R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
APPOINTED: Prof Jai Rup Singh, coordinator, Centre for Genetic Disorders and Dean, Academic Affairs of Guru Nanak Dev University, has been appointed vice-president of the International Genetic Alliance (IGA) for the period 2003-2005. Dr Jai Rup Singh will be representing Asia in the IGA.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
OFFICE-BEARERS: The followings were elected office-bearers of the District unit of the Government Teachers Union, Punjab, in an election meeting held here on Monday: President — Mr Gurbachan Singh Virdi; president (Sirhind block (I) — Mr Rishi Pal — president (Block Sirhind-2) — Mr Gulam Hussain — president Block Sirhind-3, Mr Nirmal Singh — president (Block Bassi Pathana-1) — Mr Chatarpal Singh; president Block Bassi Pathana-2, Mr Vashisht Kumar — president Block Khamano Mr Jagtar Singh.

CASE REGISTERED: The police on the complaint lodged by the Assistant Food and Civil Supply Officer, Bassi Pathana, has registered a case against Harbans Singh, resident of Chuni Khurd who is absconding. He was found selling cooking gas cylinders in black. At least 22 filled gas cylinders were seized from his shop.

HOSHIARPUR
LPG CYLINDERS: On the instructions of Mr Avtar Henry, Minister of Food and Supplies, Punjab, the Food and Supplies Department, Hoshiarpur, has started a campaign against persons who are selling (LPG) cylinders unauthorisedly in the district. According to departmental sources here, four cases under Section 7, Essential Commodities Act, have been registered against Ajit Kaur, wife of Jaswinder Singh of Uchi Bassi, and Dharam Pal of Baja Chack, at Dasuya police station, Kishan Lal of Ram Colony Camp at Sadar police station, Jaswant Singh and Harparkash of Bhangala at Mukerian police station.

SARPANCHES: In a letter to Sarpanches of 1429 panchayats of the Hoshiarpur constituency, Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, MP, has said in case any of the panchayats has not received financial assistance from his Member of Parliament Area Development Fund Account, the Sarpanch of the panchayat concerned should inform him before August 15, 2003. He should also submit a proposal of the development scheme so that the required fund could be given to him.

JAGRAON
BLOOD DONATION: Lok Sewa Society distributed free sewing machine to the needy woman in Dharamshala Mandi Temple where they also held a blood donation camp in which 55 people donated the blood. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Gurmit Singh, SDM, called the blood donation as to be best donation to the mankind.

RALLY: The Pendu Mazdoor Union organised a rally in front of the office of the SDM against Shamsher Singh Dangian and his henchmen who are alleged to have exercised excesses due on the Dalits of Dangia village for not voting his brother Jagdishar Singh in the panchayat poll. Addressing the rally, state secretary Tarsem Peter, Sukhdev Singh Manuke, Madan Singh blamed the Congress government for such like excesses as the same is being done under the said government.

JALANDHAR
POLICE ACT: Justice G.S. Singhvi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has advocated the need to update the Police Act, 1861, to redress people’s grievances in the present context. He was speaking here on Sunday at a seminar organised by the National Thinkers Forum on “Role of investigating agencies to secure conviction”. Prominent among others who spoke include Lt-Gen Surjit Singh, Chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission, Mr D.P. Sehgal, president of the National Thinkers Forum, and Munish Sehgal, spokesman of the forum.

KHARAR
LIONS CLUB: The local Lions Club started a water conservation awareness week on Saturday. Mr S.S. Gill, SDM, was the chief guest. Mr Gill said the time had come when every person should think about conserving natural resources.

FATHER BOOKED: Devinder Singh, a student of class 10 was killed accidentally when the trigger of a .12 bore revolver which his father was cleaning in Badali village went off accidentally on Saturday. The police has registered a case against the father of the deceased Balwinder Singh on the charge of causing death by negligence.

LUDHIANA
ENVIRONMENT WEEK: The slogan of growing more and more trees to combat the increasing pollution was emphasised and conveyed to the students of Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar, in a real educative and entertaining manner during the environment week that concluded on Sunday. Children wrote provoking slogans, recited poems and planted saplings in the school campus. The tiny tots of primary school dressed up like flowers and trees emanating the message for growing trees and avoiding cutting and felling of this gifts of nature. Father Davis and Sister Jais Maria planted saplings. The week concluded with a food festival, the day also coinciding with Friendship Day where the children of primary school enjoyed and shared different delicacies and tied bands of each others wrists strengthening the intents of universal brotherhood.

