R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMLOH
SANT SAMAGAM: A large number of saints from different parts of Punjab participated in a three-day sant samagam, which concluded on Sunday. It was organised by Sant Baba Mohinder Singh at Gurdwara Sant Isher Kishan Ashram at Chehllan village, near here. 

BATHINDA
MEDICAL CAMP: The local Rotary Club (Cantonment) and the Rotract Club organised a medical check-up camp on Sunday in which 150 patients were examined. Kits for checking sugar in blood were distributed free of cost by a pharmaceutical company. Medicines were also given free of cost.

LUDHIANA
MEETING: The Ludhiana chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will hold its general body meeting on May 22 to discuss various issues concerning the doctors. Dr Gursharan Singh, its president, said here on Sunday that the main agenda for the meeting includes assault on doctors and adopting a multipronged strategy to tackle it, issue of bio-medical waste disposal, situation arising out of PUDA notices to doctors for vacating nursing homes and felicitation of Dr R.C. Garg, the newly elected president of the IMA, Punjab.

JAGRAN: The Wait Ganj Junior Club held its 7th annual jagran on Saturday for which the holy flame had been brought from Jwalaji. The pooja was performed, among others, by Mr Dheeraj Malhotra, Mr Rinku Sharma, Mr Ajay Kumar, Mr Manu Gogia and Mr Deepak Gupta under the supervision of Pandit Ravi Shankar. The flame was lighted by Mr Pavittar Singh and the inauguration ceremony was performed by Mr Sham Sunder Malhotra.

TRIBUTES: Rich tributes were paid to Dev Muni Harmilapiji Maharaj at the annual celebrations of Shri Vaishno Mandir, Hathiwala, Islam Ganj, here on Sunday. Swami Bua Ditta lauded the muni for devoting his whole life to preaching and serving the humanity. Earlier, on his arrival, Swami Bua Ditta was given a rousing welcome, among others, by Mr Satnam Dass, Mr Ram Lal, Mr Ramesh Sachdeva, Mr Harbans Lal, Mr Ramesh Kumar and Mr Ashok Kumar. Later, hymns were presented by the Shri Harmilap Sankirtan Mahila Mandali.

MOGA
CASES REGISTERED: The Badhani Kalan police in the district has registered cases against Jagir Singh, Jeet Singh, Pamma and Kaur Singh, all residents of Rasulpur village, for allegedly looting a liquor vend in Malleana village in the district. A complaint in this regard had been lodged by Mr Charan Singh who had alleged that the accused had looted a large number of bottles of liquor, and the scooter of the vend owner, a few days ago. He further alleged that the accused had threatened him with dire consequences if the matter was reported to the police.

DRAIN BLOCKAGE: Owners of establishments of the focal point here complained on Monday that the area had been stinking because of sewage which had been overflowing on the GT Road due to blockage of drains. Talking to mediapersons, they said if no proper arrangement was made to drain out the water, they would launch an agitation.

ARRESTED: Paras Ram of Ludhiana, stated to be the kingpin of an inter-state gang of vehicle thieves has been arrested. The information was given here on Monday by the district police chief, Mr Varinder Kumar. During interrogation, Paras Ram confessed that his gang, operating in various states, had stolen at least 10 tractors, 30 truck tyres, 10 TV sets, 800 tins of vanaspati ghee, besides two Qualis vehicles from Amritsar and Jalandhar.

NAWANSHAHR
FUNDS FOR PENSION: The Minister for Social Security and Welfare, Chaudhary Santokh Singh, while presiding over the “Apki sarkar, apke dwar” programmes at various villages in the district on Saturday said the state government had arranged appropriate funds for disbursing pensions to beneficiaries. He said the government in its first budget would increase funds to implement welfare schemes for the uplift of Dalits.

DPDO OFFICE SOUGHT: The district unit of the Ex-servicemen Cell of the PPCC at a meeting held at Punjab Mata Vidhyawati Bhavan here on Saturday demanded to set up an office of the DPDO and to depute permanent staff at the Sainik Welfare office here. Ex-servicemen of the district have to go to Jalandhar to get their pensions, said Lt-Col Jarnail Singh (retd), president of the district unit of the cell, in a press note issued here on Sunday.

LOK ADALAT: As many as six out of 20 cases were settled at a lok adalat organised at Balachaur, about 20 km from here, on Saturday, under the chairmanship of Mr Jai Karan Mattu, Civil Judge. Compensations amounting to Rs 84,960 were given to parties concerned.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Blood Donors Council: president — Mr Parvesh Kumar; vice-president — Mr Pushap Raj Kalia; secretary — Mr S.K. Sareen; and treasurer — Mr Inderjit Sareen.

