The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, September 7, 2002, Chandigarh, India

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PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
ARRESTED: Six persons were arrested for gambling and Rs 10,000 seized from them here on Thursday. The arrested have been identified as Balbir Singh, Tejinder Singh, Vikas Mittal, Tejinderpal Singh, Harjinder Singh and Rajesh Kumar.

FARIDKOT
EYE HOSPITAL: The local Bharat Vikas Parishad Eye Bank Charitable Trust has decided to set up an eye transplant hospital here to provide free service to the needy. Work on the project is likely to be taken up in the first week of December. This was stated by Dr S.P.S. Sodhi, general secretary of the trust, here on Friday.

BEOPAR MANDAL: The Punjab Beopar Mandal will hold its meeting at Barnala on Sunday to decide its course of action following the failure of the state government to redress their long-pending demands which include the restructuring of the excise and taxation policy and filing of a review petition before the Supreme Court for the abolition of octroi. This was stated here on Friday by Mr Madan Lal Kapoor, president of the mandal.

FEROZEPORE
TRAINING CAMP: The local Krishi Vigyan Kendra on Friday organised a one-day training camp on “year-round production of fodder, its preservation and feeding” in collaboration with the state Animal Husbandry Department at Mana Singhwala, 10 km from here.

LUDHIANA
BOOK RELEASED: A punjabi book, “Jayae Dharat Punjab De” written by two former students of the university, Mr Balwinder Singh and Gurrit Pal Singh, describing the life and achievements of 15 progressive farmers of Punjab, was released by Dr Sarjit Singh Gill, Additional Director, Extension Eduction (Communication Centre), PAU, at the monthly meeting of the Punjab Kisan Club here today. Dr Gill appreciated the efforts of young scientists who documented the experience of innovative farmers who had acted as torch-bearers to the farming community by adopting the recommendations of Punjab Agricultural University and improving their farming system as well as home life. Dr Gill expressed the hope that this book will provide motivation to the other farmers to follow in the footsteps of their progressive counterparts. Dr Gill also suggested that a second volume of this book should be brought out by including the details about the life and achievements of all the farmers Presidents of Punjab Kisan Clubs, winners of Mr Dalip Singh Dhaliwal Memorial Award from PAU and winners of National Awards in agriculture.

COFFEE MORNING: Hotel Majestic Park Plaza on Friday hosted a coffee morning for women guests. The coffee morning is a regular feature of the hotel where the ladies discuss various issues. Continuing with the practice of bringing experts in skin and hair care, Visage, beauty saloon of the hotel, invited Ms Dolly Kapoor, an expert in the field.

NEW WEBSITE: Shri Sidh Seva Mandal (regd), Ludhiana, has created a website, www.balaknath.com, to felicitate followers of Baba Balaknath to get information about the sect. The website is divided in different sections and includes a picture gallery with photographs of Baba’s temples in different cities besides a history gallery.

COMPETITION: Students of Guru Nanak Khalsa Girls High School (Gujjarkhan), Model Town, have won prizes in various competitions organised by the Punjab School Board, SAS Nagar. The vaar gayan and shabad gayan teams won the first prize at the block level. The participating students included Prerna, Gurpreet, Harpreet, Kunika, Sanjay and Jasmeen. Jasleen Akhtar won the first prize in folk-song competition at the district-level. The vaar gayan team bagged the third prize in the district-level competition.

NEW SERVICE: AirTel today announced that from Friday its post aid subscribers in Punjab will no longer have to pay for calls received from any other AirTel subscriber, in Punjab and across India. AirTel recently introduced the applicability of home network tariffs even when roaming on any AirTel network in the country.

BOOK PUBLISHED: A book entitled “Advanced Genetics” written by Prof Gurbachan Singh Miglani, Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, PAU, has been simultaneously published from India and abroad. According to Dr Miglani, the book is specially meant for postgraduate students of biological and agricultural sciences, including biotechnology. Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, Dr G.S. Nanda, Director of Research, Dr K.S. Sekhon, Dean, Postgraduate Studies, Dr Kulbir Singh Gill and Dr H.S. Garcha, both former deans, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, and Dr M.A. Zahir, Dean, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, have congratulated Dr Miglani.

