Nominations filed for PU election
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — The day of filing of nominations for the elections to the Panjab University Campus Students Council proved to be contentious with as many as seven objections being filed against the candidates.

Two of these objections have been reportedly filed against the candidature of SOPU-ABVP presidential nominee, Mr D.P.S. Randhawa, and that of Mr Bhupinder Singh Bhuppi, the presidential candidate of the PUSU-HSA-NSUI-SFI alliance. These objections have been referred to an election tribunal, which will give its decision tomorrow following which the list of the approved candidates would be displayed.

The last date of withdrawing nominations is tomorrow and the poll scene is likely to be clear by tomorrow. Of the total 64 department representatives contesting in 43 departments, 19 DRs have been elected unopposed. The candidatures of few department representatives has also been rejected.

Earlier during the day, the presidential candidate of the PUSU-HSA-NSUI combine, Bhupinder Singh 'Bhuppi', filed his nomination papers in the Department of Laws, while Dayal Partap Singh Randhawa, the presidential candidate of the SOPU-ABVP alliance, filed his nomination papers in the Department of Education. The other two candidates who filed their nominations for the post of President are Hitesh Kaplish from the Department of Laws and Bhupinder Singh of the Department of History.

As many as five candidates are contesting for the post of the Vice-President. While Shivani Solanki of the Department of Political Science is the PUSU-HSA-NSUI representative for this post, Samriti Sharma, a BE, 4th-year student of Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, will contest for the post from the SOPU-ABVP alliance. The SOPU-ABVP combine had earlier named Aarti Singh of the Physics Department for the post. Others who filed nomination for this post are Mukta Sharma (geology), Kavita Bragta (philosophy) and Ajnabi Mahajan (biophysics).

Six contestants filed their nomination for the post of the Secretary. Mohan Singh 'Mohani' of the Bio-Chemistry Department is the nominee of the PUSU-HSA-NSUI combine. Parneet Singh Grewal of the Department of Laws is the nominee of the SOPU-ABVP combine. Other contestants are Hitesh Kaplish and Sukhvinder Singh of the Department of Laws, Jagmeet Singh (physics) and Jaskaran Singh (geography).

The contestants for the post of Joint Secretary are Harjodh Singh 'Harry' (Law Department) of the PUSU combine and Davesh Moudgil of the Urdu Department is the SOPU-ABVP nominee. Jatinder Chadha of the Botany Department has filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate for this post.

Meanwhile, a former Chairman of the Geography Department, Prof Gopal Krishan, has been appointed Chairman of the election tribunal as Prof S.K. Malik, who was appointed earlier, proceeded on a two-day leave. Other two members are Prof Bhupinder Singh Brar and Dr Bal Krishan. The DSW, Prof Bansal, said the decision of the tribunal would be final and he would not intervene in the matter.

Student leader held in kidnapping case
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — There was panic and confusion at the Students Centre Coffee House in Panjab University when the city police today evening arrested Bhupinder Beniwal, while he was addressing a press conference at the place.

Beniwal is one of the co-accused involved in the kidnapping of Jaswant Singh, a former student who had come to appear for admission to MA course in the university on July 29.

Addressing media persons, he announced that his newly formed party the Haryana Students Union (HSU) has formed an alliance with SOBU-ABVP and Parneet Garewal is their candidate for the post of general secretary. He also gave a copy of the election manifesto of the SOPU-ABVP-HSU to journalists.

At this juncture, somebody walked up to him and told him that the police was coming to arrest him. He quietly slipped away from the conference, leaving the media persons wondering as to what was happening.

The police party led by the SHO, Sector 11 police station Mr Vijay Kumar, arrested him when he was coming down the ramp.

Beniwal has been booked for rioting, assaulting , kidnapping and criminal intimidation and will be produced before the Judicial Magistrate tomorrow for remand. The city police had only two days ago arrested another co-accused Baljinder Singh Sangha, former chairman of the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU). A case has been registered under Sections 147/ 148/ 149/ 323 / 364/ 342/ 506 of the IPC.

It may be recalled that as many as eight persons, alleged to be the SOPU supporters, had been named in the FIR of the kidnapping of Jaswant Singh on July 29. while two of them, Ajay Pal Singh and Gurpratap, had been arrested then, the others had been absconding.

