R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
SURVEY REPORT: The Bharatiya Kisan Union has rejected a report of the Revenue Department which suggested that only 35 per cent cotton crop had been damaged in the subdivision due to the American bollworm. Criticising officials of the department for allegedly preparing the report without visiting the affected areas, Mr Ajmeer Singh Lakhowal and Mr Manjit Singh Kadian, president and secretary of the union, respectively, said the state government had forced the officials to prepare such a report so that farmers were not paid compensation for the loss.

COMPENSATION: Several residents of Ramsara village in a letter faxed to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, have warned that they would be forced to take back the possession of their agricultural land if compensation for the land acquired for the construction of Abulkhurana drain was not paid by December 31.

SADBHAVNA AWARD: Mr Verghese Koikara, Manager, Holy Cross Convent School, Danewala Satkosi in the subdivision has been honoured with Indira Gandhi Sadbhavna Award by the Global Economic Council. The award was presented to him recently by a former Governor Bhisham Narain Singh, according to a press note issued here on Friday.

BATHINDA
ATTACK CONDEMNED: Members of the District Bar Association have condemned the attack on Parliament. In a resolution passed at a meeting of the association on Friday, the lawyers said the attack was equivalent to war against India. If Parliament House was not safe, then the security arrangements at other places could be anybody’s guess, they added. They said high officials responsible for providing security to the residents of country should take moral responsibility of the attack and resign.

WORKSHOP FOR LENSMEN: A technical workshop for photographers of the city was held here on Friday by Kodak India during which technical officers of the company educated the photographers about new technologies.

COOP BANK STAFF: Members of the Punjab State Cooperative Bank Employees Federation will hold a rally on December 21 at Chandigarh to press the authorities to withdraw the decision regarding the recovery of surplus salary taken by employees in the past 29 years. The employees had worn black badges during duty hours on December 12 to 14 to show resentment against the decision of the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Punjab, to this effect.

LUDHIANA
VIJAY DIVAS: The All-India Ex-servicemen Action Committee, headed by Major H.S. Nilon (retd), would celebrate Vijay Divas on December 16 at Bharat Nagar Chowk at which tributes would be paid to the nation’s martyrs. The decision to hold the function was taken at a meeting here on Thursday which was attended besides Major Nilon, by Mr H.K. Sood, Mr B.R. Kaushal Mr S.N. Vinayak and Mr Satish Sood. It was decided at the meeting that the government would be urged to implement one-rank, one-pension rule. The sole aim of the action committee was to ensure that those pensioners who have served the nation for 20 to 30 years and have all the experience in their respective fields play an active role in eradicating the unpatriotic, unscrupulous and corrupt leaders of the day who have been dividing society on the basis of religion, caste and regional loyalties, added Major Nilon.

SWAMI REMEMBERED: The martyrdom of Swami Shadhanand was recalled at a function held at the M.D. Public High School, Haibowal Kalan, jointly organised by the Private School Welfare Association and the Arya Samaj, Dal bazar, here on Thursday. The function started with a havan. Addressing the congregation, Mr Roshan Lal Arya, General Secretary, Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, said that the credit of bringing Hindi to Punjab went to Swami Shadhanand who preached the national language all over the country. He revealed that the Arya Samaj and the Private Schools Welfare Association had chalked out an extensive awareness campaign under which functions would be held in various schools of the city till December 24 to make the young generation aware of the martyrdom of Swami Shadhanand and other aspects of the Indian culture and traditions. The other speakers, including Mr Surinder Kumar Shastri, also paid glowing tributes to Swami Shadhanand.

RAILWAY PENSIONERS: The Retired Railway Pensioners Association, Ferozepore Division, will celebrate Pensioners’ Day on December 17 in collaboration with the Atam Raksha Sangh and other pensioners’ associations, according to a press release by the association here on Friday. The function would be held at the local railway station. Besides Mr B.C. Sharma, general secretary, URMU, Northern Railways, who would be the chief guest, Mr Gopi Ram, general secretary, AIRREF, North Zone, and Mr M.M. Lal Sobti, Chairman, RPA, Ludhiana, are also likely to attend the function, added the release.

PENSIONERS’ DAY: The Punjab State Pensioners Confederation, which has its headquarters in the city, would hold a function to observe Pensioners’ Day on December 17 at Punjabi Bhavan, according to Mr B.R. Kaushal, the confederation president. He said here in a press release that Mr S.K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, would be the chief guest. A discussion on “issues before the pensioners and their role in the present scenario” would also be held. A similar function to celebrate the day would also be held at other district headquarters in the state, added Mr Kaushal. 

