R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
THEFT OF CANAL WATER: Residents of Karampatti, Ramgarh and Bhangala villages have submitted a memorandum to the Irrigation Minister alleging that influential SAD workers of Aspal, Gaddandop and Alamwala village are indulging in the theft of canal water. These elements have been carrying weapons while committing the crime at night. The complainants have demanded that the police should escort flying squads of the Irrigation Department to check this illegal practice.

HEAD CONSTABLE REMANDED: Sukhpal Singh, a Head Constable of the Punjab police, has been remanded in judicial custody till November 11. He was arrested for allegedly forcing his entry into the residential quarters of another Head Constable in the subdivisional police lines here. When the woman in the house and her son tried to resist his attempts to outrage her modesty, the culprit allegedly threatened them with dire consequences. He was booked under Section 452, 354, 506 of the IPC and the Sections 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act.

EXAMINED: Nearly 252 patients were examined by Dr S.L. Chalana at an eye camp organised by the Ram Chand Baghla Charitable Trust in Dharam nagri here on Thursday. Fourteen patients were examined for cataract operations free of cost. More than 125 patients were examined at Shri Sathya Sai Surgery and Laparoscopy Hospital here for free surgery at a camp to be organised on the eve of the birthday of Shri Sathya Sai Baba.

CASE: A case has been registered against seven residents of Alamgarh village located on the outskirts of the town under Section 306, 148, 149 of the IPC for allegedly creating a situation that forced Het Ram, a young milkseller of the village to commit suicide.

THEFTS: There has been a spurt in the incidents of thefts, in different localities here recently. There has also been an alarming rise in the incidents of eve-teasing especially in the afternoon not only on the roads connected with educational institutions but also in the markets as well.

AMRITSAR
WORKSHOP ENDS: The two-day teacher-training workshop on Heritage education and awareness organised at Khalsa College Public School by the Indian National Trust of Art and Cultural heritage (INTACH) in collaboration with the Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, concluded here on Thursday.

TWO BOOKED: The district police has booked Veerut Nath and Raj Kumar of Vijay Nagar and Khajanwala Gate, respectively, for allegedly selling lotteries of other states here. Mr Dhanna Singh, Deputy Director, Punjab State Lotteries, Chandigarh, in a complaint to Kotwali police alleged that the two used to sell the lotteries of Bhutan, Mizoram and several other states in Amritsar without any permission.

CASE REGISTERED: The district police has registered a case against Sivosh Nayyari, a resident of Irvine, California, for allegedly using the brand of “pari” rice by making fake documents in the USA. Mr Ashok Sachdeva, managing director of Sachdeva Rice Mills Private Limited, in his complaint alleged that the accused had been using the brand and trademark in connivance with Indian nationals there.

BATALA
CONTAMINATED WATER: Resentment prevails among residents of the industrial town against the contaminated water being supplied to them by the authorities of the Municipal Council, Batala. Mr H.S. Bajwa, retired Principal, and Mr Davinder Pal, senior vice-president, Punjab Chetna Manch, told this correspondent here that the arrangements for the supply of water by the MC authorities in the town were totally unsatisfactory.

BATHINDA
BAN ORDERS: Mr Anurag Verma, District Magistrate, has banned the assembly of five or more persons at public places under Section 144. Besides, shouting slogans by anybody (at public places), holding of meeting at public places and holding of rallies, dharnas and marches has also been banned. These orders will be in force till December 28.

KHANNA
BSNL MOBILE: Mobile phone service of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited was inaugurated by the Deputy General Manager, Mr M.M. Agnihotri, at the local telephone exchange here on Friday. Mr Agnihotri said the launching of the mobile service in Khanna area would benefit the rural area of the Ludhiana district. He said in Khanna now the pre-paid connection were available from Friday and the post-paid would be available in a few days. The District Engineer, Telephones, Mr Devinder Singh, the Subdivisional Engineer, Mr Balram Bhardwaj, and Mr Hans Raj Kaushal were among those present on the occasion.

SPEED POST CENTRE: Khanna Speed Post Centre was upgraded to National Speed Post Centre from Friday. A function was organised in this regard at the local post office. Mr Avtar Singh Mann, Superintendent Posts, Ludhiana (M) Division, said while delivering his inaugural speech that Khanna has become 8th National Speed Post Centre in Punjab. Telling about the benefits of the speed post, he said now the customers would know about the delivery of their articles through Internet and also on telephone.

LUDHIANA
CONTEST: New Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana, organised a diya and candle-making competition on Friday for the students of primary wing and higher wing. About 350 students took part in the competition. Results: primary wing — Bhawna of Class II got first position, Amandeep of Class IV got second position, Rohit Kundra of Class V got third position and Muskan of Class I got the consolation prize; higher wing — Sahil Juneja of Class IX got first, Puneet of Class X second, Deepak Ahuja of Class IX got third position and Pankaj Kashyap also of Class IX got the consolation prize. All the winners and the participants were given prizes and certificates of participation by the Principal, Mr H.C. Gupta.

