R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
TROPHY WON: Guru Nanak Dev University has won the north zone inter-varsity overall championship trophy by winning four trophies in music, theatre, literary and fine arts. This was stated by Mr Baljit Singh Sekhon, Director, Youth Welfare, of the varsity here on Friday.

CONFERENCE: Guru Nanak Dev University will organise a three-day international conference on 'Guru Granth Sahib: challenges and response in the new millennium' from December 9. This was stated by Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon, Head, Department of Guru Nanak Studies. He said more than 100 scholars from India and abroad will participate in the conference.

Batala
SUSPENDED: The district police chief, Mr Ram Singh, on Sunday suspended eight cops, including an ASI, for dereliction of duty.

Hoshiarpur
WARRANTS ISSUED: The Chief Judicial Magistrate has issued bailable warrants against Mr Kamal Chaudhary, former Member of Parliament, his wife Ms Sudha Chaudhary and Mr Sukh Ram in case of Krishan Kumar Saini versus Netar Chand and others.

EDUCATION AIM: Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister, Punjab, has said that the aim of the schools should be to provide better education to students on cheaper rates. He was presiding over a function of Sardar Bahadur Amin Chand Senior Secondary School, Bajwara, 5 km from here, on Saturday.

COMPLAINT LODGED: Mr Sawinder Kumar, sarpanch of Badholan Gram Panchayat, has lodged a complaint against his predecessor Harjiwan Singh, for the misutilisation of panchayat funds. He alleged that Harjiwan Singh misappropriated 105 quintals of wheat, 1,000 bricks amounting Rs 2284 and trees of shamlat land of the village worth Rs 7,500.

SEIZED: The Talwara police has seized 340 gms of charas and 11 cartridges from Akhlesh Kumar son of Sukhai Parsad, a resident of Kinthal Mohalla, in Dasuya. Cases under the NDPS Act and Arms Act have been registered.

OPPOSED: The Punjab Kandi Sub Mountainous Vikas Forum has opposed the proposed re-notification of re-imposing of Section 4 of the LP Act, 1900, in 759 acres in Beh Chuhar village of Mukerian tehsil for another 25 years. Mr Mehnga Singh Lamba said the term of the Act was going to complete on January 30, 2005. The re-imposing of the Section 4 of the Act would debar the owners and residents of the village from their rights for another 25 years.

Jalandhar
FAKE CURRENCY: Fake currency worth Rs 4,500 was recovered from two youths on Friday. The incident occurred when two youths gave a Rs 100 note to a chaat vendor, who went to nearby liquor shop for change, where he came to know that the currency note was fake. While fleeing, the youths left the purse. The purse contained fake currency notes worth Rs 4,500 in the denomination of Rs 1000, Rs 500, Rs 100 and Rs 20. A case has been registered.

ARRESTED: The district police has arrested Suman, a resident of the Qazi Mandi area, for allegedly smuggling narcotics. It recovered 50 gms of smack from her. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
MEDICAL CAMP: As many as 300 parents of students were checked–up on Sunday at a medical check-up camp organised by the Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Mandi Gobindgarh. The camp was organised to create health awareness among people. A team of doctors from Global Cancer Concern, India, including Doctor Behrgal, Dr Tulika Singh, Dr Rachna Abroal, Dr Shivpal Singh Rana Chandigarh, Dr Vinod Pathak and Dr Kiran here examined the parents as well as the local people of the villages. Medicines were provided free of cost to the patients. The camp was inaugurated by Mr. Jose Kottaram, Chairman, of the School Management Committee. Ms A. Sakarsudha Principal of the school was also present.

HAILED: Mr J.P. Sharma, president and Mr. Joy Kutty, general secretary, Steel Chamber, Mandigobindgarh, hailed the power tariff reduction by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission. The chamber said despite enormous pressure by the Punjab Government, the PSEB Chairman Mr S.S. Mann provided relief to the consumers.

Nawanshahr
NEW PRINCIPAL: Dr Kailash Nath Bhardwaj, eminent scholar and recipient of President’s Award, took over as Principal of the local R.K. Arya College here on Saturday.

LECTURE: Dr Kulwant Kaur, former principal, Gurmat College, Patiala and president, Mai Bhago Brigade, delivered a lecture at the de-addiction centre run by the Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust, Dhahan Kaleran, about 20 km from here, on Saturday. She provided psycho-therapy tips to the drug-addicts.

ORGANISED: The local unit of the Arya Samaj organised a “jan kalyan samaroh” at Ved Mandir Teacher’s Colony here on Sunday. Mr D.P. Dutta, president, Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, Punjab (Swami Agnivesh faction) was the chief guest and he distributed blankets among as many as 100 poor and needy persons.

