R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

FARIDKOT
CONTROL ROOM: The Punjab State Electricity Board here has set up a control room at 33 kv grid sub-station opposite Dashmesh Public School, Talwandi road, here to sort out the power supply problems of the farmers during the paddy season in the district. The farmers can also contact the board officers on telephone number 50097 or visit the control room which would remain open 24 hours, according to Mr S.S. Sangha, Superintending Engineer, PSEB.

NOTICE ISSUED: The district election office has issued a show-cause notice to 37 different categories of polling officers following their failure to attend the rehearsal convened at the local gymnasium hall on June 3 in connection with the ensuing zila parishad and block samiti elections in Faridkot district. This was stated by Mr Davinder Singh, Returning Officer-cum-Sub-Divisional Magistrate, here on Tuesday.

JAGRAON
METALLED ROAD DEMANDED: The Nanak Nagar Vikas Committee has demanded the construction of the patch from Kacha Malak Road to Kothe Khatika funeral ground and Sanmati School, connecting with Aligarh Link Road. According to information received from Sub. Kunda Singh, president of the committee, the members have completed the job of filling of earth themselves but as the traffic has increased manifold over a period of time, a metalled road is the only solution.

KAPURTHALA
CASE REGISTERED: The kotwali police has registered a case under Sections 363 and 365 of the IPC against five persons, including four women, on the charge of abducting a minor girl (14) of the local Ucha Dhora Mohalla. In a report lodged with the police, Gian Kaur, mother of the girl, alleged that on May 21 her daughter was taken by Ratni, Darshana, Inder Kaur and Kali and Dara for finding work at Brindpur village, but did not return.

ARRANGEMENTS COMPLETE: Mr Rakesh K. Verma, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer, has claimed that the arrangements have been made in the district for holding free and fair elections to block samitis and zila parishad. This was stated by Mr Verma while presiding over a meeting of returning officers and police officers held here on Tuesday.

LUDHIANA
ELECTED: Mr Sudesh Baru and Mr Deepak Charan were unanimously elected president and senior vice-president, respectively, of the urban wing of the District Valmiki Sabha here on Monday, according to a press note. Meanwhile, Mr Naresh Thapar was elected president of the youth wing of the sabha. Other office-bearers of the youth wing are Mr Jagtar Singh Sabharwal, vice-president and Mr Jai Pal, general secretary. The newly elected office-bearers of the urban youth wing of the sabha are, Mr Rajesh Nahar, president, Mr Jang Bhahadur and Mr Ravi Ghai, senior vice-presidents and Mr Anil Bhagania, vice-president. Elections to the district mahila wing of the District Valmiki Sabha were also held at the meeting. Ms Pushpa Gill has been elected chairperson, while Ms Savitri has been elected vice-chairperson. Ms Amarjit Kaur Sahota has been elected general secretary of the mahila wing.

MEETING: A meeting of various NGOs under the aegis of Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), Ludhiana Chapter was held here on Monday to discuss the threat of nuclear war in the region. According to a press note, it was attended by representatives of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Vichar Manch, Punjab Istri Sabha Ludhiana Chapter, Kitchlu Nagar Citizen Welfare Association, President Helpline Ludhiana Chapter, doctors, college lecturers and scientists. It was unanimously opined that there should be no nuclear war and the masses must be made aware of its hazards and how it would be different from conventional war. The doctors said a nuclear war would cause millions of deaths and radiation effects for possible survivors would be worse and continue for many generations to come. There would be no medical help from outside because of a threat of severe radiation exposure. A signature campaign against nuclear war would also be initiated.

EYES DONATED: The family of late Saroj Sharma, resident of MIG flats, Jamalpur, donated her eyes to Eye Bank, Mansuran. Mr Yashpal Gosain, a social worker and a friend of Mr Ashwani Sharma, husband of Saroj Sharma, motivated him and his family to donate her eyes. Dr Ramesh transplanted both corneas to two needy patients from Haryana and Amritsar, respectively, free of cost.