Later, in a statement issued to the press, SOPU president, DPS Randhawa clarified that SOPU-ABVP alliance formed earlier had nothing to do with the HSU and they remained unaffected by the arrest of Bhupinder Beniwal of the HSU.

Meanwhile, the city police today arrested five persons, who were trying to sneak into the campus with some weapons.

According police sources, all five were travelling in a jeep when they were intercepted by the police force manning gate no: 2 ( towards Sector 15) and arrested following the recovery of a revolver, five live cartridges and other deadly weapons.

Sources reveal that Jaswinder Singh , a resident of Ludhiana, has been booked under Section 25 of the Arms Act as he was found to be carrying a revolver and five live cartridges.

The other four namely Balwinder Singh, Karamjeet Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Baljit Singh, hailing from a village near Ludhiana have been booked under Sections107/151 Cr PC. ,They were found to be carrying hockey sticks, steel pipe rods, a sharp knife when they were nabbed at gate no: 2. The jeep which was being used by them has also been impounded.

According to the SHO, Mr Vijay Kumar, the aim of the police is to not to create panic by conducting unnecessary checks but keep a strict vigil to prevent outsiders from entering the campus and thereby creating trouble. Even in the boys hostels in the university and colleges we check only those rooms, where we get some information from our sources about the possibility of outsiders. The idea behind preventive arrests and deployment of additional police force on the campus is to maintain law and order on the campus, he added.

PU bans arms
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — Panjab University today prohibited the carrying of lethal weapons/arms on the campus from September 22 to 25.

The Dean Students Welfare (DSW), Prof V.K. Bansal, in a circular to the chairpersons of the teaching departments and wardens of Panjab university hostels, said that carrying of even licensed arms had been banned during these days. The police will take strict action against anyone found possessing weapons/arms or ammunition.

The entry of gunmen and personal security officers into the campus has also been banned.

Campaigning picks up on campus
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — The election scene in Panjab University gained momentum with members of the PUSU-HSA-SFI-NSUI and the SOPU-ABVP alliances launching door-to-door campaigns for the campus council elections to be held on September 24.

Candidates visited various teaching departments in the day and girls' hostels in the evening for canvassing. The focus of students activists shifted from Students' Centre to girls' hostels where meetings and rallies were organised. Meetings at boys' hostels were on smaller scales. The emphasis is more on door-to-door campaign in the hostels. Some of these activists also visited the city colleges to support candidates fielded by their parties.

However, speeches of these student leaders reveal no new demands, stands or promises. Some faces on the two opposing panels are new and once again, same old parties are calling the shots. The election scene in the university is quieter this year than previous years with few posters and banners all around. However, vehicles decorated with colourful posters and banners at various places were visible on the campus today.

According to the faculty members and former student leaders, violence, the hallmark of these elections 14 years ago, is missing with students believing in peaceful ways of canvassing. The campus which used to resemble a cantonment during the elections then, is dotted with policemen at only strategic points now.

However, there was a lot of activity in boys' colleges where candidates remain busy in door-to-door canvassing in classes. Enthusiasm is more among hostel residents, who have put up colourful posters and banners all over their colleges. The election activity, however, is yet to pick up in girls' colleges as in some cases, parties haven't announced names of their candidates in these colleges. Principals of these colleges said following the withdrawals tomorrow, candidates were likely to be elected unopposed.

Meanwhile, in the local Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, Anjali, Nidhi Bhuktiar and Minnie have been unanimously elected to the posts of the president, vice-president and general secretary of the college, respectively.

According to the Dean Students Welfare, Prof V.K. Bansal, as per figures available, 4,697 students from 43 teaching departments in the university will elect 64 department representatives in these elections. The number is likely to increase as students admitted till September 23 will be issued identification slips, making them eligible to vote. A total of 84 booths have been set up in various departments for these elections with 10 in the Department of Laws and five each in the Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, University Business School and six in the Department of Mathematics.

Earlier, in a meeting with chairmen of various departments, Prof Bansal explained the details of the conduct of these elections.

