R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

LUDHIANA
APPEAL: Dr Bharat, Director of the crime-free India Bureau, addressing members, of the bureau here on Sunday, said it was the duty of every citizen of the country to work for unity and solidarity. He appealed to the police to maintain a clean image so that the public could repose its trust in the police force.

Festival funds: The general body meeting of the Urban Estate Ram Lila Dussehra Committee Dugri, was held here on Monday and Rs 21,2198 has been set aside on Ram lila and Dasehra this year, against the deficit of Rs 52072 as total collection of donations. The meeting also passed a condolence message on the death of its patron, Des Raj Garg, who died on November 1.

PATIALA
FUNCTION : The local S.D.S.E Senior Secondary School, organised a function here on Monday. The District Education Officer Ms Pritpal Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest. The president of the S.D. Sabha, Mr Lal Chand Jindal, presided over the function. The schoolchildren held a cultural programme. School uniforms and shoes were distributed among the needy students.

SAMRALA
APPOINTED: A meeting of Lok Bhalai Party workers was held here today at the local Civil Rest House, under the chairmanship of Mr Malkiat Singh Ghuman, president of the Ludhiana district unit of the party. The vice-president of the state youth wing of the party, Mr Jasvir Singh Mangat, also participated in the meeting. Mr Ghuman appointed Mr Avtar Singh Kohara as president of the youth wing of Halqa Koom Kalan, Mr Jarnail Singh Sehjo Majra as senior vice-president and Mr K.S. Jandiali as vice-president of the youth wing, Koom Kalan. Similarly, Mr Gurdeep Singh Kotala and Mr Piara Singh Todarpur have been appointed general secretary and vice-president of Halqa Samrala, respectively.

ANTI-DRUG SOCIETY: The International Medical Helpline and Anti-Drugs Society has decided to organise a natak mela on the premises of Baba Sri Chand Bondli, 3 km from here, on November 14 against the use of drugs and intoxicants, according to Mr Shamsher Singh Mann. Mr C.D. Singh Kamboj, Chairman of the Punjab Health System Corporation, will be the chief guest and Jathedar Kirpal Singh Kheernian, member, SGPC, will inaugurate the mela. Dr T.S. Kaler of Escorts Heart Institute, Amritsar, will be honoured at the mela, Mr Mann added.

CHANDIGARH

YOGA CAMP: An eight-day yoga and meditation camp, conducted by the senior yoga acharya from the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, Swami Dharmanishthananada, concluded here on Monday. Around 100 persons suffering from chronic diseases, including blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and asthma, attended the camp. An exhibition of paintings on Swami Shivananda, and a workshop of divine cards by Ravinder Sharma of Government Arts College was also held. Swami Dharmanishthananda said the participants must keep body, mind and heart in harmony at the time of performing yoga to know self and to bring about harmony everywhere.

MEDICAL CAMP: Around 250 patients attended an awareness-cum-medical camp at Baputham Colony diseases. Awareness on the HIV and AIDS was given to the participants through a magic show. The camp was organised by the Society for Health Education and Environment in collaboration with the State Aids Control Society. Medicines were given to patients free of cost.

HARYANA

AMBALA
DEMANDED: The Ambala Cantt Traders Federation on Monday demanded that the Sub-Divisional Magistrate should hold office for three days in a week in Ambala Cantt. The federation stated that this would enable the residents of Ambala Cantt to have better access to the SDM. “There should be a permanent lok adalat at Ambala Cantt. The consumer forum authorities should hold office for two days in a week here,” the federation added.

KAITHAL
DHARNA: The Excise and Taxation Ministerial Staff Association has expressed concern over the non-acceptance of their long-standing demands. Addressing employees here on Saturday, Mr Amar Singh Yadav, state president of the association, said seniority in promotion to various posts was being ignored. He said the employees would start an indefinite dharna outside the office of the Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Haryana, in Chandigarh on November 17.

KARNAL
Legal Services Day: The District Legal Services Authority organised a seminar on “free legal assistance” on Legal Services Day here on Sunday. Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary Nazar Singh said most beneficiaries covered under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, for free legal assistance were not aware about the assistance. As many as 37 cases pertaining to civil matters, four matrimonial cases, 41 criminal cases, 93 summary cases, eight industrial disputes and one bank loan dispute were settled on the occasion.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
STUDENTS’ PLEA: The district unit of the Students Federation of India (SFI) has demanded filling 17 posts of Lecturer in the local Government Postgraduate College so that the studies of students did not suffer. According to sources, there was a sanctioned strength of 42 lecturers in the college but 25 lecturers, including four lecturers on contract basis, were running the college.

HOME GUARDS SANS WAGES: The contingents of Himachal Home Guards deployed on duty in the local Zonal Hospital have not been paid salaries for the past two months. The leaders of the Himachal Home guard Jawans Union have urged the state government to release funds for disbursement of their salaries without further delay.

KUMARHATTI
2 DEAD IN MISHAPS: Two persons were killed and two sustained injuries in two accidents on Sunday. Dinesh Gupta of Sunni died on the spot when his car rolled down into a 300-feet gorge near Shaktighat under Kasauli police station. Two more occupants of the car, Rajesh Kumar and Prem Lal, were injured. In another accident, Sumit Mehta of Haryana was knocked down by an HRTC bus on the Kalka-Shimla highway near Khanna Watch Company, Parwanoo.

MANDI
Inaugurated: Thakur Kaul Singh, IPH Minister, inaugurated a one-day workshop for medical officers, health workers and representatives of the Panchayati Raj institutions on generating health and family planning awareness among the people on Monday. He stressed that the drive to educate and motivate people to accept the norm of a planned family should be made a mass movement.