOUGHT: The All-India Hindu Shiv Sena has demanded that Hindu pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar be provided facilities at par with the Haj pilgrims which include subsidies of 50 per cent, death accident claims during yatra in addition to arrangement of special planes and lodging facilities.

LUDHIANA
TALENT SEARCH CONTEST: A talent search contest for the students of SCD Government College began on Tuesday. Students of the BA and B.Sc. were given 25 multiple choice questions based on general knowledge to be answered in 25 minutes. Talent search contest for the students of BCom and MA classes would be held on Wednesday and for those of M.Com. and M.Sc. classes on Thursday. Class XI and XII students would appear for the test on Friday. The final quiz contest for top few students of each classes would be conducted on January 25. Mr Aditya Raj Kalia from Tata Infotech said that prizes worth Rs 30,000 would be distributed among the winners. 

DEATH ANNIVERSARY: The 14th death anniversary of Khushi Ram Sharma, a BJP leader of Punjab, was held on Tuesday here. He was assassinated by the terrorists in 1988. A Ramayana path was held followed by a langar, organised by Shaheed Khushi Ram Sharma Charitable Trust.

CULTURAL FESTIVAL: Expressions, a three-day cultural festival, for the students of BBA, BCA and MCA of the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology (GNIMT) will begin on Wednesday. Dr A. S. Bansal, Director, said that contests for various items, including music, art, theatre and literary events, would be conducted. Contests to be held on Wednesday include those for music, choreography, just a minute, case presentation, painting and poster making. On Thursday, contests for individual dances, skit, dumb charades, mock press conference, cartooning and rangoli would be held and contests for Friday include group dances, debate, extempore, collage and mehndi. 

STORY-WRITING CONTEST: To encourage creative talent among students, the Young Writers Association of Punjab Agricultural University will organise a short story-writing contest. Giving this information, Dr Joginder Singh Nirala, teacher in charge, said students from various colleges could submit their stories in Punjabi, English or Hindi by January 31. Top three stories would be published in the next issue of PAU Magazine. The contest is being held in the memory of eminent short-story writer Kulwant Singh Virk. 

PAU WORKSHOP: A two-day agricultural officers’ workshop for kharif crops will be organised at Punjab Agricultural University on February 19 and 20. During the workshop, package for recommendations for kharif crops will be finalised after joint deliberations by field officers. The final recommendations will be published in the form of a book in Punjabi as well as English and sold during kisan melas to be organised by the university at Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Buliowal, Saunkhri and Gurdaspur during the month of March. 

COURSE FOR FARMERS: The Department of Extension Education, PAU, will organise a correspondence course for matriculate farmers soon. Giving this information, Dr G.S. Momi, head of the department, said during the programme, one lesson would be sent to the trainees through post every month for a year on different subjects, including crop production, plant production, farm machinery, poultry farming and dairy farming in the Punjabi medium. 

CHANDIGARH

PROTEST: Residents of Sector 22 today protested against the opening of a TB hospital in the sector. In their representation to the Punjab Governor, Lieut Gen. J.F.R. Jacob (retd), the residents suggested that the TB hospital should be housed in a building at an isolated and less populated place. They said the polyclinic services both OPD and indoor could be enhanced to utilise the newly built additional space for the benefit of the residents of the sector. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

PAONTA SAHIB
RALLY INAUGURATED: Mr Praveen Sharma, Sports and Excise Minister, inaugurated a rally organised by the Nehru Yuva Sangathan, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Monday. He flagged off 30 cyclists participating in the rally which would move through Punjab and Haryana and reach Delhi on February 10.