With a view to ensuring peaceful elections, groups of teachers will be put on duty along with the hostel wardens on September 23 and 24. The police will also be asked to search hostels on September 23 to check if illegal occupants are living there. In the GCM-11, the Principal, Mr S.N. Singla, has directed boys not to continue campaigning after 10 pm. Teachers have been put on evening duty by rotation in hostels till the elections are over.

Students' grouse against PU re-appear exams
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — Re-appear examinations of Panjab University in a majority of subjects are likely to be conducted prior to the declaration of the re-evaluation tests, which only means extra time and financial burden for a number of candidates who were actually successful.

Students complain that they pay extra fee for re-appear examination and in case they cleared the examination in re-evaluation the fee is non-refundable. If the university made an error in the evaluation of answers or counting and totalling marks in a result where a candidate had actually cleared, the student should not be made to take re-appear exam. The process needed speeding up.

Candidates who cleared the examination after detection of faulty calculation of total marks faced great difficulty. These candidates are declared unsuccessful or as having compartment. A large number of them fill re-appear forms besides making additional payment.

Higher authorities maintain that very rarely was the declaration of re-evaluation marks made prior to re-appear over the past several years.The Controller of Examination,Dr Sodhi Ram, said last year the university had ensured speedy evaluation of results. He said that majority were declared before the re-appear examination.

As many as 1175 candidates applied for re-evaluation last year in B Com I.The university managed 975 results within September, out of which 200 were referred to the third examiner.In B.Com III, 1000 students applied for re-evaluation.More the 60 per cent results were declared within September. All three years of BA and B Sc managed above 72 per cent results.

Sources maintain that the work burden left very little chances for the early declaration of results.

Dr Sodhi Ram said that despite a delay of about 35 days during examination this year, the university gained about a fortnight to gain on the lost time.Giving details about degree level courses he said last year the university saved up to 54 days in the declaration of compartment results at the undergraduate level.

As many as 25 days were advanced in case of B.Sc results and about a fortnight in case of commerce class, he said.

The overall scenario in the current session looked different and delay due to dates of declaration of results.The days lost had nothing to do with delay.In fact the days lost during Khalsa celebrations were made up by about a fortnight by the university.

The university will manage a few results of re-evaluation before the re-appear examination even this year. sources said students should not complain because re-evaluation was a "facility" not a compulsion on part of the university.Students,however, differed. They said that re-evaluation was a fault of the evaluators not students.

10-crore grant for eye centre at PGI
By Sonoo Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — A grant of Rs 10 crore has been allocated for a super-speciality eye-care centre at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), which would be equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology of vision correction.

In fact, it was almost two years ago that the eye-care centre was planned and the allocation of the grant made in the Ninth Five-Year Plan. Incidentally, the ''bhoomi puja'' for the project was performed about six months ago on the hospital premises. Sources reveal that the project has been delayed because of an unstable government at the centre.

This advanced eye-care centre will be built on the lines of the Advanced Paediatric centre, but sources indicate that the treatment to this project would differ greatly, since additional infrastructure has already been applied for.

The centre would be housed in a five-storeyed building with each floor occupying an area of about 18,000 square feet and would be located near the library of the PGI. But sources say that the centre is being planned in such a way that resources like the additional staff and equipment would be made available much before the building is erected.

Dr Jagjit S. Saini, Additional Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, who is looking after this project and was also sent abroad for training in order to start the same, said that the centre would be equipped with a laser system for vision, an upgraded eye bank and a vision correction centre. According to Dr Saini, the vision correction centre would be the main area to be created at this centre. The department is hoping to have the new equipment available with it by the end of this year.

Sources claim that posts have been created to be filled at the centre. While the centre would take some time to come up, about 30 per cent of the space in the new Out-Patients Department (OPD) has already been earmarked for keeping the equipment.

The centre would also provide a support system in the field of cosmetic lenses. The advanced eye centre would upgrade the technology system of contact lenses and bio-focals contact lenses. According to experts in the field, at a later stage the centre would even look into the prospect of manufacturing the contact lenses.

Meanwhile, this department will hold a two-day symposium on ''Contact lenses and vision correction alternatives'' at the PGI on September 25 and 26.

Probe ordered into karamchari’s death
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Sept 21 — The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ropar, has ordered an inquiry into the case of death of a 45-year-old safai karamchari of Lakhnour village, who was found dead near a nullah on September 15.

