R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Batala
SEMINAR: Mr Ram Singh, chief of Batala police, has launched a campaign for creating awareness among public regarding drug addiction. As part of the campaign, Mr Santokh Singh, Station House Officer-cum-duy in charge, Anti-Drug Cell, organised a seminar at DAV Senior Secondary School, Chander Nagar, Murgi Mohalla, here on Saturday. Mr Dharam Singh, SP, Mr Balwinder Singh Ladi, Chairman, Zila Parishad, Gurdaspur, among others addressed the gathering.

ARRESTED: The Ranger Nangal police  has arrested Atma Singh, his son Balkar Singh  and grandson Jiwan Singh, who allegedly threw acid on a couple, Mr Gurnam Singh and his wife, at Bahadur  Sain village. According to a report there was a land dispute between the two families. A case under Sections 307, 326 and 34 of the IPC had  already been registered.

Hoshiarpur
KILLED: Satnam  Singh, son of Mr Wattan Singh, died while his friend Sonu, son of Mr Sohan Singh, was injured when a truck hit their scooter near Khuda on the Jalandhar-Pathankot road on Friday. The truck driver fled the scene. The Tanda police has registered a case under Sections 279, 337, 338, 427 and 304A of the IPC. In another incident, Gurjeet  Singh, son of Mr Mohinder Singh of Chugathi, died and his friend was injured when their car hit a truck near Nasrala on the Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar road.

KHARAR
FRESHERS’ CONTEST: Second-year engineering students of GGS College of Modern Technology organised a freshers’ party to welcome their juniors here on Wednesday. Deepak Bawa and Aastha Sharma were declared Mr Fresher and Ms Fresher, respectively, for the academic session. As many as 30 students participated in the contest. The programme included folk songs, choreography, solo and group dances and skits. 

Ludhiana
EXHIBITION: An exhibition of household good is going on at Welcome Palace, Sarabha Nagar. The exhibition that began on Thursday will end on Sunday. Those desirous of taking loans for building houses or personal loans, A number of banks have put up stalls to provide information to those desirous of taking housing or personal loans.

CONDEMNED: The PRTC Workers Union has condemned the reported decision of the management of re-employing corporation’s Chief Automobile Engineer-cum-Technical Adviser P.S. Sodhi after his retirement later this month. The union has said it will oppose the step in the larger interests of the public and the corporation. Mr Darshan Singh and Mr Surmukh Singh, president and general secretary of the union, respectively, said the officer had been suspended many times during his service and was even dismissed once for various acts of omissions and commissions. They appealed to the board of directors to reverse their decision of re-employing such a controversial official.

SAMRALA
FESTIVAL: A festival will be organised by the Aseem Kala Kender at Kotala village on Sunday, according to Mr Sanokh Singh, president of the club. The festival will be inaugurated by Ms Dalip Kaur, sarpanch of the village. Youth Akali leader Jathedar Jagjeewan Singh Kheernian will be the chief guest.

CHANDIGARH

NEW BLOCK OPENED: The Adviser to the UT Administrator, Mr Lalit Sharma, inaugurated a new block in the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology, Sector 26. Phase 1 of block A will accommodate the Department of Electronics and Electrical Communications, Department of Applied Science, Department of Computer Engineering and Department of Information Technology. It has been constructed at the cost of Rs. 2.68 crore. The entire cost of the project was Rs. 3.86 crore. The work on the project, which began in October 2003, will be completed by May 31, 2005. Till now the 18,000 sq ft covered area has been completed and the total covered area of 88000 sq ft will be completed by May, 2005.

HARYANA

Ambala
IMA’s COMPLAIN : The Ambala City unit of the Indian Medical Association in a letter sent to DIG, Vigilance Bureau, Ambala has complained that some officials had been insisting the local doctors to submit the records of their ultrasound clinics to them. The letter signed by the president of local unit of IMA, Dr K.K. Bhatia, said the members had been receiving telephonic message from the local Vigilance Bureau office to appear before them with ultra-sound records and copies of ultrasound records of last one year which was against medical ethics and violation of various acts of the PNDT

Blood donors: The State Blood Transfusion Council, Chandigarh will honour the Saviours Club of Ambala at a function to be organised on Sunday for contribution in blood donation movement. President of the club Rajinder Garg has donated blood for 120 times.

SONEPAT
SUICIDE: A youth Raj Singh, alias Raje, was reported to have committed suicide by taking insecticide tablets in his house at Bhaupur village, about 20 km from here, on Friday night. He had been suffering from TB.

BURN INJURIES: Ram Chander sustained burn injuries when he was trapped in a fire which broke out in his house at Deepalon village, 13 km from here, on Saturday. He was referred to a Delhi hospital where his condition was stated to be serious.

BOY MISSING: Six-year-old Shiv Kumar of Shahpur Truk village got separated from his parents and disappeared when they were watching the burning of the effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkarna on Dasehra in Sector 12 here on Friday evening.

THEFT: Thieves are reported to have entered a shop in the Kishanpura area at Ganaur town, 16 km from here, on Friday night and decamped with goods worth several thousands of rupees from it. The owner of the shop, Mr Kanwal Nain, has informed the police about the theft.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
MARTYR CREMATED: Martyr Multan Singh (31), the Assam Rifles and resident of Majari village, about 90 km from here, was cremated with full military and state honours at his village on Thursday. Hundreds of villagers and leaders of various political parties attended the funeral. Multan Singh had laid down his life while fighting terrorists in Assam.

SEPOY KILLED: Sepoy Deshraj (42) of the Indian Army was killed on Friday when the motor cycle he was driving, banged into a roadside berm. His wife, who was travelling with him, received minor injuries. The accident happened when a cow suddenly jumped in front of the motor cycle.