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED: Dr Gurpreet Kaur Sehgal, Assistant Reproductive Physiologist in the department of Fisheries and Zoology, has been awarded a Chinese Government Scholarship for undertaking post-doctoral research in the field of aquaculture biotechnology. She will undertake this study at the university of Zehjiang, China, from September, this year. According to Prof S.K. Battish, Head, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, this will help to further carry on the work she has already done on the production of monosex and sterile seed of common carp as a measure of controlling its natural breeding in farmers’ ponds, which (the natural breeding) leads to intra-specific competition and hence poor fish growth. Based on her scientific contributions in the field of fisheries, the biographical profile of Dr Sehgal has been included in the latest (sixth) edition of the Marqui’s Who’s Who in science and engineering published from the USA.

MANSA
DEMONSTRATION: Students of JBT School, Budhlada, on Friday staged a demonstration under the banner of DIET Students Welfare, Punjab, in protest against the new education policy announced by the state government. The agitators sat on dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner.

ELECTION DUTY: The Democratic Employees Front, Punjab, has opposed the deployment of officials of the Punjab Government on election duty in Jammu and Kashmir in a handout issued here on Friday. Mr Sukhdarshan Singh Nat, general secretary of the state unit, said the front would not object to the deployment of those employees who had given consent to perform the duty.

DHARNA HELD: On a call given by the Adhyapak Dal, Punjab, a large number of teachers, led by Mr Hardev Singh Raipur, general secretary of the state unit of the association, staged a dharna in the district courts on Thursday in protest against the “anti-employee decisions” of the state government. The government had stopped the salaries of employees, jammed DA and stopped the facility of LTC, Mr Raipur said.

CHANDIGARH

DENTAL CAMP: The department of Dentistry of Government Medical College and Hospital on Friday organised a dental care camp for school children of Nehru Colony. The camp, which was organised in collaboration with Kusum Arora Memorial Trust, at the primary school in Nehru Colony, was inaugurated by the Municipal Corporation, Mayor Ms Lalit Joshi. A team of doctors conducted dental check-up of about 500 students and advised them regarding preventive dental care. Medicines, tooth brushes and dental cream were distributed to children free of cost.

HEALTH CAMP FOR TEACHERS: Teachers and their families can avail free medical consultation from the top doctors at the Fortis Heart and Multi Speciality Hospital, as part of the teachers health camp, being observed till September,12. The hospital spokesperson said teachers and their families can avail 40 per cent discount on all diagnostics as well as preventive health check ups and consult doctors from 17 specialities.

PANCHKULA
NUTRITION WEEK: The closing ceremony of the National Nutrition Week was held here on Friday with the District Development and Panchayat Officer, Mr Rajesh Jogpal, as chief guest. Forty winners in various competitions were awarded. Experts from the Family Planning Association of India , Anganwari Training Centre, Food and Nutrition Board and teaching departments of colleges had organised a number of programmes to spread awareness about various aspects of food, health, hygiene and sanitation.

SAS NAGAR
CONCERN: The Industrial Welfare Association, Phase IX, has expressed concern over the “split” in the town’s main body of industrial unit owners. The president of the association, Mr Avtar Singh Walia said yesterday that industry was passing through a recession. At such a critical time the Mohali Industries Association (MIA) should have been strengthened to fight odds.

HARYANA

AMBALA
MEETING: A meeting of the Sangharsh Vahini was held on Friday under the presidentship of Mr Hira Lal Yadav. Mr Yadav condemned the state government on various issues. He said the common man was facing problems in getting basic amenities like water, sewerage and power. He said the declaration of 47 colonies in the Mahesh Nagar area as unauthorised and complicating the NOC process is anti-people. He said a memorandum in this regard was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner which highlighted the problems being faced by the people. “It is sad that the government is not listening to the grievances of the people,” he said.

YOGA COMPETITION: A state level yoga competition was inaugurated on Friday at War Heroes Memorial Stadium, Ambala Cantonment. The Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr D.S. Dhesi, while speaking on the inaugural function, said yoga was not only a part of India’s ancient culture and civilisation, it also enables fitness of mind and body. Nineteen districts and three universities are participating in the competition being organised by the Haryana Yoga Association. Secretary of the Haryana yoga association Ashok Aggarwal, said the winners here would participate in the national yoga competition to be held in November in Punjab. He said this year, a 10-member team including three from Haryana, would participate in international yoga competition to be held in Brazil.

