The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, June 9, 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

KHANNA
PATIENT RECOVERS: Raj Kumar, who was admitted to Khanna Nursing Home after he consumed celphos tablets on May 17, has fully recovered after 14 days of treatment. This was stated by the Director of the nursing home, Dr Ranjit Khanna, at a press conference here on Sunday. A relative of the patient told mediapersons that Raj Kumar, a sweeper, was admitted to the Civil Hospital, from where he was referred to Khanna Nursing Home.

SANTRO XING LAUNCHED: Comedian Bhagwant Mann delighted the audience for several hours at UK Palace on Saturday night during a function to launch Santro Xing. The function was organised by Mr Yash Mahajan and Mr B.K. Mahajan, owners of Sewa Kunj Motors, Khanna. The new car was launched by Mann, Param Jit Singh Sarao, SSP, and Mr Bir Devinder Singh, Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

LUDHIANA
SYMPOSIUM: The Punjabi Novel Academy, Ludhiana, organised a symposium on Saturday at Punjabi Bhavan to discuss the latest novel of Davinder Sekha, “Teeji Alvida”. Literary figures like Jasdev Singh Dhaliwal, Kuldip Singh, Mr Karamjit Singh Aujla and Devinder Singh were present on the occasion. Dr Lakhbir Singh, Surjit Brar, Dr Surjit Muktsar and Dr Tejinder Singh Narala were among those who gave their comments on the novel.

VEDIC CAMP: The seven-day vedic karmayoga camp organised by BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, concluded on Saturday. A total of 58 girls attended the camp, which enabled them to channelise their energies fruitfully and developed confidence, mutual understanding and physical fitness. Dr Suman Sarda was the chief guest of the concluding day function.

YOGA CAMP: The district unit of the Bhartiya Yog Sansthan organised a yoga camp at Mela Ground, near Gate No. 2 of PAU, here on Sunday. Participants were given treatment of physical and mental ailments free of cost by experts. The function was presided over by Mr Krishan Lal Gupta. Mr Jaspinder Singh Kolar, Director, Extension Education, highlighted the positive effects of yogic kriyas in a world of stress. The chief organiser, Mr Randhir Singh, was the chief guest.

SIKH BODY’S APPEAL: The Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) has said that conferring the status of a martyr on Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale is an internal matter of the Sikhs and giving a communal colour to the episode could lead to unrest in the state. Mr G. S. Grewal, president of the federation, said certain forces were out to stoke communal passions again in the state.

MALERKOTLA
MINOR GIRL MISSING: The local police has registered a case of kidnapping of a minor girl of Mohalla Jorian near Kamal Cinema against four persons. According to information, Bhadur Ali, son of Ramjan Mohammad, a resident of Mohalla Jorian, in a complaint to the police has alleged that his sister, who used to work at the residence of Mohammad Akhtar as domestic help, was missing for the past three days.

NAWANSHAHR
ARRESTED: The local police has arrested Ravinder Singh Rana, a resident of Haripur village, and Ujjagar Singh, a resident of Nattan village, in Jalandhar district and Mujhail Singh, a resident of Langroya village, and seized three pistols, 13 cartridges and 70 kg of poppy husk from them, during separate nakas in the Mukandpur and Rahon areas.

ELECTED: The following have been elected officer-bearers of the district unit of the Prajapati Welfare Society: president — Mr Manohar Lal Jhalli, vice-president — Mr Mohan Lal Saliara, general secretary — Mr Kuldip Kumar, secretary — Mr Krishan Lal Bansal, joint secretaries — Mr Om Parkash Sadhra, Mr Harbhajan Singh Bhawra and treasurer — Mr Pardeep Kumar.

ASSOCIATION SORE: The local Book Sellers’ Association is sore over the decision of the authorities concerned of Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, to stop the supply of various kinds of university forms, syllabus, prospectus to them for selling the same on commission basis, from this year. They allege that these orders are against the rules passed by the university Syndicate. Besides, the university has hiked the prices of forms, syllabus and prospectus by about 66 per cent.

STAFF SHORTAGE: Residents here have been facing a lot of inconvenience due to the shortage of staff at the local PSEB complaint centre. They allege that their complaints are not being properly heard. Besides, the shortage of material is also delaying the repair of even minor faults in the lines. They have urged the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to make up for the shortage of staff as well as material at the centre.

TARN TARAN
NEW PRINCIPAL: Mr Ranjit Singh Cheema (PES-1), has taken over as Principal, SGAD Government College, here. Mr Cheema was the Principal of Government College, Samrai-Jandiala (Jalandhar), before this. The post at the local college was lying vacant after the retirement of Ms Kamlesh Garg on May 31.

CHANDIGARH

LAUNCHED: Royal Enfield has launched a customer retail scheme, Royal Enfield Goldmaal Offer till June 30, 2003. It would offer customers a chance to win bumper prize of 500 gm of gold in addition to lot of other attractive prizes on purchase of every Royal Enfield motor cycle.

POETRY CONTEST: The Adabi Trust, which was started by poet Kidar Nath Kidar to encourage students to take up Punjabi literature will organise a poetry competition for students of class XII. Students willing to take part in the contest are requested to send their poems to house no- 823, Sector 26, Panchkula.

TRIBUTES PAID: The All-India Rajput Students Aid Society paid tributes to Maharana Pratap during the jayanti celebrations. Speaking on the occasion, Rana KP Singh, MLA, Punjab said, “A true and great son of India, Maharana Pratap stood for high and noble principles such as patriotism, love of motherland and sacrifice”. Dr Parduman Singh, president of the society, described the work and activities of the society in the field of education, award of scholarships to poor and needy students and construction of Maharana Pratap Hostel in the city.

