The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Friday, September 27, 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
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the National Students’ Union of India unit of Guru Nanak Dev University campus: presidents — Mr Harpal Singh and Ms Gazal Gupta; vice presidents — Mr Harmeet Singh Bhullar, Mr Gurjeet Singh Pannu, Ms Satwinder Kaur, Mr Deepinder Singh; and in charge — Mr Sarandeep Sharma.

ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Tea Traders’ Association : president — Mr Rajinder Goel; senior vice-president — Mr Subash Sharma; and general secretary — Mr Madhukar Talwar; Mr Raman Kapoor, Mr Madan Lal Aggarwal, Mr Kishan Kumar Mehra, Mr Naresh, Mr Raj Kumar Poddar, Mr Subhash Batra and Mr Ashok Kumar Mehra have been elected executive members.

FARIDKOT
APPEAL: Mr S.K. Gupta, a senior Congress leader and Mr Satish Bagi, press secretary, DCC, Faridkot, have appealed to all political parties to rise above petty politics and cooperate with the Congress in its agitational programme being launched against the Central Government for its failure to announce the minimum support price for paddy. In a press statement here on Wednesday, he said the entire economy of the state was based on the farming community and it was the duty of all sections to support their cause.

FEROZEPORE
CAMPAIGN: The police has decided to launch an awareness campaign against drug addiction in this border district. Revealing this, Mr Praveen Kumar Sinha, SSP, said a plan had been drawn up with the help of social organisations and NGOs to save youths from the clutches of drugs.

LUDHIANA
NSS CAMP: A 10-day NSS camp, organised by Kamla Lotia S.D. College, began on Thursday. Sixty students are participating in it, which was inaugurated by the officiating Principal, Mr Revti Raman. He addressed the volunteers and encouraged them to participate in such camps. Among others who spoke on the occasion were the programme officer, NSS, Mohammed Saleen, and Prof Rohit Kumar.

INAUGURATION: The foundation stone of Bhai Ghaniya Charitable Hospital will be laid on September 28 at 11am by Baba Sant Tirath Singh of Gunama Mandiwale, according to Mr Kartar Singh Garib of the Bhai Ghaniya Singh Seva Sanstha.

MELA BEGINS: The president and general secretary of the Vishav Bhai Mardana Foundation in a press statement said the three-day 22nd mela of Hazrat Baba Pir Baksh would begin on Friday in Libra village. Punjabi ‘kalian’ singer Kuldip Manak would be honoured with Bhai Mardana Singh Sangeet Award on the occasion.

WORKSHOP: The state branch of the Indian Dental Association (IDA) will organise a seminar on ‘Metal free ceramics — the future of dentistry’ here on Friday. The workshop will be conducted by Dr Andreas Hubban and Dr Vivek Saggar. The ‘smile designing’ has been made possible by the use of ‘Metal free ceramics’, a cure free from most of dental ailments like crooked teeth, fractured and missing teeth.

MEETING HELD: A meeting of the District Advisory Committee of the Health Department was held here on Thursday under the presidentship of Dr S.N. Tiwari, Civil Surgeon. The meeting was attended by Dr Neelam Bassi, District Family Welfare Officer, Dr Kuldip Kaur Sahni, District Vaccination Officer, Mr J.S. Bindra, Dr Manorama Verma, Ms Pappo Avnash, Dr Ajit Chawla and Ms Santosh Bhatia. Dr Tiwari said the Chairman under the PNDT Act, 1994, should not be member of the appropriate authority.

SEMINAR: Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI), an organisation engaged in child welfare and development and child nutrition, has been authorised by the Central Government to make a complaint in writing under Sub Section (10 of Section 21 of the Infant Milk Substitutes Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992, 941 of 1992. A seminar to create awareness among the masses about Infant Milk Substitute (IMS) Act will be organised here on Sunday.

MEDICAL CAMP: A free medical camp was organised at Government High School (Girls) at Kaunke Kalan by the State Bank of Patiala, Kaunke Kalan branch and MPHC, Kaunke Kalan. Medicines were distributed free of cost to 300 students by the Branch Manager of the bank.

