AMRITSAR
ENCROACHMENT: The Majitha House Park Welfare Society has complained in a press note that some persons were trying to encroach upon the municipal corporation’s park with the help of some officers of the Town Planning Department. The society has urged the authority concerned to take notice of the issue.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Brotherhood Society: president — Mr I.V. Thaman; secretary — Mr Jatinder Kumar; treasurer — Mr Pradeep Malhotra.

MEETING: A general body meeting of office-bearers and members of the FCI Quality Control Staff Association would be held on Wednesday, at 11.00 a.m. in Punjab Bhavan, Bharat Nagar Chowk. The election of new office-bearers would also be held, according to a press note.

WRITERS’ MEET: The Young Writers’ Association of Punjab Agricultural University would hold its meeting on Thursday in which budding writers would interact with eminent Punjabi novelist, Mr Jaswant Singh Kanwal. Stating this in a press note, Mr Jaswinder Singh Toor, Director Students’ Welfare, said the novelist would discuss his literary experiences and address them on ‘How I became a writer’. Besides, a poetic symposium would also be held in which Surjit Patar, Gurbhajan Gill, Jaswant Zafar, Swaranjit Savi, Kulwant Jagraon, Sukhmander Rampura, Bhupinder Harsh, Sukhwinder Amrit and Tarsem would participate. 

DECISION HAILED: The Government Pensioners’ Association has hailed the Punjab Governments’ decision to give old age allowance to pensioners at the age of 65 and 75 years instead of 70 and 80 years, respectively. Mr Yash Paul Ghai, additional general secretary of the association, in a press note stated that the decision would come into effect from January 1, 2001, benefitting nearly one lakh pensioners. He said Punjab had become the first state in the country to extend the benefit to its pensioners. Meanwhile, in another statement the pensioners have supported the college teachers on their demand of getting the pension-cum-gratuity scheme implemented. The association members said over two years had passed but the demand of teachers remained unimplemented, which had left them high and dry and had forced them to launch an agitation. 

SCIENTIST AWARDED: Dr G.S. Sekhon, former Professor and Head of Department of Soils at Punjab Agricultural University, has received the International Potash Institute Award from a Switzerland-based institute for his life-time contribution to the potassium research in India. The award was presented to him by Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Minister for Fertilisers and Chemicals, during an international symposium on ‘Importance of potassium in nutrient management for sustainable crop production in India’ organised jointly by the International Potash Institute and Potash Research Institute of India. 

MANSA
SUMMONED: Mr Mohinder Singh, Chief Judicial Magistrate, has summoned Mr Jai Chand , Naib Tehsildar, Mansa, for allegedly passing derogatory remarks against Mr Harcharan Singh, a senior member of the District Bar Association. He has been ordered to appear in his court on January 23, 2002.

INAUGURATED: Ms Raminder Kaur, the oldest customer of the State Bank of Patiala, inaugurated a fully computerised industrial branch of the bank here on Monday. Mr Surinder Singla, Assistant General Manager of the bank, also inaugurated two fully computerised extension counters of the bank at the district court complex and the local Government Nehru Memorial Postgraduate College.

MOGA
WHEAT CROP: Farmers in the district have complained that their wheat crop did not survive as the seeds sown by them were of bad quality. They told mediapersons here on Monday that due to this they had to suffer heavy losses and had to sow the seeds again. The farmers have demanded an inquiry into the matter, besides compensation for the losses suffered by them.

NAWANSHAHR
DHARNA: The district unit of the Berojgar Adhiyapak Front, Punjab, held a dharna in front of the office of the District Education Officer here on Monday in protest against the delay in the display of the merit list of the selected ETT teachers and issuance of appointment letters to the B.Ed teachers against ETT posts.

PATIALA
DISTRIBUTED: A function to distribute winter uniforms among needy students and pension among the aged was organised by the Janhit Samiti Punjab at SDSE Senior Secondary School here on Sunday. Winter uniforms were given to 290 students and pension to around 50 old persons.

