The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, August 10, 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

AMRITSAR
CELEBRATIONS: As many as 2000 saplings of various varieties will be planted on the Guru Nanak Dev University campus as part of the ‘Vanamahotsava celebrations under the supervision of the Campus Committee and Landscape Officer Mr Gurcharan Singh Pannu. Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, Minister for Local Bodies, will inaugurate the plantation drive on August 17.

INVITED: The Centre of Preparation for Competitive Examinations, Guru Nanak Dev University, has invited applications for admission to coaching programmes for IAS (main) examinations from those SC, OBC, minority community and general category candidates who have cleared the IAS (preliminary) examinations. The candidates should apply by August 16.

NEW COURSE: A one-year course in dress designing, cutting, tailoring for unemployed girls, who have done matriculation, will be organised by the Department of Adult Continuing Education, and Extension, Guru Nanak Dev University, from August 22. Unemployed girls in the age group of 15-35 years can submit their applications at Preet Nagar.

LUDHIANA
DENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMME: A one-day dental health education training programme for sarpanches, panches and community leaders was inaugurated on Friday by Mr Rakesh Pandey, Minister of Printing and Stationery, Punjab, at the Christian Dental College, Ludhiana. More than 100 sarpanches attended the programme. While inaugurating the programme, Mr Pandey lauded the efforts of the college and stressed the need to organise such programmes in future. Dr J.L. Joshi, Principal of the college, called upon all the sarpanches and panches to play a major role in spreading the message of positive oral health amongst the people in the rural areas.

INSTALLED: At the 311th meeting of the Inner Wheel Club, the past president, Ms Manjula Jain and secretary, Ms Taru Vohra relinquished the charge and handed over the baton to the incoming team comprising Ms Indu Bhaskar, president, Ms Darshi Chatwal, secretary and rest of their chosen team members, Ms Rippy Chatwaal remains the treasurer of both the incoming and outcoming teams.

SEMINAR: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Punjab State Council, organised a one-day attitudinal seminar on “Simple ways to make your customers happy” here on Friday. The seminar was designed to help marketing/operating professionals learn effective ways to achieve results with self-esteem and self-confidence. Over 100 industry representatives from the region attended the seminar. Covering the three primary areas of effective marketing i.e. how to sell, how to serve and how to satisfy your customer, the seminar underscored the principle that “Customer is profit and everything else is overhead.”

INAUGURATED: C-DAC, a new computer centre was inaugurated opposite Guru Nanak Engineering College, Gill Road, on Friday. The function was presided by Professor S.S. Saini, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering. Prof Jasminder Singh and Prof Harminder Singh, both from the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Prof Parminder Singh from the Computer Department, were also present. Major Gurdeep S. Samra, Mr Sarbjit Singh, Mr Devendra Kumar, Mr Subodh and Mr Jagseer Singh, from the C-DAC staff were also present. Prof Saini praised the members of C-DAC staff for providing quality education at a very reasonable price and said the centre would cater to the needs of engineering students in the area by providing focussed courses.

OPPOSED: A former minister and Congress legislator, Mr Harnam Das Johar, has opposed the tax on power generators and dhaba owners. In a statement here on Friday, he said he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister. Mr Johar, who is also the chairman of the Petition Committee of Punjab Assembly, also called for effective steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the state and at the same time deal with the issue of free power to the farm sector and massive theft of power. “All sections of the people are badly affected by acute shortage of water and power and it needs to be dealt with on priority basis”, he said.

PHAGWARA
MURDERED: Dalbir Singh of Ramgarh village was waylaid and murdered around midnight on Wednesday. The police said on Thursday that Dalbir was on way to his native village. A case has been registered in this regard.

ROPAR
VEHICLE THIEF: The local police has arrested a vehicle thief, Dilawar Singh, and recovered a van from his possession. The van was stolen from Amritsar. In a press note issued here, Mr Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, SSP, Ropar, said a truck was also recovered from Hanumangarh.

TARN TARAN
APPOINTED: Mr Baldev Singh has been appointed receiver for Gurdwara Dharshala Talabwali (Nanak Paraio), Fatehabad (Amritsar). Mr Baldev Singh took over the charge on Wednesday. The receiver has been directed to manage the property and other affairs of the gurdwara.

CHANDIGARH

MEETING: An annual general meeting of the Indian Red Cross Society and the Haryana branch of the St John Ambulance Association will be held on August 21 at 12.15 pm at Haryana Raj Bhavan. The meeting, according to a press note, will be chaired by the Haryana Governor-cum-President of the Haryana State Red Cross. The Governor will also present shields, souvenirs and other awards to deputy Commissioners and other social workers for their outstanding work in the field of Red Cross and St John activities.

BAGS DISTRIBUTED: Employees of Canara Bank donated school bags among students of Government Primary School at Maloya on Friday. The General Manager of the bank, Mr K. Rangaraya, while handing over the bags, said: “The children must study hard as they are the future pillars of a strong nation”. The activity was undertaken under “Tram Campaign” in which the employees of the bank voluntarily pool money every month for undertaking social welfare activities.

CAMP: Nearly 150 women participated in an AIDS awareness camp organised by a NGO, Yuvsatta, and the UT AIDS Control Society in Colony No. 5, here on Friday. Dr Minakshi Thapa and the Project Coordinator, Mr R. Natrajan, educated the women about AIDS and the precautions that needed to be taken against it. A team of doctors gave free medicines to people, while workers of Yuvsatta distributed literature among residents of the colony.