DIVALI CELEBRATED: Tiny tots of Prime Rose Nursery School celebrated Divali in their own little way. They lighted candles and diyas and decorated the school. It was a fun time for them playing with fire crackers. At the end, they had a feast with traditional Indian sweets. Small Wonders Nursery School children also celebrated Divali on Friday. Children dressed up as Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman presented a small skit depicting their return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. Teachers made ‘rangolis’ and decorated the school. Fireworks and crackers were bursted to mark the occasion. Principal Neeti Dewan distributed sweets and chocolates among the children.

EYES DONATED: The eyes of late Harbhagvan Das Jain were donated to Puranjot Eye Bank, Punjab by his son, Jagpal, after his death. Harbhagvan Jain was a social worker who had already pledged to donate his eyes. According to a press release, both his corneas were successfully transplanted to a 19-year-old boy and a 55-year-old woman, respectively, by Dr Ramesh, Director Eye Bank Puranjot. 

SAMRALA
BEAUTY CONTEST: The VIIth cultural beauty contest ‘Miss World Panjaban’ will be held at Punjabi Bhavan, Ludhiana, on November 30, according to Mr Jasmer Singh Dhatt, president of the Sabhyacharak Sath, Punjab. Talking to mediapersons in the local Civil Rest House, Mr Dhatt said the programme would be telecast on the first Punjabi total digital music channel ‘Balle-Balle’ and Zee TV.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers unanimously of the Punjab Shooting Ball Association: president — Er D.P. Singh Virk; senior vice-president — Mr Birinder Singh, vice-presidents — Master Jatinder Nath Gautam, Mr S.K. Goyal and Mr Amrik Singh Kahlon, honorary secretary — Mr Iqbal Singh Ahluwalia; treasurer — Mr Ajay Kumar Shoree, and executive members are Dr Parvinder Pal Singh Sidhu, Mr Gurdip Singh, Mr Kuldip Singh, Dr Gurmail Singh Kooner and Mr Brij Mohan.

TARN TARAN
MEETING: A meeting of the Free Legal Aid Committee of the local subdivision was held here on Thursday under the presidentship of Mr Rajinder Kumar, Subdivisional Judicial Magistrate (Senior Division).

MURDER: Baldev Singh and Sewa Singh residents of Sabhra falling under Patti police station, have been booked for the murder of Ranjit Singh (13), son of Nirmal Singh, a resident of Chohla Sahib. He was kidnapped from his school on October 28 and his body was recovered near Moga on Wednesday.

HARYANA

AMBALA
EXHIBITION HELD: An exhibition was organised in Army School, Ambala Cantonment on Friday to showcase the talent of the school students. School Principal Col Banarsi Dass (retd) said the exhibition was held by the students to display their working projects in connection with the parent-teacher meet after half yearly exam, a release said.

TROPHY WON: Major R.N. Kapoor DAV Public School has won the overall trophy for the eighth time this year in an inter-school cultural competition. School Principal Ms K. Relan said the school team won the all-India inter-state inter-school cultural competition organised by cultural society DAV Senior Secondary School, Chandigarh. The team won the first prize in ghazal, folk song, group song and qawwali while they won the second prize in orchestra. The team won the third prize in group song and consolation in classical music.

FATEHABAD
STEPS TAKEN: The Agriculture Department has claimed to have taken several steps for the benefit of farmers. In a press note issued here on Thursday, the Deputy Director, Agriculture, Dr L.C. Godara, said Rs 20 lakh had been spent in the district on improving the quality and yield of cotton crop. A sum of Rs 50,000 had been spent on giving subsidies on seeds of cereals and oilseeds.

CAMP POSTPONED: The District Red Cross Society has postponed the proposed camp to distribute artificial limbs and other material among the handicapped in the district. The camp was to be organised from November 8 to 14 with the cooperation of the Shri Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklaang Sahayata Samiti, Jaipur. The District Red Cross Secretary, Mr Naresh Jhanjra, said the camp had been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances. No fresh dates for the camp have yet been finalised.

BAN ORDERS:The district administration on Thursday imposed a ban on the sale and storage of crackers and fireworks within the municipal limits in this district. The District Magistrate, Dr R.B. Langyaan, issued orders under Section 142 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1884. The orders will come into effect from Saturday and remain in force till Monday. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

HAMIRPUR
BANK LOANS: Various nationalised and cooperative banks in the district have advanced loans totalling Rs 100.36 crore under the priority sector, constituting 72 per cent of the total loans advanced as against a national average of 40 per cent. This was stated by Mr R.K. Sethi, Regional Manager, Punjab National Bank, at a meeting which was held to review the progress of the banks under the annual action plan. Ms Anuradha Thakur, Deputy Commissioner, presided over the meeting.