R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
FOUNDATION DAY: Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, Majitha road, celebrated its third foundation day here on Monday. Principal of the school, Ms B. Manmohan Singh, said the annual prize distribution function was also organised. Sixteen students were given prizes. Minister of State for Education, Prof Darbari Lal was the chief guest.

DHURI
JAIN NUNS: A congregation shall be held here on April 17 where three girls will take the robes of Jain nuns. These are Puja, daughter of Mr Bir Bhushan Jain from Dhuri, Seeju, daughter of Mr Surinder Kumar Jain, and Neha, daughter of Mr Surinder Kumar Jain, from Bareta (Mansa) and Sonepat, respectively.

GURDASPUR
TRANSFORMER DAMAGED: Residents of Nanowal Kalan with a population of more than 1,000 under the Kahnuwan development block in the district are a worried lot in view of damage to the transformer. The entire village has been without electricity since April 7. Mr Gurna Singh, sarpanch, and Mr Prem Singh and Ms Gurmeet Kaur, both panches, said that they had repeatedly met the Subdivisional Officer concerned, in this regard many a time, but no concrete result had come out. The panchayat demanded immediate replacement of the damaged transformer to restore power in the village.

JALANDHAR
CASES REGISTERED: Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, in a press note issued here on Monday, said 10 cases had been registered against Gagan Bakshi, a travel agent, at police station No 6 for duping several people of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of sending them abroad.

LUDHIANA
MEDICAL CAMP: The Asapuri Shopkeepers Welfare Society organised a medical camp on the premises of its office on Monday. More than 117 patients were examined and given medicines free of cost. Dr Jaspreet Singh Dhawan and Dr Parveen Kaur were among others who examined the patients. A drug de-addiction camp was also organised. The camp was inaugurated by a senior SAD member from the Dakha constituency, Mr Darshan Singh Shivalik. Mr Gurdip Singh and Mr Baldev Singh Grewal, president and chairman, respectively, of the society said it was unfortunate that the youth were ruining their lives taking drugs.

ANNUAL DAY The Pranayam and Laughing Club organised its annual function at Mini Rose Garden here Monday. Mr Sat Pal Gosain, former Deputy Speaker, Punjab, presided over the function. ‘Kamal Upasana’, a book penned by Mr C.R. Vig, president of the club, was released by him. Mr G.L. Brara, chairman of the club, and Dr M.L. Gill, Acting Head of the Department of Microbiology, Christian Medical College, were honoured.

RESENTMENT: Local people have resented the opening of a country liquor vend on the college road, Jagraon. It is just about 100 yards from LR-DAV College, R.K. Senior Secondary School and Lajpat Rai Kanya Pathshala. An ancient temple is situated in the old grain market at approximately the same distance from the vend. This is strictly against the rules of the state government which do not allow the opening of such a vend within the radius of 200 yards from any such institution or religious place. A liquor vend is also situated at Kamal Chowk.

NOMINATED: Mr L.C. Gupta, senior chartered accountant, has been nominated member of the Regional Direct Taxes Advisory Committee for a two-year term by the Department of Income Tax, Government of India. In a communication issued by the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, it has been intimated that the committee would be an advisory body and would deal with matters relating to income tax, wealth tax, estate duty and Expenditure tax.

OPEN DRAIN: The city mayor, Mr Nahar Singh Gill inaugurated the work for the construction of an open drain on R.K. Road in Ward No. 56. Addressing the gathering, he said the Municipal Corporation would pay special attention towards development works in undeveloped and under-developed areas of the city. The area councillor, Ms Malkiat Kaur, also spoke. Mr Gulzari Lal, Mr N.S. Virk, Mr Prithipal Singh Ghayal, Dr Ajit Singh, Mr Harpreet Singh Bunty, Mr Naik Chand, Ms Amarjit Kaur and Mr Tarsem Dabur were also present.

CIVIC AMENITIES: The Dugri Urban Estate Residents Welfare Society took up the issue of civic amenities and other problems of residents of the area with Mr K.B.S. Sidhu, Administrator, PUDA, during his visit to the city. Mr B.R. Kaushal, President of the society, pointed out that even though maintenance of roads, parks, water supply, sewerage and streetlights of the colony had been transferred to the Municipal Corporation, there were certain matters still within the domain of PUDA.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Central Town Residents Welfare Association, Pakhowal Road : President — Mr Jasbir Singh Dhaliwal; Vice-President — Mr Varinder Singh Bhandari; Secretary-cum-Legal Adviser — Mr Harjinder Singh; Joint Secretary — Mr Satwinder Singh Shukarchakiya; Treasurer — Mr Dalip Kumar; Auditor — Dr Manjit Kaur. Dr Gurcharan Singh Mohe, Mr D.S. Randhawa, Mr Satwinder Singh Vicky, Mr K.S. Kler, Mr Bhag Singh, Mr C. M. Sharma, Mr Kulwinder Singh Sandhu, Mr D.S. Mavi, Mr S. Mohindru have been elected the members of the executive committee.

