The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, May 25, 2003, 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
SEMINAR: Middle-class families are contributing more towards family planning programmes than lower and upper-class families. These views were expressed by Dr Baljit Kaur, in charge, Urban Family Welfare Programme, Punjab unit, during a no-scalpel vasectomy seminar held here on Friday.

CASE REGISTERED: The police has registered a case on the suspicion of murder and attempt to dispose of the body of an unidentified person. The incident came to light after workers of GS Bhatia Rice Mill at the Fateh Singh colony in the Bharariwal area, suspected something foul because of stench emanating from some burning substance near the mill. On reaching the spot, they found a body on fire. No one was found around body. The workers informed the police.

KAPURTHALA
BOOKED: The police has registered a case against Rupan Rana of the local Bhagat Singh street on the charge of possessing and screening X-rated films on computer in his centre. The police seized CDs and other items from the centre.

LUDHIANA
PARTY FOR KIDS: Love Dale Montessori organised a party to celebrate the birthday of children born in May. They also played in the pool and danced to the latest numbers. Greeting cards and flowers were presented to the children.

DENTAL CAMP: A free dental check-up camp will be held at Dr Kapoor’s Dental and Prosthetic Center from Sunday to Saturday under the guidance of Dr Pushpinder Singh Kapoor. Methods of correct brushing will be demonstrated and treatment for bleeding gums will also be suggested. Fillings will be done free of cost.

MEDICAL CAMP: The Ludhiana Sewa Sangh will organise its 16th medical camp at Guru Ramdas Diagnostic Centre of Field Ganj on Sunday. Visitors will be examined for various diseases by a team of doctors comprising Dr Avtar Singh Chabra, Dr A.K. Bhandari, Dr Poonam Ralhan, Dr S.L. Chabra and Dr Gurdeep Ralhan. Free laboratory tests will also be conducted on this occasion.

PATHANKOT
MC BUDGET: The municipal council here passed a Rs 14.19 crore budget for 2003-2004 on Friday. Mr Sharvan Kumar, president of the council, said priority had been given to augment water supply and improve the sewer system, besides expediting development works in the city.

BEOPAR MANDAL: The local unit of the Punjab Beopar Mandal has demanded the withdrawal of the proposed local area development tax in place of octroi, which is being abolished in the state from July 1. Mr Surinder Mahajan and Mr Rajesh Gupta, president and secretary of the unit, respectively, said the state government should evolve a policy of collecing toll tax on vehicles transporting goods in the state.

PHAGWARA
SUICIDE: Unrequited love resulted in suicide by a 25-year-old youth, Pappi, on Thursday at Hadiabad. The youth consumed poison.

SAMRALA
AKHAND PATH: Senior Akali leader Gurcharan Singh Tohra attended an akhand path at Lopon village organised by Akali leader Inderjit Singh Lopon, sarpanch of the village. Mr Tohra said efforts to forge unity were complete.

TARN TARAN
SUICIDE: Mamta (24) of Thathikhara village, 6 km from here, committed suicide by consuming poison on Thursday. Police sources said a case under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC had been registered against her husband, Jaswinder, alias Raju, and mother-in-law Ravinder Kaur for allegedly harassing the victim.

DE-ADDICTION: Seminars on de-addiction were organised on Friday at the local Sewa Devi S.D. College and Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School. Besides students, representatives of various political, social and religious organisations participated in the seminars. Mr Narinder Bhargav, SSP, Mr Arwinderpal Singh Pakhoke, Senior Vice-President, SGPC, and Mr Jatinder Kumar Sood, president of the local municipal council, were among those who addressed the seminars.

HARYANA

HISAR
ROAD MISHAP: Two persons were killed and two others were seriously injured in a road accident at Mayar village, near here, on Friday. According to the police, Yudhvir Singh, a resident of the local Saket colony, his father Dharmvir, cousin Vikash and their neighbour Rajender Singh were going to Delhi in a Maruti car, which skidded and collided head-on with a truck Vikash (19) died on the spot while Rajender Singh succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The Sadar police has registered a case.

LOOTED: At least six car-borne youths looted Rs 3 lakh from a trader at pistol-point at Barwala, near here, on Friday. According to the police, Mr Chander Parkash, a grain merchant, was returning to his shop from the bus stand after withdrawing cash from a bank at Hansi. When the youths intercepted him and looted the cash. A case has been registered.

THEFT: A Maruti car parked in front of the Town Park here was stolen on Friday. According to the car owner, Nand Kumar, a resident of Fatehabad, he had come to the park along with his family and had parked his car in the parking area, but did not find it when he returned. The police has registered a case.

DROWNED: A 10-year-old child was drowned in a pond at Narnaund village, near here, on Friday. According to villagers, Rishi Kumar had gone to the village pond along with other children where he slipped.

SUICIDE: A married woman committed suicide at Khanda Kheri village, near here, on Friday. According to the police, Sumitra Devi (29) allegedly hanged herself from a ceiling fan at her house after a minor dispute with her husband. The Hansi police has registered a case against her husband Jagat Singh on the complaint of her brother Ishwar Singh.

JIND
LOOTED: Two motor cycle-borne youths looted Rs 92,000 from an employee, Mr Rajesh Kumar of a local gas agency in the local Urban Estate colony.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

DHARAMSALA
CBSE RESULTS: Students of Army School, Yol, have obtained the rare distinction of 100 per cent pass result in the plus two examinations of the CBSE, the results of which were declared on Friday. According to the Principal of the school, Mr A.K. Ambastha, the results are the best among all schools in the area. Uday Mahajan secured the first position in the school with 89.46 per cent marks.

HAMIRPUR
SHOPKEEPER HELD: The police has arrested Vipan Kumar of Ghartheri village in the district along with 550 gm of charas. The charas was seized from his shop at Masyana village, about 10 km from here. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered.

SHIMLA
WATER LEAKAGE: Residents of the main bazar area of Kasumpti are facing problems due to water leakage in the pipe chamber, which supplies drinking water from the Kasumpti pumping station to the main Chhota Shimla tank. The Vijay Saraswati Complex boundary wall is facing a threat because of the leakage. The residents have complained to the SP, Irrigation, but no action has been taken.

DALAI LAMA: The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Friday inaugurated an assembly hall at Dhankhar in the Spiti valley constructed at a cost of Rs 22 lakh. He also offered prayers at the Dhankhar monastery. He was given a formal reception by the local people and lamas of the monastery. He also visited Sarkong Public School, Tabo.