The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, April 22, 2002, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

BATHINDA
MEDICAL CAMP: The Rotary Club (Cantt) of the city organised a medical camp at a private hospital on Friday and Saturday during which 305 patients were examined for various bone-related diseases. The medicines were given free of cost.

IN MARTYRS’ MEMORY: To commemorate the memory of martyrs during the freedom struggle, a special programme will be organised at the local Thermal Colony. During the programme, Ajmer Aulakh will stage his plays.

TEACHERS’ WORKSHOP: A one-day workshop for teachers was conducted at a private school on Saturday with the theme “Curriculum Review Pragmatic Dynamism in Parametric Approaches”. The speakers emphasised the need for the review of curriculum, particularly for the primary classes.

CELEBRATED: The Punjab National Bank branches of Maghania and Hironkalan in Mansa district celebrated their foundation days on Saturday. Mr C.R. Khajuria, Senior Regional Manager of the bank, speaking on the occasion highlighted various schemes of the bank.

GURDASPUR
MURDERED: Balwinder Kaur, widow of Satnam Singh of Peera Bagh, about 5 km from here, was stabbed to death allegedly by Sukhdev Singh and Hazura Singh (brothers of the husband of the deceased) Gurnam Singh and gursharan Singh at the village gurdwara on Saturday. According to village sources, a dispute over a piece of land was the reason behind the murder. All assailants are at large.

KHANNA
KAVI DARBAR: A “kavi darbar” on female foeticide was organised by the Punjabi Sahit Sabhyachar Manch at Lala Lajpat Rai market here on Sunday. Wing Cdr Balbir Kumar was the chief guest and Mr Sukhdev Singh Rana inaugurated the function. Mrs Harbans Kaur Dullo, MLA, and Ms Manjinder Kaur, Principal, Mata Ganga Khalsa College, Manji Sahib Kotan, were honoured by the manch. Poems were recited by various poets like Guljari Lal Nanda, Daljit Sharma, Jasbir Jhaj, Harchand Singh Sarhindi, Harjit Kaur, Gurdev Singh Dhadohal and Ram Singh Dhillon. Mr Joginder Singh Oberoi patron of the manch, thanked the audience.

LUDHIANA
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED: Mr Rakesh Pandey, Minister for Printing and Stationery, was the chief guest at a function held to celebrate the birth anniversary of Shri Baba Ram Thamman ji Maharaj at Saroop Nagar in Salem Tabri here on Sunday. The bhog ceremony of Ramayana “akhand path” was held and a community kitchen was organised on the occasion. Others present on the occasion included Mr K.K.Bawa, president, DCC (I) (urban), Mahant Narayan Dass Puri, Mahant Prem Kumar Bawa, Mr Wariam Singh, Mr Kuldip Singh, Mr Chander Bhan, Mr Jagmohan Kalia and Mr Mangal Passi.

PROBE SOUGH: The All-Punjab Christian Association has demanded the setting up of a commission to probe into the alleged atrocities on Christians during the Akali-BJP regime. A deputation of the association led by its president, Mr Yunis Masih, met the All-India Congress Committee president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, and urged her to issue directions to the Punjab government. Mr Masih said Ms Gandhi referred the issue to the AICC treasurer, Mr Moti Lal Vora, who has recommended the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, to take appropriate action in the matter. The association alleged that a number of incidents occurred during the Akali-BJP regime but no action was taken.

MOGA
TWO KILLED: A man was killed when his scooter collided with a car, 11 km from here, on Saturday. A child was run over and killed by a bus near Khosepando village, about 5 km from here. In another accident, two persons were seriously injured when their scooters collided head-on near the Moga bypass.

FARMERS URGED: The District Magistrate on Sunday urged farmers not to burn wheat straw in their fields. He said it could cause fire to the nearby wheat crop.

WHEAT ARRIVALS: Wheat arrivals have been picking up in the local market as 40,000 bags arrive here almost daily. The procurement by government agencies is going on smoothly.

NAWANSHAHR
SEIZED: SSP Naresh Kumar Arora, in a press note issued here on Friday, said the police seized 1100 pouches, 166 bottles of illicit liquor and 77 kg of poppy husk in separate incidents during special operations in the district. Nine persons have been arrested in this regard.

COMPUTER EDUCATION: Dr Surjit Singh Bhatti, Principal of Amardeep Singh Shergill Memorial College, Mukandpur, in a press note issued here on Saturday, said that Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi, and the Oriental Bank of Commerce had jointly adopted the college for providing free computer education and 24-hour access to Internet to college students as well as to youth belonging to the deprived sections of society. Besides this, UGC had sanctioned a grant of Rs 9 lakh for starting computer application as a vocational subject in graduation classes, he said.

