R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
COPS SUSPENDED: During surprise visits to various police stations under Majitha police district late on Thursday evening, Mr R.P.S. Bajwa, Senior Superintendent of Police, Majitha, suspended two policemen of Nawa Pind village police chowki who were found in an inebriated condition and sent several policemen to the Police Lines for being absent from duty. Constables Sukhwinder Singh and Sewa Singh were suspended. The SSP also found five constables, two SPOs and three Punjab Home Guard jawans absent at the Matewal police station.

PAKISTANI HELD: In two separate incidents, a Pakistani national and a Bangladeshi national were nabbed by the Border Security Force at the Daria Mansoor post on the Indo-Pak border on Wednesday. However, cases were registered against them late on Friday evening. 

HOSHIARPUR
WOMAN HELD: The Mahilpur police arrested Jasvir Kaur, wife of Kishan Singh of Langeri village, along with 250 gm of smack on Thursday. A case under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against her.

OCTROI EVASION: On a complaint of the Executive Officer of the Hoshiarpur Municipal Council, the Sadar police has registered a case under Sections 353, 186, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC against Dinesh Kumar of DV Automobiles, Hoshiarpur, and Rajinder Thakur, manager of the firm, for octroi evasion on 11 motor cycles. The octroi Superintendent of the council checked them while they were bringing motor cycles to the city without paying octroi.

LUDHIANA
HOMAGE: The Namdhari Darbar of Punjab, headed by Mr Harvinder Singh Hanspal, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress, would hold a function at Namdhari Shaheed Samarak near the Civil Hospital on the Jail road here on Sunday from 2 pm to 3.30 pm to pay homage to Suba Giani Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh, who were hanged outside the Central jail here on November 26, 1871, for defying the British rulers on Saturday. Mr H.S. Hanspal and Mr Lal Singh, Finance and Planning Minister, Punjab, would be the chief guests. Apart from Namdharis, heads of several other religious and social organisations and leaders of various political parties would attend the function.

DAILY LANGAR: The Baba Shri Jai Ram Dass Charitable Trust in collaboration with the Mata Pita Guru Charitable Trust will organise daily langar behind Jain Hospital in the local grain market from Sunday onwards. The langar would be inaugurated on Sunday morning after the conclusion of a prayer meeting to be held from 6.30 am to 8 am, according to Mr Mohinder Jain. Religious discourses could be heard from 8.30 to 9.30 am under the supervision of Shri Rattan Muni Ji and Shri Amar Muni ji Maharaj.

MAHOTSAV: Shri Mahadev Seva Dal, Shivala Road, would organise its 4th annual Shri Krishna Mahotsav on November 30 at Lala Tulsi Ram dharamshala on the Gokal Road here, according to Mr Ravinder Nath Aggarwal, chairman of the seva dal. Several renowned hymn singers would regale the audience on the occasion.

MEETING: In a meeting held at Dashmesh Nagar on Saturday with the interior designers, Vastu, Feng Shui expert, Sunil Chadha said flowers play a great role in removing Vastu deficiencies of a building positively. Flowers speak their own language, depending on the colour, shape and the season. Mr Chadha said flowers if used direction wise, connect us with the energy of nature and simulate the perfect harmony between the heaven and the earth. Blossoms, twigs, dried flowers and fruit baskets represent the positive chi. Mr Chadha said dried flowers should be replaced periodically, particularly when they become dusty and old. In connection with the artificial flower arrangements, said there should be used for table decorations.

CHECK-UP CAMP: The Rotary Club, Ludhiana, organised a health check-up camp and distributed woollens Government Middle School at Ghuman village. Dr Gurmail Singh, eye surgeon, Dr Akshay Vohra and Dr Preeti Vohra, dental surgeons, Dr B.S. Bal, medical specialist and Dr Mohini Bal, examined students and other patients of the village. All 30 students of Class VIII were given new sweaters. 

CAMP: A self employment camp-cum-exhibition was organised at Gujjarwal School here on Friday. The camp was presided over by Ms Daljit Inder Kaur, District Employment Officer, Ludhiana. Other dignitaries who participated in the camp were Ms Sarabjit Kaur Grewal, Employment Officer, Mr Kuldip Singh, Dairy Development Board, Mr Sarod Jindal, Industrial Department, and Mr Kharati Lal. Mr D.S. Dhaliwal, Principal, thanked resource persons for spending their precious time with students.

YATRA: A joint meeting of the office-bearers of the National BAMCEF (Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation) was held under the presidentship of its state coordinator, Mr Joginder Lal Rai. He briefed the gathering about the ‘samaj parvartan dharam yatra’ programme of Prof Gurnam Singh, national president of the organisation, from November 26 to 28 in the Malwa zone.

BREAD FESTIVAL: If one wants to savour finest range of French breads, then one has to go to Hot Breads, a popular eating joint at Sarabha Nagar. Hot Breads has been orgnising bread festival since November 17. The festival will end on November 24. More than 50 varieties of bread are on display. 

MANDI AHMEDGARH
BANNED: Taking cognisance of reports regarding casualties and injuries in accidents taking place during digging and deepening of wells, the district Administration has banned the digging operations without prior permission and supervision of officers of the Panjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board. Mr Joginder Singh, Executive Magistrate, at local Sub Registrar Office, said orders had been received from the district office. In an order Mr SarabJit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, has banned the digging of wells without prior permission of the Executive Engineer, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board at Sangrur and subsequent supervision of the Board Officials. The Deputy Commissioner had observed that many deaths had been caused in the district during such operations during the recent year. The orders promulgated under Section 144 would remain in force for 58 days.

