The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, August 30, 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

ABOHAR
MEDICAL CAMP: More than 250 patients were examined at a free medical camp organised by IFFCO at Tharaajwala village, near here, on Friday. Dr S.S. Toor, Civil Surgeon, inaugurated the camp.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
CULTURAL PROGRAMME: The District Cultural Society organised a colourful cultural programme, Sham-e-gazal, at District Administrative Complex here on Thursday. Mr Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, DIG Patiala Range, inaugurated the programme by lighting a candle and Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner, presided over the programme. Punjabi folk singer Manpreet Akhtar and her troupe regaled the audience with Punjabi songs and gazals.

BLOOD DONATION: The Blood Donors’ Society, Bassi Pathana, in association with the State Bank of Patiala, Bharat Vikas Parishad and Citizen’s Club, organised the 68th blood donation camp at Bassi Pathana on Friday. Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated the camp by donating blood for the fifth time. The Deputy Commissioner called upon social organisations to come forward to help the administration in its campaign against social evils like drug addiction and female foeticide. In his address, Dr Mohinder Singla, president of the society, said more than 15,000 units of blood had so far been donated to various hospitals of the state and country. Mr Satpal Bansal, Branch Manager DCW SBOP, donated blood for a record 111 time.

CASE OF GRAFT: The local Vigilance Department has caught red-handed Mr Surinder Singh, ALM Punjab State Electricity Board posted at Sirhind, while taking a bribe of Rs 800 from Sukhwinder Singh, a resident of Mandofal, for remitting a fine. The department has taken the employee in custody. According to Mr Paramjit Singh Khera, DSP Vigilance, a case under Sections 7, 13 (2) and 28 of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered and he would be presented in the court on Saturday.

HOSHIARPUR
CASE REGISTERED: On a complaint of Jit Ram of Kalapur, the Mahilpur police has registered a case under Sections 363, 365 of the IPC against Lal Singh of Shervani Kot village for allegedly abducted his young daughter Jagdish Kaur. In his complaint Jit Ram said that his 22-year-old daughter was working as a teacher in a private public school.

POWER SHUTDOWN: On account of necessary repair of 11 KV Civil Lines feeder, Hoshiarpur, power supply will remain suspended in the Railway Mandi, Government College Road, Sutehri Road, Prem Garh, Hari Nagar, Balkrishan Road, Arya Samaj Road, Parhlad Nagar and Katcha Toba areas of the city from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday.

SNATCHED: Three persons stopped Rajiv Vashist a scooterist, near Kotla Gate while he was coming from Jalandhar to his house at 9.45 p.m. on Thursday. They snatched Rs 15,000 in cash, one gold chain, a mobile phone and a silver bangle from him and fled away in their car. The Mahilpur police has registered a case under Sections 382, 148 and 149 of the IPC against the accused.

JALANDHAR
ARMY WIVES WEEK: The Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) week was celebrated in the cantonment here on Tuesday. Ms Lakshmi Pattabhiraman, president of the association, said the association would enhance official welfare efforts towards welfare of families, children and widows of all ranks, free plantation and neighbourhood cleanliness was done in the week.

KHARAR
Rs 5 LAKH GRANT: The Municipal Council has sanctioned a sum of Rs 5 lakh for the development of various cremation grounds in the town. A resolution to this effect was passed at a meeting of the council held here on Thursday under the presidentship of Mr Charanjit Singh. Out of 22 agenda items, 21 were passed. The council also passed a resolution to install new tubewells in Desu Majra village and Ward No. 6. The council also decided to give a grant of Rs 21,000 for the library in Arya College for Women.

PATIALA
DHARNA: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday organised a dharna in front Mini Secretariat in protest against the commercialisation of education. Around 100 students participated in the protest and was addressed by organising secretary Sushil Sharma.

VANAMAHOTSAVA: Government Elementary School, Mahadipur, organised a vanamahotsava here on Friday. Around 150 saplings of ornamental, and medicinal plants were planted. Speaking on the occasion, Principal of the school Ram Kumar Sharma said children should be made aware of the importance of trees.

SEWING MACHINES DONATED: The Community Services Banking Department of the State Bank of Patiala donated 10 sewing machines to the Malwa Arts, Cultural and Educational Trust here on Friday. The sewing machines were delivered by Ms Shukla Dass. The Rotary Club also donated ceiling fans and ration to the needy people.

PHAGWARA
MINISTER’S ASSURANCE: Punjab Social Welfare Minister Joginder Singh Mann on Tuesday visited Basant Nagar mohalla here and said that toilets would be constructed in the locality for the Scheduled Caste families under the Rajiv Gandhi Jan Sehat Kalyan Yojna.

COUPLE ARRESTED: The police arrested a couple for fraud and sent them to judicial custody. A case of fraud had been registered against the couple — Deepak Kochhar and his wife Usha Rani. The third accused ASI Jasbir Singh is yet to be arrested.

SAMANA
ROBBED: Suresh Kumar an accountant of Samana Cotspin, was deprived of Rs 50,000 which he had withdrawn from the State Bank of Patiala on Thursday. He had kept the money in the tool box of his scooter in front of a book shop. Some person broke open the tool box and ran away with the money.

CHANDIGARH

CELEBRATIONS: Environment day was celebrated with enthusiasm on the campus of Kailash Bahl DAV Centenary Public School, Sector 7, here on Friday. The chief guest, Ms Rajesh Chaudhary, District Education Officer, planted four saplings on behalf of the four school houses — Jasmine, Lotus, Tulip and Rose. Dressed as trees, the students highlighted, their medicinal and nutritional values. Earlier, the chief guest was welcomed by the students and a welcome song was presented. Ms Chaudhary gave away medals to winners of the recently concluded inter-school roller hockey championship.