BOOK RELEASED: Social Security and Welfare Minister Chaudhary Santokh Singh, released “Prem Mandir”, a book written by Mr Manjit Singh Talib, president, Prem Mandir Sabha, Punjab, on Sunday.

SAMRALA
INAUGURATION: The first extension counter of Punjab National Bank of Panjgrayan village will be inaugurated by Mr P.N. Khurana, General Manager, Punjab National Bank, Punjab zone, Ludhiana, on Wednesday at Miri Piri Public School, Machhiwara, said Com J.P. Singh Makkar, vice-president Punjab National Bank Employees Union, here on Monday. Mr V.K. Jethi, Manager of the bank, said all type of services, including loans and drafts, would be provided to the customers at the counter.

CAMPAIGN: A campaign against illegal cutting of forest trees in Punjab has been started, said Mr Harbans Lal, State Minister of Forests, Punjab, here on Monday. Talking to mediapersons in the local Civil Rest House, the minister said the Divisional Forest Officer, Surjit Singh, of the Garhshankar division had been suspended for fraud of Rs 80,000.

HARYANA

AMBALA
YOGA CENTRES: Yoga centres are going to be set up here with assistance from municipal councils of Ambala City and Ambala Sadar. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mr M.K. Ahuja, said the yoga centres would be established at community centres so that a large number of people could benefit. He said yoga could help ease tension.

WATER PROJECTS: The Commissioner, Public Health, Mr N. Bala Bhaskar, said 21 water distribution projects would be set up here at an estimated cost of about Rs 8.82 crore. Mr Bhaskar said the Haryana Government had got Rs 145.43 crore loan from NABARD for the project to be started at 519 villages in 13 districts.

CONG DHARNA: Activists of the Mahila Congress held a dharna at Congress Bhavan, Ambala Cantonment to demand removal of the Modi government in Gujarat on Monday. The activists criticised the communal tension in Gujarat and demanded that the Modi government should be removed through Constitutional means. They later submitted a memorandum addressed to the President through the Commissioner.

DEMANDED: Mr Om Prakash Malik, Chairman, Ambala Cantonment Sub-division Banao Samiti, demanded on Monday that the judicial court complex at the cantonment should be constructed at the earliest. In a representation sent to the Chief Justice, Mr Malik said the state government be directed to complete the building within one year as the judicial court complex at Ambala City would be ready by the end of this year.

FATEHABAD
TRIBUTES PAID: Tributes were paid on Monday to two cops, ASI Kishan Singh and Head Constable Ajit Singh, who were killed in road accident here last week while they were on escort duty with the IG (Police), Hisar range, Mr John V. George. The IG, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr O.P. Indora, the SP, Mr Hanif Qureshi, DSPs of the district and a large number of police personnel were present on the occasion.

AGITATION CONTINUES: Hundreds of employees of the local Haryana State Minor Irrigation Tubewell Corporation Limited continued their dharna for the 46th day on Monday. Employees are agitating against the Haryana Government’s decision for winding up of HSMITC Ltd and sacking it’s 3,916 employees.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

DHARAMSALA
MEETING HELD: The Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidya Sagar, on Saturday presided over a meeting of presidents of various panchayats and members of panchayat samitis and zila parishad. He said Rs 1 crore had been earmarked for the construction of 10 water canals in the Kangra Assembly area alone.

HAMIRPUR
KHARIF CROPS: The Department of Agriculture has proposed to cover 41,144 hectares under various kharif crops like maize, paddy, pulses and to hit the target of 82,020 metric tonne of foodgrains and 20,640 metric tonne of commercial crops. The information was given by Dr H.R.Sharma, Deputy Director, Agriculture, Hamirpur.

MANALI
FAIR CONCLUDES: Mr Khimi Ram, chairman, Zila parishad, Kulu, and a senior BJP leader, has said that in 2001-02, Rs 33 lakh has been spent on nagar development block of the district on various development activities. He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of the annual Dhungri fair at old Manali village. The boundary wall of the courtyard of the Vashishatha temple would be raised.

INAUGURATED: Mr Karan Singh, Minister of State for Primary Education inaugurated a five-day annual Shaari Fair at Naggar 25 km from here, He also announced a sum of Rs 50,000 for the construction of a green room at Naggar stadium, another Rs 50,000 for the construction of school building and Rs 15,000 for the Mela Committee.