R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMLOH
DECISION HAILED: Dr Darshan Singh Alohran, director Milkfed and member Dairy Development Board, has hailed the decision of the Punjab Government to enhance the fat rate from Rs 145 to Rs 155 per kg with effect from April 1. The milk producers and dairy owners had been demanding upgrading of fat rates for the past two years. Dr Alohran further said milk chillers were being provided by the Dairy Board at farm houses to improve the quality of milk and marketing capacity.

AMRITSAR
PROBE REQUESTED: The BJP Councillor of the local Ward No. 49, Dr Renu Goel has urged the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.S. Puri, to verify voters’ list. She has requested for a probe as the number of voters in some booths has increased nearly two times and in some dropped to less than half of the voters registered earlier.

BATALA
NEW SDM: Mr Rajinder Pal Singh PCS, took over the charge of the Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM), Batala, here on Monday in place of Mr Inder Yas Bhatti, who was transferred to Ajnala in the same capacity. Earlier, Mr Rajinder Pal Singh was Land Acquisition Officer PWD (B&R), Jalandhar.

BATHINDA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Bharat Vikas Parishad: patron — Mr Ashok Gupta; president — Mr Vinod Goyal; vice-presidents — Mr Rakesh Watts and Mr Rakesh Garg; secretary — Mr Lalit Sachdeva; and joint secretary — Mr Lalit Monga.

BLOOD DONATION: The local Asra Welfare Society held a blood donation camp at the Blood Bank of the local Civil Hospital on the occasion of Baisakhi.

INJURED: A 70-year-old man, Bhana Singh, received serious injuries when he was hit by a train near Behman Diwana village on Sunday. He has been admitted to the Civil Hospital in the city.

JAGRAON
POPPY HUSK SEIZED: The police has arrested Jatinder Singh alias Toni of Bangaipura, Paramjit Singh alias Pamma of Sidhwan Bet, Devinder Singh alias Lamboo of Agwar Ladhai, Karamjit Singh alias Kamma of Agwar Gujran and Gurpreet Singh alias Nony of Sahnewal and seized 30 kg of poppy husk. All the accused have been booked under Sections 15, 61and 85 of the NDPS Act.

MEDICAL CAMP: The Council of Ayurveda in collaboration with the Ramgarhia Welfare Council organised a free medical check-up camp at the Vishvakarma Gurdwara here. The camp was inaugurated by Mr Balkar Singh Sandhu, SSP, Jagraon police district, and Mr Jagdev Singh Matharu, chief guest of the event. A team of six doctors examined 370 patients. The council honoured Dr Ashok Sharma, Prof Baldev Singla, Dr Parminder Kaur, Dr Dilbag Singh, Dr Rajneshpal Singh, Dr Gurpreet Singh, Ms Gurmeet Kaur (social worker) and seven others. A free magnetic therapy and acupressure camp was also organised by Dr Munish Jain and Dr Pardeep Kaur of the Ayurvedic Council at Nanaksar on the occasion of Baisakhi. Around 350 patients were examined at the camp.

KHANNA
ONE HURT: A former sarpanch of Bullepur village, Mr Kuldip Singh, was injured in road accident here on Sunday. He was going on a scooter to collect money for a robbery victim when an unidentified vehicle hit his scooter. He was taken to the Civil Hospital where his condition is stated to be critical.

LUDHIANA
CRITICISED: The Bharatiya Valmiki Sabha on Sunday criticised Mr K.K. Bawa, president, DCC (I), for not inviting Congress dalit leaders to the function held to celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. In a press note, the BVS president, Mr Sudesh, and Chairman, Mr Som Dutt Sahota, said they would bring the matter to the notice of Chief Minister.

HONOURED: The Supervisory Staff Association of Punjab Agricultural University organised a function to honour retired supervisors here on Monday. Mr H.S. Pahwa, accounts officer, Mr Harmit Singh, Mr Piara Singh Chauhan, Mr Chaman Lal Sharma, all assistant accounts officers, and Mr R.N. Kalia, superintendent, were honoured for their distinguished services. On the occasion, Mr R.C. Suden, secretary of the association, spoke on the occasion. The members submitted their demands to Dr V.K. Sharma, Registrar, and Mr Gopal Dass, comptroller of the university, who were present on the occasion.