LECTURE: Dr Greg Hislop, a research scholar of the Cancer Society, Vancouver, Canada, is here on a visit to Guru Nanak Mission Hospital, Dhahan Kaleran. Dr Hislop delivered a special lecture on ‘Cancer and its prevention’ on the hospital premises on Friday, with a view to equipping the doctors and para medical staff of the hospital with the latest techniques in the treatment and prevention of cancer.

Phagwara
APPOINTED: Mr Raminder Singh Amla, president, Punjab Pradesh Youth Congress Committee, has appointed Mr Harchint Singh Manga of Phagwara as state secretary of the youth body. This was stated by Mr Kamaldip Singh, general secretary (office in charge) of the committee.

Ropar
CAMP: The local branch of Punjab and Sind Bank is organising an awareness camp for farmers at G.T. Road, Morinda, on Monday. This was stated by Balwant Singh Saroa, district coordinator of the bank, here on Saturday.

SAMAGAM: The District Administration has constituted eight committees to felicitate devotees at Chamkaur Sahib. A three-day samagam will be held to commemorate 300th year of martyrdom of Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh from December 19 to 21.

HARYANA

Jhajjar
ARRESTED: The district police has arrested Sandeep, alias Roba, wanted in several cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion.He is alleged to have killed a person in the Tihar Kalan village in Sonepat district in October, 2004.

DEAD: A woman was reportedly burnt to death by her husband and his brother for not fulfilling their dowry demand in Chadawana village of the district on Saturday night. Mr Jai Naran, father of the deceased, alleged that they were demanding money for buying a plot, but he could not fulfil their demand because of poor economic condition. The police has registered a case.

Rewari
OPERATIONS PERFORMED: As many as 15 operations relating to infertility, urinary incontinence and other gynaecological problems were conducted through endoscopy at a workshop organised at Dr Saxena Nursing Home under the auspices of the Rewari Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society. The operations were performed by Dr Prakash Trivedi and Dr Lalit Badhwar.

Sonepat
SUICIDE BID: A housewife, Ms Saraswati (45), allegedly tried to commit suicide by consuming some poisonous substance at her house in the CRA College Staff Colony here on Sunday. She was taken to the local Civil Hospital where her condition is stated to be serious.

ARRESTED: The Kharkhauda police arrested a youth, Jagbir, of Matindu village when he was moving under suspicious circumstances at the bus stop of Sisana village, about 25 km from here, on Sunday. It recovered a knife from his possession. A case has been registered.

REMEMBERED: Veteran Congress leader of Haryana Rizk Ram was remembered at a ‘shradhanjali samaroh’ organised here on Sunday. Several Congress leaders eulogised him for protecting the interests of Haryana and for his services to the development of the state.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KULU
WORK LAUDED: Mr Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje, Governor of Himachal Pradesh on Friday lauded the work done by the Chandraabha Memorial School for Blind here. He said the NGOs engaged in the welfare of the disabled should get special grants. A cultural programme was presented by children of the blind school. The Governor distributed prizes among the participants.

Nahan
FOUNDATION STONE: Mr G.R. Mussafir, Speaker, H.P. Vidhan Sabha, on Friday laid the foundation stone of a middle school building at Banona in the Pachhad area of Sirmaur district. Addressing a public meeting at Banona, Mr Mussafir said keeping in view tremendous potential in field of floriculture and horticulture in the area a two-day camp will be held on December 26 at Maryog to train farmers.

Shimla
AWARDED: The "Guides" unit of the local Government Girls Senior Secondary School (Portmore) has bagged the "Laxmi Mazumdar Award" for its outstanding performance in formulating and implementing a community development project on leprosy. The material aids and initial guidance was provided to the volunteers by the local Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital and funds were generated through donations.

Solan
SEIZED: The police seized 18 sleepers of deodar and five sleepers of pine from a truck here on Saturday. The sleepers were concealed under a tarpaulin cover. Indra Dev and Naresh Kumar, driver and cleaner, respectively, of the truck have been arrested .

RECOVERED: The Parwanoo police has recovered 240 bottles of country made liquor and 24 bottles of IMFL from a car. The driver of the car, Harmeet Singh and his accomplice Kapil Sahni were arrested . They were trying to smuggle liquor from Kalka to Himachal Pradesh.

CASES SETTLED: The Deputy Commissioner has settled as many as 15 pending and 13 new cases related to various departments on the spot at a meeting of the Non-Gazetted Employees' Federation. The remaining cases have been forwarded to the departments concerned.