R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
Soni to go HC for recounting: The Congress candidate who lost the Amritsar Lok Sabha election, O.P Soni, would approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court to seek recounting of votes at certain polling stations. Soni said here that his repeated requests for the recounting were not entertained so he had decided to knock the doors of the High Court. He alleged that the SAD-BJP government in the state had set on vendetta politics. He alleged that fake cases were registered against two Congress councillors and maintained that scores of Congress workers were being intimidated.

Dr. Neki is section editor: Dr. NS Neki, Professor of Medicine, Government Medical College and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here, has been appointed as section editor of endocrinology in Handbook on Elderly Care, due to his contribution in the field of Geriatrics. Dr. OP Sharma, New Delhi, who is National Professor, Geriatrics, is the chief editor of the book. Dr Neki is life fellow of the Geriatric Society of India (GSI) besides being its national vice president.

Batala
Funeral procession: Ex-Congress municipal councillor Buta Ram (60) was cremated here on Thursday. A large number of people, including All-India Congress Committee member Ashwani Sekhri, Congress leader Inder Sekhri, former Chairman of the Zila Prishad, Gurdaspur, Balwinder Singh Laddi, and Congress committee President Kasturi Lal Seth, attended the funeral procession.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
Medical camp: The Bharat Vikas Parishad will hold a medical camp at Maharishi Dayanand High School, wherein doctors will diagnose heart diseases and other problems free of cost. Medical check-up by expert doctors from Mohali will be performed during the camp.

Hoshiarpur
Jhuggies gutted: Fire broke in the jhuggis of the migrant labourers at Patti village on Thursday reducing 22 structures to ashes. The fire engine of the Municipal Fire Brigade took more than two hours to control the fire. No loss of life was reported. The cause of fire has yet to be ascertained.

Sharad’s effigy burnt: Activists of the District Mahila Congress Committee burnt the effigy of Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav at Kamalpur Chowk on Thursday to protest against the latter’s opposition to the proposed Woman Reservation Bill.

Jalandhar
Dharam yudh morcha: Several Guru Ravidass organisations have constituted Sri Guru Ravidass Dharam Yudh Morcha (Punjab) and nominated Satish Bharti as its convener.

Ludhiana
20 models of watch launched: Sonata today announced the launch of 20 new models to the “Super Fibre” range. The new watches target a large market in urban, semi-urban and rural India. It is primarily designed for youth in the age group of 16 to 20. Super Fibre watches are priced between Rs 275 to Rs 550. Bhaskar Bhat, managing director, Titan Industries, said: “Super Fibre was launched last September and the new watches will appeal to the Indian youth”.

PATIALA
Apna Ghar: Ashwani Kumar Malhotra, chief administrative officer of Diesel Loco Modernisation Works, Patiala, inaugurated “Apna Ghar” for senior citizens of railway employees at Staff Rest House. Binoo Malhotra, president of the DMW Women Welfare organisation presided over. An initiative has been taken by the organisation to set up a recreation room for retired railway employees. Around 50 retired railway employees were present.

Tarn Taran
Woman killed in mishap: Balwinder Kaur (30) of Thathgarh died on the spot, while her minor daughter was injured in a road accident near Kot Dharam Chand Kalan village, 10 km from here, today. The deceased, along with her daughter, was going on her Kinetic Honda when she reached near Kalan village, her vehicle was hit by an Indica car.

CHANDIGARH

SI EXAM: SSC will conduct Sub-Inspectors’ Examination-2009 in CPO like BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP and SSB on September 9 in Chandigarh, Shimla, Jammu, Srinagar, Jalandhar, Hamirpur, Bathinda and Ambala.

HARYANA

Rewari
9 computers stolen from bank: Thieves broke into the State Bank of India branch at Jatusana village, 17 km from here, last night. They reportedly disconnected the cable of the closed-circuit camera installed in the bank and then decamped with nine computers worth about Rs 3 lakh. On a complaint filed today by branch manager SR Kaloria, the Jatusana police has registered a case of burglary in this regard.

DSP’s bail plea: Taking up a petition by Haryana police DSP Dheeraj Setia seeking the grant of bail in Sarita suicide case, Justice Augustine George Masih fixed July 1 as the next date of hearing. The high court had previously asked to approach the trial court of special CBI judge, Ambala which however, declined to grant bail as prayed for, hence his fresh bid to seek the intervention of the high court.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
12 hurt in clash: At least 12 persons were injured when villagers and members of a labour party clashed with each other at Devighati, near Malokhar village,on Thursday. The police has arrested two villagers while cross cases have been registered from both sides. The incident took place when villagers objected to the labour personnel bathing naked at the village hand pump, which was mostly visited by women and girls. However, the labour did not listen to the request, resulting in clashes .

CHAMBA
‘Neo-natal tetanus free’  district: Chamba district has been declared ‘neo-natal tetanus free’ district in a joint survey conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. According to the Chamba Chief Medical Officer, Dr Dinod Pathak, keeping in view low immunisation coverage, low institution delivery and inadequate anti-natal services among all districts of the state, the district was selected for conducting the validation survey of ‘maternal and neo-natal tetanus elimination’ last year.

KANGRA
Component separation unit: Dr RP Government Medical College, Tanda, will have first ‘Blood component separation unit’ attached to its blood bank to provide transfusion of particular blood component to a patient instead of transfusing the blood as a single unit. Dr Anil Chouhan, Principal of the college, said on Friday that most of the equipment had been arrived here and rest would reach by coming Monday. He said it would take lakhs of rupees to set up the unit.

Mandi
Theft case registered: Forest mafias allegedly axed two C-6 deodar trees in the Bair-Kot Led forest beat in the Sarkaghat area and stole the timber of the trees. On a complaint of forest guard of the area Prem Lata, the police today registered a case of theft in this regard.