CONCERN: Mr Narinder Kashyap, Member of Legislative Council, Uttar Pradesh, and in charge of the Haryana and Chandigarh Bahujan Samaj Party was shocked to see the condition of various colonies in the city beautiful. In a meeting held at Mauli Jagran village on Thursday BSP workers decided to provide basic amenities to the colony residents.

NOTICE ISSUED: Indira Colony resident Uma, who surfaced on August 5 after staying away from her house for almost two years, continued to be lodged in Nari Niketan even as the Central Bureau of Investigation filed an application in the Punjab and Haryana High Court for “suitable orders” on Friday. Taking up the application, Justice K.S. Garewal issued a notice of motion for August 14.

PANCHKULA
NOMINATED: Mr Amardeep Chaudhary was nominated as Secretary of the Indian National Lok Dal on Friday. Speaking to mediapersons, he said he was planning to tour drought-hit areas of the state.

OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Hira Lal Jain of Ludhiana has been unanimously elected as president of the Jainendra Gurukul Managing Committee. The other office-bearers are: Mr Rajinder Pal Jain — vice-president; Mr V.K. Jain — secretary; Mr Vinod Kumar Jain — joint secretary; and Mr Puran Chand Jain — cashier.

ELECTED: The Indian Institute of Architects, Mumbai, has named Panchkula as a sub-centre and Mr M. Bhardwaj has been elected as chairman. The other office-bearers of the centre are: Mr Sangeet Sharma — vice-chairman; Mr H.R. Yadav and Mr P.K. Gupta — joint secretaries; Mr O.P. Garg — treasurer; and Mr V.N. Shah — patron.

POSTPONED: Meet the Press programme of Mr Bhajan Lal, President, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, scheduled to be held on Saturday at the Chandigarh Press Club has been postponed.

SAS NAGAR
MEETING: Minorities in Punjab are facing a threat to their existence from the BJP-led government at the Centre. These views were expressed at a meeting of the district unit of the Minorities Department of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee here on Friday. Leaders said the BJP, RSS, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were trying to create hatred among different communities and the nation was facing an internal danger from them. In a bid to bring minorities on one platform, Mr Dilber Mohammad Khan, president of the state unit of the Minorities Department, would hold a number of district-level meetings. A state-level rally would also be organised later.

CONFERENCE: A civil military liaison conference was held on Friday. An official said the aim of the conference was to develop harmonious relationship between civil and military officials. Issues like encroachments, completion of overbridge near army recruitment office, etc. were taken up for discussion. Among others, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr D.D. Gautam, Sub-Area Commander, Brig D.C. Katoch, Col Puneet Sethi, Col Rakesh Mohan, Additional DC, Ms Neelam Kasni, Cantonment Executive Officer, Ms Sonam Yangdol, SDM, Mr M.K. Ahuja, XEN Public Health, DEM Railway and executive officers of Municipal Council were also present.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Bhakra Beas Employees Union, Dhulkot unit: president — Mr Bhupinder Singh; senior vice-president — Mr Amarjit Singh; vice-president — Mr Jagdish Singh; secretary — Mr L. Chand, additional secretaries — Mr Jagannath and Mr Charan Dass, treasurer — Mr Rajendra Singh.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

DHARAMSALA
ACCIDENT: Rajjo Devi (70), a resident of Sapri village, about 3 km from Jwalamukhi, was killed when a van hit her. According to the police, Rajjo Devi was hit by the van and died on the spot. The driver of the van fled the scene. A case has been registered.

KANGRA
RELAY FAST: The relay fast by workers of the All-India Hindu Mahasabha at Nehru Chowk in protest against the alleged inaction of the government against those involved in the misappropriation of funds and silver at Bajjreshwari Temple here, entered its third day on Friday. The SDM, Dr N.K. Laath, visited the relay fast site and asked the agitators to call off the fast. He assured them that action would be taken against those found guilty. OBC BODY’S THREAT: Leaders of the Himachal Pradesh Other Backward Class Youth Organisation have decided to court arrest next week in protest against the indifferent attitude of the state government towards their demand for 27 per cent reservation. Mr Rajeev Chaudhary, state general secretary of the OBC Youth Organisation, told mediapersons on Thursday that they had been demanding that the state government should implement the poll promise of providing 27 per cent reservation to the OBC community as per the directions of the apex court based on the Mandal Commission report.

SHIMLA
COMMUTERS’ WOES: Commuters, particularly school children, are facing inconvenience because of the order of the administration not to allow any standing passenger on board the local buses. The worst sufferers are school children who can be seen running after buses. This decision was taken after two students died in an accident involving a private bus and a jeep. A number of local organisations have urged the administration to review the decision.

UNA
ROADS CONSTRUCTED: Mr J.S. Katoch, Chief Engineer, PWD, north zone, said here on Wednesday that in the past over four years, the department had constructed 76.94 km of new roads and recarpeted 168 km of roads in the district.

MURDERED: A 90-year-old man was allegedly murdered by his son at Suri village on Wednesday, the police said. The district police chief, Mr Abhishek, said the family had recently sold their wood and had some dispute over the division of money. The police has recovered a blood stained ‘khukri’ and arrested the accused.