R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Bathinda
KILLED: Jagtar Singh, a truck driver, was run over by a train at a level-crossing here on Friday. He was a resident of Jogi Nagar area. Sources said he was under depression after some persons had been killed under his truck some time ago. The police has registered a case.

LUDHIANA
AIDS DAY: The drug de-addiction centre at the Dr D. N. Kotnis Health and Education Centre will organise an awareness march on World AIDS Day on Wednesday in association with the Master Tara Singh Memorial College for Women and the Lions Club, Ludhiana Royal. According to Dr Inderjit Singh, the march will commence from the college and pass through Clock Tower Chowk, Girja Ghar Chowk, Partap Bazar and Old Sabzi Mandi to propagate the message of the prevention from AIDS. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Director, Social Security, Women and Child Development, Punjab, will flag off the rally.

SEMINAR: Guru Teg Bahadur Charitable Hospital will organise a seminar on “AIDS risk to nursing professionals” at the Institute of Nursing Education on the hospital premises here on Wednesday to mark World AIDS Day. Mr Y.S. Walia, region coordinator, AIDS Awareness of the Lions Club International, and president, Holy Life Society for AIDS Control, will be the main speaker at the seminar. 

OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Joginder Singh Sokhi, president of the Backward Classes Cell of the District Congress Committee, has nominated the following office-bearers of the party with approval from the state leadership: vice-president — Mr Randhir Singh Dahela, Mr Kulwinder Singh Sarpanch, Mr Anand Kumar, Mr Rakesh Kumar, Mr Paramjit Singh, Mr Vinod Gogi, Ms Paramjit Kaur Nijjar; general secretaries — Dr Chamkaur Singh, Mr Banwari Lal Rajasthani, Mr Sat Pal Mehra, Mr Lavinder Singh Chana, Mr Rajinder Singh Khural, Mr Tarlochan Singh; secretaries — Mr Parminder Kumar, Ms Bimla Rani, Mr Baldev Singh, Mr Harvinder Singh Sokhi, Mr Manmohan Singh Matharoo, Mr Vikram Mandi; joint secretaries — Mr Kanwal Kishore, Mr Balbir Singh Namdhari, Mr Rakesh Kumar, Mr Som Nath, Mr Jagjit Singh Jeeta, Mr Joginder Singh Bhau, Ms Darshan Kaur, Ms Rita Rani; and legal advisers — Mr Jasbir Singh, Mr Amit Kumar, Mr Sukhwinder Randhawa, Mr Ranjit Singh Matharoo, Mr Inderjit Sharma, Mr Chander Shekhar Behl, Mr Mohinder Singh Lasara, Ms Harjinder Kaur; Mr Mitterpal Singh Matharoo.

Mandi Gobindgarh
Declamation: A declamation contest will be organised on Wednesday at SNAS Senior Secondary School, Mandi Gobindgarh, by the local unit of the Punjab Khatri Sabha. The topics for the contest are: Drug abuse, HIV awareness and female foeticide and impact of TV on children. Mr Joginder Pal Singla, president of the Municipal Council, Mandi Gobindgarh, will be the chief guest at the function.

Inaugurated: The Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Community Centre was inaugurated by Mr Joginder Pal Singla, President of the Mandi Gobindgarh Municipal Council on Saturday. The modern building contains two big and one medium-size halls, a library room and a kitchen. It has been set up with a cost of Rs 45 lakh. Mr Jagmeet Sahota, vice-president, and many councillors were also present.

Phillaur
ASSAULT: In a daring incident, armed assailants seriously wounded Dharamvir, a member of a team checking wine shops in Gannapind in Phillaur subdivison on Sunday evening. Two other team members escaped. Dharamvir has been admitted to the Civil Hospital here in serious condition. The police has registered a case.

ARRESTED: The police has arrested Surjit Singh of Aurr village and recovered 10 kg of puppy husk from him, while another woman, Geeta of Silkiana, was arrested by the police with 50 gm of smack on Sunday night.

SAMRALA
HAILED: Nomination of Mr Harpal Singh Dhillon as Chairman of the Market Committee, Samrala, has been welcomed by various organisation here. Dr Gulzar Mohamad Goria, secretary and president of the Punjab Lekhak Manch, lauded the services of Mr Dhillon towards the farmers, education and sports.

MEETING: A joint meeting of the Sant Samaj, Brahamin Sabha and Gaushala Committee was held in Durga Mandir here under the presidentship of Mr Yagya Datt on Monday. Giving details of the meeting, Mr Behari Lal Saddi, president of the Brahmin Sabha, said the demand of the Dal Khalsa, Punjab, of lifting the ban on cow slaughter has been condemned. He said the demand was motivated and biased.

Sangrur
SCHOOL FUNCTIONS: The annual prize distribution function of three local schools — Prem Sabha Senior Secondary School, Prem Sabha National High School and Prem Sabha Shishu Niketan High School — all run by Prem Sabha Trust was held here on Sunday Mr Husan Lal, Deputy Commissioner, was the chief guest. He announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the trust.

