R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
PRIZES: Students of Bhag Singh Hayer Khalsa College of Women have won 11 prizes in the Panjab University Zonal Youth Festival for girls colleges that concluded at Sukhanand on Tuesday. The Principal of the college, Dr P.S. Sidhu, said here on Wednesday that the college team comprising Geetakshi, Priyanka and Sumandeep had topped in the quiz competition. Other winners were Kulbir Kaur, Balbir Kaur, Baljit Kaur, Neeraj Girdhar, Savita, Gurpreet Kaur and Mohinder Kaur.

CONDEMNED: The Technical Services Union at a meeting in Sub Division Number 2 of the Punjab State Electricity Board on Wednesday condemned the decision of the PSEB to forcibly retire employees aged between 50-55. Describing it as a first step towards privatising, the union resolved to resist any attempt to relieve such employees. Demonstration will be held again members of the screening committee on their arrival here in this connection.

KIDNAPPED: Dharampal, a resident of Jammu Basti here, lodged a complaint with the city police on Tuesday alleging that his nine-year-old daughter had been kidnapped by his neighbour’s son. The police was investigating. In another complaint Rashpinder Kaur of Giddernwali village alleged that her in-laws at Bahalwalbasi village had forced her to leave the residence beating her up. She alleged that her in-laws had been demanding more dowry.

AMRITSAR
DENTAL CAMPS: Special free dental check up camps will be organised at all civil hospitals and primary health centres of the district as part of the fortnightly health camps, being organised by the health department. This was informed in a press note issued by the health department here on Tuesday.

WORKSHOP: A workshop on self-help groups was organised by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) at Bachat Bhavan here on Tuesday. Mr Reminder Singh, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated the workshop. As many as 70 participants from various non-government organisations, bankers and representatives of the government department, women development and child development attended the workshop.

ELECTED: As many 12 vice-presidents, eight general secretaries and 21 working committee members of the District Congress Committee were elected by Mr Inderjit Singh Basarke. These include Mr Jagiri Lal Ajnala, Mr Balwinder Singh Sharma, Mr Jagtar Singh Burj, Mr Jasbir Singh Fatihabad, Mr Satinder Pal Singh Lali as vice-presidents. Mr Avtar Singh Lali, Mr Nirvair Singh, Mr Ranjit Singh, Mr Jaswant Singh, Mr Ranjit Singh Gandi were elected as general secretaries. Mr Sactar Singh, Mr Gumit Singh Wadala, Mr Sarbjit Singh, Mr Parshotam Singh were amongst the 21 working committee members nominated by the DCC.

BOOKED: Mr Lok Nath Angra, Senior Superintendent of Police, Hoshiarpur, stated in a press note here on Tuesday that during nakabandhi in the Noorpur village area, Sub Inspector Jit Singh, in charge police post Shamchaursi, rounded up Avtar Singh, alias Tari, of Shamchaursi. One country made loaded .12 bore pistol was recovered from him. He also failed to prove that he owned the motor cycle found in his possession. A case has been registered against Avtar Singh at Haryana police station. The SSP said the motor cycle had been stolen by Avtar Singh and his accomplices Neeraj Kumar and Baldev.

FRAUD: The Anti-Corruption Board of India has given a representation to the SSP, Hoshiarpur, against Jasbir Kaur of Bilaspur and Vinod Sethi of Hoshiarpur for allegedly duping Amarjit Singh Saini of Rs 70,000 by promising to get him appointed as a Class-IV employee in the Food Corporation of India. The board urged the SSP to register a case against the above persons.

Dr P.K. GANDHI: The Punjab Animal Husbandry Services Association on Tuesday condemned the ‘illegal’ suspension of Dr P.K. Gandhi, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, and sought immediate revocation of the suspension orders. It said, no criminal case had been registered against Dr Gandhi following on enquiry, yet he had been placed under suspension.

BATALA
TWO KILLED: Two men on a tractor-trailer were killed on the spot when the vehicle was hit by the Amritsar-bound Ravi Express at an unmanned level crossing near here on Tuesday, the police said. The 8mishap occurred near Kulian village shortly after the train left Batala.

DORAHA
SEMINAR: A total of 68 students of Guru Nanak National College here attended a seminar on knowledge management at Panjab University in Chandigarh recently. They later visited HMT Limited at Pinjore.

GURDASPUR
GANG BUSTED: An inter-state gang of thieves has been busted with the arrest of all its five members. The police on specific information raided their hideout in Kiyari village near Pathankot and arrested the accused. During interrogation they confessed to have stolen property in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. A case has been registered.