SAPLING PLANTED: The Zonal Office of the Bank of India here on Thursday launched a tree plantation campaign in the city in collaboration with the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT). At a function organised in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar for this purpose, Mr H.S. Bhatia, Zonal Manager, planted a sapling, along with Mr Raminder Singh, Administrator of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust, Bank of India.

DEMANDED: The vice-president of the Punjab Ball Bearing Distributors Association has demanded from the Punjab Government that the ball bearing housing units used in the manufacture and running of harvesting combines be exempted from sales tax. This would help in reducing the cost of production of agricultural products and thus help small farmers, he said.

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY: The Moulder and Steel Workers Union will observe the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh on Saturday. According to Mr Vijay Narayan, president of the union, a function will be organised in street No. 8 in the Dashmesh Nagar locality which will have Prof Jagmohan Singh, nephew of the martyr, as chief guest and Mr Kanwaljit Khanna, Secretary, Inquilabi Club, Punjab, as the guest of honour.

MANSA
REMOVED: Mr Balraj Singh Bhunder, son of senior Akali leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder, has been removed from the office of Managing Director of the Mansa Central Cooperative Bank Limited by the Punjab Government.

KILLED: Balbir Kaur of Jhunir village was allegedly killed by Mithu Singh, her brother-in-law. A domestic dispute is said to be the cause of the murder. The Jhunir police has registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC.

SENTENCED: Mr Harsh Mehta, Chief Judicial Magistrate, on Wednesday convicted Diwan Chand, proprietor of the cold drinks company under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for one year and to pay fine of Rs 80,300 in default of payment of fine to further undergo imprisonment for one month.

MOGA
POTABLE WATER: Nestle India Ltd., Moga, has decided to set up 25 mini-water tanks for the supply of potable water to students in rural government schools of Moga district.

PHAGWARA
DRUG ADDICTS HELD: The police has nabbed Gurmej Singh, Gurdip Singh and Daljit Singh who had taken to chain snatching to buy drugs. During investigation they confessed to having snatched Rs 5180 from a woman here on April 2. They also admitted to having snatched ear-rings from two ladies at Rahon road and Railway road, Nawanshahr.

ORDERED: The District Magistrate, Mr Rakesh Verma, on Tuesday invoked Section 133 of the Cr PC and ordered the closure of “hadda-rodi” (dump for flaying carcasses) and removal of stinking skeletons of animals, bones and skins/hides at Sapror village along the GT Road within 10 days.

BANKERS’ WORKSHOP: With view to promoting rural industries, the Khadi and Gram Udyog Commission and the Punjab Khadi and Gram Udyog Board on Tuesday held a bankers’ workshop. Addressing the bankers and beneficiaries, Mr H.C. Upreti, Director of the Commission said the loan amount for setting up rural industries for employment generation had been raised from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for an individual entrepreneur.

TARN TARAN
MELA: On the second day of the three-day Khadoor Sahib Mela the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) organised a conference on Wednesday which was presided over by Mr Charajit Singh Fatehbad.

RESULTS: Students of Kalyan Homoeopathic College here have performed well in the university exams. Dr Gurmeet Singh, Principal, in a press note issued on Tuesday said Ms Rajneet who appeared in the first profession of the BHMS course had secured the first position, Ms Gurpreet Kaur the second position and Avneesh Kumar the fourth position in the university.

CHANDIGARH

COMPETITION: In the brisk walk competition, jointly organised by the Chandigarh Senior Citizens Association and the Chandigarh Police, Mr G.S. Virdi, a walker of international repute, had also participated in the age group of 70-74. He had finished way ahead of the other contestants. He was not considered for the top position as his stature as walker was much higher than the others. He was given a special prize for his achievement, Major Gen M.S. Kandal, Chairman of the organising committee of the senior citizens, informed on Thursday.

DEMAND: In a representation to Union Health Minister Shatrughan Sinha, the PGI Employees Coordination Committee has demanded the inclusion of local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, in the governing body of the premier institute. The representation signed by the chairman of the committee, Mr R.K. Khanchi, has requested that being the local MP, the inclusion of Mr Bansal in the governing body would be in the interest of the people of the city. It has been pointed out that in view of Mr Bansal’s long association with the PGI and his knowledge of the functioning of the institute, he should be made a member of the governing body at its meeting scheduled for September 29.

