The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Friday, July 11, 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
LECTURE: Mr Rajinder Singh, winner of the Magsaysay and Indira Priyadarshani Paryavaran awards, will deliver a talk on “Water — the elixir of life” on July 11 in Guru Nanak Bhavan auditorium of Guru Nanak Dev University.

TUITION FEE: Guru Nanak Dev University has extended the last date for the submission of application forms for admission to MA (Sanskrit) part-I till July 24. The admission test will be held on July 25. The candidates admitted to the postgraduate course would be exempt from tuition fee.

CONDEMNED: The Government School Teachers Union (GSTU), Amritsar, has condemned the suspension of some teachers on the basis of a vigilance inquiry. Mr Satyapal Gupta of the union said that inquiry must be conducted by officials of the Education Department.

BATHINDA
BLOOD DONATION CAMP: A blood donation camp was organised by the district branch of the Indian Medical Association at Teachers Home here on Wednesday. Mr D.P.S. Kharbanda, ADC Development, who was the chief guest, inaugurated the camp. Dr S.K. Goyal, Civil Surgeon, was the guest of honour. Dr J.S. Narang, president, IMA welcomed the guests, members and donors. The district secretary, IMA, Dr Amrit Sethi, said that out of the 130 donors enrolled, 70 donated blood and 60 donors had registered themselves for emergency donation anytime.

ADVISORY PANEL: Mr Des Raj Singla, former president, Municipal Council, Goniana, and a senior Congress leader, has been nominated member of the Sales Tax Advisory Committee, Bathinda district by the Punjab Government. Mr Amrit Lal, another Congressman, has also been nominated as member of the committee.

FAZILKA
3 INJURED: Suresh Yadav (50), his wife Sushila (45) and their daughter Dharmshila (10) were injured on Wednesday night when the roof of their house caved in at the Bhairaon locality here. The three were sleeping at the time of the mishap.

MECHANIC KILLED: Ashwani Kumar (35), a motor cycle mechanic of Fazilka, was killed in an accident on Tuesday night when the motor cycle he was riding collided with a parked tractor-trailer. Surinder Kumar, who was riding pillion, was injured in the accident.

HOSHIARPUR
ORDER EXTENDED: Mr Kirandeep Singh Bhullar, District Magistrate, Hoshiarpur, has extended Section 144 CrPC up to September 9 in the district. He also instructed house-owners to provide complete information about their tenants to their respective police stations.

LUDHIANA
APPOINTED: Dr Amarjit Singh Dua, Principal, Government College, Zira, has been appointed Dean, College Development Council, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, for one year. Earlier, he was the Vice-Principal of the Government College for Women, Ludhiana.

OPENED: Dada Motors, authorised dealers of Bajaj Auto Limited have opened an updated, state-of-the-art workshop with all modern facilities towards fulfilling the commitment for ‘best in service’. Speaking at the occasion, Mr Suraj Dada, Managing Director of the firm, said the entire workshop was highly automated with pneumatic tools, two wheeler lifts, comfortable seating arrangement for waiting customers and an excellent ambience. Mr U.R. Singh, Regional Manager and Mr Jagnesh Adlakha, Regional Service Engineer, of Bajaj Auto Ltd were also present.

PATIALA
CONVENTION: On a call given by the Sanjha Vidyarthi Front comprising the All-India Democratic Students Organization (AIDSO) and the Students Federation of India (SFI), a convention was held here on Wednesday to protest against the massive hike in fee in colleges and universities of the state. The students of various colleges affiliated to the Punjabi University participated in the convention. Speaking on the occasion president of the Punjab Students Union (PSU) Raminder Singh said a state-level dharna would be also be organised on July 18.

RAMPUR PHUL
ELECTED: Mr Lovely Goyal, a correspondent of a Jalandhar-based daily, was unanimously elected president of the local press club, while Mr Tarsem Sharma was elected the general secretary at a meeting here. The other office-bearers of the club are Mr Jagan Nath — patron, Mr Bhim Sain Tarak — treasurer, Mr Kamal Pardeep Joshi — vice-president and Mr Balwinder Jassal — joint secretary.

SAMRALA
MEETING: A meeting of the executive committee of the Brahmin Sabha, Samrala, was held here at Durga Mandir under the presidentship of Mr Behari Lal Saddi, president, here on Tuesday. More than 20 members participated. It was decided to organise a membership drive in all 61 villages of the Samrala block, including Samrala town. Proformas were distributed among members of the sabha. It was also decided to give “shagun” to a Brahmin girl of Chahalan village in cash or kind, whose marriage was held on Wednesday. Mr Prem Sagar was nominated as patron, Mr Sukhdev Sharma as vice-president.

INJURED: Mr Ajit Singh , reader to Mrs Asha Kondal, Judicial Magistrate-cum-Additional Civil Judge, Senior Division, was seriously injured when he was hit by a motorcyclist at the entry gate of Tehsil Courts Complex here on Thursday. The Motorcyclist too received minor injuries.

CHANDIGARH

TRANSLATION COURSE: The School of German Language, here, is starting a specialised translation course in German and French languages to meet the growing demand for translators for these languages. The school is also starting a special Hindi course for German and French nationals residing in and around Chandigarh. Giving details, the director of the school, Mr Surinder Singh Makken, said the duration of the course was one year. Eligibility for the course is graduation and students should have good command over at least one language, be it English, Hindi or Punjabi. The first six months will be devoted to grammar and structure of the language, while the remaining period will be devoted to practical training.

