J A L A N D H A R

Government college cries for attention
Nawanshahr, October 20
The pathetic plight of Maharaj Bhuriwale Garib Dassi Government College, Pojewal, Nawanshahr, is a fine example of official apathy at its worst.

Youth festival concludes
Hoshiarpur, October 20
The four-day Panjab University Youth and Heritage Festival concluded at the local SD College last evening.

Foreign delegates to attend annual convention on asthma
Jalandhar, October 20
The 40th Annual Convention of the Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology (ICAAICON-2006) would be held from December 7 to 10 at local Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall.

Memorandum submitted
Hoshiarpur, October 20
Activists of the district unit of the BJP led by their president, Mr Vijay Aggarwal, and MLA, Mr Tikshan Sud, submitted a memorandum to the President of India through Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, here today to express their resentment on “not hanging Mohammed Afzal Guroo, an accused convict in the case of attack on Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001”.

‘Blood donation is the best gift on Divali’
Hoshiarpur, October 20
The Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immuno-haematology (ISBTI), Hoshiarpur Chapter, has urged healthy persons between 18 and 60 years of age to observe the festival of lights by voluntarily donating blood.

Rain plays a spoilsport
Hoshiarpur, October 20
Rain played a spoilsport in the business of shopkeepers, who were expecting brisk sales of various items on Divali eve. The city and its surrounding areas have been experiencing light showers since last night.

Government college cries for attention
Parmod Bharti

Nawanshahr, October 20
The pathetic plight of Maharaj Bhuriwale Garib Dassi Government College, Pojewal, Nawanshahr, is a fine example of official apathy at its worst.

The Maharaj Bhuriwale Garib Dassi Educational Trust, Pojewal, which has been doing a yeoman’s service in providing higher education facilities to the youth of the most-backward Kandi area falling in Nawanshahr, Ropar and Hoshiarpur districts in the state, had handed over the college building along with 15 acres of land to the government about two decades ago.

But the PWD Department is yet to formally take over the college building.

Thanks to this, the college building constructed by the trust, is in total neglect.

Mr Tirath Ram Bhumbla, finance secretary of the trust, lamented that the government had belied the hopes and aspirations of the trust.

As the PWD Department was yet to formally take over the building, even now the trust was arranging funds for its repair, he said.

He added that the lack of infrastructure facilities was a hindrance in starting new courses. Also, there was a staff shortage. Presently, only five lecturers were serving in the college against the staff strength of 13 lecturers, he said.

Mr Bhumbla, who is also a member of the District Grievances Committee, said he had raised many times the issue with the authorities concerned, but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears, he added.

He said that in 1987, three government colleges in Mohali, Bhulath and Pojewal were started. While the other two colleges had been flourishing, the one which was started by the trust for the uplift of the youth belonging to the most-backward Kandi area was still crying for the government attention.

Mr Bhumbla has again sent a representation to the secretary, PWD, to formally take over the building. He has urged the CM, Capt Amarinder Singh, to intervene in the matter. 

Youth festival concludes
Our correspondent

Bhangra: SD College, Hoshiarpur, first; BAM Khalsa College, Garhshankar, second.

Foreign delegates to attend annual convention on asthma
Tribune News Service

Memorandum submitted
Our correspondent

Hoshiarpur, October 20
Activists of the district unit of the BJP led by their president, Mr Vijay Aggarwal, and MLA, Mr Tikshan Sud, submitted a memorandum to the President of India through Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, here today to express their resentment on “not hanging Mohammed Afzal Guroo, an accused convict in the case of attack on Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001”. Delhi High Court had awarded capital punishment to Mohammed Afzal Guroo and ordered the jail authorities to hang him on October 20.

The activists appealed to the President to ensure that the rule of law prevailed and the executive did not, for reasons of vote bank politics, denigrate the needs of India’s security and sovereignty.

‘Blood donation is the best gift on Divali’
Our correspondent

Hoshiarpur, October 20
The Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immuno-haematology (ISBTI), Hoshiarpur Chapter, has urged healthy persons between 18 and 60 years of age to observe the festival of lights by voluntarily donating blood.

Members of the ISBTI, Dr Ajay Bagga and Dr Devinder Singh, after donating blood at the local Bhai Ghanayia Ji Charitable Blood Bank here yesterday stated that the best gift of a healthy person was to donate blood to an anaemic patient on this festival. They said that in India only 40 per cent to 50 per cent of blood was collected through voluntary blood donation, and that there was a shortage of 50-60 lakh units of blood annually.

Rain plays a spoilsport
Our correspondent

Hoshiarpur, October 20
Rain played a spoilsport in the business of shopkeepers, who were expecting brisk sales of various items on Divali eve. The city and its surrounding areas have been experiencing light showers since last night.

The shopkeepers, including sweetmeat sellers, bakers, and utensil and gift item sellers, displayed their goods on extended counters, hoping to attract customers. But the wet weather restricted the majority of the people to their houses.

Meanwhile, the economically weaker sections of society had their own grouse. They expressed their inability to do Divali-shopping. They said that they found it difficult to get two square meals a day.