R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

• Humming with activity again
• Resort on a ridge

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
COMPETITION: About 200 students of DAV Senior Secondary School here took part in a talent search competition held on the school premises on Tuesday. Mr Sushil Luthra, Vice-Principal of the school, inaugurated the competition and Mr Gulshan Sadana, head of the Arts Department, presided over it.

INAUGURATED: Mr Bhag Singh Ankhi, secretary of the Chief Khalsa Diwan, on Tuesday inaugurated a canteen in Sri Harkrishan Public School at Friends Colony here. Mr Darshan Singh, Director of Education, Mr Talwinder Singh, manager of the school, and Mrs Satyander Kaur Chawla were present on the occasion.

FAZILKA
FIRE: A general provision store-cum-stationery shop in the Nai Abadi Islamabad locality here was reduced to ashes in a fire caused by a short circuit According to the details available, the owner of the shop noticed smoke emerging out of the shop around midnight on Tuesday. It took about two hours to extinguish the fire. The loss is estimated to be around Rs 3 lakh.

HOSHIARPUR
CAMP: To provide artificial limbs, clippers and hearing aid machines, etc to handicapped persons, the local District Red Cross Society, in collaboration with the Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment, organised a special camp at the Red Cross Bhavan, Garhshankar, 40 km from here, on Tuesday. Mr Manvesh Singh Sidhu, SDM, Garhshankar, said 600 handicapped persons of the area participated in the camp.

LUDHIANA
DENTAL CAMP: A dental check-up and awareness camp will be organised by Baba Jaswant Singh Dental Hospital at Vardhman Mills Workers’ Colony on Thursday. During the camp, employees and their families can avail the opportunity to undergo dental check-up and treatment facilities.

INAUGURATED: Khalsa Embroidery Centre, Dugri, has been inaugurated to impart stitching and embroidery stalls to girls at nominal charges. Mr Balwant Singh, patron, said to encourage the art, annual competitions would be organised at the centre. OC

WORKSHOP: A workshop on aptitude tests was conducted by the Top Careers and You Learning Solutions, a city-based coaching centre here. During the workshop, the participants were tested for quantitative ability, reading comprehension and reasoning.

HOMOEOPATHIC CAMP: A homoeopathic medical camp was organised at GM Model School, Salem Tabri, by Mataji Surjit Kaur Charitable Homoeopathic Hospital on Tuesday. The camp was inaugurated by Dr Tejinder Pal Singh, Dean, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot. Dr Swaranjit Singh, president of the hospital trust, was present on the occasion.

SGPC ELECTIONS: The Shiromani Shaheed Baba Bachittar Singh Dal would contest the next SGPC elections. This was decided at a meeting of the party held here under the presidentship of Mr Karnail Singh Rathor.

CAMPAIGN: The Sarab Dharam Jagriti Manch, Punjab, will launch a campaign for the creation of a drug-free society in the state. The senior vice-president of the manch, Mr Harinder Singh Ghai, said the drive would comprise awareness, education and camps to focus on the adverse effects of narcotic drugs and other intoxicants. The manch will also organise free camps for medical check-up, eye operations and family welfare.

STADIUM: Mr Malkiat Singh Birmi, Minister for Jails and Urban Development will inaugurate Mata Sahib Kaur Sports Stadium at Jharkhar village, near here, on Saturday. Mr Daljit Singh, president, of Mata Sahib Kaur Sports Club, said arrangements for declaring the stadium open for competitions had been completed.

PHOTO CONTEST: Students of Guru Nanak Institute of the Management and Technology, Model Town, participated in a photo competition on gardens here on Wednesday. Mr A.P. Singh, a renowned photographer, was the judge. The results were divided into two categories, home gardens and landscape photographs. In the first category, Richa Sharma won the first and second prizes. A photograph of Leisure Valley by Sharandeep was placed third. In the second category, Ravinder Kaur won the first prize, Jyoti Sharma the second and Parneet Kaur third.

BURGLARY: A video shop was burgled in the Urban Estate area here on Tuesday night and one colour television, four VCDs, 150 CDs and cash were looted. A case has been registered.

