The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, December 10, 2001, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
INAUGURATED: The Sardar Patel Institute of Nursing and Hospital was inaugurated here on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion , Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, Minister for Health, Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Minister for Research and Medical Education, and Mr Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Minister for Forests, urged those associated with the medical profession to change priorities and put service before self.

AMLOH
SANGAT DARSHAN: A sangat darshan programme would be organised in grain market here on Monday at 7.30 a.m. according to Ms Raghvir Kaur Khera, SDM, here on Sunday. Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, would be the chief guest.

AMRITSAR
REIKI CAMP: A three-day Reiki camp will be organised by the Reiki centre at Lala Prabhdayal Dharamshala from December 10 to 12. The camp will be conducted by Reiki experts Harish Chhabra and Asha Chhabra.

RELEASED: Mr Jaspal Verma, Magistrate, on Saturday released Mr Pradeep Singh Walia, a former SAD district president, on bail here on a surety of Rs 10,000. Mr Walia alleged that his political rivals were responsible for his arrest. He was arrested on Friday following allegations of land-grabbing against him.

TRANSFER ORDERS: Despite orders to transfer and chargesheet an ESI pharmacist, Gurdial Singh, passed by the government nearly three months ago, the authorities concerned are yet to take action. The orders were passed after The Tribune carried a news item following complaints of corruption and embezzlement against the pharmacist.

BATHINDA
MEDITATION CAMP: A three-day meditation camp was held here by the Osho Meditation Centre, Bathinda. As many as 125 persons attended the camp. Ma Dharjyoti, a close associate of Osho conducted lectures, meditation and self-suggestion classes. Of 112 types of meditations described by Osho, 15 were taught at the camp.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Talwandi Sabo unit of the Gazetted and Non-Gazetted SC, BC Employees Welfare Federation, Punjab; president — Mr Jagga Singh; general secretary — Mr Puran Singh; president (Talwandi block) — Mr Gurmail Singh and general secretary — Mr Malkit Singh Khalsa.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Bathinda unit of the Gazetted and Non-Gazetted SC, BC Employees Welfare Federation: president — Mr Mithoo Singh; general secretary — Mr Karam Singh; president (Bathinda block) — Mr Baldev Singh and general secretary — Mr Seoo Ram.

KHAMANO
CHEQUES DISBURSED: Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, MP, distributed cheques worth Rs 11 lakh among village panchayats here on Saturday for development work. The villages that were presented cheques included Dhianu Majra (Rs 25,000), Kalewal (Rs 25,000), Bathan Khurd (Rs 25,000), Amargarh (Rs 25,000), Bhutta (Rs 25,000), Chari (Rs 25,000), Nanglan (Rs 25,000), Thikriwala (Rs 25,000), Khamano (Rs 1.20 lakh), Sanghol (Rs 1 lakh), Bilaspur (Rs 35,000), Barwali Khurd (Rs 25,000), Manela (Rs 1 lakh), Dhanuala (Rs 25,000), Maneli (Rs 25,000), Raton (Rs 25,000), Badesh-Khurd (Rs 25,000), Sandhari Majra (Rs 25,000), Sidhupur Kalan (Rs 25,000), Sidhupur Khurd (Rs 25,000), Maheshpura (Rs 25,000 and Bhamian (Rs 25,000). The gathering was addressed among others by the MLA, Mr Amrik Singh Dhillon, member block samiti, Mr Harbans Singh Pandher, Dr Amarjeet, Mr Surinder Sharma and Mr Ali Hussain. OC

LUDHIANA
ANIMAL SHOW: An animal show was organised by the students of Disneyland Nursery School at its branch at Alpine International Senior Secondary Barewal Road on Sunday morning. Mr Ashish Gupta, Deputy Director of Income Tax and his wife were the chief guests on the occasion. The aim of the show was to create awareness and import knowledge to the children about the life of animals.

BANK STRIKE: The All India Bank Employees Association would observe a one-day nationwide strike on January 4 in all banks in protest against the decision by Stanchart Bank management to float ‘Early Separation Scheme (ERS/VRS)’ second in three months time. This was reportedly the fourth VRS offered by the bank in the past five years. Mr Naresh Gaur, secretary, Punjab Bank Employees Federation, in a press note issued here on Sunday said. The management of bank was adopting methods to harass the workers. He said entire office work in all bank branches in Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi was being done on contract basis without any service conditions. He asked the members to unite against the ill-designs of the management.

MEETING: A meeting of the Punjab Lambardar Union was held at the local Civil Rest House here on Saturday under the presidentship of Mr P.S. Batra, state general secretary of the union. More than 50 lambardars of Samrala tehsil attended the meeting. They passed a unanimous resolution honouring Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, former Union Minister, who supports the state lambardars on the issue of their genuine demands which had been accepted long ago but had not been implemented so far.

MALERKOTLA
DENTAL CAMP: The Health Department, in collaboration with the Dental Healthcare Society, organised dental camps in the district from November 17 to December 1. According to Dr Mohammad Shabbir, CMO (Dental), patients were examined free of cost. Poor and aged patients were provided dentures.

