The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, March 31, 2002, 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

AMLOH
FAREWELL: Mr Murari Lal Sharma, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Amloh, was given a farewell party by the school staff and the Parent-Teacher Association here on Saturday at the time of his superannuation. He served the department for 37 years. He donated two ceiling fans to the school besides cash prizes for the class four employees. His services in the field of education, sports and office were appreciated.

AMRITSAR
MEDICAL CAMP: The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre and Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi, are jointly organising a two-day health check-up camp beginning March 30 at Amritsar Club, Ram Bagh Gardens, here. The honorary secretary of the Club, Mr Lalit Chandok, said medical advice would be provided free of cost to patients.

FARIDKOT
2 POLICEMEN HELD: The local police has arrested two traffic police officials — ASI Ravinder Kumar and Hawaldar Lakhvir Singh — under Section 3(2) 88 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. In a press note issued here on Friday, Mr Harinder Singh Chahal, district police chief, said the accused used to set up nakas on different roads of the town and forcibly collect money as entry fee from tractor-trailer and truck operators.

FINE IMPOSED: The Punjab State Electricity Board has imposed a fine of Rs 163.64 lakh on 5,408 consumers for power theft and use of unauthorised load by them during the current financial year in this circle. Out of the total amount, Rs 92.77 lakh has been recovered, Mr S.S. Sangha, Superintendent Engineer, Faridkot circle, said here on Saturday.

FAZILKA
MEDICAL CAMP: The Army organised a medical camp at border village of Lalowali, 6 km from here, on Saturday. A team of Army and civilian doctors examined about 1,000 patients. Medicines were distributed free of cost to the patients.

POPPY RECOVERED: The Sadar police has recovered seven bags of poppy powder worth Rs 1.40 lakh from Kala Singh near Haleemwala Sadian village, 15 km from here. A case has been registered.

VOTERS’ ENLISTMENT: On the instructions of the State Election Commission the enlistment of new voters for elections to panchayat samitis and zila parishads is to be carried out from April 5. According to an official spokesperson, all eligible voters who have attained the age of 18 years on or before January 1 may enlist themselves as voters.

FEROZEPORE
COMPUTER EDUCATION: The district administration has come out with a plan to impart modern education to students studying in government schools in the remote rural areas, Mr Rishipal Singh, General Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner, said on Saturday that the district administration had selected 10 rural schools in the first phase of the plan with the help of the Education Department for introducing computer education in rural schools.

JALANDHAR
SANGEET SAMMELAN: The 41st “Shastriya Sangeet Sammelan” will be organised by the local Sangeet Kala Manch on Sunday at Guru Nanak Dev District Library here. In a press note, Dr Joginder Bawra, secretary of the manch, said a number of renowned artistes, including Hemang Mehta (vocal ), Vijay Rajpur (vocal) and Prof Harvinder Sharma (sitar), would participate in the sammelan.

KAPURTHALA
NEW CONNECTIONS: The Kapurthala Telephone Department has released 11,000 telephone connections during this month against the target of 17,000 connections by March-end, said Divisional Engineer Telecom G.S. Gholiahere on Thursday.

LUDHIANA
YOUTH FESTIVAL: As many as 18 teams from the Punjab College of Technical Education have qualified for the youth festival of Punjab Technical University to be held on April 8 and 9. Giving this information, Dr K.N.S. Kang, director of the college, said 12 teams of the college had earlier participated in the festival and the students had won seven first prizes and 11 second prizes.

PRIZE DISTRIBUTION: Students of SKN Model High School, Tilak Nagar, received prizes for their performance in academics, sports and cultural activities during its annual prize distribution held on Saturday. The programme began with Gayatri mantra, followed by various dance, drama and music items. Prizes were also given to the teachers on the basis of their performance. Principal K.D. Arora was present on the occasion.

PRINCIPAL RETIRES: Mr T.R. Bhatia, Principal, Guru Nanak Dev Polytechnic, was given a warm send off at a retirement party on Saturday. He served in the college for 36 years. Mr Jagjit Singh Gill of Nankana Sahib Educational Trust, and Dr H.K. Buttar, director, were among those present.

MOGA
STAMP PAPERS: Residents of the district have been facing an acute shortage of revenue stamp papers of the denomination of Re 1 for the past several months. They urged the Postal Department on Saturday to make immediate and proper arrangements for the supply of these papers.

PHAGWARA
TWO DIE: Two persons died and five pilgrims were injured here on Friday in different incidents. A 15-year-old boy was run over and killed by a train, while a 13-year-old girl, Kamaldip Kaur, died after consuming poison. Five pilgrims, going for Holla Mohalla celebrations at Anandpur Sahib, were injured when a tyre of their car burst and the vehicle went out of control on the GT road, near Chaheru.