SOOD SABHA: Mr Kulwant Rai Sood has been elected as president of the Sood Sabha, Chandigarh. Other newly elected office-bearers include Senior — vice-president- Mr Ashwani Deogar, vice-presidents — Mr Kapil Goel; Mr Shashi Bhushan Sood and Mr Kuldip Rai Sood; general secretary — Mr Surinder Sood; organising secretary — Major ML Bhagra (retd); finance secretary- Mr Ravi DK Sood; secretary —Mr Ashwani Kumar Sood; and secretary (PR) —Mr Raj Kumar Maria.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Janata Dal Secular, Chandigarh : president — Mr Kamal Kishore Gandhi; vice-presidents — Mr Tessleem Ahmed and Mr Yameen Khan; general secretary — Mr Hem Raj; secretary — Mr Hari Narain; treasurer — Mr Satbir Singh; and executive members — Mr Jagir Singh, Mr Vidya Sagar, Mr Naresh Sood and Mr Jai Pal Singh.

ANNUAL DAY: The Vth annual day of Lord Shyam Prabhu khatu wale was celebrated with gaiety and fervour on the premises of the old Hanuman Mandir, Sector 32. Large number of devotees from adjoining areas of SAS Nagar, Ambala, Panchkula and Pinjore participated in the programme. The main attraction of the function was the darbar of Lord Shyam. which was brought from Delhi.

ELECTED: Ashutosh Kapila, producer, ETV, TTTI, Chandigarh, has been elected as chairman of the Public Relations Society of India, Chandigarh Chapter, for the term of 2003-2004. Prof. H.S. Dilgir and Charanjit Singh were elected as patron and adviser, respectively. The elections were held at a general body meeting of the society, a statement said here on Sunday. Other-office bearers are vice-chairman — J.S. Jogi; secretary — A.K. Sharma, joint secretary — H.S. Aulakh; and Treasurer — Amulaya Shukla.

HARYANA

FATEHABAD
NO MOBILES IN COURT: The Principal Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner, Animal Husbandry, Haryana, Mr K.C. Sharma, on Friday instructed administrative officers of the district to leave their mobile phones at their residences or in their offices while presiding over courts. Addressing a meeting on administrative reforms in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sharma said whenever the officers received any call in the courtroom, a doubt occurred in the minds of the opposing parties that the caller may have approached the officer in favour of the other party.

BJP TAKEN TO TASK: The CPM on Friday alleged that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other senior leaders were trying to divert the attention of the people from major issues by raising issues like who would lead the party in the next General Election. Mr Krishan Swaroop, member of the state secretariat of the CPM, addressing a meeting of party workers here, said due to four years’ of continuous drought, many farmers with small holdings had been forced to commit suicide.

CAMP ORGANISED: The Khadi Village Industries Board (KVIB) has organised a camp for the exhibition-cum sales of products manufactured by various units under it at Fatehabad. The exhibition-cum-sales started on June 1 and will continue for one more week. The KVIB, has been organising fashion shows of Khadi fabrics in various towns of the state.

SIRSA
JAIL INMATE DEAD: A 75-year-old prisoner died at the local District Jail on Friday. According to information, Maman Ram fell unconscious. He was admitted to the local Civil Hospital where he died. Maman Ram was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment for assault.

12 HURT IN MISHAP: At least 12 persons were injured, two of them seriously, in two road accidents on Friday. The conductor and driver of a canter were seriously injured when their vehicle hit a tree near Moriwala. In another accident, nine members of a marriage party were injured when their jeep turned turtle.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
2 HELD FOR RAPE: The police here arrested two youths, Rakesh Kumar (21), son of Rattan Lal of Sohar in Mandi and Vijay Kumar (23) of Lengadi in Bilaspur, for allegedly raping a 20-year-old girl on the outskirts of Bilaspur on Friday.

KUMARHATTI
BODY FOUND: An unidentified aged woman’s body was found in a nullah along the Kumarhatti-Nahan road on Friday. No injury marks were found on the body. However, initial inquiries suggested that she might have slipped down the road. The body has been sent for a postmortem at the Community Health Centre, Dharampur.

NAHAN
ONE HURT IN GUNFIRE: Dev Raj, a resident of Khara village under Paonta Sahib Subdivision, has lodged a complaint alleging that he and his family members were fired at by his brother, Devidas. His son, Ajit Singh, had received bullet injuries on the left arm.

PARWANOO
OFFICE-BEARERS: At the annual election of the Senior Citizens Welfare Soceity of Parwanoo, held here on Saturday for the year 2003-2004: president — K.L Sharma; vice-persidents — K.L. Datta and S.P. Malhotra; general secretary — H.P. Sehgal; joint secretary — M.M. Uppal; organising secretary — R.P. Khurana; treasurer —J.M. Sharma; auditor —M.N. Sharma; and adviser — Y.P. Sharma.

SHIMLA
INAUGURATED: The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, inaugurated a gymnasium and a shooting range in Bishop Cotton School, here on Saturday. He also attended the annual reunion function of old students of the school. The Chief Minister went around the school and took keen interest in various development activities that had taken place over the years. Mr Kabir Mustafi, Headmaster, briefed the Chief Minister about various activities of the school. A cricket match was also organised on the occasion.