R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
Invited: Dr R.S. Bajwa, Senior Professor of Punjabi Department of Guru Nanak Dev University, has been invited as a visiting Professor to the Department of Oriya, Visva-Bharti, Shantiniketan, West Bangal. A spokesman of the university said on Thursday that during this period Dr Bajwa would deliver lectures on literary and cultural theories. He would also participate in the academic activities of the university, particularly of Vidya-Bhavan (Arts faculty).

BATHINDA
Body found: A body of an unidentified youth was found from the Bathinda-Dabwali rail line near Gurusar village on Thursday. Volunteers of the Sahara Jan Sewa shifted the dead body to local Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The youth was identified as Iqbal Singh, a resident of Sher Garh village of this district. The body was handed over to the kin of the deceased.

DERA BASSI
Protest: Women employees of a pharmaceutical company, who were retrenched by the management recently, on Friday marched in a procession and held a demonstration outside the SDM Office here. Led by Mr Hukam Singh, a leader of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the protesters threatened an indefinite agitation if the sacked employees were not re-employed.

GIDDERBAHA
Founder’s day celebrated: A function was organised at the local Malwa School to celebrate its founder’s day on Thursday. Group Captain R.K. Dhir, Station Commander, Air force Station, Bhisiana, was chief guest of the occasion. Mr Venogopal, principal of the school, congratulated former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, founder of the school, on his birthday. He advised the students to work hard to achieve success in the life.

Jalandhar
Placements: Over 250 management students from 14 colleges affiliated with the Punjab Technical University, Guru Nanak Dev University and Punjabi University participated in a joint campus placement programme organised by the Lovely Institutes which concluded here on Thursday. After group discussion session and personal interview, India Bulls short-listed 58 students, six of whom were from the Lovely Institute of Management. In another such placement programme conducted recently, ICICI Prudential short-listed 44 candidates, including 14 from Lovely. 

Redressal Panel: A meeting of the Grievances Redressal Committee members was held on Friday under the chairmanship of Parliamentary Secretary (Pension and Grievances), Dr Harbans Lal. The meeting apprised the members on how to deal with complaints from the public to various departments. 

NAWANSHAHR
Science congress: Students of the local Government Senior Secondary School have excelled at the 13th State-Level Children Science Congress—2005 organised jointly by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology and the Department of Science, in Chandigarh recently. Their project was selected for the participation at the national-level Children Science Congress. Prabhpreet Kaur got prize in post-making competition. This was stated by Iqbal Singh, Principal of the school, here on Thursday.

Plan to release grants: While addressing a meeting of NRIs, Mr Krishan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, said here on Thursday that state government had prepared a plan to release matching grants for the development of those villages where NRIs would made donation for carrying out development projects. The HUDCO would release a sum of Rs 35 lakh matching grant where NRIs would also spend a sum of Rs 35 lakh for development projects in their respective villages.

Phagwara
One killed: An unidentified vehicle knocked down a cyclist near killing him on the spot on Thursday night. The incident occurred near the Elite Theatre on the G.T. Road here. The deceased has been identified as Amarjit Singh of Khothra village near here, said the police. The body has been sent to the local Civil Hospital for a postmortem. 

Samata Manch: Members of the Samata Manch and some other groups would hold a rally against the government’s reservation policy in front of the Parliament at New Delhi on February 26, Mr Mange Ram Sharma, Chairman, World Brahmin Organisation, said in a press release issued here on Friday.

One dead: Mohinder Pal (24), who had tried to commit suicide by consumed some poisonous substance, died at a hospital in Ludhiana on Friday. He was a resident of Khalwaragate here. 

HARYANA

HISAR
School for scientists: A three-week winter school, "Application of Genomic, Molecular Marker and Transformation Tools for Crop Improvement", began on the campus of Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) here on Wednesday. Former HAU Vice-Chancellor J.B.Chowdhury inaugurated the training programme, organised by Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology in collaboration with the Directorate of Human Resource Management of the university. Thirty scientists from 16 states are attending the school. The director of the school, Dr V.K. Chowdhury, and HAU Director of Research, Dr R.K.Malik, also addressed the participants. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Chamba
JBT candidates on fast: The health of JBT candidates, Shashi, Jalam, Manjeet and Ankush, who have been on fast in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba since December 5 is constantly deteriorating though a physician had been deputed to look after their health round the clock. The fast entered the fifth day on Friday.

House destroyed: A two-storeyed house was destroyed at Chhudra village in Chamba district, about 35 km from here, when fire broke out during the day time on Friday, according to an official report received here. An official spokesman said revenue officials had been directed to rush to the incident site to douse the flames so that it would not engulf the entire village and provide immediate relief to the fire victims on the spot.