DHARNA: The Teachers’ Union of R.K. Arya College has been holding a dharna for the past one week in front of Principal's office to protest against non-payment of their salaries. According to Mr Sarwan Sogi, President of the union, teachers are also protesting against the ‘rude behaviour’ of the Principal.

PATIALA
CHECK-UP CAMP: A free medical check-up camp was organised at Phase 1 of Urban Estate here on Sunday on the occasion of Ram Navami. The camp, which was inaugurated by Akali MLA S.S. Rakhra, was organised by members of the Shiv Mandir Committee. Former Akali MLA Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur and president of the mandir committee Madal Lal were present on the occasion. Dr B.K. Kapoor, Dr Rajinder Garg and Dr Sunanda examined the patients.

PHAGWARA
NRI SABHA: The identity cards of the Subdivisional NRI Sabha will be prepared here. This was stated by Mr Amarjit Paul, local SDM-cum-Chairman, NRI Sabha, who was the chief guest at a function organised by the sabha here on Friday. Mr Gurdip Singh dhanwant from Canada presided over the function.

BANKS’ SECURITY: DSP Harmanbir Singh Gill on Thursday held a meeting with bank managers of the Phagwara subdivision and devised a five-pronged strategy for the security of the banks. The DSP stressed that the bank guard should be stationed on the guard post actively and should not be engaged in other activities like filling forms or cheques. People residing in the vicinity of banks should be educated about alarms so that they could be of help in an eventuality.

SAMANA
IMPOUNDED: Mr Jaspreet Singh Sidhu, DSP, has told the mediapersons that three tankers containing illegal chemicals were impounded at a naka near Shutrana. The drivers of the tankers had been arrested, he added.

WHEAT LIFTING: Mr Tarsem Chand Singla, president, local Arhtia Association, has said that the lifting of wheat here is very poor. He said the government agencies had purchased 5 lakh bags of wheat. Out of these 4 lakh had been lying at the grain market for the past 15 days.

SANGRUR
S.S. JAIN SABHA: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local S.S. Jain Sabha: president — Mr Kailash Chander Jain; vice-president — Mr Vijay Kumar Jain; secretary — Mr Parkash Chand Jain; joint secretary — Mr Sat Bhushan Garg; and treasurer — Mr Ashok Kumar Jain.

TECHNOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sangrur Medical Technologists’ Association: president — Mr M.L. Singla; vice-president — Mr Harinder Singh; general secretary — Mr Mukesh Sharma; secretary — Mr Rajinder Kalra; press secretary — Mr Amandeep Singh; and treasurer — Mr A.K. Goel.

TARKSHEEL SOCIETY: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Dirba unit of the Tarksheel Society, Punjab: president — Mr Naib Singh Ratolan; vice-president — Mr Avtar Singh Ratolan; general secretary — Mr Harmesh Singh Meshi; finance secretary — Mr Janak Raj Mojowal; and propaganda secretary — Mr Ashwani Kumar.

TARN TARAN
ARRESTED: The police has arrested Charanjit Kaur and Jang Bahadur Singh, residents of Algon Kothi village, on the charge of possessing smack. Cases under the NDPS Act have been registered.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

MANALI
CONDEMNED: The local Bar Association has decided to go on an indefinite strike in protest against the alleged discriminating attitude of the Tehsildar, Mr Ashwani Sood, towards lawyers. At a meeting convened here on Friday, Mr Krishan Gopal Thakur, president of the association, condemned the Tehsildar for allegedly rejecting the will presented by a lawyer at the instance of Gilu Ram of the nearby Belsari village.

SHIMLA
DEMANDED: The Yuvak Mandal, Salyach, in Nalagarh block has demanded a judicial inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the working of Lug panchayat. Mr Rattan Singh Thakur, president of the mandal, said an inquiry was instituted by Nalagarh Block Development Officer in this connection in April but no report had been submitted so far.

APPOINTED: Mrs Vidya Stokes, President, HPCC, has appointed Mrs Sulakshana Arya as secretary of the Intellectual department of the Himachal Pradesh Congress.

SOLAN
DHARNA: The District Congress Committee organised a four-hour-long dharna to press their party’s demand for immediate sacking of the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi. Congress leaders, while describing the Godhra carnage as tragic, said the violence that followed was a blot on the fair name of Indian democracy. They also expressed sympathies with the victims.

CO-OP SOCIETIES: The HP Upbhokta Sanrakshan Parishad, a consumer protection body, on Thursday urged upon the government to immediately invite leaders of the secretaries and salespersons of co-operative societies, currently on strike demanding hike in salaries and wages, for talks aimed at amicably resolving the issue. Parishad chairman Shiv Dutt Bhardwaj told mediapersons here on Thursday that as most of the societies functioned under the PDS system and in villages, the ruralities had been hard-pressed getting items of their daily needs from far-flung shops in the towns.