R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

• A pioneer in vet services
• Relief for PCO owners
• Plastic surgeon quits CMCH

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
HONOURED: Volunteers who donated 360 units of blood last year were honoured by Mr Sunil Jakhar, MLA, at a function organised by the Bharat Vikas Parishad here. Three physically challenged persons were given tricycles.

AMRITSAR
MENTAL AILMENTS: Reconstructing personality after mental illnesses was the focus of a health awareness programme organised at Bhatia Neuropsychiatric Centre here on Monday. The aim was to clear misconceptions and interpretations regarding mental ailments and their treatment. Several medical students participated.

PENSIONERS’ CAUSE: Veteran CPI leader Satya Pal Dang has demanded the reopening of pension cases to know how many pensioners, out of a list of 638 submitted by him, have been paid arrears. Mr Dang has alleged that amounts shown sent to the pensioners could possibly have been disbursed to ‘‘bogus’’ pensioners with their PLAs being the same.

URDU-PERSIAN WING: The Department of Botanical Sciences of Guru Nanak Dev University has been changed to the Department of Botanical and Environment Sciences while the Urdu-Persian wing has been given a full-fledged status of a department, according to a university press note here on Monday.

BATHINDA
INTUC MEETING: A meeting of the local unit of INTUC was held here on Sunday according to a press note of the union issued on Wednesday. During the meeting, the problems faced by employees of different departments were discussed.

GURDASPUR
FISH PARK: Mr K.A.P. Sinha, Deputy Commissioner, while presiding over a meeting regarding the development and maintenance of Fish Park here on Tuesday, said an 11-member committee comprising district officials, senior citizens and representatives of social organisations would be constituted soon. Mr Sinha said a shopping complex near the park would be raised and revenue earned thereof would be spent on the development and maintenance of the park.

MALERKOTLA
FASHION SHOW: The Badshah Health Club, Amargarh, organised a fashion show at Amargarh village here on Monday. Mr Iqbal Singh Chunda , SHSAD leader, was the chief guest while Ms Roop Kaur, Congress leader, gave away the prizes. Hira Musical Group and Valcano Dance Academy presented gidda and bhangra items.

MEDICAL CAMP: A medical check-up camp was organised by the Civil Hospital at Sihan Daud village. According to Dr N.C. Garg, CMO, as many as 1,000 persons were examined at the camp and medicines were distributed free of cost on the occasion of World Health Day.

MANSA
EYE CAMP: The local Rotary Club organised a free eye operation camp here on Sunday. Mr R.C. Goyal, President of the club, said as many as 159 persons underwent eye operations and 79 were provided with intraocular lenses free of cost.

ELECTED: Ms Kaushalya Devi was elected vice-president of the Municipal Council, Bareta, on Monday. Ms Kaushalya Devi and Ms Bimla Devi, who were candidates for the post of vice-president, got 10 and three votes, respectively.

GANG BUSTED: A gang of thieves was busted with the arrest of five members of the gang. This was disclosed here on Tuesday by Mr Sudhanshu Shekhar Srivastva, SSP, while talking to mediapersons. Those arrested have been identified as Raj Kumar, alias Raju, Kaka Singh and Happy, residents of Mansa, Kuldeep Singh and Baljit Singh of Gehle and Saharna villages in the district, respectively. Jethu, leader of the gang, is still at large.

ROPAR
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the joint action committee of the Punjab and Haryana employees in the BBMB: president — Mr Ashok Kumar Rana; senior vice president- Mr Ajit Singh Bhogal; vice-president — Mr Rajbir Singh; general secretary — Mr Surinder Kumar; and treasurer — Mr Sheelwant Gupta.

SAMRALA
NEW DSP: Mr G.S. Aulakh joined here on Wednesday as DSP, Samrala, in place of Mr Sushil Kumar, who has been transferred to Moga (city).

LAWYERS’ CHAMBERS: Most of the lawyers of the local Bar Association have shifted to their new chambers allotted to them in the tehsil complex. The senior court of Ms Asha Condal, Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) will also start functioning in the tehsil complex next week.

TALWANDI SABO
HEALTH CAMPS: Health awareness camps were organised in 20 villages of the area under the family health awareness campaign between March 15 and April 3 during which more than 1,500 persons were educated about good health habits. This was claimed in a press note issued here on Wednesday by Mr Rashpal Singh of the local Primary Health Centre. He said six medical camps were organised wherein 205 persons were examined.

HARYANA

AMBALA
BOOKED: A resident of the Mahesh Nagar area has been booked under the Arms Act. According to information, the police raided the house of Som Pal after getting a tip-off. During the raid, a double barrel gun and four live cartridges were recovered.

ATTACK CONDEMNED: Members of Sangharsh Vahini at a meeting held under the presidentship of Mr Hira Lal Yadav, condemned the attack on mediapersons in Ahmedabad. Mr Yadav demanded that strong action should be taken against those responsible for the attack. He also demanded that security should be provided to mediapersons and the Gujarat Government be dismissed.

UNION BEGINS FAST: Uttariya Railway Mazdoor Union members began a fast on Wednesday to press for their demands. Divisional secretary S.N. Bharti and divisional president Vijay Chopra said the government policies were “anti-employee”. They said large-scale reduction in posts had taken place. Posts for maintenance of new assets had not been created and anomalies in the 5th pay commission not removed, they said.

FATEHABAD
WHEAT PROCUREMENT: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr O.P. Indora, on Tuesday reviewed arrangements for the procurement of wheat in the district with officers of various agencies. Representatives of the Food and Supplies Department, Hafed, the Haryana Agro Industries, the Food Corporation of India and secretaries of various market committees falling under the district were present in the meeting. 

