The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, December 12, 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

AHMEDGARH
SUPPORT: A former Nexalite leader, Mr Bachint Singh Pakho, has declared his support to the Pasla faction of the CPM in the state. In a press note, after holding an open discussion with the former MLA, Mr Tarsem Jodha, he stated that he had joined the Communist movement after being impressed by Mr Hardit Singh Bhattal, Mr Harnam Singh Chamak, Mr Partap Singh Dhanaulan and Mr Pritam Singh Panchhi. As Mr Mangat Ram Pasla and Mr Jodhan had been following their ideologies, he had decided to support the faction, he added.

ARRESTED: The local police has arrested Rahul Kumar, alias Rajjie of Jagera road with stolen goods, including a bicycle. He was nabbed by ASI Nasib Chand on a tip off.

AMRITSAR
WORKSHOP: A Kodak workshop on radiology and imaging was held here on Monday. The workshop was organised by the Kodak Radiology Education Services, a joint body of the Health Imaging Division of Kodak India Limited and panel of expert radiologists from the country.

BATHINDA
SEMINAR: The NSS unit of Government Senior Secondary School, Nathana, held a seminar to create awareness on environment protection among the students on Tuesday on the school premises. Mr Parampal Singh Bhuttar, Subdivisional officer of the Punjab State Electricity Board was the chief guest while Mr Gurdev Singh Gill, Principal, presided over the function.

NOMINATED: Mr Kewal Kansal, a local resident, has been nominated member of the Divisional Sales Tax Advisory Committee for a term of three years.

LUDHIANA
FREE MEDICAL CAMP: A free camp on various specialities, organised by Shree Raghunath Hospital, was held here on Monday. Dr Ritu Gupta, medical superintendent in a press statement on Tuesday said the camp was inaugurated by Dr Rajinder Kaur, Civil Surgeon. Dr Rajinder Kaur, the chief guest announced an aid for family planning programme. Mr Arun Goel, president, and Mr Prem Gupta, secretary of the hospital, honoured the chief guest by presenting a memento. Free medicines were distributed among patients. The X-rays, ECG, and lab investigations were done free of cost. Over 800 patients were examined in the camp.

CAMP: The Welfare Association Blocks A, AX and AZ would organise a free medical camp at Lower Ground Floor Gurdwara Model Town Extention on Sunday. Mr M.S.Aneja, president, in a statement on Tuesday said the camp would be inaugurated by Mr S.K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner. Eminent medical specialists would examine the patients. Medicines would be given free of cost and lab tests like blood sugar, ECG would be done on the spot. Mr Inderjit Singh Arora and Mr Avtar Singh Makkar would be the guests of honour and Mr Baljit Singh and Mr Satnam Singh Pruthi would be the special guests.

TEACHERS’ AGITATION: After holding a massive rally at Chandigarh on Monday, on a call given by the joint action committee of Management Federation, Principals’ Federation, PCCTU and Non-Teaching Employees Union, the total ‘cease work’ in the privately-managed colleges has been extended up to Tuesday. Prof Parminder Singh, convenor, District Action Committee, in a statement on Tuesday said the employees had been agitating for the acceptance and implementation of their demand of Pension-cum-Gratuity Scheme. The employees would hold dharnas and rallies in their respective colleges on Wednesday. A district-level rally would be held in the constituency of Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, Punjab.

FLOWER SHOW: The Mini Rose Garden in Kidwai Nagar would be the venue for a flower show and baby show on Saturday and Sunday. According to Mr J.S. Bilga, Executive Engineer (Horticuture) of the Municipal Corporation, the Minister for Local Bodies, Mr Balramji Das Tandon would inaugurate the two-day fair, which would feature competitions on floriculture, pot plants, paintings, cut flowers and arrangements, garlands, bouquets and baby show. The City Mayor, Mr Apinder Singh Grewal, would give away prizes to the winners on Sunday while the MC Commissioner, Mr R.L. Kalsia, would preside over the concluding function.

MANSA
ATTACHMENT: Ms Poonam Ratti, Civil Judge, Junior Division, Bathinda, has issued the warrants of sale of the official vehicle of the District Education Officer (Secondary), Mansa. The execution application was filed by Mr K.K. Jindal, a retired senior assistant in the Education Department. The court had earlier issued warrants of attachment of the vehicle, but the department failed to make the payment to the applicant by December 8.

CM’S GRANT: The Punjab Chief Minister has given a grant of Rs 35 lakh to make up for losses suffered by people of waterlogged areas in the district. This was stated by Ms Raji P. Srivastva, Deputy Commissioner, here on Tuesday. She said the grant would be used for the reconstruction of water courses in waterlogged areas, including Kusla, Jagatgarhbander, Jatana Kalan, Ghudduwala, Jatana Khurd, Kotra, Churia, Dasaundhian, Fatehgarh, Sahnianwali, Jhunir and Danewala villages of the district.