HOSHIARPUR
MURDERED: Gurmukh Singh (45) of Saila Khurd was murdered with sharp-edged weapons allegedly by Jasbir Kaur and her accomplices at the village on Monday. According to Mr Opinderjit Singh Ghuman, SP (D) Hoshiarpur, Gurmukh Singh was employed in the fields of Jasbir Kaur. The Garhshankar police has registered a case under Section 302, IPC, against Jasbir Kaur and her accomplices.

KAPURTHALA
POPPY HUSK SEIZED: The Dhilwan police on Monday intercepted a truck (DL-GA-3147) carrying poppy husk in Bijli Nangal village. On search of the truck, 22 bags of poppy husk weighing 35 kg each were recovered. The police arrested Ganesh Kumar of Paithal village in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, and Shafi Pandit of Jeora, Srinagar, for the crime.

SAD, BJP STIR: The Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party have decided to launch an agitation against the local municipal council over the recent hike in sewerage and water charges. This was announced at a press conference by Mr Hira Lal Dhir, district president of the BJP, and an Akali leader, Mr Raghbir Singh. They said a dharna would be staged in front of the office of the municipal council on November 18.

LUDHIANA
TOKEN STRIKE: The teaching staff and OPD staff of Lord Mahavira Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital here observed a token strike on Tuesday. A rally was also held on the college campus.

CREDIT CARDS: The Bhaura branch of Indian Bank has launched a drive to provide crop loan facility to farmers this month. Members of the staff will visit a number of villages to issue credit cards to eligible farmers.

DEATH CONDOLED: Pensioners Information Centre chairman B.R. Kaushal has condoled the death of Des Raj Garg, secretary (accounts)-cum-cashier of the centre. A prayer meeting will be held at Durga Mata Mandir, Dugri Urban Estate, Phase-I, here on Thursday.

PU FELLOW HONOURED: The management, staff members and students of Guru Nanak Girls’ College, Model Town, honoured Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Fellow of Panjab University, on his retirement at a function on the college campus here on Tuesday. A cultural programme, comprising giddha, songs and histrionics, was organised.

GENERAL'S ADDRESS: General V.P. Malik (retd), former Chief of Army Staff, will address members of the Ludhiana Management Association on quality India here on Saturday. This was stated in a press note on Wednesday.

MEDICAL CAMP: A Free medical check-up camp was organised by the ‘New Shivpuri Shopkeeper Eakta Club’ with the help of ‘ Vishav Yog Sansthan’ on the SDP School’s campus, Hajoori Road , here on Tuesday. Dr Ramesh (MD) of Mansooran Wala with his team , checked 130 children and educated people about the need for eye donation.

640 PERSONS CHECKED: The Bhai Ghaniya Sewa Sanstha, Haibowal Khurd, organised a free medical camp at Gurdwara Kishenpura, Sidhsar village, Bhiki, here on Tuesday. Dr Jasbir Singh Kharbanda, dentist, Dr Surjit Kaur, Dr Satinder Pal Singh, Dr Harbeer Singh Dr Jagtar Singh, Dr Sarabjit Singh examined 640 persons. About 125 patients were given dental treatment while 10 were provided with hearing aids. The president of the sanstha, Mr Shamsher Singh Sekhon, said medicines were given free of cost to needy patients.

MANDI AHMEDGARH
WELCOMED: The All-India Media Teachers Association has welcomed the decision of the apex court to issue stay orders against the arrest warrants issued by the Tamil Nadu Speaker against five senior journalists of The Hindu and the Editor Murasoli. The decision has stopped the dictators of Tamil Nadu in their tracks, it has observed.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
KILLED: Santosh (25) was killed on the spot, while her brother Rakesh Kumar and two month’s old child had a miraculous escape when a speeding tractor-trailer hit them on Tuesday on the GT Road near Bank of Punjab. Santosh along with her brother Rakesh and child was going on a bicycle when the mishap occurred. Santosh suffered a head injury and died on the spot while her brother and child had a narrow escape. The local police has impounded the tractor-trailer and registered a case under Sections 279, 304-A and 427, IPC. The vehicle driver, however, managed to escape.