MALERKOTLA
ONE KILLED: Ram Krishan (35), a resident of Madewal village, was killed in a road accident near here on Thursday. He was on his way to his village when a Tata 407 hit his scooter. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital where he was declared dead. The police has registered a case.

KISAN CREDIT CARDS: The local branch of Canara Bank, organised a Kisan credit cards camp at Budan village, 5 km from here, on Thursday. The divisional manager, Mr D.K. Sandhir who was the chief guest distributed Kisan credit cards worth Rs 85 lakh among 115 farmers.

MOGA
NOMINATED: Master Jagir Singh has been nominated as the president of the PPCC (farmers’ wing) while Mr Satnam Singh Sandeshi, general secretary, PPCC (farmers’ wing), has been nominated as the vice-president.

PATHANKOT
SENTENCED: Judicial Magistrate, Karnail Singh sentenced Baldev Singh of Khem Tikka Kalanaur village to one-year imprisonment and also imposed a fine. The accused Baldev Singh, who was driving a bus, hit a scooter causing the death of the scooterist Jagir Raj’s wife.

SAMRALA
11,000 DONATED: Mr Harpal Singh Dhillon, president of the local Arhtias Association, donated Rs 11,000 for the primary school at a function held at his native village, Shamgarh, 2 km from here, to celebrate the 18th birthday of his son, Mr Navjot Singh. Earlier, the ‘bhog’ of akhand path was also held, which was attended by Mr Amrik Singh Dhillon, the local MLA; Mr Balbir Singh Rajewal, the national general secretary of the BKU; Mr Krishan Bharti and Mrs Malkiat Kaur Dhillon, the local councillors, and others.

CLUB TO HOLD RALLY: The Indian Lok Bhalai Youth Club has decided to hold a rally at Gagar Majra village, near Beeja, 13 km from here, on December 23 against illiteracy and abuse of narcotics and intoxicants. The club will also honour scholars, teachers, journalists, social workers and literary personalities on the occasion.

SPORT MEET: The ninth annual sports meet of the Malwa Sports Association here will be held from December 15 to 17, according to Mr Behari Lal Saddi, press secretary of the association. Mr S.S. Brar, the local SDM, would inaugurate the meet, and Jathedar Kirpal Singh Khirnian, a member of the SGPC, would preside over it, informed Mr Malkiat Singh Dhillon, president of the association. Bullock-cart and dog races would be the main attractions of the event, he said. 

BAR PRESIDENT: Mr Anil Gupta was elected president of the local Bar Association unanimously here on Friday, according to Mr S.K. Vashishtha, returning officer. Talking to mediapersons at Civil Rest House, the officer said that though the date of December 15 had been fixed for electing the president of the Bar, Mr Gupta was declared elected as Mr Gurdev Singh, current president, Mr M.G. Prasher, vice-president, and Mr Uttam Chand submitted their resignations. Mr Vashishtha added that Mr Jaspreet Singh and Mr Amandeep Singh have been elected vice-president and the secretary-cum-cashier of the Bar, respectively. 

TARN TARAN
COMPLAINED: A resident of Quila Kavi village, Santokh Singh (Noordi), complained to the police on Tuesday that Naresh Kumar, alias Ladi, a resident of nearby Mattewal village had kidnapped his 16-year-old daughter on December 7. He alleged that the girl was in the custody of Naresh Kumar. The police has failed to trace the girl and the accused.

BOOKED: The Verowal police has booked Ajit Singh and Dharam Singh, who are in Gwalior (MP) these days, for stealing a tractor bearing No: PB 63A 0732 belonging to Baba Sewa Singh Kar Sewa Wale of Khadoor Sahib. A case under Section 379, IPC, has been registered.

HARYANA

APPOINTED: Mr R.C. Gupta has been appointed the first District and Sessions Judge of the district. The Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, has made Yamunanagar a sessions division. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SHIMLA
CONSTITUTED: The Himachal Pradesh Government has constituted a Special Area Development Authority for Chamunda in Kangra district and Trilokpur in Sirmour district. A notification in this regard was issued here on Thursday. The Deputy Commissioners of the respective districts have been made Chairmen of the Authority whereas the Town and Country Planner, Dharamsala and Nahan, will be the member secretary.

UNA
PROCESSION: Congress workers held a procession here on Thursday in connection with the election of Mr Varinder Gautam, a Congress MLA, as Director of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank.