R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

RED CROSS FUNCTION: The District Red Cross Society has decided to construct a multipurpose school on the Kotkapura Road, here, to rehabilitate the mentally challenged, deaf and dumb and other handicapped children in the district. This was stated by Mr A. Venu Prasad, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman District Red Cross Society, at a thanks giving function organised here on Thursday.

GURDASPUR
SAINI SABHA: The Gurdaspur Saini Sabha on Wednesday organised a ‘samman samaroh’ under Mr Mohinder Saini, president. Mr Rajbir Singh, General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, was honoured by the sabha. Members of the sabha thanked Mrs Sonia Gandhi, AICC President, Mrs Mohsina Kidwai, General Secretary, AICC, Mrs Mohsina Kidwai, General Secretary, AICC and in charge of Punjab affairs, and Mr Ashwani Kumar, member of the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, for appointing Mr Rajbir Singh as General Secretary of the Punjab unit.

TWO ARRESTED: The police has arrested Dharampal and Balbir Singh of Rasoolpur Tibba village under police station Purana Shalla in the district of extorting money from innocent persons on the plea of curing people of their diseases by posing themselves at tantariks. A case under Sections 343, 323, 506, 34 of the IPC has been registered.

HELD: The police has arrested Karam Singh, Ajit Singh Lambardar and Jasbir Singh, all residents of Naushehra under police station Dorangala in this district while their associates Bachan Singh, and Bakshish Singh, residents of the same village, are still at large. They have been booked for taking compensation against mining the lands of other farmers in the village by forging their signatures and preparing fake documents.

JAGRAON
INAUGURATED: Mr Mohamed Mustafa, DIG, Ludhiana Range, inaugurated a police canteen, motor cycle patrolling squad and traffic aid post here on Thursday. The persons who extended help to the police for the purchase of the PCR motor cycles were honoured by the DIG. Addressing the gathering, Mr M.S. Chhina, SSP, Jagraon, while extending thanks to Mr Mustafa conveyed thanks to the general public.

JALANDHAR
LEFT PROGRAMME: In a bid to create awareness among the masses about the alleged anti-people policies being pursued by the Congress government, four left parties have decided to hold joint conventions in different parts of Punjab in the first half of January next. This was decided during a joint meeting attended by representatives of four left parties, including the Marxist Communist Party of India (MCPI), the Pasla faction of the CPI(M), the CPI(ML) and the Forward Bloc at the local Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall here on Wednesday.

LUDHIANA
WORKSHOP: The Ivanna Institute of Fashion Technology and Nestle Foods organised a demonstration-cum-workshop on Tuesday for the students of hotel management and catering technology. Miss Kanu Priya, project manager of Nestle Foods, gave a demonstration of preparing exotic and innovative dishes using Nestle products. A stall of nestle foods was also put up for the students of the institute.

CONVENTION: A general convention of the Arya Samaj, Dal Bazar, was held here on Wednesday. Forty five representatives including Swami Shobhanand, Swami Sumnamati, Mr Rajinder Kumar Dewan, Mr Ranvir Maria, Mr Sant Kumar, Mr. Atam Parkash, Mr Ayodhya Parkash Malhotra and Mr Arun Sood, participated in the convention which was presided over by Mr Roshan Lal Arya, president, Arya Samaj. The convention also passed a resolution asking both the state and the Central Government to formulate adequate laws to prevent change of religion or faith. Elections for the next year were also held under the supervision of Swami Shobhanand. Mr Roshan Lal Arya was unanimously elected as president for the second consecutive time and was empowered to formulate the core group and other committees.

SELECTED: Dr K.N.S. Kang, Director, Punjab College of Technical Education, has been selected as a possible candidate for the 2002-2003 edition of International WHO’s WHO of professionals. The society was founded in 1928 based at Boston. It provides the most comprehensive listing of professionals whose contributions shape and direct the destiny of nations. The biographies of most successful professionals from 150 countries are housed in private libraries and collections around the world.

JAGRAN: The Super Star Club held its 33rd annual Bhagwati jagran in street No. 3 of Basant Nagar on Tuesday night which was presided over by Mr Shashi Bhushan Sharma. Some prominent devotees were also honoured on the occasion. Ashok Sharma of T-series fame sang devotional songs at the jagran.

KIRTAN DARBAR: A kirtan darbar, exclusively devoted to singing hymns related to the life of Lord Shiva, was held under the supervision of temple priest Mahender Sharma at the Shiv Mandir in Prem Nagar, on Wednesday. Womenfolk participated in large numbers in the kirtan darbar. Among others who performed an aarti of Lord Shiva were Mr. Jang Bahadur Singh, Mr. Amar Nath Bharti, Mr. Brij Mohan Kapoor and Lala Ram Dass.

GITA JAYANTI: The Brahman Sabha, Civil Lines, would celebrate Shrimadbhagwat Jayanti Samaroh on December 15 at Tagore Bhavan, according to Mr Rattan Sharma, a spokesman for the sabha. Mr Rakesh Pandey, Printing and Stationery Minister, Punjab, would be the chief guest at the samaroh. Among the religious scholars who would deliver their discourse at the samaroh are Brahmchari Dev Dutt, Swami Ram Tirath Bhuriwale, Pandit Giani Ram Shastri and Namdhari Dalip Singh.

SAMMELAN: The management of Shri Hanuman Mandir in Naulakha Bagh Colony is organising its 16th annual Manav Kalyan Sammelan at the temple premises from December 18 to 22, according to Mr Ashwini Sharma in which renowned saints including Swami Vivekanand, Swami Nigam Bodh Tirath, Swami Ved Bharti, Swami Bua Ditta and Lalita Sakhi would deliver discourses.

NEW HOTEL: Klouds on Fire, an integrated restaurant of Indian and exotic food, will offer a wide range of delicacies, said Mr Harvinder Khurana and Mr Rajan Khurana, owners of the restaurant. The restaurant, divided in two floors, was serving Indian, Chinese, South Indian, Continental, Italian, tandoori, ice creams and mocktails.

KATHA CONCLUDES: A nine-day Bhagwat Puran Katha Samaroh concluded at the Shri Prem Mandir here on Wednesday. The samaroh, which was held in connection with the first death anniversary of Behan Vanti Devi, was attended by a large number of saints, sanyasis and the devotees. The poojan ceremony was performed under the supervision of Behan Parkash Devi. Non-stop recitations of Shri Bhagwat Puran, Guru Granth Sahib, Ramayana and Bhagwadgita, which had been going on since the beginning of the samaroh, came to conclusion.

PARKASH UTSAV: The parkash utsav of Maharaj Darshan Dass ji was celebrated with religious fervor and gaiety at Satguru Darshan Dham in New Shakti Nagar. A ruhani satsang was held on the occasion for the benefit of the devotees assembled on the occasion from all over the state.

NAWANSHAHR
SENTENCED: The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Gobinder Singh Matharu, has convicted and sentenced Chandan Singh, alias Charanjit Singh, of Kot Ranjha and his accomplice Vinod Kumar of Machian(Nepal) to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined them Rs 5,000 each under Section 364, IPC, for kidnapping a resident of the local Friends Colony on June 13,99.

BLOOD DONATION: The Gram Naujwan Welfare Sabha, Nawan Garan, in collaboration with the Blood Donors Council organise a blood donation camp at Nawan Garan village, 20 km from here, on Wednesday. Mr Mohinder Singh Bhatia, an NRI, inaugurated the camp. Mr Ram Kishan Kataria, former MLA, honoured blood donors. As many as 45 units of blood were collected, informed Mr Sham Lal Bhumbla.

EYE DONATION CAMP: The Lions Club (Nawanshahr Bist) organised a special talk here on Wednesday at Government Senior Secondary School to create awareness on eye care and eye donation. Mr Gururaj Karan Singh, who has been touring the country on a bicycle to spread the message, gave valuable tips on eye care and motivated students to pledge eye donation.

SEMINAR: The district Social Security, Women and Child Welfare Department and the district Health Department organised a seminar on “Female foeticide — a terrible crime” at Daulatpur village, about 10 km, from here on Thursday. Mr Som Parkash, Director, Social Security, was the chief guest and Mr Ashok Kumar Gupta, Deputy Commissioner, presided over the seminar.

PATIALA
COMPUTER LABORATORY: The State Bank of Patiala on Thursday set up a computer laboratory at Government Senior Secondary School, Lachkani, with a view to providing computer education to the underprivileged students under its Community Services Banking Scheme. The centre was inaugurated by the General Manager, Planning and Development Mr Dinkara Rao.

BHAJAN SANDHYA: A “bhajan sandhya” was organised here on Thursday at Geeta Bhavan by Sai Raj Productions in which Ms Maina Moudgil presented classical and semi-classical bhajans. DGM State Bank of Patiala M.S. Deshpande presided over the function.

HARYANA

AMBALA
SEMINAR: A state-level seminar on ‘The role of police and crime against women’ will be organised in S.A. Jain College, Ambala city on Friday. The Director General of Police, Haryana, Mr M.S. Malik will be the chief guest.

FATEHABAD
JOB PROGRAMME: Under the Rozgaar Apke Dwaar Programme of the state government, the District Industries Department orgnaised a seminar at Government Industrial Training Institute, Bhodia Khera, on Wednesday. Mr Pradeep Ranjan, general manager of the District Industries Center, Fatehabad, presided over the seminar. Mr L.C. Rewatia, principal of the institute, was also present. As many as 58 unemployed youths participated.

WATER PLAN: To meet the requirement of clean drinking water in villages, the state government has started ‘swajal dhara’ scheme in this district. Under this scheme, the state government would provide heavy subsidy to those panchayats that want to set up tubewells in villages for potable water. Deputy Commissioner, RB langyaan told mediapersons here on Wednesday that the panchayats that wished to install tubewells in their village would have to spend only 10 per cent of the total cost of the tubewell. The rest would be borne by the government as subsidy.

HISAR
WOMAN STABBED: A seven-month pregnant woman has been stabbed to death in Netaji Colony here. The victim, Bindiya, was alone at her house when she was murdered on Wednesday afternoon and some of her jewellery was also found missing. It is being suspected that she was stabbed 15 times following a scuffle with the robbers who entered her house and tried to snatch her jewellery.