STUDENTS’ UNION: To discuss their academic problems and to put forward their grievances before authorities, students studying in local colleges of Punjab Technical University, under the aegis of the Sikh Students’ Federation (Mehta group), formed a Technical College Students’ Committee here on Monday. A meeting in this regard was held at Guru Nanak Engineering College in which 21 members of the committee were appointed. The students discussed their problems and decided to put forward their cases before the Vice-Chancellor of the university demanding quick solution of their problems.

COMPUTER CENTRE: The CEDTI, an autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Information Technology, Government of India, opened its computer education centre at Doraha on Monday. Various diploma, certificate and short-term courses for school and college going students, working professionals, businessmen and housewives would be available at the centre, said Mr Prem Bhatia, centre head.

GILL TO BE HONOURED: Mr Gurbhajan Gill, editor of the Punjabi section at the Communication Centre of Punjab Agricultural University and vice-president of the Punjabi Sahit Academy, will be honoured with S.S. Mishra Memorial Prize for the year 2001 by the Sirjana Kendra, Kapurthala, on April 28. Mr Gill has written five books in prose and poetry. He is a recipient of several prizes, including Shiv Kumar Batalvi Award and Prof Mohan Singh Memorial Award.

UNIFORMS DISTRIBUTED: The SBI Ladies’ Club organised a function at Government High School, Lohara, where students from economically weak families were given school uniforms. Ms Vaishali Deepak Bengali, president, and Dr Hamir, manager of the SBI branch near Gurdev Nagar, were present on the occasion. Ms Joginder Kaur, Headmistress of the school, thanked the members of the club.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
BHAGWADGEETA WEEK: A ‘Bhagwadgeeta week’ would be organised by the Ram Leela Committee at Krishna Mandir here from April 24 to April 30. Dr Sanjay Krishan of Varindra Ban will deliver discourses at 4 p.m. daily.

NAWANSHAHR
TRUCK UNION: Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, MP from Hoshiarpur, has been elected president of the Punjab Truck Operators Union by the representatives of about 30 units of the union at a meeting held at Gurdwara Singh Sabha here on Sunday.

PHAGWARA
NABBED: The local police has nabbed Satnam Singh for having two passports in different names and trying to make a third one. A case under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 12 of the Passport Act has been registered against him.

SAMRALA
DEMANDED: Mr Balbir Singh Rajewal, national general secretary of the Bharti Kisan Union, in a press note here on Monday, demanded compensation to the farmers whose standing wheat crop was burnt due to electric fault recently. Manjit Singh Lal Lalan village lost his wheat crop in 10 acre area and Prem Chand of Neelon Kalan lost crop standing in 4 acres of land. The approximate loss of wheat is put at Rs 2 lakh.

HARYANA

AMBALA
BAISAKHI FUNCTION: Baisakhi festival was celebrated in SA Jain Vijay Vallabh Public School, Ambala City on Sunday. The local MLA, Mr Veena Chibbar, was the chief guest on the occasion. A fancy dress competition was also organised. The manager of the school, Mr Tek Chand and the Principal, Ms Richa Singh, were also present on the occasion.

FOGGING: A special fogging campaign has been started in Ambala Cantt as well as Ambala City to control mosquitoes. The Civil Surgeon, Dr S.L. Kaushik, said fogging has been started from April 12 and it would continue till April 18. He appealed to the people to maintain cleanliness and to throw the garbage in garbage bins so that diseases do not spread, a release said.

BHIWANI
MINES’ AUCTION: The auction for the grant of lease for mining road, metal and masonry stone minor mineral in the mines at villages of Rewasa, Dharan, Dulheri, Nigana Khurd and Kharak Sohan in Bawani Khera tehsil in the district will be held on April 29. It will be held at the local office of the Mining Officer, District Industries Centre, according to a spokesman for the Department of Mines and Geology, Haryana.

HISAR
SEC 144 IMPOSED: The District Magistrate, Mrs Deepti Umashankar, has banned the assembly of five or more persons and carrying of arms in Hansi subdivision of the district under Section 144, Cr PC, with immediate effect. The step has been taken in view of the arrest of members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union which has been agitating in support of its demands for the past few days.

YAMUNANAGAR
TUBEWELL UNION: The agitation of the Haryana State Minor Tubewell Corporation Employees Union has entered its 15th day on Monday. In a press note issued here, Mr Dhan Parkash Tyagi, president of the local unit of the union, alleged that employees were annoyed with the decision of the Haryana Government of winding up the corporation which would in the sacking of nearly 3,700 employees.