R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

TOHRA CRITICISED: Members of the SGPC have reacted sharply to the statement of the SHSAD chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, to boycott the SGPC chief, Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar, for allegedly maintaining links with Nirankaris. The senior vice-president of the SGPC, Mr Alwinder Pal Singh Pakhoke, Mr Sukhwinder Singh Jhabhal, Bibi Harbans Kaur Naushera Pannua and Bibi Manjit Kaur Alawalpur in a joint statement issued here on Sunday, said Mr Tohra should be boycotted as he had visited the Nirankari dera at Patiala.

LUDHIANA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Punjab Roadways Karamchari Dal, Ludhiana: chairman — Mr Darshan Singh; president — Mr Gurmukh Singh Ghudani; senior vice-president — Mr Harbhajan Singh; general secretary — Mr Harcharan Singh Bulara; cashier — Mr Nirbhai Singh. 

YAJANA: The Iron Market Brotherhood Committee organised a ‘yajana’ on the Overlock road in Miller Ganj area here on Monday as an effort to ensure world peace and brotherhood. ‘Mantras’ were recited by Mr Vasudev Sharma and among those who offered ‘ahutis’ were Mr Vijay Abrol, Mr Vinod Garg, Mr Ghanshyam Singla, Mr Manohar Verma, Mr Pramod Dewan, Mr Naresh Jain, Mr Yashpal Gupta and Mr Surinder Bharti. Later, a ‘bhandara’ was also held.

JOR MELA: Two-day annual ‘jor mela’ at Udaasi Dera Baba Shri Chander ji Maharaj will be held at Rasoolpur village, near Phillaur, on June 21 and 22, according to a press note issued here on Tuesday. On the opening day, ‘chhabeels’ will be held and Sant Baba Sham Dass will go around the village before reaching the dera. On the concluding day, Sant Baba Jeet Dass will recite ‘gurbani’. Several other ‘kirtan’ groups and ‘dhadi jathas’ will also participate in the function. A ‘langar’ will also be held on the occasion. 

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE: The Lok Jan Shakti Party would launch a membership drive in the state from August 1. Stating this the party general secretary, Mr Kartar Singh Patna, said an ambitious target to enroll five lakh new members had been fixed. After the conclusion of the campaign, the party units at ward, block, village and district level would be set up. The district unit of the party, that met here under the presidentship of Mr Jagdish Anand, decided to organise enrollment camps in all 70 wards in the city. The party functionaries had been assigned duties for these camps.

UNION: The Drivers and Workshop Employees Union of the Municipal Corporation organised its 23rd annual session at the MC headquarters here on Monday. Mr Surinder Dawar, Congress legislator from Ludhiana East, was elected new chairman of the body. The MC Commissioner, Mr S.K. Sharma, who was the chief guest at the function, felicitated Mr Gian Chand Sharma, senior deputy chairman of the union, by presenting a memento. Other office-bearers included: president — Mr Balbir Singh Threeke; senior deputy chairman — Mr Rajesh Jain Navkar; senior vice-president — Mr Madan Lal Josh; vice-president — Mr Madan Lal Bhumbak; general secretary — Mr Manjit Singh Bansal; and chief cashier — Mr Prem Singh Buttar.

PAINTING CONTEST: Over 100 participants of ‘Colours and melody’, a summer camp being organised in Children’ Valley School, contested for a drawing and painting competition here on Tuesday. Children in the age group of three to 13 years took part in the contest. Ms Bindiya Chaudhary, Principal of the school, said after three-week practice at the summer camp, children came out with innovative themes and original ideas reflecting their creativity. Parents of the children were also invited and a lecture was held for them. Ms Shivani Chaudhary, vice-principal of the school, also spoke on the occasion.

TARN TARAN
URGED: Mr Amit Swami, president of the Youngmen Association of India, on Monday urged the youth to unite and fight against anti-social elements and face the challenges posed by the anti-nation forces. He said that members of the association were working towards uniting the youth to maintain sovereignty and integrity of the country.

HARYANA

AMBALA
RESEARCH PROJECT: Dr S.S. Phulia, Head of Psychology Department, Government College, here has been awarded research project, “Correlates of fear of AIDS among college students” by the University Grants Commission. The objective of the project is to generate awareness among college students about etiology of AIDS. Dr Phulia had recently presented a research paper in an international seminar on human resource development in New Delhi.

URGED: The Ambala Cantt Traders Federation has urged the HVPN authorities to open more electricity bills collection centres in different areas. The federation stated that it would save consumers from standing in long queues for the payment of bills.” The federation chairman, Dr N.C.Jain, said meter readers should come in prescribed uniform and chest identity card for the convenience of the house owners.

RESENTMENT: The Bharatiya Janata Party Scheduled Caste Morcha has taken exception to the fact that they were not called for a district meeting of the party on Sunday. The president of the morcha, Mr Roshan Lal Narwal, said he was not informed about the meeting. It had led to unhappiness among the office-bearers of the morcha, according to a press note.

ELECTED: Mr Raj Kumar, president of the Press Club of Ambala, has nominated Mr Suman Bhatnagar as vice-president; Mr Dhirender Partap as general secretary; Mr Rakesh Bali as secretary, Mr Anil Dutta as cashier; and Mr Aswani Kohli as executive member of the club. The president said the local MLA, Mr Anil Vij, would meet the Press at PWD Rest House, Ambala Cantonment on June 13.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KANGRA
EAR SURGERY CAMP: The Rotary Club, in collaboration with the Sukriti Trust, New Delhi, organised a two-day hi-tech ear surgery camp at the local subdivisional , hospital, here. Mr Ripudaman, a social activist, inaugurated the camp on Monday. Dr Sanjay Sachdeva of Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, conducted operations with Dr Satish Sharma and Dr V.S. Guleria.