PATIALA
BLACK DAY: The All-India Federation of Power Diploma Engineers has decided to observe December 2 as Black Day to protest against the introduction of the Indian Electricity Bill, 2001. The president of the federation, Mr Sukhdev Singh, in a press note said the protest would be organised at the national level and diploma and junior engineers working in the power sector all over the country would wear black badges to mark their protest.

EYE CAMP: The State Bank of Patiala organised a free eye check-up-cum-operation camp at Rakhra, near here on Saturday. At least 120 persons were checked and 10 operations were performed. 

PATHANKOT
Distributed: A team from the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, led by Mr AS Sham Sunder, Assistant Director, visited the Rail Head Petroleum Depot here on Friday. Brig R.K. Sharma, Commander, 21 Sub Area, and Mr Sham Sunder distributed 40 tricycles, 20 wheelchairs, 60 pairs of crutches, 15 pairs of walking sticks, 50 hearing aids and other items among them.

Phagwara
ENVIRONMENT RALLY: A rally was taken out here on Friday in connection with the annual environment mela being organised by the Phagwara Environment Association with the help of voluntary bodies. The rally was jointly flagged off from the local Town Hall by Mr Jagat Singh Palah, patron of the association, and Mr Malkiat Singh Ragbotra, president, Nagar Council. 

CHANDIGARH

SCIENCE EXHIBITION: A science exhibition was organised at Government College, Panchkula, on Friday. Various exhibits prepared by students from chemistry, physics, botany, geology, geography, home science and zoology departments were on display. The exhibition was inaugurated by Dr Usha Malik, Principal, of the college. Speaking on the occasion, she said such exhibitions not only allowed the students to display their talent, but also helped the teachers in giving direction to the students.

HARYANA

AMBALA
ESSAY CONTEST: A district-level essay writing competition was held at Government Senior Secondary School at Baldev Nagar here on Friday. Students from 11 schools participated. The topic was “Our land our future”.

NATIONAL SEMINAR: Shri Atmanand Jain Institute of Management and Technology here will organise a national seminar on trends in computer applications in which speakers from the industry and academia will participate. Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, MP, will be the chief guest.

DRAWING CONTEST: State Bank of India, Sadar Bazar, Ambala Cantt, organised a drawing and painting competition here on Friday. A total of 206 students participated in the competition. 

BLOOD DONATION: The Ambala Red Cross Society and the Rotary Club Central Ambala, jointly organised a blood donation camp at MDSD Girls College, Ambala City, on Saturday. A total of 51 persons, including 20 girls students, donated blood.

SPORTS MEET: The second annual sports meet of SMV Public School, Ambala, was organised here on Saturday. The students displayed their skills in drill display, mass PT and games.

Bhiwani
SEVEN HELD: Seven persons were arrested on Friday by the police on the direction of the Tehsildar, Charkhi Dadri, on the charge of not repaying bank loans. Those arrested have been identified as Jai Bhagwan of Pichopa village, Hoshiar Singh of Jhojhu Kalan village, Liloo Ram Kadma, Moti Lal Kadma, Lade Ram and Balwant of Dadri and Suresh Dadri.

Fatehabad
MEETING: A meeting of the Students Federation of India was held here on Friday. Mr Surender Jakhar, a student leader, presided over the meeting. Students alleged that due to the education policies of the state and central governments, thousands of students had been deprived of higher education. In a press note, the SFI said it would organise a relay fast at all district headquarters on December 11 in protest against the recent hike in fees for professional courses.

SCIENCE CONGRESS: The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) on Friday organised Bal Vigyan Congress at the local Bal Bhavan. The Deputy Commissioner, Dr R.B. Langyan, was the chief guest. Mr Ashok Jain, Deputy District Education Officer, Ms Vidhya Ratti, Principal, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Fatehabad, and the District Science Congress organiser, Mr Krishan Kumar, were present on the occasion.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
TWO ARRESTED: The local police has arrested Basant Singh and Mohinder Kaur, both residents of Ludhiana, on the charge of murdering Parkash Singh, a resident of Ramgarh village, near Khanna, in Punjab. The Superintendent of Police, Mr Chander Shekhar, said here on Friday that Parkash Singh was found dead in a room at Barnala serai on November 15. The SP said the victim had accompanied the suspects to the Naina Devi temple on November 13.

Kangra
ILLICIT LIQUOR: The Kangra police has arrested Sota Devi, Nirmala Devi and Nashore Singh and seized three working stills and 120 litres of illicit liquor from their possession in Chanie area under Indora police station on Thursday night. The Kangra police chief said on Friday that Abay Katoch, a resident of Agjoor under Palampur police station, was arrested and 30 litres of country-made liquor seized from his possession at Agjoor village on Thursday night.

KULU
ELECTORAL ROLLS: The local Subdivisional Magistrate-cum-Electoral Officer has said that electoral rolls have been prepared according to the Electoral Roll Registration Act, 1960, and these are available at all polling stations in Kulu and Banjar Assembly constituencies. Additions, deletions, amendments or objections to the rolls can be submitted before December 8, he said.

NURPUR
SCHOOLS’ OFFER: A delegation of the Affiliated School Management Association on Friday met the Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education, Mr B.R. Rahi, and offered the services of private schools to bring about a qualitative change in the education system and check copying in board examinations. According to a press note issued by the association, the Chairman assured the delegation that the board would utilise the services of teachers of private schools as examiners in board examinations.

SERAI: A serai built at a cost of Rs 10 lakh on the premises of the subdivisional Civil Hospital over two years ago has been handed over to the Municipal Council for public utilisation. Mr Shanta Kumar, the then Union Minister and Lok Sabha member, had released Rs 10 lakh from the MP local Area Development Fund in 1998 for the purpose.