The local police, stating it to be a natural death, had initiated inquest proceedings in the case under Section 174 of the CrPC.

The SP (Detective), Ropar, was today directed to inquire into the matter by the SSP, Mr G.S. Bhullar, after members of the gram panchayat of Lakhnour village met him, alleging foul play behind the death of the safai karamchari, Soma Singh.

According to police sources, the victim worked in an eye hospital at Sohana village near here. After returning home on September 14, he had come to the township regarding some work.

Next morning, his body was found adjacent to a nullah near Lakhnour village. There were injury marks on the forehead, which police believed was the result of an accidental fall.

Not agreeing with the police theory, the father of the victim, Haria, along with Mr Sawroop Singh, Sarpanch, Mr Jasbir Singh, Mr Seva Singh and Mr Ajaib Singh — all panches of Lakhnour gram panchayat — met the SSP. Mr Jasbir Singh, one of the panches, alleged that the wife of the deceased was behind the death.

The villagers said the wife of the deceased, who worked as a maid in SAS Nagar, had extra-marital relations with a person of Mundi Kharar and both were involved in the crime. They said the deceased was a teetotaller, who had no enmity with anybody.

The SSP, when contacted, said nothing could be said as such about the case. He said the SP (Detective) would inquire into the matter. He said he was yet to see the post mortem report of the victim.

Interpol's help sought to nab defrauders
By Amarjit Thind
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — The Chandigarh police has sought the help of the Interpol in arresting Rajesh Syal and Ramesh Chander Kaushik, who are reported to have fled the country after duping investors of crores. They carry a reward of Rs 10,000 each on their heads.

The duo are Directors of Marigold Forests and Alpine Floritech Limited, agro-forestry companies which had been accepting deposits from investors by promising high rates of interest. The companies had head offices at the NAC Area, Mani Majra.

According to Mr S.K. Singh, IGP, several investors had complained that neither the interest on their money nor the deposits which had matured were being paid. The matter was investigated by Special Crimes Cell. A case was registered against the duo.

The department has written to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the External Affairs Ministry to seek the help of the Interpol in arresting the accused. A request in this context has been sent to both ministries and a reply is expected soon.

The department has specific information that the duo have fled the country and are hiding somewhere in England. The police is in possession of the addresses and telephone numbers of the accused, Mr Singh claims.

Police sources said the duo had been siphoning funds for many years. They had taken away a vast sum and had invested it there. Meanwhile, the police is trying to get the property owned here.

The Interpol is the competent authority to request the police of the country to arrest a foreign national who has been accused of a crime in his native country. This is done provided both countries have signed an extradition treaty. India and England signed the treaty last year.

Delhi businessman was strangled
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — The Delhi businessman, whose body was found yesterday, was strangled before being dumped in a ditch at the rear of Udyog Bhavan in Sector 17. This was arrived at following a preliminary post mortem report.

According to police sources, the report says that the 50-year-old Satish Mehra had consumed liquor and had his dinner. His stomach was full of food which was yet to be digested. The exact amount of the whisky he had consumed would be ascertained after the report of the viscera was received.

Source said the police was working on the theory that after collecting the money the deceased had consumed liquor at a eating joint in Sector 22 facing the ISBT. Someone could have seen the money he was carrying when he paid the bill. He could then have been befriended by the stranger who would have taken him to an isolated spot and strangled him.

The other theory is that a rickshaw-puller could have taken him and waylaid him or that the deceased could have been waylaid by persons who knew that he regularly came to collect payment and usually carried large sums of money.

MCC proposes private sponsors
Maintenance of public utilities
By Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) proposes to invite sponsorships for maintenance of public utility services in the city.

The proposal has apparently been drawn in view of the fast-deteriorating condition of civic amenities. Under it several civic services will be leased to private parties for a fixed period with a view to maintaining and developing these. Private parties, in turn, will be allowed to use their insignias at prominent places. This way they would be able to advertise their products and recover the amount spent on the maintenance of these services.

Among these utilities are roundabouts, open spaces, green belts, parks, bus queue shelters, sector guide maps, parking lots, including, the underground parkings, fountains, cycle tracks, streetlights, public toilets, traffic signs and road markings.