FORUM: A group of local intellectuals have formed a forum to make people aware about myths, superstitions and environmental pollution and to help the elderly, by the youth, the poor and the needy. The following are office-bearers of the Scientific Awareness and Social Welfare Forum; president — Dr A.S. Mann; senior vice-president — Prof Santokh Kaur; vice-president — Prof Jagdev Singh Sohi; Secretary — Dr Jatinder Kaur; joint secretary — Ms Paramjit Kaur; press secretary — Mr Prahlad Singh; advisers — Principal (Ms) Raveen Pandey and Prof Malkiat Singh Khatra.

HARYANA

Ambala
MEDICAL CAMP: The Voluntary Health Association of India organised a follow-up medical camp at Manmohan Nagar, Ambala City, on Saturday. Project coordinator Ashok Pannu spoke about HIV/AIDS. He said there was a need to generate awareness, a press note said. 

RALLY ON DEC 5: The coordinator of the National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR), Haryana, Dr Arun Choudhary, said a major rally will be held in New Delhi on December 5. Dr Choudhary said the main issues which would be taken up at the rally include right to work and reservation in private sector. He demanded that law and order condition should be improved and there should not be any communal tension. 

PANCHAYATI RAJ: The deputy spokesperson of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Dr Pradeep Chauhan, claimed that Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala was trying to amend the Panchayati Raj system for his own political gains. Dr Chauhan, while welcoming the Governor's decision to return the Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill for reconsideration, said a delegation led by Mr Bhajan Lal had opposed the Bill. He said former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had sought to bring about a Panchayati Raj System in which the panchayats would be economically empowered for carrying out development.

Sonepat
THREE ARRESTED: The Ganaur police on Monday arrested three persons, including a woman, in connection with a dowry death case registered against them on the complaint of Mr Azad Singh, father of Shikha, wife of Pawan, who was poisoned to death in her in-law’s house on November 19. The arrested persons were identified as Pawan, his father Satbir and mother Saroj.

DEMONSTRATION: More than 10,000 BJP workers from Sonepat district would take part in the proposed demonstration on December 1 outside Parliament House in protest against the price rise and anti-people policies of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. This was announced by Mr Bhaley Ram Narwal, president of the district unit of the BJP, while addressing a workers’ meeting at Ganaur, 16 km from here, on Monday.

Hens perish: At least 200 hens were burnt alive and 60,000 eggs were reduced to ashes in a fire which broke out in a poultry farm on the Sonepat-Kami road, near here, on Sunday night. The fire was brought under control within an hour by the municipal fire engine.

Yamunanagar
CORPORATE WORKSHOP: As many as 60 representatives from banks and local industries participated in an interactive corporate workshop on Leadership here on Sunday. The objective, according to Mr Jagdeep Sachdeva, placement consultant, of the workshop was to create a thinking process among executives and managers regarding leadership. Mr N. Balaji, Senior Area Manager, ICFAI University, addressing the participants talked about leadership styles and need to adopt all styles in order to be effective and successful. Representatives from the Bank of Punjab, Bharat Starch Industries, Yamuna Gases and Chemical Limited, Bajaj Allianze and ICICI took part.

Sirsa
TWO INJURED: Two persons were injured in a clash between guests of a marriage party at Abootgarh village, near here. According to sources, Sulkhan and Jagir Singh were attacked following an argument. The condition of both the persons was stable and the police has arrested Paramjit, Jassi and Bhajan Lal Kamboj in the case.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
SCRIBES’ PLEA: The HP State Journalists Federation has urged Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to activate the Journalists protection cell, so that complaints regarding threats to and assaults on journalists are immediately attended to. It has also sought free treatment of journalists in hospitals and amendment in accreditation rules.

Dalhousie
Beaten up: The police has registered a case in connection with a quarrel, which occurred in Gitanjali Hotel owned by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) a few days ago. The Superintendent of Police, Mr J.P. Singh, in his press release issued said here on Monday that the waiter of the hotel, Budhi Singh, was beaten up by the in charge of the hotel, Mr R.K. Baniyal, which caused serious injuries to the waiter.

Kangra
Research collaboration: The local Shivalik Research and Extension Centre of the CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSKHPKV) has collaborated with a United Kingdom-based Rothamsted Research Centre for three years for conducting agriculture scientific research work. Dr Ajai Srivastava, entomologist of the centre, on Monday said two scientists would be assisted by Dr P.S. Khambay of Rothamsted Research Centre.

Nurpur
FOLK DANCE CONTEST: The Affiliated Schools’ Management Association (ASMA) organised an inter school folk dance competition here on Sunday in which students from different public schools presented dances of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Noorpur Public School, Ambica Public School, Baijnath and Modern Public School, Kangra, were declared first, second and third, respectively. A.B. Public School, Jassur, was given the consolation prize. Dr N. K. Lath, Subdivisional Magistrate, presided.