MANSA
COMPUTER CENTRE: Deputy Commissioner Raji P.Srivastva said here on Sunday that a computer centre would be set up at Jhunir village for which an installment of Rs 18.37 lakh had already been received. She said the construction of the building had started and the centre would start functioning from the financial year.

NABHA
SWEATERS DISTRIBUTED: The Inner Wheel Club and the new grain market branch of the State Bank of Patiala distributed school uniforms and sweaters among needy students on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion.

CPM RALLIES: Mr Sukhminder Singh, a member of the district committee of the CPM, has said the party will organise rallies at Garhshankar from December 14 to 16. He said the rallies would be addressed by Mr Harkishen Singh Surjeet, member, CPM Politbureau. Mr Balwant Singh, state secretary of the CPM, besides others.

PATIALA
CONFERENCE: A three-day national conference on mathematical and statistical techniques, sponsored by the UGC and the State Bank of Patiala, was organised by the School of Basic and Applied Science, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology. It concluded on Saturday. Forty participants participated in it to present their research papers.

THREAT: The joint action committee of the PSEB held a meeting on Saturday under the presidentship of Mr Sohan Lal Sharma. A resolution was passed to give a 10-day notice to the state government for implementation of their demands, including concession in electricity bills to the retired employees of the board. Failing this, the members threatened to boycott the forthcoming elections.

PHAGWARA
PENSION PAPERS: Punjab Tourism Minister Swarna Ram distributed 400 sanction papers of pension among aged, disabled and widows on Saturday.

BRIDGE: Former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member Sukhbir Singh Badal will lay the foundation stone of the Rs 16-crore railway bridge at the local Satnampura railway crossing on December 13, according to Punjab Tourism Minister Swarna Ram.

CHANDIGARH

LAUDED: Prof V.R.N.Pilai, Director, National Assessment and Accreditation Council, has described the local Dev Samaj College of Education as the best teacher training college in the country. He lauded the pro-active approach of the college in various social service activities and programmes. Dr Satinder Dhawan, Principal of the college, enumerated various innovations in co-curricular activities undertaken by the college along with achieving excellence in academics.

FUNCTIONS: The week-long annual day functions ended at Arya Samaj, Sector 16, here on Sunday. Morning yagnas and evening religious discourses were held each day in the last one week. However, competitions for children studying in DAV schools in the city were also organised. DAV Model School, Sector 15, bagged the overall trophy.

LECTURES: The Chandigarh-Punjab chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects organised two technical lectures on the urban planning and building structure at the College of Architecture, here on Sunday. The first lecture was delivered by Col P.P.Singh. He emphasised the need of acquisition of land data and its proper presentation. Dr M.S. Ghuman emphasised the need of geotechnical investigations. Among others who spoke on the occasion were Mr S.N. Kohli.

CELEBRATED: The 24th anniversary of the Army Service Corps was celebrated with gaiety and fanfare at the Western Command headquarters here on Saturday. The function begin with homage paying ceremony at the Command War Memorial Veer Smriti. The Deputy Director, Supply and Transport, Western Command. Brig Surjit Singh, laid a wreath on behalf of all ranks of the ASC. Later, a memorial service, a ‘barakhana’ for all ranks and an anniversary lunch for officers was held.

PANCHKULA
INAUGURATED: Mr Sampat Singh, Finance Minister, inaugurated a branch of Laghu Udyog Bharti here on Sunday. He said Haryana provided for a conducive atmosphere to set up industry and industrialists from Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh were setting up units here. He said that food processing units in the state were now getting cooperation from Multinationals and the economy of the state was thus getting strengthened. Mr S.C. Chaudhary, Commissioner and Secretary, Industries, was the guest of honour, while Mr C.N. Dhar, Executive Director, HMT Limited, presided over the function.

DISCOURSE: Sri Swami Vishvasji delivered a discourse at the Vishvas Meditation and Satsang being held at the local parade ground. He said that stress is the greatest of illness and that mind is both the cause and is affected by stress. Swamiji asked his disciples to meditate daily in order to do away with the stress. He said since the mind was the commander of the body, one should have a healthy mind for a healthy body.

RALLY: The Sarv Karamchari Sangh, Haryana, on Sunday organised a rally in protest against the alleged anti-labour policies of the state and Central government. Speaking on the occasion, the state president, Mr Poonam Chand, alleged that taking advantage of the policies of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation, the industrialist was making more money, but their lot remained the same. They demanded that the Fifth Wage Board be implemented in all boards and corporations; bonus for the past three years be disbursed; the aanganwari workers be given minimum wages and stop the privatisation in the state.

SAS NAGAR
MARTYRDOM DAY: The martyrdom day of the first Iman Hazrat Ali Alaihissalam on the 21st Ramzan was celebrated by the Hussainy Association here on Saturday. A procession was also held. A ‘majlis’ was held at the house of Mr Ali Imam, where Maulana Bhayyu Hassan from Lukhnow spoke on various aspects of Hazrat Imam’s life.