R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMLOH
Elected: The following have been elected office- bearers of the Amloh Bar Association for 2005 at a meeting of lawyers chaired by Mr Amrik Singh Rurkee: president – G.D. Bector (President, Punjabi Human Rights Commission, Amloh); secretary – Mewa Singh; Vice-President – Pandit Tara Chand and Finance Secretary – Hardeep Singh Dhambi.

Amritsar
CAUGHT: The Vigilance Bureau has caught an Assistant Sub Inspector, Nirvair Singh, posted at Hargobindpur police station, while taking a bribe of Rs 4,000 from Sardul Singh, a resident of Lalla Sohian village. This was stated by Mr Dilbagh Singh Gill, SSP, Vigilance Bureau, here on Thursday. A case has been registered.

Hoshiarpur
CASE REGISTERED: On a complaint of Mr Manohar Kumar, son of Bakshi Ram of Islamabad mohalla, a case has been registered against his brother-in-law, Sucha Singh, son of Nanak Chand of Todarpur, for allegedly killing his sister, Iqbal Kaur, on September 12, 2004.

PROJECT: A wasteland development project for Mahilpur block of Hoshiarpur district has been approved by the Union Ministry of Rural Development, according to Mr D.R. Bhagat, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), here today. He said that 6,200 hectares covering 30 villages in this block would be treated, on which Rs 3.72 crore would be spent.

Jagraon
MOTOR CYCLE STOLEN: Mr Motorcycle of Karamjit Singh of Jhuggian Maha Singh Phillaur Tehsil (PB-37B-1923) was stolen from a marriage palace, 4 km from here. Mr Jaswinder Singh of Gorsian Kadar Baksh and Sukhdev Singh of Bhaini Araian allegedly stole centrifugal pump, of Bhupinder Singh of Bhamal. A case has been registered.

Lahan Seized: The Jodhan police seized 20 kg of Lahan from the possession of Darbara Singh of Dhaipai village. The Sudhar police registered a case under Section 61-1-14 of the Punjab Excise Act.

Jalandhar
SUPPORT: Swami Agnivesh, a social worker and president of the World Council of Arya Samaj, said here on Thursday that Arya Samaj would support the Congress in Haryana Assembly elections to root out alleged corrupt regime of the Indian National Lok Dal. He was speaking at a function related to Swami Shardhanand Balidan Divas at B.D. Arya  Girls College.

Phagwara
DISTRIBUTED: The local Rotary Club, south-east headed by Mr Mohinderpal Sethi has distributed woollen clothes and shoes to 110 poor students of Sri Guru Ravi Das Primary School, Santokhpura.

HARYANA

Fatehabad
PROTEST: Workers of the Bhuna Cooperative Sugar Mill organised a demonstration at Bhuna town here on Thursday. They were protesting against the closure of the mill. They raised anti-government slogans and held a rally in the local grain market. Mr Gian Chand Pruthi of the CPM and Mr Krishan Swaroop Gorakhpuria of the BJP addressed the rally. Mill workers said they would support those parties in the Haryana Assembly elections who assure them that the mills would not be closed.

Hisar
TRIBUTES PAID: A function was organised in the memory of late Prime Minister and founder of the Haryana Agricultural University, Chaudhary Charan Singh, on his 102nd birthday anniversary, here on Thursday. Mr M.K. Miglani, Vice-Chancellor of the university, faculty members, officials and students paid their tributes.

Kaithal
INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED: Mr H.S. Malik, Deputy Commissioner, has said that instructions have been issued to all head of departments to strictly comply with the model of conduct, after receiving necessary guidance from the Election Commission. It will remain in force till March 5, 2005.

Kurukshetra
ORDERS ISSUED: Mr S.C. Goel, District Magistrate, has promulgated Section 144 in the district keeping in view of Haryana Assembly elections to be held on February 3, 2005. The order will remain in force till March 5. Any person, if found guilty, will be liable for punishment under Section 188 of the IPC.

Panipat
DETECTED: The Haryana Vidut Prasaran Nigam has detected 130 cases of power theft in a month in the city. Sixty-five FIRs have been lodged against the culprits and others fined of Rs 15.68 lakh.

Sonepat
DEMONSTRATION: Employees of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited held a demonstration in front of the office of the District General Manager (DGM), Telecom, and raised slogans against the officials here on Friday. They were protesting against the poor distribution of SIM cards. They said their strike would continue till the demands were not met by the DGM.

SNATCHED: Two armed youths allegedly took away a motor cycle from Mr Mohan Singh, a constable in the Delhi police, near the Haryana—Delhi border at Kundli village, about 25 km from here, on Thursday night. He was returning home after his duty.

INJURED: Five persons, including three women, were injured in an accident on National Highway No.1 here on Thursday night. The injured included Rashmi Devi, Kavita and Ram Kumar, all residents of Bhagpat, Uttar Pradesh, Sunita Devi and car driver Ramesh of Bareli. They were taken to hospital for treatment. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
LAUNCHED: The district administration has launched a campaign against illegal mining on the banks of the Sutlej and khuds, Mr Subhasheesh Panda, Deputy Commissioner, said here on Wednesday. During a raid, Mr Baldev Thakur, SDM and an Assistant Conservator of Forests, caught five tractor owners who were extracting sand and gravel from Ali Khud and fined them.

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICIALS: Mr Subasheesh Panda, Deputy Commissioner, visited at Kol Dam oustees colony at Jamthal village here on Thursday. He heard the problems of oustees and instructed officials of the National Thermal Power Corporation to solve these.

Solan
SUICIDE: Munish Kumar (16) of Shidwa district, Nepal, committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in Rabon forest area here on Wednesday. He was missing since November 27. An altercation at home is said to be the cause of incident.