KURUKSHETRA
AGENTS’ ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the New Grain Market Commissioner Agents Association, Kurukshetra: President — Mr Sushil Kumar Singla; Vice-President — Mr Shriram Malik; General Secretary — Mr Ram Kumar Malik; Secretary — Mr Aasheesh Sabharwal; and Treasurer — Mr Suresh Kumar Malik.

YAMUNANAGAR
DHARNA HELD: The Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh staged a dharna on Wednesday in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner here in protest against the non-acceptance of demands by the state government. A memorandum was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner to send it to the Chief Minister for redressal of their demands.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
FOREST FIRES: The Forest Department has decided to encourage those village forest committees, which will excel in curbing incidents of forest fire in the ensuing season of forest fires. Mr Mohinder Pal, Conservator of Forests, stated this while addressing a workshop on forest fires in which members of village forest committees constituted under the ‘‘sanjhi van yojna’’ launched by the state government. He said sum of Rs 66,000 had been earmarked to check forest fires in the district during this year.

NON-PRACTICING ALLOWANCE: The Himachal Veterinarians Association (HVA) has reiterated their demand of granting 25 per cent non-practicing allowance (NPA) at par with their counterparts in the Health and Ayurveda Departments. In a handout issued here on Wednesday, Dr D.K. Soni, secretary of the HVA, urged the Chief Minister to release 25 per cent NPA to veterinarians.

SHIMLA
PROTEST BY ANGANWARIS: Hundreds of anganwari workers from all over the state staged a dharna in front of the state secretariat on Monday in support of their demands. They also blocked traffic on Circular Road for over six hours. Their demands include retaining the control of anganwaris with the State Council for Child Women Welfare, increase in remuneration and grant of other benefits.

YOUTH CONGRESS: A meeting of the Block Youth Congress, Kasumpti, will be held here on Friday at the Congress office which will be presided over by Mr Mahesh Sharma, president of the Kasumpti Block Youth Congress.

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

A pioneer in vet services

The College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, established on the HP Agricultural University campus at Palampur, has been making steady progress and is acquiring the status of leading veterinary institution in the hill state. This college has also attained the position of pioneer institution by adopting the standards of the Veterinary Council of India. It has been effectively rendering service through its veterinary clinical complex by servicing as an apex referral hospital.

This hospital has proved a boon to farmers of the region. This can be judged from the fact that there has been 40 per cent increase in surgery and gynaecological cases as compared to the previous year. The complex is also providing yeoman service to wild life in captivity and recently Ramu, the bear, was given specialised treatment. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has appreciated this gesture.

The institution also holds camps in far-flung areas of the state where veterinary experts examine livestock. Last year as many as 37 clinical camps were organised in different parts of the state and five camps held in tribal areas.

Dr Tej Partap, Vice-Chancellor of the university, says that the livestock farm has regained its prestigious position for the first time in 25 years. The contingency expenditure has not only been made up by the income but also Rs 5.3 lakh was generated for the university. He says the cattle has shown a significant improvement in its production and the average milk production has reached at 7.5 litres. Likewise, the conception rate has also reached at 65 per cent, overtaking international standards.

The high-pedigree bull calves of Jersey and Jersey-Red Sindhi are also being reared here for further distribution in remote areas of the state, where artificial insemination is still a dream, he says.

Efforts are under way to make the dairy herd as disease-free. It has also been planned to set up a milk processing plant to ensure high quality and safe milk.

Dr Tej Partap says the college has made adequate progress to fulfil ICAR norms to get central assistance for strengthening the education programme by publication of practical manual of different courses. As a result, 40 per cent of its students have qualified for All-India Junior Research Fellowship.

Relief for PCO owners

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is planning an ambitious programme to give financial relief to the STD PCO owners in Amritsar by offering them cyber-teleshops and video conferencing facilities, the General Manager (Telecom), Mr Rakesh Kapur, stated during a conference.

He pointed out that with the reduction in the STD charge by over 62 per cent, PCOs have been facing a financial crunch. BSNL has offered a special lease line for round-the-clock Internet services so that they could operate email service and make up for the losses.

Mr Kapur stated Amritsar district had been selected for direct Internet access so that there was round-the-clock connectivity with no local call charges. About 120 subscribers would be provided the service, which would become operational by June 15.

BSNL plans to open teleshop counters at more than 27 locations in Amritsar for providing facilities for payment of bills, at the door-step of customers. It has launched a campaign to recover dues of over Rs 8 crore by offering rebates and payment in instalments.

Plastic surgeon quits CMCH

The people of the northern region in general and Ludhiana in particular have been deprived of the services of a renowned plastic surgeon, Dr A.G. Thomas, who has resigned from the Christian Medical College and Hospital and left Ludhiana a couple of months ago.

Dr Thomas, an internationally known plastic surgeon who has many firsts to his credit including the first complete face replant in the world. His other firsts include first scalp replants in India.

Dr Thomas has spent as many as 33 years in this part of the country as a student and plastic surgeon with the CMCH. He is to join Pondicherry’s Institute of Medical Sciences being run by Dr K.M. Cherian, the eminent cardiac surgeon. In the 80s Punjab was faced with the problem of thresher accidents in the wake of Green Revolution. A large number of people were coming to the CMCH and Hospital with amputated arms, fingers and hands. He started the process of replanting of the amputated parts.

He served as Head of the CMC’s Plastic Surgery Department for 18 years and as Principal from 1992 to 2000.

Contributed by Ravinder Sood, Ashok Sethi and K.S. Chawla.