ONE HELD: The police recovered 10 grams of smack from a resident of Ambala City here on Friday. The police has arrested Surender Singh under the NDPS Act in this regard.

VISIT: Haryana BJP and Member of Parliament from Ambala Mr Rattan Lal Kataria will visit one dozen villages of Ambala City constituency on Saturday. According to the local president of the party, Mr Sushil Aggarwal, the BJP MLA, Ms Veena Chibbar, and other senior leaders will also accompany Mr Kataria who will hear the public grievances during his visit. He will also address a meeting of Yuva Morcha in Ambala City. Mr Om Prakash Dhankar, national secretary of the BJP will also be present on this occasion.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KANGRA
ROAD MISHAP: A youth was killed on the spot and another seriously injured when their Maruti van hit an electricity pole on the Zamanabad road, near Jayanti Vihar in this town, on Thursday, police sources said here on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Kuldeep Singh (20), a resident of Badiyard Zamanabad village. The injured, Sharwan Kumar (23) of Natherd village, was admitted to the local hospital.

BODY FOUND: The body of a 27-year-old youth was found on Friday lying in an irrigation channel on the Rajiana Yol road, 10 km from here, police sources said on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Anil Dhiman, a resident of lower Khera. A case has been registered under Section 302 of the IPC.

SHIMLA
AUDIO CASSETTE: The Governor, Dr Suraj Bhan, released an audio cassette of Punjabi songs titled “Gabhroo Duabe De” produced by Gandhar Music Society, a cooperative organisation, at a function here on Friday. Dr Bhan also released a dramatic composition “Chandanbala” written by Swami Vimleshwaranand Maharaj at a function organised at Raj Bhavan on Thursday.

MEMORANDUM: The Shimla district urban and rural Congress committees have submitted a memorandum to the Governor demanding action against the Dhumal government. The memorandum listed the acts of omission and commission of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and the state, which included petrol pump scam, shady defence deals and registering false cases against opponents. Meanwhile the charge sheet committee of the party held its first meeting here on Tuesday.

ST STATUS HAILED: Mr D.R. Harta, president, Shimla Zila Parishad, has hailed the move to declare Kupvi Dodra Kawar and Pandra Bees areas of Rampur as a Scheduled Tribe area. Appreciating the move the zila parishad chief said this would prove a boon to the backward areas of the state. He also thanked the Chief Minister for taking up development works in the Chopal area.

IAAS: Mr T.S. Nardsimha, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General of India, has said that the members of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service ( IAAS) must equip themselves with adequate skills for handling varied assignments in the department. He urged the probationers to be fair in discharging their duties. He also released Yarrows Dev, the annual magazine on the occasion.

CONDEMNED: Mr B.S. Ranjan, Secretary, Human Rights Department, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, has condemned Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, for threatening to arrest Mr Virbhadra Singh. Mr Ranjan warned that such a move would invite mass arrests, rallies and demonstrations in support of Mr Virbhadra Singh.

ADMISSION DATE: The last date for receipt of admission forms to M.A./M.Sc/M.Com/PGDPM & Law courses for the academic year 2002-2003 through International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning (ICDEOL), HP University, has been extended up to September 20, this was stated in a press note here on Wednesday.

LIC COMPETITION: IPS Hita Agarwal of Convent of Jesus and Merry; Vaishnavi Bhatia, Auckland School and Tezin Pacdan, Central School for Tibetans, were declared first, second and third, respectively, in a painting competition organised by the LIC in connection with the Insurance Week celebration on Wednesday for the children in the age group of 5 to 8 years. In the 9 to 12 age group Nain Tarasood and Sakshi Thakur both of Auckland School, got first and second positions, respectively, and Vikas Sharma of DAV Public School, New Shimla, got the third position. In the declamation contest Pramod Gupta got the first prize and Ashwani Sharma and Lehar Singh the second and third, respectively.

URGED: Mr Sudhir Chand, district (rural) president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, on Thursday urged the state government to metal the horticulture road in the Kotgarh area.

DELEGATION MEETS CM : A delegation of parents of students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jutogh Cantonment met Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal and submitted a memorandum to him regarding the changes in school timings by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. They said the timings had been changed 7.30 a.m. to 1.45 p.m. from 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. without considering the geographical and climatic conditions of the hill state.