ELECTED: The Managing Director of Premier Investigations and Premier Security Services Private Limited, Mr Pawanjit Ahluwalia, has been elected as the first vice-president of the Council of International Investigators at its annual general meeting held in Toronto, a statement issued here said. Mr Ahluwalia is responsible for conducting the mid-year meeting of the CII’s Council Board, scheduled to be held in Ching Mai, Thailand, in February 2002, as well as the annual general meeting in USA in August 2002, the statement added.

BEOPAR MANDAL: The Adviser of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, has appreciated the control and guidance given by the Director Health Services, UT, to the city traders and having informed the general public through the media about what they should be buying and what they should be objecting to. In a press note issued by the Beopar Mandal, the adviser has also stated that this policy of prevention is better than cure of the DHS, UT will find full support from the members of the Beopar Mandal.

ELECTED: Dr Indar Jit Diwan, Professor Emeritus, PGI, has been elected as the fellow of the prestigious Indian National Science Academy.

OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Darshan Kumar has been elected election commissioner to conduct election of the Punjab Mandi Board Employees Union next year. The following have been elected officer-bearers of the Brar group: president — Mr Ashwani Moudgil; vice presidents — Mr Inderjit Singh and Mr Gurmez Singh Kahol; general secretary — Mr Albel Singh Grewal, Secretary — Mr Vinod Kapoor; joint secretaries — Mr Sewa Singh and Mr Ram Shankar Mishra; and Cashier — Mr Sunil Kumar.

PANCHKULA
DISCOURSE: Meditation is the greatest source of a stress and tension free life. This was the discourse delivered by Sri Swami Vishvas ji to a large congregation at Vishvas meditation and satsang being held at the local parade ground. The Vishvas Foundation is a non-profit organisation which is dedicated to the enlightenment of humanity through self-realisation. In Monday is discourse, Swamiji enumerated benefits of meditation, saying that it provides clarity of mind and sharp intellect. He said stress was the greatest cause of illness. Thus meditation was the most powerful medicine. He preached the concept of looking within and becoming an observer, a witness to inner phenomenon.

SAS NAGAR
PROTEST: Shopkeepers in the rehri market of Phase 3 B 1 closed their outlets on Monday for the third consecutive day in protest against the survey being done by the engineering wing of PUDA. The pardhans in the rehri market said PUDA should consider each shop as separate and allot them alternative booths. Members of the Phase 3 B 1 rehri market prevented a team of the engineering wing of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) on Sunday from undertaking a survey of the number of kiosks there. The survey was being done prior to allotment of pucca booths under a rehabilitation scheme for the rehri market. At least 380 booths are to constructed at the same site. The work on around 139 booths has already begun.

AMBALA
DHARNA: The Uttariya Railway Mazdoor Union held a dharna at the Division Railway Manager (DRM) complex, Ambala Cantt, on Monday to press for its demands. Members of the union criticised the “anti-staff” policies of the government and the Railway Board. The union alleged that the Railways Ministry had been pursuing the policy of indiscriminate surrender of posts without proper study of workload. It also opposed privatisation of railways as recommended by an expert group and sought an end to wasteful expenditure in the division.

SCHOOL FUNCTION: The annual cultural and prize distribution function of SD High School Chakwal was held here on Monday. Students of SD Model School junior and Bharatiya Public School junior also participated in the function. Prof Tara Chand, president of SD Sabha, was the chief guest.

HISAR
DRIVER SHOT: A driver was shot dead at a local taxi stand near the Chhotu Ram Chowk here on Monday. According to the police, the deceased, Jai Pal Singh, a resident of nearby Koth village, was sitting at the stand when two motor cycle-borne youths fired at him from point-blank range.

SHIMLA
RESEARCH SCHOLARS: The Himachal Pradesh University Research Scholars’ Association has expressed concern over the inordinate delay by the university in taking a decision on its demand for equating the M.Phil degree with the pre-Ph.D programme.

CHARGE GIVEN: Kanwar Shamsher Singh, Chairman, HPSEB, was given the charge of Secretary (Power) on Monday. The charge was earlier held by the Chief Secretary, Mr Harsh Gupta.

HELPLINE: The state Women Rights Commission would shortly launch a special helpline telephone service here here to help the victims lodge their complaints of harassment on telephone to the authorities, said the Chairperson of the Women Rights Commission, Ms Malvika Pathania.