The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, June 18, 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

FAZILKA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Indian Medical Association, Fazilka : president — Dr Y.N. Soni; vice-president — Dr Ranjana Gupta; and honorary secretary — Dr Narinder Sethi.

GURDASPUR
CHALLANED : Mr Vimal Kumar Setia, District Transport Officer, in a press note issued here on Monday said 98 unauthorised vehicles, including cars, Tata Sumos and Qualis had been challaned for plying as taxis without depositing tax. He said a special drive had been launched by the Transport Department, Punjab, to curb the malpractices of persons plying unauthorised cars.

ARRESTED: In pursuance of a special drive to check illicit distillation and smuggling of liquor, the police arrested seven persons under the Excise Act on Sunday and recovered 362 kg of illicit liquor. Those arrested included Sucha Singh and Jagir Singh, residents of Mochpur under Kahnuwan police station, Kala Masih, a resident of Pasnawala, and Channan Masih, a resident of Zaffarwal, both under Dhariwal police station, Kamlesh Kumari, a resident of Sujanpur under Sujanpur police staton, Veena, a resident of Awankha under Dinanagar police station and Raj Kumar alias Raja, a resident of Damtal under Indora police station in Himachal Pradesh.

LUDHIANA
BANK PENALISED: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has penalised the Central Bank of India for not renewing the FDRs as requested by a customer. The Forum has directed the bank to pay a compensation of Rs 7,000 alongwith the costs of Rs 1,000 to the complainant, Indu Gupta, a resident of Aggar Nagar, Ludhiana, for its deficient services. The forum had directed the bank authorities to renew the FDRs. The complainant had alleged that her mother, Savitri Devi, was holding the two FDRs having due date value of Rs 28,000 and Rs 19,000 each. Savitri Devi died in 1986. But before her death, she executed a registered will bequothing the amount of FDRs in his favour. When the matter was pending regarding the transfer of the amount, she requested the bank authorities to renew the FDRs for a period of five years from the date of maturity but the bank failed to renew the FDRs.

KARIZMA LAUNCHED: Hero Honda launched Karizma, a high-powered premier motor cycle here on Tuesday. The vehicle was launched by Mr Suman Kant Munjal, Managing Director of the Hero Honda group of companies, from the Stan Wheels. Dr Naresh Malhotra and Mr Anil Malhotra, directors of Stan Motors, were also present. Dr Malhotra said Karizma was the first premium sports motor cycle of India in the 223-cc category targeting the elite buyers. The bike is equipped with trip metre, digital fuel gauge and real time clock.

NAWANSHAHR
LOANS: Mr Surinderjit Singh Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, while presiding over a meeting of the District Consultative Committee here on Monday said banks of the district had disbursed loans amounting to Rs 292.74 crore during the current financial year. The banks had disbursed loans amounting to Rs 185.40 crore, Rs 17.37 crore, Rs 89.97 crore and Rs 17.37 crore to the agriculture, industry, service and non-farm sectors, respectively. Kisan credit cards worth Rs 218.70 crore were issued among 33972 farmers, he added.

PHAGWARA
AMBULANCE: Phillaur MP Santosh Chaudhary gave an ambulance from the MP local Area Development Fund to the committee of Guru Ravi Das Mandir at Chak Hakim village on the occasion of the annual mela at the village to commemorate the visit of the Guru to the village. Punjab Social Welfare Minister Joginder Singh Mann and the MLA from Sham Chaurasi, Chaudhary Ram Lubhaya, handed over the keys of the ambulance to Thekedar Piara Ram of the committee.

CHANDIGARH

SUMMER CAMP: A summer camp organised at Vivek International Public School, Baddi, concluded on a cheerful note. Students of all age groups participated in various activities like painting, collage making, English speaking and personality development. Extra classes were conducted for weak students. The objective of the camp was to provide an opportunity to children to explore their talent.

AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: As part of the ongoing family health awareness campaign, the Servants of the People Society, along with the State AIDS Control Society and SOSVA, organised a camp at Khuda Lahora village. More than 150 persons attended the camp. The camp was aimed at creating awareness about AIDS, HIV, drugs and sexually transmitted diseases. Counsellors, anganwari workers, volunteers and outreach workers motivated people to attend the camp. Dr Avnish Jolly, delivered a talk on various health issues. Dr N.M. Sharma, Project Director, State AIDS Control Society, Dr Ajit Saroha, Deputy Director (IEC), Dr Monika Dheer, Deputy Director (STD), Ms Rekha Biswas, Ms Latika and Ms Poonam were present on the occasion.

MEETING: The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, at its meeting held here on Tuesday, discussed various problems being faced by traders with main focus on the amendment to the Rent Act. The mandal said it was looking up to the BJP, which was in power at the Centre. Members of the mandal said former MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, and his party colleagues should make efforts to safeguard traders’ interests under the Rent Act provisions.

