R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
43 cases settled: As many as 43 cases were disposed off at a Lok Adalat held at the Labour Court here on Saturday. More than Rs 5 lakh was distributed as compensation and salaries to the aggrieved persons. Mr Ashok Kumar, Additional District and Sessions Judge was the presiding officer on the occasion.

Seized: The district police arrested Gurjinder Singh, a resident of Gali Marbe wali, for allegedly possessing more than 4 kg of poppy husk. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered.

Pirated CDs: The Islamabad police has recovered 1,000 pirated and porn films CDs’ from a cassettes shop and arrested two persons in this regard. The accused have been identified as Ashok Kumar and Vinod Kumar of Gowal Mandi area. It also seized two computer sets from the shop. A case under the Copy right Act and Section 420 of the IPC has been registered.

HOSHIARPUR
Youth festival: The ongoing Panjab University Zonal Heritage and Youth Festival entered its third day on Friday. Mr Bhupinder Singh Ghuman, a social worker, inaugurated the morning session and Mr Romesh Chander Dogra, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Punjab, chaired the evening session. The following were the winners: Bhangra, classical dance, general dance, Government College, Hoshiarpur, poetical recitation, Khalsa College, Garhdiwala, debate, Government College, Tanda and elocution, SD College, Hariana.

Booked: Acting on the complaint of Mr Jagmohan Singh, Executive Engineer of the Enforcement Wing of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), the district police booked the owners of a pub on the allegation of misbehaving with government employees and restraining them from performing their duty on Friday. The police has registered a case.

Kharar
Theft in shop: Goods worth about Rs 25,000 were reportedly stolen from a shop near the bus stand here last night. Mr Surinder Singh, owner of the shop, told the police that the thieves decamped with cash, cameras and other items from the shop. He said that the theft came to his notice when he came to the shop in the morning.

MOGA
Visited: The Joint Director of the Punjab Nurses Registration Council, Mr Parampal Singh Kunar, on Friday visited Dr Sham Lal Thapar School/College of Nursing to probe into the complaints of students who had been staging protest against the institute for the past seven days. Mr Kunar gave a patient hearing to the students’ grievances and also interacted with their parents. He asked the students, who had paid more than the prescribed fee, to produce affidavit for the same. He said he would submit a report on the matter soon.

NAWANSHAHR
Relief material: The local Doaba Cooperative Sugar Mills has sent as many as 15, 000 bags of 5 kg of sugar as a part of its contribution towards the Chief Minister Relief Material for the earthquake victims of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr K.S. Gaur, Managing Director of the mill, said the packets had been handed over to the District Food and Supplies Department.

Probe demanded: Mr Jaswinder Singh Patti, secretary of the state unit of the Para Medical and Health Employees Union, said here on Friday that they had demanded a high-level probe into the allegation of shady purchase of surgical goods by the local Civil Surgeon.

Action sought: Dr Ashwani Dhir, president, District Dental Association, said here on Friday that the District Health Department had not taken steps to check the unqualified and unregistered dental practitioners in the district. The association had submitted a memorandum to the Civil Surgeon about two months ago, but in vain.

PATIALA
FETE ORGANISED: A fete was organised at Teja Singh Kandhari Senior Secondary School, here, on Saturday to collect money for donation to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the earthquake victims. As much as Rs 31,000 were collected. Students organised stalls for eatables and games. 

Founder’s day: The Jasdev Singh Sandhu College of Education celebrated its second founder day on Saturday on the 76th birth anniversary of late Jasdev Singh Sandhu. Ms Poonam Deep Kaur, SDM, Patiala, was the chief guest. She thanked the foundation for donating Rs 21,000 to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the earthquake victims. 

Annual day: An enthralling display of talent marked the annual day function of Budha Dal Public School, here on Friday. SSP, Amardeep Singh Rai was the chief guest. Mr Uday Singh, president, and Mr Rajodh Singh, secretary, of the Sikh Educational Society, and other committee members were also present.

PHILLAUR
Protest: The Phagwara Sugarcane Growers Cooperative Society will hold a protest rally on November 8 to intensify their agitation against the Phagwara Sugar Mills. This was announced by Mr Rashpaul Singh, vice-president of the society, here on Friday. He said officials of the mill had made several attempts to purchase sugarcane directly from farmers instead of through the society.