Corporation sources said the proposal would be given wide publicity and offers received from private parties within a month would be considered by a high-level committee which is to be constituted soon.

Sources added that the civic body had no option but to go in for such a policy. In the absence of any major source of income, the civic body had been finding it difficult to maintain these public utilities. There had been frequent complaints from the public that these utilities had not been maintained properly since the formation of the civic body over three years ago.

The corporation has reportedly framed the guidelines and terms and conditions for leasing out these public utilities. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed by the civic body and the private party after negotiations after which the utility will be leased out.

It is not for the first time that the civic body has decided to involve private parties in the maintenance of public utilities. last year, it had framed a policy for handing over roundabouts and parks to private agencies.

While there was an overwhelming response to the maintenance of major roundabouts, response to the maintenance of parks was not so good.

Custodial death case
‘Arrest guilty cops’
From Our Correspondent

KHARAR, Sept 21 — “The Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, along with the DGP, Punjab, should immediately visit the family of Devinder Singh who died because of alleged police torture by CIA staff Ropar on September 18, in Hasanpur village.”

This was demanded by Prof Balwant Singh, Secretary, CPM, Punjab, while addressing a press conference here today after visiting the family of the deceased in Hasanpur.

He said the police took into custody four youths from Hasanpur village in the early hours of the morning and after 12 hours one of them was brought dead and the other three were brought in a very serious condition.

He said the SSP, Ropar, could not escape his responsibility unless he ordered the registration of a murder case against all those police officers who were responsible for it and they all should be arrested immediately. He also criticised a doctor of Civil Hospital, Kharar, who declared three youths who were in a very bad condition as fit.

Earlier, this correspondent visited the family in the village today. Mr Gurmakh Singh, father, and Mr Bachitter Singh, uncle, of the deceased, while talking to reporters said cases of murder and of other charges should be registered against all those police officers and employees who took with them the four youths.

They said that the police might not have brought the three youths to village but it was forced to bring them as the family refused to cremate the deceased unless the three youths were brought to the village. By that time, thousands of villagers had assembled there and the administration had to rush fast and brought the youths to the village and only then the deceased was cremated.

The three youths — Mr Inderjit Singh, Mr Sapinder Singh and Mr Karnail Singh — narrated their story before newsmen. They narrated how they were badly tortured. They also showed their wounds. They were very much critical of the doctor who reportedly gave a wrong medical report.

Meanwhile, resentment prevails among the villagers against the police. The father of the dead was crying loudly and naming the police officers who were allegedly responsible for the death of his son.

Meanwhile the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, Mrs Neelam Arora today ordered that the three youths should be medically examined by a board of doctors as per rules. She ordered the Chief Medical Officer, Ropar, to conduct the medical examination of the youths.

These orders were passed after applications were moved by the fathers of the youths today. They have mentioned in their application that their sons were badly tortured by the CIA staff, Ropar, and they are unable to move.

Rickshaw-pullers gherao DM's Office
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — Scores of rickshaw-pullers who were picked up by the police as part of its drive against anti-social elements gheraoed the District Magistrate's Office in Sector 17 this evening in protest against the alleged police harassment.

Protesters, who were supported by activists and leaders of the BJP and the Congress, alleged that the police picked up about 431 persons without any valid reasons. The police had picked up these rickshaw-pullers in the wake of the murder of a Delhi businessman, Satish Mehra, in the wee hours of yesterday.

Scores of rickshaw-pullers, who were later let off in the evening, demanded that such mass arrests should not be made. As soon as leaders of various political parties, including the local BJP President, Mr D.P. Gupta, and Mr Harmohan Dhawan and Mr Davinder Singh Babla, senior Congress leaders, arrived at the spot, the agitation got intensified.

These leaders wanted that Mr M. Ramsekhar, DC, should meet the agitators and announce that such arrests would not be done in future. Mr Ashish Kundra, SDM (South), had a tough a time convincing the leaders to come to the DC's Office for negotiations.

Meanwhile, Mr Babla said the DC assured the agitators that such mass arrests would not be done in future, following which the agitation was called off.

Sahitya Akademi reconstituted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — The Chandigarh Administration had reconstituted the General Council of the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi with Gen Himmat Singh Gill as its Chairman, Prof Rajnish Wattas as Vice-Chairman and Dr Manju Jaidka as its Secretary.