PILGRIMAGE: A special bus would leave Shri Dandi Swami Tapovan Ashram, Civil Lines, on June 14 in connection with a pilgrimage on the occasion of the Sankranti festival, according to Mr Naresh Vohra, a spokesperson of the organising committee. He said that the bus would leave at 10 pm and the pilgrims would visit Mata Chintpurni, Jwalaji, Kangra, Banglamukhi, Chamunda Devi, Mcleod Ganj and Bhagsu Nath. Adequate arrangements for the stay of pilgrims at these places had already been made and the bus would return on June 16, he added.

BHAJAN SANDHYA: Shri Shyama Shyam Sankirtan Mandal organised an evening dedicated to Lord Krishna in Civil Lines on Monday. Several kirtan groups rendered hymns in praise of the Lord. 

YOGA CLASSES: In order to motivate school children to adopt yoga in a big way, the Vishwa Yoga Sansthan is organising yoga classes in the morning during the summer vacation at Bhartiya Vidya Mandir and R.S. Model School. According to a spokesperson of the sansthan, around 1,000 students and teachers were participating in the classes, which would continue till June 10.

SCHOLARSHIPS: Gadri Baba Gurmukh Singh Yadgari Committee, Lalton Khurd, has initiated ‘Judge Memorial Scholarship’ for brilliant and meritorious students of the village. In a meeting of the committee, Ms Dalbir Kaur, niece of the revolutionary, Baba Gurmukh Singh announced that four students, two each from Class V and Class VIII, who had topped in the school would be given scholarship of Rs 200 and Rs 100 per month for studies in Class V and Class VIII respectively, which would continue till they attained first position in their respective classes. In addition, a one-time grant of Rs 800 (Class VIII) and Rs 400 (class V) was given to these students for books and uniforms.

SHORT COURSE: The Department of Food and Nutrition in the College of Home Science, Punjab Agricultural University, has started a short course on ‘Food Enterprise Management with special reference to Bakery and Confectionary’. Inaugurating the course, Dr M.A. Zaheer, Dean, College of Basic Sciences, emphasised the need for entrepreneurship in the food industry in view of the shrinking jobs in government departments. Dr (Mrs) S.K. Mann, Director of the course said that the 10-day course had been sponsored by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. As many as 22 participants from different states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh were taking part in the course, which would stress on practical training of bakery products and orientation towards various aspects of bakery management.

SYMPOSIUM: A symposium on ‘HIV/AIDS and drugs free work place — a key to women health and social equity’ will be organised on June 15 at the premises of Small Scale Industries Services Institute by the Ludhiana Citizen’s Health Council. Mr Satish Mahajan, symposium coordinator in a press conference today, said that the purpose of the symposium was to create consciousness about the evil of HIV/AIDS and drugs addiction among the industrial workers in particular. The symposium will be jointly organised by UNAIDS, UNICEF, ILO, UNDCP, Government of Punjab, trade unions and industrial establishments. About 300 senior industrialists, doctors, chief executives of industries, trade unions, educationists, researchers and lawyers will be participating in the symposium.

SEMINAR: A two-day seminar organised by Grace Beauty Clinic and Institute, on advance facials and skin treatments was concluded here on Wednesday. Ms Indra Ahluwalia conducted the seminar. Nearly 30 beauticians from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal participated in the seminar.

DIKSHA DAY: A religious congregation was organised on Tuesday by the S S Jain Sabha, Shiv Puri, to observe the 45th Diksha Day of Sadhvi Mohan Mala in which large number of saints and devotees participated. The function was attended among others by Mr Jai Inder Pal Jain, Mr Kaushal Kumar and members of the Vardhman Jain Yuvak Sangh. 

