R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

DHARNA HELD: The District Congress Committee today organised a dharna on Tuesday in front of the local SDM office against the anti-people policies of the central Government. Congress workers led by Mr Vaid Hari Krishan, DCC president observed the dharna.

JAGRAON
SAPLINGS PLANTED: Staff of the State Bank of India, Jagraon branch, under the guidance of Mr N.L. Joshi, AGM, planted 500 saplings at Government Senior Secondary School, Gidderwindi, 20 km from here. The programme was inaugurated by Mr Joshi. Schoolchildren recited shabads. Ms Lakhwinder Kaur, school Principal, apprised students about the ills of pollution and urged them to plant saplings. Prominent among those present on the occasion were Mr Dinesh Kumar Malhotra, Mr Gurtej Singh Gill and Mr Bhag Singh Mallah, MLA.

TEACHERS' STRIKE: Strike by teachers of Sanmati Vimal Jain Senior Secondary Public School entered the second day. Raising slogans, teachers demanded immediate removal of Ms Shashi Jain, Principal, who has not relinquished charge in spite of the termination of her services. They were also demanding immediate release of their salaries.

KHANNA
HONOUR FOR COLLEGE: The local AS College has been chosen “College for Potential Excellence” by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Information to this effect was received at the college on Tuesday from the South Eastern Regional Office of the UGC. The UGC will organise a national seminar on “Autonomy to Colleges” and “Colleges for Potential Excellence” in Hyderabad from September 11 to September 13. It purposes to extend financial assistance to “College for Potential Excellence” during the 10th Five Year Plan. Mr J.S. Lotey and Mr Shashi Goyal, chairman and secretary, respectively, of the governing body of the college, welcomed the decision and congratulated the Principal and staff of the college.

KHARAR
NEW TUBEWELL: Mr Bir Devinder Singh, local MLA and Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha inaugurated the newly installed tubewell in the grain market here on Monday. He said the water tank in the Mandi had been completely renovated and arrangements have been made for the proper drainage of dirty water. He held a meeting with employees of the market committee and asked for suggestions to improve the working of the committee.

LUDHIANA
PARKASH UTSAV: The 400th parkash utsav of Guru Granth Sahib was celebrated with religious fervour at various gurdwaras of the town by holding dewans and langars on Monday. Akhand paath was held by Shri Sukhmani Sahib Sewa Society at gurdwara Kalgidhar Singh Sabha. It was followed by a kirtan darbar. Akhand paath was also held at gurdwara in Model Town extension. It was followed by a gurmat smagam. Bhog of akhand paath was also held at Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib. Giani Jaswant Singh Parwana, former head granthi of Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, recited a katha and delivered a discourse on the occasion. A kirtan darbar was also held. Among other gurdwaras where functions were held included Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Gaughat, Gurdwara Singh Sabha, New Kundan Puri, Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Deep Nagar, Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Arjun Dev Nagar, Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, Gurdwara Baba Bhuri Wala, Gurdwara Mai Nand Kaur, Ghumar Mandi, Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Field Ganj, Gurdwara Sahib Shri Guru Nanak Mission Parchar Sabha, Parbhat Nagar, Dholewal.

UNIFORMS DISTRIBUTED: The Bharat Vikas Parishad, Bhai Ghanaiya branch, organised a function at Nishkam Vidya Mandir, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, in which uniforms were distributed to 61 poor students. The school is run by Nishkam Sewa Ashram. Mr Sharvan Kumar Sharma, president of the ashram, was the guest of honour and Mr Ashok Malhotra, a businessman, was the chief guest. The function was held under the presidentship of Major S.S. Khosla.

WORKSHOP: Freedom to Speak Institute organised a workshop on phonetics in English for the students of Sanatan Vidya Mandir on Tuesday. Students from Classes X to XII along with their teachers attended the workshop. They were also given tips on expanding their vocabulary and minimising grammatical errors. Ms Sadhna Sharma, Principal, Mr Chaman Lal Sachdeva, manager, were also present on the occasion.

TARN TARAN
PROTEST: Residents of Malchack village demonstrated against the non-supply of power on Monday in front of the office of the local SDO Focal Point (suburban) division under the leadership of the Dehati Mazdoor Sabha. Mr Pargat Singh Jamarai, general secretary of the Shahid Bhagat Singh Naujawan Sabha, and others addressed the protesters.

HARYANA

SIX HELD: The police has arrested six persons who were planning to loot a petrol pump near Khojkipur village near the cantonment. The police arrested Surinder, Mukesh, Aashu, Sunil, and Anshul Sharma and one more in a raid following a tip-off.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
ARREARS: The Municipal Council of Chamba has launched a drive for the recovery of arrears of rent from wooden shops, stalls and others shops who have been declared defaulters for the past several years. According to official sources, the local council had to recover more than Rs 20 lakh arrears.

PENSIONERS’ THREAT: The district unit of the Himachal Pensioners Kalyan Sangh has threatened to resort to an agitation if the state government fails to release a DA slab with effect from January 1 to its employees and retirees. In a statement issued here on Monday, Mr P.C. Oberoy, district president of the sangh, flayed the state government for the delay in releasing the DA slab as eight months had passed.

ARRESTED: The district police has arrested Bandna alias Mahinder a resident of Chhatrain Tolly village, from Saren police station of Jharkhand who is an accused in the murder of Kausheldender Pati Tripathi on the outskirts of Chamba on August 28.

HAMIRPUR
DOG MENACE: Nearly 36 men, women and children have been bitten by stray dogs in different parts of the district during the past one week. In the town, 12 persons have fallen prey to such dogs.

KULU
FESTIVAL: Mr Raj Krishan Gaur, Agriculture Minister, inaugurated the four-day-long cultural festival of senior secondary and high schools of the district at Senior Secondary School, Sultanpur, here. As many as 500 students from different schools of the district are participating.

PARWANOO
CAR STOLEN: Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Sector 1-A, has lodged a complaint with the local police stating that his car has been stolen which was parked outside his house on Monday. The police has registered a case.

HOMOEOPATHY CAMP: A two-day homoeopathy awareness and free check up camp for railway employees concluded at Kalka on Monday. Dr Kashmira Singh, renowned homoeopath doctor from Kalka and in charge of the camp programme said at least 300 patients attended the camp and about 90 ECG’s and free blood tests were conducted in the camp.

VACCINATION: Dr Harmohinder Singh, SMO, ESI Hospital has informed that hepatitis-B vaccination was being introduced under the universal immunisation programme in Solan and Hamirpur district which will be among 32 districts of the country to have this facility from this month. Free hepatitis-B vaccination will be given to the children and the infants.

SUNDERNAGAR
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Non-Gazetted Officers Federation of Himachal Pradesh (Sundernagar unit): president — Mr Hemant Sharma; senior vice-president — Mr Roop Lal; vice-presidents — Mr Harinder Gautam, Mr Sanjeev Verma, Mr Bhagi Rath, Mr Rajinder, Mr Krishan and Mr Umesh; general secretary — Mr Babu Ram; joint secretaries — Mr Baldev Thakur and Dharam Pal; office-secretary — Mr Lakit Sharma; organising secretary — Ms Rajeshwari; and treasurer — Mr Khem Raj.