R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
HONOURED: Dr Nancy Verma, in charge Civil Hospital, Pathankot was given state award by Capt Amarinder Singh Chief Minister Punjab at Hoshiarpur for medical and social service, said a press note on Tuesday.

Amloh
PSEB: Saroop Singh, Mohinder Paul, Avtar Singh, Harnek Singh and Shiam Singh, all PSEB employees and members of the Technical Employees Union, left the union and joined the PSEB Employees Federation (ATUC). This was announced at a meeting of the federation held at Bhadson village, near here. The meeting was presided over by its president Amarjit Singh.

Bathinda
DHARNA: Members of the State Bank of Patiala Employees Union on Tuesday staged a dharna in front of the Zonal office of the bank here . They were demanding jobs for dependents of deceased employees on compassionate grounds, recruitment of more staff, end to appointment on contract and implementation of decisions already taken.

ENCROACHMENTS: Residents of Vishal Nagar here on Wednesday urged the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, to make arrangements for removing encroachments by a section of the people on the 60-foot wide road falling in the Town Planning Scheme No. 1 (part 3). In a press note issued here, the residents pointed out that due to encroachments, the width of the road had been reduced to 30 feet and it had become a major source of road accidents and traffic bottlenecks.

Jalandhar
MISHAP: Mr Talwinder Singh son of Mr Kulwinder Singh of Kala Sanghan village in Kapurthala was killed when his motor cycle was hit by a bus at Wadala chowk on the Nakodar Road here on Tuesday.

Ludhiana
INSURANCE CLAIMS: Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd has commenced payment of claims arising out of losses suffered by the industry in the recent floods in Patiala district. The company made an interim payment of Rs 25 lakh on Wednesday in case of a major loss suffered by M/s Himalaya Frozen Foods, Lalru.

SANKIRTAN: A sankirtan programme was held at Shri Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple at Chahilan by the Mahashakti Charitable Trust in connection with the Bhadar Sankaranti celebrations. The mahila sankirtan mandal of the temple sang bhajan on the occasion. Religious functions were also held at Shri Sanatan Dharam Hanuman Mandir in Naulakha Bagh Colony, Gopal Mandir in Iqbal Ganj and Haridev Mandir in Bagh Wali Gali. 

SPECIAL PUJA: A special Shiva-pujan was held at Sanglan Wala Shivala by the Shivala Road Sewak Mandal in connection with sawan. Bel leaves were offered to Lord Shiva and 108 earthen lamps were lit.

SUNDER-KAND: Shri Hanumant Sewa Samiti Sangit Parivar and the Bharat Vikas Parishad organised a recitation of Sunder-kand in Chawal Bazar. Among those present on the occasion were Mr Pawan Dhir, Mr Rakesh Kumar, Mr Ashok Kumar, Mr Randhir Sharma, Mr Viresh Vij, Mr Jagraj Gupta, Mr Sham Lal and Mr Tarsem Aggarwal.

Honoured: Mr Vijay Kumar Gupta, an LIC agent, has been felicitated for doing business worth Rs 1.13 crore during April and July. According to Mr H.S. Gupta, branch manager of the LIC, Unit III, Mr S.S. Randhawa, manager sales, LIC, presented him a memento and a citation.

Samrala
JOINED: Mr Darshan Singh Gill joined as Range Officer in the office of the Forest Department here on Wednesday. Earlier, Mr Gill was posted at Lattewal Para.

NOMINATED: The following have been nominated members of the Executive Body of the local Community Centre Club, according to Mr J.S. Jassi, SDM-cum-president of the club, here on Wednesday: vice-president - Mr Parminder Singh Gill; secretary - Mr Ajiv Kumar; treasurer - Mr Anil Gupta; joint-secretary - Mr Amarjit Singh Pappu; and executive members - Mr Nirmal Singh Nagra, Mr Rakesh Gupta, Mr Anil Sood and Mr Harpal Singh Dhillon. 

Phillaur
WATER ACCORD: Former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur on Tuesday demanded an ordinance to abrogate clause 5 of the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act 2004.

CHANDIGARH

MOHALI
PLANTATION: A plantation drive was carried out by the SSI branch of the State Bank of India at the ESI Hospital here on Tuesday. Mr G.P. Kheterpal, Chief Manager, along with staff planted saplings.

