R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

DORAHA
CHEQUES DISTRIBUTED: The local branch of the State Bank of Patiala announced various housing loan schemes at a function organised here on Saturday. Mr P.K. Bansal, AGM, Ludhiana branch, was the guest of honour. He highlighted the various schemes being introduced by the bank, especially the loans for farmers. Mr S.K. Goyal and Mr Kulwant Singh, Manager and Deputy Manager of the local branch, respectively, thanked the guest and the people gathered on the occasion. Fifteen cheques worth Rs 8 lakh were distributed among farmers and 31 agricultural loans were sanctioned. A free medical camp was also organised by the bank at Saraswati Model School, Doraha, in which Dr Rajan Gupta and Dr Mandeep Singh Bhangu examined nearly 80 children.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
BLOOD DONATION CAMP: Ms Anu Partap, Chairperson, District Red Cross Society, Fatehgarh Sahib, inaugurated a blood donation camp organised by the Punjab Welfare Forum, Mandi Gobindgarh, at the Civil Hospital, here on Sunday. Thirty persons donated blood. Among others present on the occasion were the SMO, Mr K.C. Goel, Dr H.K. Bansal, Mr Sanjeev Kumar and the SDM, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mr M.L. Sharma.

HOSHIARPUR
BABY FOUND: A newborn baby was found in a dry well in Bariana village on Monday. The villagers took the baby out of the well and handed him over to the sarpanch of the village. The Hariana police has registered a case under Sections 316 and 317 of the IPC in this regard.

YOUTH KILLED: A young man was crushed to death on Sunday under a Punjab Roadways bus (PB-12E-9766) while he was crossing a road in Dasuya. The identity of the deceased could not be established.

ILLICIT LIQUOR: Jaspal, Naresh Kumar and Kusam, all residents of the local Mohalla Bahadurpur, were arrested on Sunday for being in possession of 2,50,000 ml of country-made liquor. Meanwhile, the Tanda police arrested Rashpal, a local resident, and Jagdish Singh of Miani and seized 6,750 ml each illicit liquor from them.

LUDHIANA
INVITED: Dr Kim Mammen, Professor and Head of Urology Department, Christian Medical College and Hospital, has been invited to attend the Asian Congress of Urology to be held in Kuala Lumpur next week. He will participate in the deliberations pertaining to early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of prostate diseases.

FUNCTION: Shiva vivah (marriage of Lord Shiva) was solemnised at Sanglan Wala Shivala under the supervision of Mahant Narayan Dass Puri on Sunday. During the night-long programme of hymn-singing, Master Sahil Mehra, who was dressed like Shiva, captivated the devout by his dance. The Shiva Shakti Seva Sangh and the Neel Kanth Seva Samiti organised a langar.

RELIGIOUS PROGRAMME: The Shri Radha Madhav Sankirtan Mandal organised an evening dedicated to Radha at Shiva Temple, Durga Puri, Haibowal, on Sunday. The hymn-singing party, comprising Ashwini Grover, Deepak Sharma, Subir Uppal and Brij Mohan, enthralled the audience.

APPOINTED: Mr Kanwaljit Singh Dua, has been appointed president of district unit of the All-India Youth Akali Dal, the youth wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). The appointment has been made by the party chief, Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, with the approval of the party high command.

DEATH MOURNED: A meeting of the district unit of the Legal Cell of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, held here on Monday under the leadership of Mr Dharamjit Singh Khera, mourned the death of Mr Shamsher Singh Shergill, Senior Additional Advocate General and Chairman of the PPCC Legal Cell. According to Mr Rana Harjasdeep Singh, general secretary, a large number of members of the cell and other bar members paid tributes to the leader. Among others Mr Pardeep Sharma, Mr Kamaljit Sharma, Mr Ashok Bhakri, Mr Manpreet Boparai, Mr B.K. Rampal, Mr Gurdeesh Grewal and Mr Tejinder Singh Gurm were present at the occasion.

PHAGWARA
ARREST SOUGHT: Elders of six villages, including Ranipur, Jagpalpur, Ramgarh and Sikri, on Monday met the local MLA and former minister, Mr Joginder Singh Mann, and the DSP, Mr Harmanbir Singh Gill, and sought the arrest of the killers of Dalbir Singh of Ramgarh village who was murdered on the night of August 7 near Palahi village.

SAMRALA
GRIEF: Mr Parminder Singh Gill, general secretary, Legal Cell, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, and Mr Ishar Singh Meharban, a former minister, Punjab, have expressed grief at the untimely death of Mr Shamsher Singh Shergill, senior Additional Advocate-General, Punjab.

CHANDIGARH

DANCE COMPETITION: The Magnet Dance Group, Sector 40, organised a dance competition at Musafir Auditorium, Sector 24. The group “Nane Sitare” was adjudged the top performer in folk dances while Master Govind and Vipul were awarded special prize for their performance on Punjabi song “Katchrian which mele lagde.” In the senior category Jugni Group from SAS Nagar warded the first prize in Bhangra.

HARYANA

AMBALA
SEMINAR: A seminar was organised by Giani Dit Singh Memorial International Society in Ambala city on Monday. Mr Kanwaljit Singh of the society said the seminar was held in Gurdwara Manji Sahab, Ambala city. A number of persons were present at the seminar. The problems being faced by the community were deliberated upon by the speakers, a release said.

TRADE FAIR ENDS: A trade fair-cum-exhibition being held at King Palace in Ambala Cantonment culminated here on Monday. The four-day trade fair attracted a number of visitors. Different products were on display at the fair. Mr S. Kalra of the ICICI, who had set up stall in the trade fair, said the response was encouraging. He said there were a number of queries about the various schemes being offered by the ICICI.

HARYANA COLLEGE TEACHERS UNION: On a call given by the All-India Federation of Aided Colleges, the members of the Haryana College Teachers Union will march to the Parliament on Tuesday. Prof Naveen Gulati, secretary, HCTU, said the march was being held to ventilate the resentment against the anti-educational policies of the state and the Central Government by reducing grant to the aided colleges and postpone the filling of vacant posts in the aided colleges.

FATEHABAD
MURDER: A young married woman was allegedly poisoned to death by her in-laws in Ladhowas village in this district on Sunday. The woman, Sandeep Kaur (25), died under mysterious circumstances and her body was brought to the local General Hospital for an autopsy. Mr Harchand and Mr Atma Ram, brothers of the deceased, alleged that their sister had been done to death by her husband, Harbans Singh, sister-in-law Gurmit Kaur and mother-in-law Gurdevi because she could not conceive. The accused have absconded.

SPURIOUS BUTTER: The police on Sunday booked two persons for manufacturing spurious butter and registered a case under Section 420 of the IPC against them. Panchhi and Manphool, a father-son duo, would manufacture spurious butter and sell it at Bhuna in this district.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

RESOLUTION: Fourteen gram panchayats have passed a resolution in the Guler Assembly constituency have passed a resolution demanding the setting up of district headquarters at Nurpur and making Kotla a tehsil. The panchayats have decided to launch a signature campaign in this connection.