R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

LUDHIANA
NAVRATRAS CELEBRATED: Tiny tots of Little Wonders Playway School, Sunder Nagar, celebrated the Navratras with great pomp and show. Girls dressed in red ghaghra- cholis and suits with red chunris and boys in white kurta-pyjamas and dandia dress tied red chunris around their waists looked adorable. All participants danced to on the songs in praise of Ma Durga and non-stop dandia music. All 55 participants were given gifts by Principal Mona Jain.

MISHAP: Ramu (22), a migrant labourer, lost his left arm on Sunday while he was working on a chaff-cutter. According to information, Ramu’s arm was chopped off when he tried to push chaff in the machine. He was brought to Civil Hospital, Jagraon, for treatment by his employer Mr Iqbal Singh. He is stated to be in a serious condition.

LIQUOR SEIZED: Mr Lakhbir Singh, Assistant Sub Inspector, Excise Staff, Ludhiana, arrested Ms Paro of Pargiar Biharipur from the Satlej Parjian area and seized 22.5 litres of illicit liquor from her possession. Sidhwan bet police has registered a case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act against her.

MEETING: The following have been elected as office-bearers of the Ambedkar Mission patron — Mr Joginder Lal Rai, president — Mr Chanan Singh Jassal, senior vice-president — Mr K.S. Kainth, vice-presidents — Mr Harjinder Singh and Mr Karnail Singh, chief organising secretary — Mr Hussan Lal, organising secretaries — Mr Karnail Singh, Mr Surjit Singh and Master Beer Singh, general secretary — Mr Resham Sidhu, additional general secretary — Master Paramjit, joint secretary — Dr Prakash Singh, finance secretary — Mr Ram Das, and joint finance secretary — Mr Harmesh Kaler. Dr Sadhu Singh, Mr Bhag Ram, Mr Khazan Singh, Mr V.S. Dayal, Mr Pritam Singh have been elected members of the advisory board.

PROGRAMME: Gurmat Kiari, a religious programme was organised by the NSS girls’ unit of GHG Khalsa College, Gurusar Sadhar. During their 10-days NSS camp, a team from Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, Ludhiana, participated in the programme. Mr Joginder Singh, president of the Gurbani Khoj and Vichar Kendra, Mr Sarbjit Singh, member of the supreme council, and Mr Surjit Singh, president (Ludhiana Zone), were the members of the team. The Principal, Dr J.S. Cheema, and the programme officers, Prof Ranjit Jiwan Kaur and Dr Rajinder Singh, welcomed the guests.

MACHHIWARA
PADDY PURCHASE: By the evening of the second day, the grain markets under the Market Committee, Machhiwara, 1.41 lakh quintals’ of paddy has been purchased. In the grain market of Machhiwara alone, more than 1.25 lakh quintals of paddy has been purchased whereas at sub-purchase centres at Sherpur Bet, Hedon Bet and Buraj Powat, the quantity is reported to be 5,000 quintals, 4,500 quintals and 1,500 quintals, respectively. The Administrator of the Market Committee, Machhiwara, Mr Jaspaul Singh Jassi, said it was the first time that such a heavy purchase had been reported. The secretary of the committee, Mr Raman Sony, said the reason behind heavy procurement was the obeying of the government instructions and arrival of good quality paddy. Mr Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal, MLA, Koom Kalan, visited various sites of procurement. He apprised the officials of the District Food Supplies Department of the non-purchase of paddy in Khasi Kalan Mandi.

SAMRALA
TRANSFERRED: The SHOs of Samrala and Machhiwara have been transferred by the Chief Khanna police district, Mr Kapil Dev. SI Benarsi Dass has joined as the SHO, Samrala. SI Gurdeep Singh Gosal has joined at Machhiwara. Earlier, he was posted at Payal. The Inspector Tejinder Singh Sandhu has been transferred as incharge of traffic wing, Khanna.

LIQUOR SEIZED: The police seized in cases of Bagpiper and one case of Royal Stag whisky on Saturday. The liquor was brought from Chandigarh in a CTU bus. The accused, Ashok Kumar and Ravi Kumar, belonging to Amritsar district have been arrested and challaned under section 61, 1, 14 Excise Act, SHO Rashpal added.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
YOUTHS PROTEST: Members of the Himachal Pradesh State Trained Graduate and Post-Graduate Unemployed Youths Union blocked traffic on national Highway 21 at Shaheed Champa Park here on Saturday and staged “dharna” on the road demanding the teachers’ employment policy, withdrawal of decision to hold recruitment of para-teachers at block level.

ELECTED: Mr Prakash Chand Prashar was elected president , Mr Shyamlal —senior vice-president; Mr Vikram Ram — vice-president; Mr Gauri Shankar Sharma — general secretary, Mr Gurdas Azad — joint secretary; Ms Chandprabha — organising secretary; and Mr Shayamlal Verma — treasurer of HP State Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation on Friday.

CHAMBA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Tissa unit of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Federation: President — Mr Bhupender Thakur; Senior Vice President — Mr Ashok Chaufla; Vice Presidents — Mr Karam Chand Thakur, Mr Suresh Thakur and Mr Kundan Lah, General Secretary — Mr Lekh Raj Mahajan; Assistant Secretary — Mr Rakesh Rana; Organising Secretary — Mr Quasim Sheikh, Press Secretary — Mr Naseem Sheikh; Cashier — Mr Tek Chand.