R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
PLEDGED: As many as 400 children from Maqboolpura area, known as the “locality of widows” due to large number of drug related deaths pledged on Saturday to become crusaders against drug addiction.

LEGAL CAMPS: Legal literacy camps will be organised in the district during the month of August and September to educate the general masses about the free legal services being provided by the district legal services authority. The camps will be held at Bhikhiwind on August 17, at Gumtala on August 27, at Khemkaran on September 7 and at Valtoha on September 21.

SCHOLARSHIPS: The Dharam Prachar Committee (DPC) under Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee has decided to give scholarships worth Rs 15 lakh to the students whose names featured in the annual examinations of divinity.

CONTROVERSY: The Hindu College controversy took a new turn when 19 staff members came in favour of the college principal, Mr R.C. Verma, against whom the allegations of misuse of funds, mismanagement and harassment were levelled by Mr D.K. Walia and Mr Rakesh Joshi, president and secretary of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union. Teachers in press release here on Friday said a few teachers were instigating the students against the college authorities.

MONUMENT: A monument will be erected in the city for the martyrs and war heroes who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country, according to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Raminder Singh. He was addressing the delegates of ex-servicemen of Punjab and Chandigarh at their annual meeting here on Friday.

Hoshiarpur
OPPOSED: A circle level convention of the Technical Services Union (V.K.) has strongly opposed the proposal for converting the Punjab State Electricity Board into a corporation and handing over constructions of four micro projects, Dodhar, Nidampur, Thuhi and Rohat, to private companies. It also opposed the privatisation of bill distribution, meter reading and construction works to private concerned. It called upon PSEB employees to organise protest rallies throughout the state on August 20 to oppose this move.

SEMINAR: The Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College for Women, Dasuya organised a seminar on the topic of ‘Career Guidance and Self Employment’ at college campus on Saturday. An expert, Mr Sanjeev Kumar from DAVSSS, Hoshiarpur, talked about different careers to be pursued after graduation and post-graduation.

Phillaur
ACTION PLAN: The Punjab Government has prepared a comprehensive action plan for strengthening the Dhussi Bundh and Rahon Creek near the Sutlej, as a safety measure to combat flood situation. This was stated by former Punjab Medical Education Minister Santokh Singh after inspecting the bundh near Jhand Peer, Khoje, Mirjapur, Burj Tehal Dass etc along with several civil and drainage department officials.

Sangrur
CLAIMED: The Punjab unit of the Dalit Sena, in its inquiry report over the murder of two Dalits and injuries to more than 20 others in Kamalpur village, near Dirba, on August 3 by a family of landlords, has claimed that no landlord of the village opened fire to save the lives of the Dalits. The report has been released by Mr H.Singh, general secretary of the unit after the visit of Dalit leaders, including Mr Kiranjit Singh Gehri, president of the unit and Mr Raj Singh Kherri, ex-MLA, to the village. The Dalit Sena has demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the incident.