CHANDIGARH

Panchkula
Fast: Employees of the local branch of State Bank of Patiala observed fast in front of the bank’s zonal office building here on Thursday. They have been on strike for the past four days. The employees are protesting against the adamant and callous attitude of the management towards their demands. 

Customer Meet:- The State Bank of Patiala has reduced the rate of interest on housing loan, personal loan and car loan by 1 per cent. In order to propage this scheme, a customer meet was organised at the main branch of State Bank of Patiala at Kalka on Wednesday. As many as 65 customers participated in the meet, said Mr S C Dhall, senior manager. 

HARYANA

AMBALA
Fast threat: The Anti-Terrorists Front of India president, Dr Viresh Shandilya, on Thursday said that he observe fast outside the residence of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to demand for an explanation from Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda over the alleged camera snatching incident by Civil Hospital doctors. 

Relief material: Members of the Rotary Club, Chandigarh, handed over relief material for earthquake victims to the Air Force at Ambala Cantonment on Thursday.

Customer meet: A customer meet was organised by State Bank of Patiala at Ambala Cantonment earlier this week. The customer meet was presided over by Mr V.A. Ghai, assistant general manager, region I, Haryana. A number of customers attended the meet, a press release said. 

DCC President: Mr Darshan Lal Budhiraja will be the officiating President of the District Congress Committee, Ambala Cantonment. Mr Ashok Jain, president of the District Congress Committee, has appointed Mr Budhiraja as the officiating president. The change of guard has taken place as Mr Ashok Jain has been a nominated member of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission. Mr Suresh Trehan will officiate as the General Secretary of the District Congress Committee. 

BHIWANI
Board decides to reduce fee: Haryana Open School has decided to reduce the admission and examination fee for secondary and senior secondary classes from Rs 1,200 to Rs 750 for the session 2006-07. A spokesperson of the board said the last date for application for secondary and senior secondary examinations would be October 31. The admission and examination fee for the session 2005-06 would be Rs 1,200.

FATEHABAD
Annual function: The annual cultural-cum-prize distribution function of the local Seth Badri Prasad DAV Centenary Public School began here on Saturday. Mr Joginder Singh, a former Director of the CBI, inaugurated the function by lighting a lamp. Mr O.P. Langayan, Deputy Commissioner, Mr Bhim Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, and Mr V. Kulwant, Regional Director of the DAV institutions, were present on the occasion. Students presented a fiesta of cultural activities. Ms Sunita Madan, principal of the school, read out the annual report.

REWARI
Cheques disbursed: The Deputy commissioner-cum-chairman of the District Soldiers Board presented cheques for Rs 1 lakh each to Ms Krishna Yadav, wife, and Ms Chandrawati, mother of the slain Nayak Vijay Pal of Saharanwas village, here on Saturday. Nayak Vijay Pal of the 3rd Rashtriya Rifles had been killed in a mine-blast in the Anantnag area of Jammu and Kashmir on February 5. At another function, as many as 23 beneficiaries of the Scheduled-cum-Vimukt Caste Housing Grant Scheme were given cheques for Rs 10,000 each for the construction of houses.

Charas seized: The Kosli police arrested Sanjiv Kumar of Jhajjar district and seized about 3 kg of charas from him ner Guriani village, about 25 km from here, on Friday. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KUMARHATTI
Inaugurated: The HPMC has opened sales counter at 25 petrol stations of Indian Oil Corporation in state. While inaugurating one such sales counter at Parwanoo here on Saturday, Mr Singhi Ram, Food and Civil Supplies and Horticulture Minister, said the move to open counters would not only enhance sale of the HPMC products but also helped the publicity cause. While replying to a question over the shortage of gas cylinders, the minister said there was shortage of cylinders in state.

SHIMLA
Elected: Mr Ajay Vij, Chief Engineer (Electrical), Public Works Department, has been elected chairperson of the Institution of Engineers, Himachal State Centre, for 2005-07. Mr C.M. Walia, Chief Engineer, state electricity board Sundernagar, has been elected secretary of the institution.