COURSE: To promote the “continuing dental education course”, the district unit of the Indian Dental Association (IDA) will organise a seminar for managing dental problems on June 8. Dr T.P. Singh, president of the district unit of IDA, in a press conference today, said that keeping in view the urgent need to promulgate the latest concepts in dentistry amongst the dental professionals, such courses are arranged. Dr Vimal Sikri will deliver a lecture on “New Techniques in Endodontics’. He will be demonstrating the procedures through which root canal treatment can be done within few minutes, with predictable success in one or two sittings.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
CLEANLINESS DRIVE: The Municipal Council here launched a Cleanliness Fortnight on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sukhwinder Singh Bhambri, president, Municipal Council, appealed to the public to make it a habit to keep their environment clean. Mr S.K. Jindal, Executive Officer, councillor Rajinder Kumar and Mr Dharampal vice-president were also among the speakers.

MOGA
BAN ORDERS: In view of the forthcoming block samiti and zila parishad elections the Moga District Magistrate, Mr G. Ramesh Kumar, has banned the carrying of firearms and other explosive material. The orders which have been enforced from Wednesday will continue till these elections are over. 

NAWANSHAHR
ARRESTED: Dr Naresh Kumar Arora, SSP, in a press note issued here on Wednesday, said the police had arrested Surinder Kumar alias Sonu of Bharta Kalan village, Amardass of Bhagana village in Himachal Pardesh, Jaswinder Singh and Hari Ram of Mubarakpur village and Ashok Kumar of Sloh village in separate cases and recovered stolen vehicles worth Rs 8.37 lakh from them.

DHARNA: The district unit of the PCMSA held a dharna here on Wednesday in front of the office of the Civil Surgeon to protest against the proposed move of the state government to terminate the services of 850 doctors appointed during the tenure of PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu and abolition of the NPA. MEETING: A meeting of the district unit of ex-servicemen cell was held under the chairmanship of Lieut Col (retd) Jernail Singh here on Wednesday. The ex-soldiers offered their services to the nation and prepared a list of volunteers willing to serve at the border. An election campaigning committee was also constituted in favour of Congress nominees for zila parishad and block samiti poll.

CRITICISED: Mr Parkash Singh, MLA, Mr Manoranjan Kalia (Tibla), general secretary, Punjab Youth Congress, Mr Lalit Mohan Pathak (Ballu), PPCC member, in a joint press statement criticised the recent hike in the petrol and diesel prices. They said the Congress would mobilise public opinion against the ‘anti-people’ policies of the Vajpayee government.

PHAGWARA
INJURED: Four persons of a family were injured near Lakhpur village near here on Monday. They were returning from Dera Jaimal Singh at Beas in a car when it collided with a bus.

ARRESTED: A proclaimed offender, Jaswinder Singh, alias Billa, wanted in an attempt to murder case, has been arrested recently and sent to judicial lock up. 

SAHNEWAL
COMMANDANT, DRIVER INJURED: SP Commandant of Patiala Battalion, along with his driver, was injured when a Maruti van rammed into their vehicle on Monday. The injured, Kamaljit Singh, SP Commandant, Battalion Patiala and Mukhtiar Singh, the driver of Bhawanigarh, Patiala, were later admitted to the Civil Hospital at Ludhiana. Meanwhile, a case has been registered at Sahnewal Police Station against the driver of the Maruti van (number HR05G-8076), under Section 279, 337 and 427 of the IPC.

ETO’S CAR HIT: The car of the ETO, Excise (Mobile Wing), Patiala, was hit by a truck (HR 38 D-5675). The driver has absconded. The truck driver was later nabbed along with the vehicle. A case has been registered. ETO Tejvir Singh Sidhu escaped unhurt although the car was partially damaged.