CARDIAC OPD: As part of its outreach programme , Fortis Heart Institute and Multi Speciality Hospital, is organising Cardiac OPD at Ludhiana, for the people of the area. The two camps will be held be held on September 27 and October 11 on the Punjab Agricultural University Campus, Ludhiana. Renowned cardiac surgeon, Dr V.M. Kohli, who is a senior consultant at Fortis, will provide consultancy on various health ailments at special charges of Rs 350. Employees of the PAU and their families can avail consultations at the OPD, free of cost.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The election of the Punjab Health and Medical Directorate Employees Union was held here on Wednesday. Following office-bearers were elected: president — Mr Kulbhushan Kanwar; senior vice-President — Mr Harminder Singh Bhappa; general secretary — Bhupinder Singh Pipat; vice-president — Mr Rajinder Singh Aujla; vice-president (women) — Ms Mandeep Kaur; secretary — Mr Adarsh Nagai and joint secretary — Mr Jagtar Singh and Mr Sewak Singh.

PANCHKULA
QUIZ CONTEST: A wildlife quiz and painting competition was organised at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 7, here on Thursday , as part of celebrations of the Wildlife Week. As many as 182 children participated in these competitions, informed Mr Sada Ram, Inspector, Wildlife. The competitions were organized under the supervision of Mr Ved Prakash, District Forest Officer.

BABY SHOW: The Family Planning Association of India organised a Healthy Baby Show on Thursday. As many as 50 children, their mothers and local voluntary group members from adjoining villages and urban slums participated. The babies were judged on basis of weight, height, hygiene, immunisation, mothers parity and contraceptive status.

CHAMBER’S DEMAND: The Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged upon Haryana Urban Development Authority to have a fresh approach at their “archaic rules governing industry in the state.” A delegation of the chamber led by president C.B. Goel and general secretary, Rajneesh Kumar met the Chief Administrator, HUDA, Mr N.C. Wadhwa, on Wednesday. They urged him to ensure a quick response in decision making so that they were able to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. They asked the authorities to make a decision on more than 300 change in land use granted units , who had earlier been issued notices. These units were set up in controlled area, after depositing prescribed fees and had later applied for approval of building plan. The delegation also requested for change in transfer policy of industrial plots/ sheds and initiation of resumption proceedings in case of change of project ; reduction in occupation interest rates charged by HUDA , identification of appropriate site for solid waste disposal.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KANGRA
TRAINING CAMP: Under the National Agriculture Technology project in collaboration with the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Kangra, Animal Husbandry Department organised a one-day training camp for women at Chonda village on Wednesday. Twentytwo women attended the camp where Dr Ashwani Kumar Gupta, senior veterinary officer, briefed them about ‘breed upgradation of local cows through artificial insemination and balanced feeding of such animals’ and distributed mineral mixture for animals free of cost.

SHIMLA
COMPUTER COURSE: An intensive computer training course for government employees will be conducted at Dharamsala, Mandi and Shimla from September 30. This was disclosed here today by Mr Desh Deepak, Director, Himachal Institute of Public Administration.

POTATO VARIETIES: Scientists of the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) here have developed two new varieties of potato-Kufri Chipsona I and Kufri Chipsona 2- which are ideally suited for processing into potato chips. These varieties are suited for hilly areas of Shimla district and can prove a boon for them, if grown on a commercial scale, according to the scientists.

CORPORATE SECTOR: The coordination committee of the Himachal Pradesh Corporate sector employees has made it clear to the government that it would not accept any transfer policy finalised without taking it into confidence. Mr Rameshwar, general secretary of the committee, said the coordination committee had not been represented in the committee set up for the purpose. He also disapproved of the policy of regularising the service of daily wage earners.

DELEGATION: A delegation of the IPH Junior Engineers’ Association met Mr Ramesh Dhawala, IPH Minister, regarding the non-implementation of the orders of Secretary, Personnel, for amendment in promotion rules.