ELECTRICITY LOSS: “The electricity boards in the country are suffering a loss of Rs 26,000 crore annually in the absence of proper production and distribution of electricity”, said Mr Kirpal Singh, Senior Manager, Dadri unit of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), while addressing a seminar held here on Tuesday. He stressed the need for setting up of the state electricity regulatory authorities in all states. He said it had been decided to provide electricity to all by 2012.

POPPY HUSK SEIZED: A police party led by Mr Hardevinder Singh, SHO, Sadar police station here, apprehended a truck loaded with 20 bags of poppy husk in Dalel Singhwala village of the district. This was stated by Mr Dilbagh Singh Gill, SSP, in a press note issued here on Tuesday. Karnail Singh of Muradpur village in Patiala district was arrested on the spot while two of his accomplices, Sarabjit Singh and Mohinder Singh, fled in the cover of darkness.

EMBANKMENTS: “To bring 7,068 acres of land under irrigation, embankments of various canals are being strengthened in the district” stated the Deputy Commissioner while talking to mediapersons here on Tuesday. She said a sum of Rs 346.6 lakh was being spent on Dhudal branch, Rs 375.2 lakh on Ghuman distributary, Rs 989.3 lakh on Bhikhi distributary and Rs 381.4 lakh on Kotla branch of the district.

ARTICLES STOLEN: Thieves broke into the shop of Mr Gurcharan Singh, electronic dealer at bus stand, Fatta Maloka village, and decamped with electrical articles worth Rs 20,000.

PATIALA
COURSE: A UGC-sponsored three-week refresher course in criminology and forensic science was inaugurated at Punjabi University, Patiala, on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, stressed the need to start courses like forensic science in colleges and universities so as to make the public aware about human rights. Thirty participants from Manipur, Karnataka, Gujarat,Orissa and neighbouring states have arrived to deliver lectures on various aspects of criminology, cyber law, intellectual property, DNA prints and computer crimes.

HARYANA

AMBALA
REVENUE: The Uttar Haryana Bujli Vitran Nigam has realised 99.17 per cent revenue during the first seven months of the current financial year in Ambala operation, circle, comprising. Ambala and Panchkula district. The nigam’s revenue assessment was Rs 10044.85 lakh and it recovered Rs 9961.48 lakh from private consumers. The Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said there was a remarkable reduction in the rate of damage of transformers. As many as 633 transformers were reported to be damaged during the first seven months. He said nigam had installed 261 new distribution transformers in Ambala Cantt, Ambala City and Panchkula.

RESIDENTS’ PLEA: The Urban Estate Welfare Association, Sector 8, here has expressed its concern over the pollution problems facing by residents of the sector, especially during the paddy arrival season. The sector is located adjoining to new grain market. In a memorandum sent to Chief Minister, the association said during the crops arrival period commission agents use electric motor fan to separate the dust from the crops that pollute the sector. Moreover the market committee has not provided toilets for the labourers who used vacant plots as toilets.

HISAR
SENTENCED: A local court sentenced a student to two years’ imprisonment here on Monday. According to the prosecution, Surender Kumar of Niyana village was caught four years ago while impersonating another students, Kuldeep Singh, of the same village. The Civil Lines police had registered a case against him.

LIQUOR: The police on Monday arrested a woman, Phoolwati, from Jamawari village and seized 100 pouches of illicit liquor from her. A case has been registered against her at the Narnaund police station.

ACCIDENT: Two persons were injured seriously in a road accident at Balak Chopta near Barwala on Monday. According to the police, Satbir Singh and Pawan Kumar were going to Barwala when their motor cycle hit a truck. They were admitted to the Barwala Civil Hospital in a critical condition.

DEATH: An Army man died of a heart attack at the cantonment here on Monday. The deceased, Havaldar Ashok Kumar, was a resident of Himachal Pradesh and was posted here since the past two years. He was 42.

NOMINATION: Mr Surender Lamba was nominated president of the District Amateur Boxing Association here on Monday. The other office-bearers are: vice-presidents — Mr Gurbax Singh and Mr Rajbir; secretary — Mr Deewan Singh; and treasurer — Mr Hoshiar Singh.

PANIPAT
ANNUAL FUNCTION: A cultural programme and a ballet, “Dharti ki Pukar”, depicting various aspects of life, by schoolchildren were the highlights of the annual day function of Delhi Public School at Panipat Refinery here on Monday. Mr Narendra Kumar, chairman of the DPS Society, Mr Ashok Chandra, chairman of the DPS, Panipat Refinery, and Mr Jaspal Singh, Executive Director, Panipat Refinery, lauded the performance of students in various fields.