MACHHIWARA
CASSETTE: To mark Baisakhi in a unique fashion, a cassette of religious songs ‘Chhak Amrit Guruan Ton’ by Punjabi singer Kanchan Bawa was released by Tejinder Singh Kooner, vice-chairman, district Congress, at a function organised on the premises of the office of the local nagar panchayat on Monday. Addressing the function, the patron of the International Punjabi Sabhyacharak Kendra, Mr Shakti Anand, who is also elder brother of Sanjeev Anand , a Delhi-based Punjabi song writer, suggested to compose songs form the rich poetry of Waras-Shah, Bulle Shah and Shiv Batalvi.

MANSA
GRACE MARKS: In a representation sent to the Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala, on Monday third-year B.Com. students of the local SD Kanya Mahavidyalaya and Government Nehru Memorial Postgraduate College have demanded grace marks in the paper of accounting held on April 12. They said the question paper too tough to solve by an average student.

WHEAT NOT PURCHASED: Foodgrain agencies here have not purchased the wheat in the district exposing it to the vagaries of weather. Mr Bhagirath Lal Danewalia, municipal chief, who is also a commission agent, has urged the district administration to take steps in this regard.

MALERKOTLA
BODY FOUND: One person was found murdered with a sharp-edged weapon at Islam Basti, near the College road, here on Monday. According to information, the body of Moti Ram (70), resident of Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), was found near a shop at Islam Basti.

MOGA
HELD: The Punjab police arrested a woman on Sunday on the charge of cheating and impersonation and marrying a youth belonging to Gholia Kalan in Moga district by posing as an NRI, the police said on Monday. The court remanded her in two day’s police custody.

PATHANKOT
CELEBRATED: Baisakhi was celebrated in and around Pathankot on Sunday. Thousands of people took a holy bath in sarovar of Gurdwara Barth Saheb, 12 km from here. A cultural programme was organised at Kali Mata Mandir Talab.

BAR ASSOCIATION: Mr Raman Mahindru and Mr Subash Malguria have been elected president and secretary, respectively, of the Taxation Bar Association.

4 BOOKED: The police has booked four persons, including two women, of Saidowal village for their alleged involvement in flesh trade. Mr Manminder Singh, SP, said here on Monday that on a tip-off the city police raided a site near Simla Pahadi and arrested three persons, including sarpanch of Saraspur village Gurwinder Singh and two women Sarvinder Kaur and Kuljit Kaur. However, one of their accomplices, an employee of the local SDM office, managed to escape. All arrested persons have been booked under Section 109 of the CrPC.

PROJECT DIRECTOR: Mr Vijay Mahajan has been appointed a project director for Pathankot subdivision under the Swajal Dhara scheme purported to provide pure drinking water to villages and down-trodden communities living in the slum areas. The scheme had been launched by the Centre.

PHAGWARA
BCC OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Manmohan Sharma, president, Block Congress Committee (Urban), has appointed the following office-bearers of the BCC: chief patrons — Mr ML Kaura and Mr Kalicharan Sood; patron — Mr Dhani Ram Dhiman; senior vice-presidents — Mr Kishore Chahal, Mr Sudesh Sharma and Mr Tarsem Singh Bhogal; vice-presidents — Mr Krishan Kumar Hero, Mr Sanjiv Chadha Goldy, Mr Ram Pal Uppal, Mr Surinder Pal Giki, Mr Kulbhushan Narang and Mr TT Sharma; general secretaries — Mr Raj Kumar Jain, Mr Ayodhaya Parsad Duggal, Mr Raj Kapoor, Mr Naresh Bhardwaj and Mr Shiv Kaura; secretaries — Mr Pappu Lama, Mr Murari Lal Aggarwal, Mr Satish Pathank and Mr Tarlok Singh Namdhari; and cashier — Mr Gian Chand Aggarwal.

HARYANA

AMBALA
FUGITIVE HELD: The Baldev Nagar police has arrested an accused who had managed to escape from the police custody by cheating the police constables a few days back. The Superintendent of Police, Mr Hardeep Singh Doon, said the fugitive, Bittu, had been arrested in a theft case. The police arrested Bittu near Dhulkot village on a tip-off. The police has registered a case against him on the charge of fleeing from police custody.

LIQUOR SEIZED: The police has seized 400 pouches of country liquor from a vehicle carrying newspapers. The pouches were hidden under the bundles of newspapers. The Mulana police intercepted the vehicle on a tip-off at Dosarka chowk. The police has arrested three persons — Jai Singh, Mam Chand and Manga Ram, under the Excise Act.

FELICITATED: The Haryana Non-Government Colleges Principals’ Association on Sunday felicitated the newly-appointed Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, Dr Avinash Kumar Chawla, at a function held at SD College, Ambala Cantonment. A cultural programme was organised on the occasion.

THEFTS: According to the police, thieves stole goods worth Rs 5,000 from a store of GMN College, Ambala cantonment. On the complaint of the Principal of the college, the police has registered a case. In another case miscreants took away household items worth Rs 5,000 from the house of Mr Kuldev Raj in the Baldev Nagar area at Ambala City. The police has registered a case.

CAMP: A free medical check-up camp was organised in Gurdwara Manji Sahib by a team of doctors of Mission Hospital, Ambala City, on Monday, Dr Manmeet Singh, Dr S.S. Ahluwalia, Dr Parveen Jose, Dr Navroop Johnson and Dr Deepak Saxena examined patients. Nearly 400 patients were examined and they were provided medicine free of cost.

KALKA
MEETING: In an attempt to bridge the gap between the public and the police, a meeting was held here on Sunday in which a large number of persons took part. The meeting, held under the directions of the DGP, Haryana, was presided over by the District Superintendent of Police, Mr Ranbir Sharma.

KARNAL
THREE KILLED: Three persons were killed and two injured in separate accidents here on Monday. Sunil and Ajay Kumar of the Banso Gate locality were grievously injured when their motor cycle was hit by a roadways bus near Uplana village. Sunil succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. In another accident, Raj Kumar and Dhan Singh were critically injured near Devi Lal chowk on the national highway. Raj Kumar died on his way to hospital. In yet another accident, Jeeta Ram of Takhana village was crushed under a train.

PINJORE
RELEASED: St Vivekanand Millennium School of HMT Township, Pinjore, released the second edition of its school magazine ‘Deepayan’ for 2002-03. The magazine was released by Mr S.K. Sharma, Executive Director, HMT Ltd, on Sunday.

SIRSA
EDUCATION CENTRES: The Haryana Government will open education centres at Chandigarh and Delhi for poor intelligent students. This was declared by the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, here on Saturday evening. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a hall constructed at a cost of Rs 20 lakh named after Ch Devi Lal on the local Jat Dharamshala premises. The Chief Minister said that students belonging to rich families had ample opportunities to take coaching from costly centres for the preparation for the IAS and other competitive examinations whereas poor though intelligent children are deprived of such coaching.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
MOBILE PHONE FACILITY: Raja Brijendra Singh of Chamba has urged the Minister of Telecommunication to provide the mobile phone facility in Chamba town which, being the district headquarters, is still devoid of this facility. In a handout issued here on Sunday, Raja Brijendra Singh said that Chamba town was an important hub of commercial and political activity and the people had been pressing for the mobile phone facility for the past several months.

DHARAMSALA
BUS FARE HIKE: A former Himachal Transport Minister and BJP leader, Mr Krishan Kapoor, has criticised the recent bus fare hike and alleged that it had been done to benefit the private transporters while the poor people would suffer. Talking to mediapersons here on Sunday, Mr Kapoor said that the bus fare hike was high and that the BJP government had refused to succumb to the transport lobby in the interest of poor people of Himachal Pradesh. He said that the Congress had started showing its true colours and alleged that the government was anti-poor.

PLASTIC SURGERY CAMP: The Himachal Minister for Health and Family Welfare, while lauding the role of social organisations like the Lions Club, said that service of poor was the real service. She was speaking at the closing function of the 17th free plastic surgery camp here on Sunday. The minister said that plastic surgery could contribute to a large extent in making life normal for those who suffered some deformities.

HAMIRPUR
ACCIDENT: One person was killed and two others were injured when a jeep in which they were travelling met with an accident near Kanner village on Saturday night. The injured were immediately shifted to Hamirpur Zonal Hospital where one of them, Karam Chand, succumbed to his injuries. The other two were stated to be out of danger. The Barsar police has registered a case.

NAHAN
OFF SEASON VEGETABLES: The Speaker, Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, Mr Gangu Ram Musafir, while addressing public meetings at Kotla Bangan, Badu Sahib, said that there was a huge potential for off-season vegetables in the region which could be exploited to benefit the farmers of the area.

SHIMLA
LIQUOR SEIZED: The Theog police seized 135 boxes of liquor and 35 deodar sleepers in the Deha area on Monday. The police had set up a naka at Tarapur and signalled a Bolero jeep to halt, but the driver stopped at a distance. He abandoned the vehicle and fled. On checking of the vehicle 135 liquor boxes of Sirmaur No. 1 were seized. In another incident the police seized 35 deodar sleepers from a truck.