CHAIN FAST: In protest against the non-implementation of pending demands the Panjab University unit of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Friday started a “chain fast” in front of the Department of Laws. Their demands included award of grace marks in paper of Labour Laws, IV semester; introduction of diploma course in Intellectual Property Rights; clean toilets; and drinking water facilities, besides others.

COOKING ACTIVITY: Little Kingdom, Sector 8, Chandigarh organised a competition in which fathers had to cook a tasty treat for their kids in 30 minutes. The competition was judged by Mr R.L. Rekhy, Director Principal of JIFE, an Australian Food Craft Institute, Chandigarh. Mr Mandeep Sachar came first, Mr Sandeep Kumar second and Mr Rahul Gagneja third.

TEACHERS’ ANTAKSHARI: Teachers’ antakshari organised as part of the ongoing Fanta Fiesta at Tagore Theatre, was won by the team from Vivek High School, Sector 38, here on Friday. The team comprised Mr Neeraj Bakshi and Ms Neetu. The New Public School were declared the first runners up, while Little Flower Convent School were declared the second runners up. The best cheering team of the day was St. Xavier’s Public School. The event will conclude with a prize distribution function tomorrow.

DANCE CONTEST: An inter-school group dance competition for boys was held at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 10, here on Friday. The competition was organised by the UT Education Department. Eleven schools affiliated with the UT Education Department participated the contest. Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37, won the contest. Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, won the second prize, whereas Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 45, bagged the third prize.

PANCHKULA
COMPETITION: An inter-house competition for students of junior wing along with a ‘Best out of waste’ competition for general students was organised by St Soldier Divine Public School, Sector 16, here on Friday. The Principal stressed the need for proper training in phonetics. Participants made use of disposable items and created attractive articles.

SAS NAGAR
APPEAL: The police has appealed to residents of the town to inform the police before going out of station so that it could ensure the safety of their residences. Mr Harcharan Singh Bhullar, SP, who was addressing office-bearers of welfare associations of Phases III A, IIIB 1 and III B 2 here on Thursday, said neighbours should be informed before going out of station. He said the residents should also get the antecedents of their domestic servants verified. He also asked the residents to avoid parking their vehicles outside their houses.

HARYANA

AMBALA
WORKSHOP: A three-day workshop for TGTs of English working in Kendriya Vidyalayas of Chandigarh region was inaugurated by the Principal of KV No. 2, Ambala Cantonment, Mr R.V.S. Shishodia, on Friday. In his inaugural address, Mr Shishodia highlighted the expectations of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan from its teachers and called upon them to work hard to meet the targets set by the sangathan. The resource persons for the workshop were Mr Gulshan Vohra, Mr K.L. Bareja, and Ms Jatinder Kaur, according to a press note.

PLAY STAGED: A Punjabi musical play was staged at SD College here on Friday. “Daairey”, written by Dr Satish Kumar Verma, has been directed by Pran Sabharwal and Sunita Sabharwal. The play was presented by The National Theatre Arts Society, Patiala, and The National Commission on Population, New Delhi.

HISAR
KISAN MELA: Haryana Agricultural University will organise a Kisan Mela at its Regional Research Station at Bawal in Mahendragarh district on September 5 to encourage the farmers of south Haryana to adopt commercial farming. The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, will inaugurate the mela while the Agriculture Minister, Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, will preside.

OPEN: The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam’s cash collection centres in Faridabad, Gurgaon, Rewari, Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts will remain open on August 30 and 31 to enable the consumers to pay their bills in time, a spokesman of the nigam said here on Friday. The centres will remain open in the rural as well as urban areas and all categories of consumers will be able to deposit their bills there.

JIND
KILLED: A man allegedly killed his wife Anita (35) and his elder brother Naurang (50) with a sharp-edged weapon in the local Durga Colony on Wednesday. Both were allegedly murdered by Jugti while in sleep. Illicit relations between Naurang and Anita are believed to be the cause of crime.

KARNAL
LIQUOR SEIZED: The police on Wednesday impounded a truck loaded with smuggled liquor from near the toll tax barrier on the Ambala-Delhi national highway. According to police sources, they had recovered 20,000 pouches of country liquor. The driver and conductor of the truck have been arrested.

YAMUNANAGAR
TRAINING PROGRAMME: The Haryana Women Development Corporation will provide training to 30 women in beauty culture at Sudail village to enable them to become self-reliant. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Vijayender Kumar, said here on Thursday that the training programme would be conducted for six month and the trainees would be given an allowance of Rs 250 per month during the training period.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

DHARAMSALA
STRESSED: Stressing the need for better financial management, the Chairman of Public Accounts Committee of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha, Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman on Thursday asked the officers to ensure that the benefits reached those for whom various schemes were being implemented.

NURPUR
DOWRY DEATH CASE: The body of Vijay Kumari (23) of Rehan, near here, who was married three years ago to Tahal Singh of Dagla village, was found hanging from a tree in a forest near the house of her in-laws on Wednesday. Following the complaint of Mr Chuni Lal, father of the deceased, the police registered a dowry death case under Sections 302, 498-A and 34 of the IPC against the in-laws of the deceased.

SHIMLA
VIJAY SAPTAH: Ms Sumitra Mahajan, Union Minister of State for Petroleum, has said by completing more than five years in office the Vajpayee government had exploded the myth that non-Congress regimes did not survive a full term. She was addressing party workers in connection with the “Vijay saptah” being observed following the defeat of the no-confidence motion against the NDA government.

ELECTED: Mr Naripjeet Singh Thakur was unanimously elected president of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Ministerial Employees Association on Thursday.