CONTEST: The Department of Posts has announced to organise a contest to judge the most popular commemorative/special postage stamp issued 2002. The winners would be awarded three special prizes of Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000. According to a press statement issued by the department, entry forms and replicas of all stamps issued in 2002 are available at Philatelic Bureau Office at second floor, GPO, school notice boards and post office notice boards in Sector 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, 30, 36, 47, new Secretariat post office, Industrial post office, Mani Majra post office, PEC, Sector 55, Phase I, SAS Nagar, Sector 62 and Phase 8, SAS Nagar. There would be no age limit for participation. Complete forms would be accepted at Philatelic Bureau, Chandigarh, by July 31.

WORLD POPULATION DAY: The Births and Deaths Registration Department will celebrate the World Population Day on July 11 at Civil Dispensary, Ram Darbar, at 11 am, in which the Mayor of the Municipal Corporation, Mr Subhash Chawla, will be the chief guest, whereas the Director Census Operation, Mr Sham Lal Goyal, will preside. On this occasion, births certificates will be issued to the new born children. A message on the need, importance and utility of the birth registration will also be conveyed to the public.

CEREMONY: SPIC — Microsoft, Centre of Excellence held a Certificate Distribution Ceremony on Wednesday at its office at PEC campus. The head of the departments of various government undertakings including IAS, PCS officers, GMCH officials and other MCSE, MS Office and Autocad students were awarded their certificates by Finance-cum-Information Technologies (IT) Secretary, UT Administration, Mr Karan A. Singh. Mr Singh appreciated the efforts of Mr Vivek Atray, Director, IT, and CEO, SPIC, for promotion of information technology in Chandigarh and remarkable job of training corporate employees which would held them in enhancing and improving their efficiency and skills. Mr Atray congratulated the students and government officials.

CELEBRATED: Set up in 1983, the Chandigarh branch of the Bharat Vikas Parishad celebrated its 40th anniversary, here on Thursday. The parishad, founded in New Delhi on July 10, 1963, has five branches in the city. Over 31,000 persons have availed X-ray, ultra sound, ECG and other laboratory facilities services at the Charitable Diagnostic Centre, set up by the parishad, last year. Apart from this, the parishad has provided books and other stationary material worth Rs 5 lakh to about 750 poor and needy children. The Parishad organises regular blood donation, medical, dental and eye check-up camps.

HARYANA

AMBALA
PERFORMANCE: Noted Manipuri denseuse Nandita Devi performed in Jain Girls Senior Secondary School, Ambala Cantonment, on Thursday. Among others, Mr Narendra Jain, Mr R.C. Jain and Mr Meghraj were present. The programme was held in the school to introduce students to rich Indian classical dance and music. The programme was organised by Indian International Rural Culture, a release said.

PROGRAMME: The Instruments Design Development and Facilities Centre (IDDC) is going to run a technology-based programme for unemployed youth from July 21 to August 29. An official said the registration fee of the programme is Rs 100. He said the programme would be useful for educated unemployed and for the youth who have experience in the technology industry. The interested candidates would have to submit application by July 14, a release said.

DISTRIBUTED: The Health Department has distributed about 36,000 chloroquin tablets to check malaria. The Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said 6,638 persons have undergone blood test. He said people must take steps to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in their house. He said cleanliness and hygiene must be maintained. Fogging was carried out in eight villages to prevent malaria, a release said.

HISAR
GRAFT CASE: The Sub-Divisional Magistrate Balraj Singh and DSP Maan Singh on Wednesday caught linesman Ram Bhagat red-handed while he was accepting Rs 4000 as bribe from consumer Satbir Singh of the Mill Gate area. Junior Engineer Inder Pal, too, was arrested for sending the linesman to collect the money for him from the consumer.

JIND
REVIEWED: The Commissioner and Secretary of Forest and Environment Departments, Mr D.S. Dhesi, on Wednesday reviewed the progress of plantation in Jind district. Mr Dhesi said the Horticulture Department in collaboration with the panchayats would take up the cultivation of herbs and medicinal plants on the panchayat land. According to the policy prepared by the Horticulture Department, plantation of medicinal plants would be done in five villages of each block in the state.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
PLEA: The Bilaspur district Non-gazetted Employees Association has urged the state government to provide salary to the Home Guards who have been appointed on security duty in Regional Hospital here. The association alleged that they had not been paid for the past three months.

HAMIRPUR
RE-ELECTED: Mr Prem Chand Verma has been unanimously re-elected president of the Non-gazetted Services Federation of the district. Mr Manohar Lal Kanungo was elected general secretary of the district body, according to a press note of the federation.

NAHAN
LIQUOR SEIZED: The Sirmour police has recovered 40 bottles of illicit liquor from Mela Ram, a resident of Chand Pur near Majra under Paonta subdivision. Five bottles of illicit liquor with 10 litre of lahan were recovered from Ram Kumar, resident of Upa-rli Bha-gani under Paonta police station.

SHIMLA
PROTEST: The Kinnaur district unit of the BJP organised a rally at Rekong Peo in protest against the lathicharge on party workers at Shimla on June 25 and the policies of the Congress government. Mr Ganesh Dut, party spokesman, criticised the government for imposing taxes on diesel, increasing excise duty on power and doubling the market fee.