R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

DHARNA STAGED: SAD(A) workers led by Mr Iman Singh Mann, son of Simranjit Singh Mann, MP, staged a dharna in front of the local Baba Zorawar Singh Baba Fateh Singh Senior Secondary School on Monday in protest against the handing over the management of SGPC schools and colleges to private trusts constituted by Jathedar Tohra.

LUDHIANA
‘SHOBHA YATRA’: A “shobha yatra” of Lord Ganesha will be taken out on September 8 by the Ganpati Sewa Sangh to mark the conclusion of Ganpati Mahotsava. The festivities got under way on Sunday at the specially erected “rang-mahal pandal” in Janak Puri and several other temples of the city.

NAGAR KIRTAN: An impressive nagar kirtan was taken out from gurdwara Kalgidhar Singh Sabha in connection with the 400th Parkash Utsav of Guru Granth Sahib here on Sunday. The nagar kirtan held under the aegis of the Sukhmani Sahib Sewa Society passed through several areas of the old city before culminating at the starting point in the evening. The nagar kirtan, which was led by the “panj piaras”, comprised several religious organisations and a large number of schoolchildren. Langars were organised along the route of the nagar kirtan. Members of the society sang hymns. Among the “kirtan jathas” that took part in the shabad singing programme included Giani Jasdev Singh Parwana, Giani Gurwinder Singh, Giani Amritpal Singh, Hazoori ragi Bhai Surinder Singh, Bhai Satinderpal Singh of Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Bhai Sarabjit Singh, Bhai Baldev Singh Bulandpuri, Bhai Surinderpal Singh Khalsa, Bhai Hardip Singh, Bhai Gurprit Singh and Bibi Varinder Kaur Khalsa. A dewan was held at Gurdwara Shri Dashmesh Singh Sabha in J-block of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar where Bhai Kanwaljit Singh, hazoori ragi from Darbar Sahib, Bhai Manjinder Singh and Bhai Baljit Singh sang gurbani kirtan.

‘PARBHAT PHERI’: A “parbhat pheri” was taken out from Nav Durga Mandir in Sarabha Nagar on Sunday in connection with the Bhagwan Jagannath Rath Yatra that will be taken out in the city on Saturday.

MEETING: The Shri Mandir Committee, Punjab, held its meeting at Shri Durga Mata Mandir, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, here on Monday. The meeting was presided over by Mr Prem Gupta and attended by Mr Ashwani Gupta, Mr Surinder Sharma, Mr Ashok Gupta, Mr Umesh Sharma, Mr Vinod Sharda and Mr Rajinder Sharma. Giving details, the spokesperson for the committee, Mr Neeraj Verma, said the Shri Durga Mata Mandir Committee would organise a “bhajan” competition on October 12 for students of classes XI and XII and also college students. The first three winners will be given prizes.

ELECTED: Mr Vijay Kumar Chopra, Chief Editor, Hind Samachar Group, was re-elected president of the North India Printers’ Association, at a meeting held in Jalandhar. Among the other office-bearers of the body were Mr Om Parkash Mahajan (Jalandhar) senior vice-president and Mr Kamal Chopra (Ludhiana) as general secretary. Giving this information here on Monday, the newly elected general secretary, Mr Kamal Chopra, said Mr Arun Gupta (Jammu), Mr Ashwani Kumar (Ludhiana) and Mr Romi Malhotra (Ludhiana) were elected vice-presidents. Mr Chopra further said the body would work to promote and develop printing industry in the region and to look into the hardships and problems being faced by the industry.

SYMPOSIUM: Dr Sandeep K. Jain, President, People For Animals (PFA), Ludhiana, and Executive Member, Animal Welfare Board of India, has been invited to participate in Asia For Animals, to be held in Hong Kong. The symposium has been organised by the Animals Asia Foundation and SPCA, Hong Kong. The conference will be attended by wide range of professionals from across Asia and Pacific region. This conference will provide an opportunity to Animal Welfare Groups in Asia to discuss on varied subjects concerned with animals. This would be the second conference, the first was organised in 2001 in Manila, Philippines.

AWARDS FOR SOCIETIES: Scientists of the Department of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics won several prestigious awards at the 19th Convention of the Indian Society for Study of Animal Reproduction (ISSAR) held in Kolkata from August 22 to 24. Dr Sushil Prabhakar, associate professor, has been bestowed with the fellowship for his contribution in the field of animal reproduction and services to the society. He has received the ‘Best Young Scientist’ award of the ISSAR twice before. The Dr R.D. Sharma Award for the best work conducted on ‘Dehydration and toxemic status in dystopia affected buffaloes’ was won by Dr Shahbaz Singh Dhindsa of the department. Dr Dinesh Dadarwal and Dr R. Suresh Kumar of the department were declared ‘Best Young Scientists’ during the scientific sessions on equine and bovine reproduction, respectively.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
TRADERS DHARNA: The Steel Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mandi Gobindgarh staged a dharna in front of the local Sales Tax Office in Loha Bazar here on Monday. A memorandum was presented to the Assistant Commissioner against the introduction of Exim form that came into effect from Monday. The department began the supply of the Exim form from Monday to registered dealers. The form has become mandatory for businesses above Rs 10,000 on the import and export of goods from other states. Mr J.P. Sharma, president of the chamber, has threatened to intensify the stir if the form was not withdrawn.

EO ASSUMES CHARGE: Mr Lachhkman Singh Saini has taken over as Executive Officer of the municipal council here on Monday. He has been transferred from Malerkotla after the superannuation of Mr Jai Krishan Sharma on Sunday. A farewell was accorded to Mr Jai Krishan Sharma on his superannuation by the councillors and staff.