PATIALA
CHEQUE GIVEN: Providing happiness to others is a great act of charity, which the local National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS) has been doing for the past many years”, said Mr Vijay Kumar Chopra, Editor-in-Chief of the Hind Samachar group of Newspapers, at a recently organised national integration programme at Dr Khushdeva Singh Leprosy Patients Society, here. Mr Chopra on Wednesday a cheque for Rs 5,100 to the convener of the programme to construct a temple at the Colony. Mr Chopra also distributed gifts, sweet and Rs 1000 among leprosy patients.

SAMRALA
SEWERAGE PROJECT: A Rs 6-crore sewerage project was inaugurated here on Tuesday. The project would be completed within 18 months.

PAYMENT DENIED: No payment has been distributed among farmers by the purchasing agency of Samrala since October 19. They have demanded early payment.

TARN TARAN
DE-ADDICTION PROGRAMME: As many as 60 persons after getting treatment from the six de-addiction centres being run by the local district police in the area were handed over to their parents in a function organised here on Tuesday. Mr Gurkirpal Singh, SSP, said in a press note that over 1,000 persons were leading a normal life after taking treatment at these centres.

CHANDIGARH

GRAIN MARKET: Residents of Sector 39, who are living close to the new grain market can heave a sigh of relief as the Chandigarh Administration today decided to build a 5.11-foot wall around the new mandi located just across Sector 39. Deputy Commissioner Arun Kumar said residents of Sector 39-D had been demanding that the mandi located in just west of Sector 39 be shifted as dust was causing allergies among residents.

HARYANA

AMBALA
BLOOD DONATION: A blood donation camp was organised by the Red Cross Society at Industrial Technical Institute, Ambala city, on Wednesday. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr D.D. Gautam, inaugurated the camp. As many as 151 students donated blood. Addressing the students, Mr Gautam said to keep oneself healthy, one should donate blood at least for once in a year. He announced that the district administration would issue a certificate to the students for blood donation Principal of the IIT Satpal Singh, SDM, N.S. Dhull, secretary, Red Cross Society, Alka Ghai were also present.

HISAR
CHILD BURNT: A three-year-old infant was burnt alive in a fire that broke out in a house in village Moth Karnail village under Hansi subdivision of the district on Monday, the police said on Tuesday. The parents had gone to the fields leaving the boy alone in the house. The fire broke out due to a suspected short circuit, killing the boy.

KURUKSHETRA
WILD LIFE WEEK: Inaugurating the Wild Life week celebration being launched by the Zoology Department of Kurukshetra University, observed that wild life was an integral part of life. He said, “We can not effort to ignore the utility feature of wild life-its role in ecological balance and in sustaining food chain and food web.” Dr Chawla disclosed that the purpose of observing the wild life week was to sensitise the students about the importance of wild life conservation programme and to create awareness among the public about it. On this occasion the Chairman of Zoology Department Prof, Rohtas Gupta, recalled the services of renowned naturalist Mr Saleem Ali and called upon the students to adopt his vision in their life.

YAMUNANAGAR
FIRE: A plywood-manufacturing unit was gutted and goods worth lakhs of rupees were burnt in the fire broke out in RD Plywood Industry situated in Industrial Area, Yamunanagar on Wednesday morning, Mr Rajive Gadh, proprietor of the factory, informed that he received information about the incident, early in the massive. He immediately reached the factory premises and informed the fore brigade. He alleged that fire brigaded personnel reached the site quite late, by that time extensive damage had already been done.

WITHDRAWAL OF VAT: Haryana Government should have withdrawn VAT immediately to give relief to the business community. Prof, Ganeshi Lal newly elected president of the Haryana Bhartiya Janata Party while addressing press conference here on Monday said BJP had earlier also demanded to withdrawal of VAT. He said the Central Government had given special package to the sugarcane growers of Haryana but the state government had sent it back. The plea taken by the state government that four per cent interest charged was on the higher side he said the state government should not have returned the package because it would have benefited the farmers.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NAHAN
POETESS HONOURED: Shabnam Sharma, a known poetess who is a local resident, has been honoured for her contribution to Hindi poetry by Kahani Lekhan Mahavidhyalaya, Ambala Cantonment. She is a recipient of over 20 awards from different literary and linguistic organisations.

SUNDERNAGAR
LITERARY MEET: Famous Hindi poet Kedar Nath presided over a two-day literary meet, organised by the Himachal Writers Forum, to celebrate the 100th issue of publication of Vipasha, a bi-monthly Hindi journal devoted to literature, art and culture, published by the state Department of Language and Culture. The chief guest was welcomed by the president of the Writers Forum Ravi Rana ‘Shaheen’. Many poets of national fame participated in the meet.