SAMRALA
POWER THIEVES FINED: As per directions issued by Mr Surinder Paul, Supdt Engineer PSEB Ropar, Er C.S. Mann, Xen PSEB, Samrala, has started a campaign against power theft. Teams under his supervision raided many villages early on Tuesday morning and caught dozens of consumers stealing power. Rs 1.75 lakh worth of fine has also been recovered. Talking to the Ludhiana Tribune on Tuesday Mr Mann said that last month about 300 consumers were fined Rs 9.15 lakh which includes Rs 4 lakh collected for excess load from them. Mr Mann said his target was to minimise the tripping of feeders and detect power theft to raise the revenue of the board. Mr Mann also said that for awareness of consumers, information boards have been displayed in all sub-divisions and special ‘consumer care centres’ have been opened at the divisional level to redress the grievances of the consumers. Mr Mann assured that un-interrupted supply for fix hours would be given to farmers for paddy crop.

TRAFFIC FORTNIGHT: Held to educate public about the traffic rules, the “traffic fortnight” concluded here on Wednesday. Mr Devinder Singh Garcha, SSP, Khanna, while addressing the gathering, appealed the people to abide by the traffic rules and regulations. He said schoolchildren, truckers, tractor-trailer drivers and taxi drivers were distributed pamphlets on traffic rules. 

HARYANA

AMBALA
HEALTH SERVICES: The European Commission will spend Rs 15 crore to provide better health services to common people in the government hospitals in Ambala, Karnal and Yamunanagar districts. The president of the committee, Mr D.D. Gautam, informed that the hospital and the Primary Health Centers in Ambala had been identified for this purpose. Mr Guatam said the commission has sanctioned Rs 134 crore for the first phase for Ambala out of which Rs 84 lakh had been received. He said that Rs 20 lakh each would be spent on the civil hospitals of Ambala Cantonment and Ambala city. He said a children ward would be constructed in Ambala city. He said that delivery facility would be available round-the-clock at Chaudmastpur, Mulana and Shahjadpur. 

BHIWANI
WARRANT ISSUED: A local court issued non-bailable warrant to an IAS officer for not appearing in the court on Wednesday. The court had fixed the date for a hearing in the case, Ramesh Masta versus Raghunath etc, for demolishing the boundary wall of Draunacharya Shiksha Niketan in which summons were issued to the then DC, Bhiwani and others.

AMERICAN BOLLWORM: The Agriculture Department has decided to spreat awareness among farmers to control the American bollworm that had caused widespread damage to the cotton crop in the district, last year. According to Deputy Director Hans Raj Sharma the department has decided to run a drive of light trap system throughout the district in the villages where cotton crop was sown.

INQUIRY SOUGHT: The Congress has sought a CBI inquiry into the firing incident last week during the farmers’ agitation and demanded a probe against the accused officers. In a press statement issued here on Wednesday, the district president of the Congress (rural), Mr Sandeep Singh, said criminal cases should be registered against officers in Jind and Rohtak after suspending them immediately. The December 31 agreement, between farmers and the government, should also be implemented, he said.

SUICIDE: A couple consumed some poisonous substance following a domestic dispute at Nimriwali village on Tuesday. While, Ajit died, his wife Manju has been admitted to the Civil Hospital, here.

BODY FOUND: The police found the body of an unidentified youth from the Jui canal near Lohani village. Meanwhile, a child sustained injuries after being hit by a police jeep on Tuesday near the Bawari gate. He has been admitted to the Civil Hospital. In another incident, Rakesh of Jui village was injured in a road accident near the Tosham road.

KURUKSHETRA
ENVIRONMENT RALLY: The Kurukshetra Panorama and Science Centre organised various competitions for schoolchildren in different age groups in connection with World Environment Day. The centre’s project coordinator, Mr S. Kumar, said as many as 150 students from various schools of Kurukshetra and nearby districts participated. Deputy Forest Conservator Alok Verma laid stress on the importance of preserving environment and plantation of saplings.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

ANNIVERSARY: The 463rd birth anniversary of Maharana Partap will be celebrated at a state-level function, organised by the HP Rajput Kalyan Sabha at Raja Ka Talab on June 16. According to Col (retd) Rattan Singh Rajput, president of the sabha, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal will be the chief guest while former Union Minister and president of the Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha, Mr Digvijay Singh, the guest of honour on the occasion.