CHANDIGARH

HONOURED: Mr S.S. Vassan, Executive Engineer with the Kandi Area Development, was conferred with the Bharat Vikas Award by the Integrated Council for Socio-Economic Progress, a non-profit making organisation, on March 23 in New Delhi. The award was given to him by Mr G. V. G. Krishnamurthy, former Chief Election Commissioner, for his outstanding services, contribution and achievement’’ in the field of civil engineering. Mr Vassan has worked on several World Bank and NABARD-aided projects in flood attenuation and irrigation development with construction of earthfall zoned dams in Kandi area of Punjab.

GOOD FRIDAY: Prayers were offered and fasts observed by devotees on Good Friday. According to a press release issued by St Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church in Sector 46, seven-hour long prayer was at the church was attended by a large number of devotees from the city and its vicinity.

FUNCTION: G N Holy Heart Public School of Mauli organised the annual prize distribution function on the school premises here on Saturday. Mr Nek Chand, architect of Rock Garden was the chief guest on this occasion. He gave away prizes to the winners in various sports and other extra-curricular activities.

PROSTATE DISORDER: Those who are above 40 and have any problem in passing urine, may be suffering from the enlargement of the prostate, may contact, Dr Uttam K. Mete, Assistant Professor, Department of Urology, New Building, Room No 335, PGI, on any Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, according to a press note issued by a spokesperson of the PGI.

PANCHKULA
PRIZE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION: The annual prize distribution function of Satluj Public School was held with a colourful extravaganza here on Saturday. Noted wrestler and actor Dara Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. The theme of function was globalisation. Students of the school were dressed up as Brazilians, Australians, English, Africans , and, of course, Indians. Mr Nitin Mehtani, a cricketer, Suruchi, a Taiwanese roller-skater and who stood first in the CBSE examination, Assam House for best house trophy and members of the school cricket team were awarded prizes. This was followed by a cultural programme.

BLOOD DONATED: A blood donation camp was organised by the State Bank of India, staff training centre, here on Saturday. Over 35 trainees donated blood on the occasion, which will be donated to Command Hospital, Western Command, Chandi Mandir. Ms Hameda Z. Agha , DGM and Circle Development Officer, Chandigarh Circle, inaugurated the camp.

HARYANA

AMBALA
LOK ADALAT HELD: A Lok Adalat under the presidentship of District and Sessions Judge Kiran Anand Lal was held on Saturday. About 39 cases under the Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal (MACT) were decided and Rs 49.44 lakh was awarded as compensation. Also, two cases under the Hindu Marriage Act were decided, a release said. In the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Anita Chaudhary, nine cases under the MACT were decided and Rs 10.07 lakh was awarded as compensation, 12 cases under MACT were decided in the court of Dr B.B. Prasoon and a compensation of Rs 13.42 lakh was awarded, in the court of Mr Laxman Sharma four cases were decided and Rs 14.55 lakh was awarded, seven cases were decided in the court of Mr S.K. Kaushik and a compensation of Rs 4.35 lakh was awarded.

DEMAND: A senior leader of Haryana Congress, Mr Om Prakash Malik, has expressed its concern over the appointment of district presidents of the party in the state through nominations instead of conducting elections. Mr Malik, a former organising secretary of the Haryana Congress, in a letter sent to the party president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, demanded that the nominations announced recently should have been cancelled and the appointment of the district presidents should have made only through election so that the workers of the party can express their opinion in the selection of their leader.

PROCESSION: Shri Hari Katha Prachar Samiti, Ambala, took out a precession in Ambala city here on Saturday in which hundreds of devotees took part. The procession crossed through the main bazar of the city. The samiti has been organising Bhagwat Katha in Ambala city from Sunday, which would continue for a week.

SIRSA
HIV POSITIVE CASES: As many as 76 persons have been found to be HIV positive in the district. All of them are being given treatment free of cost. This was stated by Dr S.K. Batta, Civil Surgeon, here on Thursday.

YAMUNANAGAR
KILLED: One person was killed and three were injured when two scooters collided with each other on Holi. According to information, the scooter which Gulshan Gera and Rakesh were riding on collided with the scooter on which Jai Parkash and Ram Kumar were riding at Mahamoodpur village, near here, on Friday. Gulshan Gera was killed on the spot, while the other three received injuries. A case has been registered.

CM VISIT: Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister, will visit the district to address an INLD party workers meeting on April 2 at Punjabi Dharamshala, Jagadhri, Mr Balwant Singh, district president of the INLD and MLA from Sadhaura said here on Saturday.