HARYANA

AMBALA
CEREMONY: The MM Education Trust, Ambala, and the MM Group of Institutions, Mulana, will organise an “abhinandan ceremony” to felicitate the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Dr A.K. Chawla, in MM Educational Complex, Mulana, on Friday. The Chairman of the trust, Mr Tarsem Kumar Garg, said the Vice-Chancellor would inaugurate the students’ festival, “Abhivyakti-2003”.

SIRSA
PROTEST: Employees of different government departments here observed a ‘black day’ on Tuesday and held a public meeting. They were protesting against the “inhuman” action of the police against the demonstrating employees of the MITC, Fatehabad, lathi charge on roadways employees at Kurukshetra and the arrest of some employees. According to the spokesman for the local unit of the All Employees’ Association, employees have united against the repressive policies of the state government. The union leaders said the Chautala government had backtracked on its promise of providing employment to 70,000 persons. It had retrenched, instead, about 20,000 employees.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SOLAN
CRUSHED TO DEATH: A Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation bus (HP-14-1501) crushed Roshan Lal, a resident of Delgi village, to death on Tuesday at Saproon when Roshan Lal was walking past a police assistance booth. Roshan Lal died on the spot. The bus driver, Duni Chand, has been booked under Sections 279 and 304 A of the IPC.

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

Humming with activity again

After a long time, the Jalandhar Gymkhana Ladies Club (JGLC) has again started humming with activity — ranging from music and cultural fests, body care and cookery workshops and beauty contests — thanks to the introduction of some novel concepts and efforts being put in by a team of enthusiastic office-bearers led by the club president, Ms Bhupinder Sandhu.

The efforts of a group of innovative female members converted the Baisakhi festival into a memorable affair for members as well as guests and visitors, particularly with the depiction of shades of true Punjabi culture in the “Baisakhi Wala Mela” organised at the club. Apart from setting up a village-like fair in the sprawling club premises and presentation of rich folk music and Punjabi food, about 200 odd women also strived to revive the dying art of “Odhnis” by dressing themselves up to colourful “Odhnis”, worn by rural female folk to take part in festivities in yore. If this was not enough, the club management organised a “Perfect Smile” camp during which a renowned dental expert shared secrets of dental care with members. A cookery workshop was also organised to enable them to cook mouth watering dishes. “We are also organising a May Queen beauty contest on May 19 during which Ms Charming and Ms Graceful awards will be given to winners. Our objective is to ensure entertainment but with a meaning,” said Ms Sandhu (seen receiving bouquet in picture) while talking to The Tribune.

Resort on a ridge

Koti was an erstwhile princely state of India in the north of Shimla. it extended from The Ridge to the village of Durgapur which is beyond the famous Golf course of Naldhera. Sanjauli police station was a part of Koti. The state extended beyond the famous tourist destination of Kufri, where the original capital of the state was established at Mool Koti which is north-east of Kufri.

The main tourist attractions of today — The Ridge, Naldhera Golf Ground, Mashobra, Charabra (Wild flower Hall) part of Kufri — were all part of Koti State. The Retreat of The President of India was also a part of Koti.

Just as Shimla was built around the Ridge by the Britishers so has Koti Resort been built on a Ridge near Baldeyan by the nephews of the late Raja of Koti. What started as an idea to make a family gateway cottage culminated into a family Resort.

The resort, tucked away amidst the Deodhar forests and apple orchards 15 km from Shimla on the Mashobra-Naldhera Golf ground road, has a spectacular 360 degree view. To the north as far as the eye can see are the mighty Himalayas, to the east is the Shali peak, to the south-east is the jungle of Craignanoo, to the south one can see shimmering lights of Shimla, to the west in the distance one can see Summer Hill and in the north-west at a distance of 5 km from the resort in the Naldhera Golf ground.

The 40 spacious rooms offer a breathtaking view of the forest aglow with the setting sun. The refurbished lounge with a spectacular view of the Himalayas reveals a quiet charm. Its sun decks are an idea setting for a lazy late morning breakfast.

The array of options for active leisure at the resort are a game of snookers, table tennis horse riding for children, basketball and lots of open space for kids to run about. A fully equipped children’s room is soon coming up. For golfers a game of golf is just 10 minutes away.

Contributed by Varinder Singh and TNS