R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

GURDASPUR
RALLY: Several hundred workers of CPI (ML) held rally here on Tuesday in support of their demands. Mr Gurmit Singh, district secretary, Channan Singh Dorangla and Satbir Singh activists of the Kirti Kisan Sabha addressed. The speakers demanded that the Centre should quit the membership of the World Trade Organisation.

NAWANSHAHR
ORGANISED: The Dayanand Amarnath College of Education for Women organised declamation and slogan writing competitions to mark “World Literacy Day’ here on Monday. Dr Dev Ichha Shekhar, Principal, presided. Jaswinder Kaur, Harkananbir Kaur, Rubinder Kaur and Puja Bajaj won prizes in the competitions.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Nawanshahr Surgeons Forum: president — Dr K.S. Purewal; vice- president — Dr S.C. Dhir; general secretary — Dr Gurvinder Singh Chhatwal; joint secretary — Dr S.K. Sukhi and treasurer — Dr Pawan Kumar.

PATIALA
CELEBRATED: The Punjab College of Education, Raipur, celebrated International Literacy Day here on Monday. The Principal of the college Dr Agya Jit Singh, said the management had decided to start adult literacy classes in the evening hours on the college campus.

EXHIBITION: The National Book Trust of India is organising a book exhibition here at the Language Department, Punjab, from Tuesday to Friday. Two exhibition van’s will accompany the team and cover major schools in the city and nearby places. A renowned Punjabi Writer, Prof Pritam Singh, inaugurated the exhibition. The Director of the Language Department, Mr M.L. Hasija, presided over the function.

AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: The Red Cross District Blindness Control Society and Blood Bank organised awareness programmes in schools and other educational institutions to motivate students to donate eyes and blood. The secretary of the association, Dr Anil Pathaka, said there was a need to motivate youngsters on the issue.

LECTURE: The Director Industrial Relations, PSEB, Mr R.P. Pandav, delivered a lecturer on ‘Importance and role of computers in the board’ at Sri Guru Harkrishan College of Management and Technology here on Tuesday. Mr Pandav said with privatisation, the job potential of computer professionals was expected to rise tremendously.

SAPLINGS PLANTED: Mr Vishnu Sharma, Mayor planted saplings at Multani Mal Modi College campus here on Tuesday. He also met representatives of the Student Organisation of Patiala (SOP) and promised to consider their demands sympathetically. The college Principal, Mr Surindra Lal, apprised the Mayor of the various achievements of the college and various problems being faced by it. The student body, led by its president Manpreet Singh Sidhu, also spelt out certain demands that included the construction of an internal road on the campus, removal of garbage and beautification of the campus.

SANGRUR
DPRO DEAD: Giani Narinder Singh, District Public Relations Officer (DPRO), Sangrur, died at a private hospital at Patiala on Monday after a prolonged illness. He was to retire on December 31. He is survived by wife, two daughters and a son.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
CRITICISED: Member Parliament from the Hamirpur constituency and former BJP state president, Mr Suresh Chandel, has taken exception to the ‘‘direct interference’’ of the Himachal Government into the affairs of Himachal University and said that happenings in the past two weeks had proved that the malicious campaign against the university’s autonomy was not only politically motivated but it was direct assault on the authority of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and the University Executive Council.

CHAMBA
PROBE SOUGHT: The Highly Educated Unemployed Union has demanded a probe into the job scam in which the members of the Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Board (HPSSSB) are alleged to have been involved. The union has also demanded the termination of the services of those teachers and other employees who have been given jobs by unfair means.

DHARAMSALA
LITERACY DAY: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S. Baldi, said that literacy in Kangra district had touched the 81 per cent mark but efforts should be made to make it 100 per cent. The Deputy Commissioner was presiding over a meeting of the District Literacy Society on International Literacy Day.

KULU
KILLED: One person was killed when a Canter hit a tractor near Bhuntar on Sunday. The victim, Sunil Kumar, belonged to Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and was driver of the tractor.

PARWANOO
ATTACK CONDEMNED: Mr Ish Kapoor, state organiser of Seva Dal (Congress) has strongly condemned the attack on Sanjay Kumar Banka, the Solan district organising secretary of the Seva Dal, at Nalagarh on Sunday. He said the members of the Seva Dal had taken out a rally on Sunday morning at Nalagarh. Sanjay Kumar was attacked by four persons while he was returning home.