PANCHKULA
Dharna: Employees of the State Bank of Patiala branches from all over the state today staged a dharna in front of the zonal office building in Sector 5. It was held on a call given by the All-India State Bank of Patiala Employees Federation against the callous attitude of the management towards their demands. Mr N.K. Gaur, general secretary of the federation, said the management of the bank is not conceding to their demand regarding employment to kin of deceased employees. He added that the employees would go on strike on September 10 if their demand was not met.

Camp: A blood donation camp was organised by the Cost Accountants Society, Panchkula, at the Shakti Bhavan on Wednesday. It was inaugurated by the Chairman, Haryana Power Utilities, Maj-Gen B.S. Rathee (retd). — TNS

Congress meeting: A meeting of various committees of the district unit of the Congress was held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of the local MLA, Mr Chander Mohan. The party men were asked to be prepared for the forthcoming Assembly elections. — TNS

Training session: Maj-Gen B.S. Rathee, Chairperson of the Haryana Power Utilities, exhorted the newly recruited Assistant Engineers in the department to be friendly with public while on duty. He was addressing then during their training session on Wednesday.

Plantation drive: The Forest department has planted 7. 92 lakh saplings all over the district as part of the afforestation drive. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Ms Neelam P. Kasni. She said saplings had been planted on 533. 364 hectares.

Applications invited: The district administration has invited applications from Sikh devotees for travelling to Pakistan gurdwaras. The Deputy Commissioner has asked the devotees to submit applications at the DC office latest by September 1.

HARYANA

AMBALA
CRITICISED: Former MP Dharam Pal Malik said on Wednesday that the state Cabinet decision for amendment seeking to hold panchayat and municipal council elections four months before the full term was politically motivated. Mr Malik said the decision was malafide and ill-intentioned. “Mr O.P. Chautala will attempt to hold panchayat and municipal council poll before the full term. If Mr Chautala is so keen to hold election, he should hold the Assembly elections,” he said.

Fatehabad
GRIEVANCES HEARD: Addressing women at Bhattu Kalan here on Tuesday, Haryana Mahila Aayog (HMA) chairperson Ms Sheela Bhayan said social evils like dowry and female foeticide were due to illiteracy among women. She along with HMA deputy chairperson Ms Preeti Chawla and members Ms Satya Bala and Ms Nirmala Rathi heard grievances of women.

Hisar
DHARNA: Members of the local Roadways Workers Union, affiliated to the Haryana Karmchari Mahasangh, staged a dharna at the bus stand here on Wednesday. They were protesting against the government move on providing permits to private parties for running local bus service in 13 cities and inter-state deluxe and air-conditioned buses. The depot president of the union, Mr Rajbir Sindhu, alleged that money was being extorted from the bus drivers in the name of per kilometre oil consumption.

BLOOD CAMP: The Bar Association here in association with the Lions Club and Red Cross Society organised a blood donation camp here on Tuesday. As many as 30 units of blood were collected.

DHARNA: Employees of the Forest Department staged a dharna against the non-payment of salaries here on Tuesday. Labourers’ union president Vijay threatened to intensify the agitation if salaries were not paid.

Rewari
Held: The police has arrested Baldev Singh, a rickshawpuller of Syed Sarai mohalla here, on charges of committing sodomy with a minor boy at Dhoki village near here on Sunday night. His accomplice Gabbar Singh of Dhoki village is absconding. A case has been registered .

Sirsa
TWO ARRESTED: The police here at a barrier stopped a Maruti car (DBD-6079) and recovered a pistol and four cartridges from Iqbal Singh of Dhukanwali village. In another incident, the police arrested Jeet Singh of Dhani Asha Singh and recovered a pistol and five cartridges from his possession. Cases under the Arms Act have been registered.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Kulu
SCOOTERIST KILLED: One person was killed in a road accident when the scooter he was driving was hit by a truck at Bandrol on the Kulu-Manali highway, about 10 km from here, on Wednesday. The body of the deceased, Manjeet (20), son of Tashi Gyalson, a resident of Nagabagh in this district, was handed over to the family after post mortem. The truck driver surrendered at police station here.

Nurpur
Blood group camp: The Free Thinkers Club, a local voluntary organisation, organised a free blood grouping camp on the premises of Arya Government College here on Wednesday. As many as 500 college students were examined for blood grouping.