NAWANSHAHR
RESENTMENT: Resentment prevails among teachers as they have not received GPF slips from the office of the DPI for the past two years. In the absence of the slips, those who want to get loans from the GPF have been facing inconvenience. Mr Vijay Dutta, president of the local unit of the Punjab State General Categories Welfare Federation, has urged the Education Minister to shift the maintenance of the GPF account of teachers at the DDO level.

PATIALA
INVITED: Dr Jagbir Singh, Reader in the Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, has been invited by the Society of Vector Ecology, USA, and Europe to present his research findings on “Mosquito diversity in India’’ in the 14th international symposium to be held in Bellinzona, Switzerland, from September 2 to 6.

APPOINTED: Dr Jagtar Singh, Head of the Department of Library and Information Science, Punjabi University has been appointed a Fellow of the American Study Centre of the Salzburg Seminar in Austria from September 10 to 3.

SAPLINGS PLANTED: The Rotary Club, Patiala organised a sapling plantation function at Government High School, Cantonment Partap Nagar, here on Sunday. The President of the Club, Mr Didar Singh Basson, was the chief guest.

PROGRAMME FOR DOCS: To sensitise the allopathic doctors on legal aspects of prescriptions written for the patients, the local branch of the Indian Medical Association organised a continuous medical education programme “medico-legal aspects of prescription writing” at the local Government Medical College here on Monday.

DOCTORS DEMANDS: The PCMS Association today said that under the modalities being framed to allow private practice to government doctors, the state government should specify certain posts in state medical college and civil hospitals where doctors would be entitled to private practice. These doctors should be appointed with the condition they would not remain posted on the said post for more than a fixed period, added the president of the association, Dr D.S. Bhullar.

PHAGWARA
AIDS HELPLINE: The Punjab AIDS Control Organisation, Phagwara, on Sunday launched a helpline service at a function that was presided over by Mr Ashu Verma, Chairperson, District Red Cross Society, Kapurthala. The contact numbers are 260722 and 263356.

THREE BOOKED: The police had booked three persons, including an NRI couple, for allegedly duping Baljinder Singh of Rs 6.5 lakh under the pretext of sending him to Australia. His passport was taken away and he was neither sent abroad nor was his money returned.

HARYANA

AMBALA
WORKSHOP: A personality development workshop was organised by the Rotary Club Ambala Central on Sunday at DAV Public School, Ambala City. The workshop was conducted by club secretary, Mr Vinod Jangra. The club President, Mr Ajit Singh, Mr K.S. Walia, Mr Raman Duggal and Innerwheel President Mrs Uma Aggarwal gave away certificates to the participants.

3 INJURED: Three persons were injured when a truck carrying wooden goods overturned on the GT road, near Ambala Cantt, on Monday. The one-way traffic was restored after about 15 minutes. Later, the police reached the spot and cleared the road.

IMA ELECTIONS: Dr D.S. Jaspal was elected patron of the Haryana unit of the Indian Medical Association. According to a press note, Dr P.D. Pahwa and Dr Jai Bhagwan Garg took over as president and secretary of the IMA, Haryana. Dr Jaspal, former president, during his tenure was honoured as the best state president and conferred upon the Dr C.L. Javari National Family Planing award.

MEETING: A meeting of the Mati Dass Nagar and the Pratap Nagar Sudhar Sabha was held on Monday. Residents passed a resolution expressing their unhappiness over roads not being metalled in their area. They said they had given a representation during the Sarkar Apke Dwar programme in 2001 and again a representation was submitted in 2002 but to no avail.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The office-bearers of Atmanand Jain Institute of Management and Technology youth management club were appointed on Monday. While Mr Namandeep Bakshi is the president Ms Nidhi Manchanda is the vice-president.

KAITHAL
INAUGURATED: Mrs Kawal Bedi, Governor Rotary District 3080, addressing members of the Rotary and Innerwheel Club here on Sunday, said the Rotary International had launched several projects in India and other countries for the welfare of the people. Later, she inaugurated an immunisation centre that would be run with the help of the state Health Department.

KALKA
MEETING: The executive committee of the Senior Citizen Association, Kalka, on Monday held a meeting to discuss problems faced by them. The meeting was presided over by Mr Sangat Singh Nanda. The secretary of the association, Mr Labh Chand, complained about the poor telephone service in the town. The vice-president, Mr V.P. Sood, complained about erratic electricity supply to the town. Mr M.L. Dahyia talked about the shortage of water in upper mohalla and the Tagra Hansua area.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NURPUR
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Press Club, here: Patron in chief: Mr K.B. Sharma; president — Mr Rakesh Bharti; senior vice-president — Mr Rajiv Mahajan; vice-president — Mr S.K. Atri; general-secretary — Mr Pradeep Sharma; secretary — Mr Devinder Dhadwal; and finance secretary — Mr Rishi Mahajan.

MANDI
DEAD: Saju Ram, a teacher of Gangyara village of Gohar valley in this district, died on the day he retired from service. He retired on Saturday and a dinner had been arranged in this regard. However, he fell from the first floor of his house and died on the spot.

3 SHOPS BURNT: Three shops and a six-room house were on Sunday day reduced to ashes in a fire at Takoli near vegetable market, about 50 km from here on the Mandi-Kulu stretch of National Highway-21. The damage has been estimated to be Rs 20 lakh. There was no loss of life. The Subdivisional Magisrate, Mandi, Mr Arun Sharma, gave Rs 25,000 as relief to the affected.

SUNDERNAGAR
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the Non-Gazetted Officers Federation: president — Mr Hemant Sharma; senior vice-president — Mr Roop Lal; vice-president — Mr Harinder Gautam; Mr Sanjeev Verma, Mr Bhagi Rath, Mr Rajinder, Mr Krishan and Mr Umesh; general-secretary — Mr Babu Ram; and treasurer — Mr Khem Raj.