MEETING: A meeting of the AAGMIT Sahit Sabha of the Hindi Department, GHG Khalsa College, Gurusar Sadhar, was held in the department on Monday. At the meeting, the members decided to publish a Hindi research journal, ‘AAGMIT’, every year. Dr Rajinder Singh, head of the department, was appointed the Chief Editor of the journal. Dr Asha Aneja of the SDP College for Women, Ludhiana, Dr Brahmved Sharma of DAV College, Malout; Prof Amarjit Singh of Government College, Hoshiarpur, Dr Kiran Chhabra of DAV College, Amritsar; Dr Nina Sharma of Government College, Muktsar, and Dr Poonam Talwar of Patiala will be the other members of the editorial board.

SHOW FOR KIDS: Ludhiana City Jaycees, Jayceerette Wing, organised an eight-hour Tom and Jerry programme for children in the age group of six to 14 years at Hardy’s World on Sunday. According to chairperson of the JCRT Kiranjit Kataria and secretary of the Ludhiana city Jaycees Manvinder Kataria, 63 children attended the programme. There were five sessions. Kids were told about ancient games, health and hygiene, culture, “Mathe Magic” etc. They also enjoyed joyrides.

MANDI AHMEDGARH
CELEBRATED: Teej was celebrated with fervour at local Sanatan Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School. The celebrations were marked with songs and dance items related with folk culture, which mesmerised the audience. Cheeku and Sandeep Kaur were declared best Panjabi and Panjabin, respectively. Girl students of Class XI presented an item depicting traditional activities including making handfans, grinding, embroidery and spinning. Folk song “Maheea” was sung by Laddi and party. The Bhangra team of the school presented “Malwaee giddha” and Amanpreet Kaur spoke about Teej festival. Ms Priyanka Sharma, Principal, appreciated the role of teachers in rejuvenating essence of tradition at the function. Mr Data Ram Sharma gave away the prizes.

SAMRALA
MEETING: At a meeting of the Anti-Corruption Front, Samrala, held under the chairmanship of commandant Rashpal Singh (retd), it was unanimously passed that the finding of the inquiry report regarding the alleged charges of harassment of a woman lecturer of Malwa College, Bondli, against officiating Principal are false. The committee comprising of Commandant Rashpal Singh, Major Harchand Singh and Mr Mehma Singh Kang had made a detailed investigation into the charges. The committee unanimously reached the conclusion that the charges levelled against Dr Parminder Singh, officiating Principal, were totally baseless, false and motivated.

HARYANA

AMBALA
AKALI DAL: The state unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal has demanded its due share in the Chautala government as it had given its full support to INLD candidates during the last Assembly election. A 11-member committee led by senior Akali Dal leader, Mr Didar Singh Hawri will meet Mr Badal and Mr Tohra in this connection. The Badal and the Tohra factions had merged recently. Mr Sukhdev Singh Gobindgarh has been made the president of the newly formed Shiromani Akali Dal, Haryana, while Mr Kartar Singh Takkar be the chief general secretary of the dal.

COLLEGE OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Surjit Singh Nidar has been elected president of the Sri Guru Harikishan Sahib Khalsa College, Panjokhra (Ambala) management committee here on Monday. The other office-bearers are: vice-president Sant Singh Kandhari — general secretary Mr Tej Prakash Singh treasurer — Mr Amarjit Singh Fajelpuri, Mr Gurbaksh Singh, Ms Veena Chibber, Mr Rattan Singh Dhillo, Mr Harpal Singh, Mr Harcharan Singh, Mr Mohinder Gujral, Mr Ujagar Singh, Mr Giyan Singh, Mr Gamdoor Singh, Mr Amrik Singh and Mr Pritpal Singh have been included in the executive body.

BJP MEETING: A meeting of BJP’s workers of the Ambala parliamentary constituency was held here on Monday. The party Haryana unit president and local MP, Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, presided over the meeting. He exhorted BJP workers to work hard. He said from September 25, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, to October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, awareness yatras would be brought out as part of Mission 2004.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

PARWANOO
SAPLINGS PLANTED: The Forest Division of Solan District celebrated Vana Mahotsava at village Ttipra near Parwanoo on Monday. Mr Raghu Raj, local MLA was the chief guest. At least 500 saplings planted in the forest land of the village. Mr Alok Nagar, District Forest Officer said 4700 plants would be planted this year.