PROBE SOUGHT: The local unit of the Janata Dal (United) on Monday sought an inquiry into the attack on its national president and Union Minister Sharad Yadav in Bhubaneshwar on Friday. The local unit president Surinder Bhardwaj accused Congressmen of being behind the attack on Mr Yadav. Mr Bhardwaj also criticised the Orissa Government for its failure to provide adequate security to the Union Minister

PANCHKULA
Road carpeting: A people’s welfare action group, People’s Voice God’s Voice, has alleged that the recarpeting of roads in Sector 5, carried out during this month, is substandard. In a press note, Mr B.L. Tandon, founder of the group, said the thickness of the carpeting was less than what was specified and the BM layer was porous because of improper cleaning of the existing road surface.

SEEDS DISTRIBUTED: The Agriculture department has distributed 176.97 quintals of certified paddy seeds to farmers in the district during this year. A press note issued here on Tuesday stated that 0.55 quintal of moong seeds, 1.68 quintal of arhar seeds and 0.30 quintal of soyabean seeds had also been distributed to farmers in the district, besides pesticides and fertilisers.

INDIRA AWAS YOJNA: Twelve housing units have been constructed at a cost of Rs 2.64 lakh in the Morni block during the past year under the Indira Awas Yojna. These housing units have been constructed in villages of Darara, Singwal, Dharla, Devra, Thandog, Palasra, Batauli, Manjo, Sarkaghat, Neyana, Banswala Paunta and Utron. Other than this, a sum of Rs. 5. 35 lakh has also been spent on various development works under the yojna.

TRUCK OVERTURNS: A truck ferrying material for the SAS Nagar unit of Ranbaxy Industries overturned near Barwala on Monday night. The truck ( HR-37- 3848) was on its way to Yamunanagar when the accident took place. Following accident, it caught fire. A fire engine was rushed from Panchkula to extinguish the fire. Luckily, no loss was reported in the fire.

RADIO PROGRAMME: The local branch of Family Planning Association of India is sponsoring a weekly programme on Adolescent Health” Family Heart Beat” on All India Radio, Chandigarh. This programme, is being aired by the FPAI on every Saturday between 8 am and 8.30 am. As many as 26 episodes will be aired on topics like reproductive health, nutrition, health, career counselling, stress/anger management etc.

SAS NAGAR
PANEL FORMED: The residents of Mohali village here have decided to form a 10-member committee that will forward their demand of shifting the Ranbaxy unit from their neighbourhood. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the residents here on Tuesday.

DHARNA: Members of the MC Safai Karamchari Union sit in a dharna outside the MC office here on Tuesday. They were demanding that the work of sanitation should not be given on contract by the council. They also demanded that the MC should put an end to the practice of forcing them to work in the houses of the other MC employees for free. They also demanded an explanation regarding Rs 25,000 that they claimed they had deposited with the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) for their housing.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sanchar Nigam Executive Association (India) for a period of two years: president (Punjab circle) — Mr Yash Bir Walia (SDO phone); vice-president — Mr Gurpreet Singh (SDE Ludhiana); circle secretary — Mr Amarjeet Singh (SDE Chandigarh); and cashier — Mr S.K. Puri.

HARYANA

AMBALA
DEVI LAL’S STATUE: A statue of Ch. Devi Lal to be installed at Manav Chowk roundabout, Ambala City, was brought from Rajasthan here on Tuesday. It would be the first statue of Devi Lal to be installed at some public place in the district. Meanwhile, a government officer said it would take about 15 days to formally unveil the statue. “The Administration has been planning to invite the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to unveil the statue,” he added.

SEMINAR HELD: Krishi Vigyan Kendra on Monday organised a seminar on the recently developed horticultural technology. The seminar was attended by forest rangers, guards, DFOs and farmers from Ambala, Panchkula, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar and Pehowa. Dr D.K. Bhatnagar, chief scientist and head of KVK inaugurated the seminar and stressed upon the fact that horticulture and agro-forestry were only substitute for diversification and ecological balance. Dr Suleman Mohammed apprised the participants about the importance of fruit plans and various methods of propagation and multiplication of fruit trees. Conservator of Forest, Ambala, Mr R.K. Sapra, asked the participants to utilise the horticulture technology in improving the fruit plant nursery so that the farmers may be provided best material for planting.

MEETING: The Chairman of district Ambala Congress Committee Minority Department, Mr Parminder Singh, on Monday said that people of Haryana were unhappy with the state government. Addressing a gathering at Janaitpur village, Mr Parminder Singh said the state government was following an “anti-people” policy which was adversely affecting farmers, businessmen and employees. “People are now looking towards the Congress as the sole alternative,” a release said.

WELFARE ASSOCIATION: A meeting of the old, widows and children welfare association was held on Sunday under the presidentship of Ms Sukhwinder Kaur. Among others, Jagtar Singh, Satish Kumar, Jasbir Singh, Paramjit, Amarjit and Ranjit Singh were present. Ms Sukhwinder Kaur said the main aim of the organisation was to help the old, widows and children to get benefit from different government schemes. The organisation would try to arrange for employment opportunities, a release said.

KALKA
AWARENESS CAMP: An awareness camp on female foeticide was organised by the All-India Human Rights Watch at Paploha village near Kalka, Dharam Singh Saini, the state president of the organisation presided over the function. Amrik Singh and Sohan Lal also spoke.