R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
HEADS APPOINTED: Guru Nanak Dev University had appointed: Prof B.R. Batra as head of Guru Ramdas School of Planning, Prof M.P. Mahajan as head of the Applied Chemistry Department, Prof A.S. Bhanwar of the Human Genetics Department, Dr Renu Bhardwaj of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Dr Gajendra Singh of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Dr H.K. Mangat of the Department of Zoology. On its Jalandhar regional campus, prof Daljit Singh has been appointed head of the Legal Studies Department, Prof Anil Tiwari of the English Department and Dr Tejinder Kaur of the Punjabi Department, according to a university press note issued here on Wednesday.

PAINTING WORKSHOP: A six-day oil painting workshop free of cost will be held at the local art gallery from Monday. The workshop will be organised by the Indian Academy of Fine Arts in association with Arty Fine Arts.

AGITATION: The Punjab Subordinate Services Federation along with the Punjab and UT Employees Action Committee held an agitation on Wednesday in front of the bus stand against the Budget which they alleged was anti-employee. The protesters also burnt a copy of the Budget.

TRANSPORT INDUSTRY: A deputation of leaders of more than 15 unions affiliated to CITU, INTUC, AITUC, the HMS and the Karamchari Dal working in road transport, railways, government and industrial sector met Mr Swinder Singh Puri, Deputy Commissioner, on Wednesday. The deputation apprised the Deputy Commissioner of the situation prevailing in the transport industry.

CAMP ORGANISED: The Community Medicine Department of Medical College organised an HIV and deaddiction camp in Gumtala village in this district on Wednesday to test cases for HIV and create awareness about the harmful effects of drugs.

FAZILKA
TWO KILLED: Two persons were killed and seven others injured in a road accident near Ladhuka village on the Fazilka-Ferozepore road on Wednesday. According to reports, a canter coming from Hoshiarpur skidded resulting in the death of Sultan Mohammad of Bhuahari village on the spot. Kartar Singh of the same village succumbed to his injuries on the way the local Civil Hospital.

BODY FOUND: The Sadar police has found an unidentified decomposed body of a youth from a rivulet in Odianwali village, about 3 km from here. The body was taken to the Civil Hospital, Fazilka, for a post-mortem examination and later shifted to Faridabad Medical College.

KHAMANO
DECISION WELCOMED: Political, social and cultural organisations in this region have welcomed the central government’s decision to allow foreign companies to invest up to 26 per cent equity shares in print media and 74 per cent in (medical or electronics journal). Mr Surinder Singh, SHSAD, Mr Sayeed, president of the Cultural club, and Mr Jagdish, a journalist, said the political parties’ opposition to the proposal was baseless.

PROBE DEMANDED: Mr Amar Singh and Mr Kashmira Singh of Dialpura village have demanded that higher panchayati and vigilance officials should hold an inquiry against member panchayat Hargurmukh Singh and village sarpanch Jagan Singh who have allegedly cut trees standing on village cremation ground and had sold these without any permission. The sales proceeds were divided between these two persons, they have alleged.

MALERKOTLA
LOOTED: A bag, containing Rs 30,000 and some documents was snatched from a servant of Anil Kumar. The incident look place in Anil’s shop at Rohria Chowk, near here, on Thursday.

KARUNA SANGATHAN: Karuna Sangathan at the panchayat level will be constituted to take care of stray cattle. It will comprise 25 members. This information was given by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Onkar Chand Sharma, while presiding over a meeting here on Thursday.

PATHANKOT
OFFICE BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the MES Builders Association of India: chairperson — Mr Rana Swarn Singh; senior vice-chairperson — Mr Chaman Lal; vice-chairperson — Mr Tarun Pal Singh Shanty; secretary — Mr V.P. Saini; joint secretaries — Mr Varjit Padda, Mr Vijay Lakhani and Mr Ramesh Verma; and treasurer — Mr Prem Khattak.

PATIALA
CASH COUNTERS OPEN: The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) will keep all cash counters open up to 5 pm on June 29 and July 1 to accept payments under the voluntary disclosure scheme (VDS) re-launched by the board for the regularisation of extension of load for agricultural power consumers. Authorities said the board had directed all Chief Engineers (operations) to ensure that all cash counters at sub-divisional offices in their jurisdiction remained open on the above dates.

COACHING CLASSES: The IAS and Allied Services Training Centre, Punjabi University, will start coaching classes for IAS (main) examination from August 2, 2002. Candidates who appeared in IAS Preliminary examination held in May can apply with requisite testimonials by July 15. The Director of the Centre, Mr G.S. Bajwa, said candidates belonging to the SC, OBC and minority communities would be provided free coaching and financial assistance as per rules.

SAMRALA
MEETING: A meeting of the BJP Youth Wing, the Kisan Morcha, the Scheduled Caste Morcha and the Ladies Wing of the BJP has been called at Modern Palace, Tarn Taran, on July 14, according to Mr Sukhminder Pal Singh Grewal, President, state youth wing of the BJP, here on Tuesday. Mr Grewal said Mr Sangh Priya, national general secretary of the BJP who is in charge of Punjab affairs, Mr Harjit Singh Grewal, national vice-president of the Kisan Morcha and Mr Brij Lal Rinwan, state president of the BJP, will listen to the views of workers and office-bearers in contest of the new political developments in Punjab.

MSP FOR PADDY: Mr Balbir Singh Rajewal, national general secretary of the BKU, said, here on Thursday that the ACPC was responsible for suicides by debt-ridden farmers throughout the country. Reacting to the recommendations of the price commission of not increasing the MSP of paddy this year, Mr Rajewal posed a question how the commission would justify the increase in the prices of fertilisers due to withdrawal of the subsidies by the centre?

HARYANA

HISAR
ELECTED: A senior advocate of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Balwant Singh Gupta, has been elected president of the Shree Vaish Vidya Pracharni Sabha, Hansi.

PINJORE
DRIVE: The Pinjore police has started a drive to challan those who drive two-wheelers without wearing helmet. The campaign has been started on National Highway No. 21 and 22. According to the police, these national highways are prone to accidents.