Other ex-officio members of the Akademi are Mr S P Arora, Director, Public Relations, as nominee of the Home Secretary, UT, Mr Rajiv Kapur, Public Relations Officer, as nominee of the Director, Public Relations, and Mr R.P. Verma, Financial Adviser, UT. Mrs Vijay Laxmi, Principal, Government College of Girls, Sector 11, and Mr Bhupinder Singh, Lecturer, Government College for Boys, Sector 11, will be the representatives of the Department of Education. Others include Ms Rama Rattan, nominated by the Punjab Sahitya Akademi, Dr Pushpinder Syal, Ms Neerja Sood, Dr Shankar Jha and Dr O.P. Vashist.

The other members are Mr Ajay Arora, book promoter, Dr Belu Maheshwar, freelance writer and historian, Ms Chitra Moudgil, Hindi writer and telefilm maker, Mr Madhav Kaushik, Hindi writer, Dr Manjit Singh, Punjabi writer, Dr Naresh and Mr R.D. Sharma, both Urdu writers, Ms Rekha Surya, Hindi and Urdu poet, Ms Sarita Mohan, Hindi writer, and Dr Surjeet Patar, writer-poet and Assistant Professor Punjabi Department, PAU, Ludhiana.

Drive against stray cattle from today
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Sept 21 — The local municipal council will launch a drive tomorrow to round up stray cattle in the township. The Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM), Mr O.P. Popli, has issued instructions in this regard to the Executive Officer of the council.

According to information available, the step was being taken due to an increase in the number of road accident involving stray cattle. The stray cattle would be held in a pound located near the cremation ground.

Another problem of pushing of stray cattle by the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation towards the township was also being sorted out. Sources in the council said official in the local municipal council had taken up the issue with their counterparts. It was stressed by the official that the stray cattle should be released in far-flung areas.

PSEB policy on meters deplored
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Sept 21 — The Consumers Protection Forum of SAS Nagar has deplored the policy of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) for not allowing more than one electricity meter in a house.

The issue came up at a meeting of the forum here today. Col Angad Singh (retd), General Secretary of the forum, said there were cases in which members of a family living in one house had partitioned and there was the need of separate meters.

Besides, the need to improve the functioning of the apni mandis in the township was also felt. It was announced that a grievances redressal camp would be held next month.

Saplings planted by students
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — Students planted more than 50 plants in a drive at Government College for Girls, Sector 42, here today.

Mrs Mohini Sharma, Principal of the college, gave a message to students regarding the importance of trees in human lives. Mr K.A.P. Sinha, DPI (College), was the chief guest.

Earlier yesterday, the annual tree plantation function was organised by the students and NSS volunteers of Government College, Sector 46, in collaboration with the State Bank of India, Sector 37.

Mr Sinha inaugurated the function by planting a sapling on the college campus.

Speaking on the occasion, he lauded the role of the NSS volunteers and NCC cadets in educational institutions.

A total of 150 saplings were planted on the occasion.

SNIPPETS

Social worker dead
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — Mr Paramjit Kumar, a social worker of the area and Chairman of the National Unity and Security Council, died here today after a prolonged illness.

He was 76 and is survived by his wife and a daughter.

His funeral, held in the evening, was largely attended. Kumar, whose career as a social activist spanned more than three decades, was a contemporary of the late President Giani Zail Singh, a former Prime Minister, Mr I.K.Gujral, and a former Union Finance Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh.

Martyrdom day tomorrow
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Sept 21 — The district administration will observe September 23 as martyrdom day to pay homage to the martyrs of the state, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Vivek Joshi, said here today.

Besides organising seminars at various places, the administration would organise a programme at Yavnika in Sector 5. The programme would be presided over by the Commissioner, Ambala range, Mr Chandra Singh.

Also students of various schools would hold a rally and organise a devotional song programme in the afternoon.

212 donate blood
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21 — The Lions Club Chandigarh Shivalik organised its 19th blood donation camp at Government College, Sector 46.

Mr K.A.P. Sinha, DPI (Colleges), inaugurated the camp and exhorted the students and blood donors to continue doing the noble work.

A total of 212 units of blood were collected by a team of doctors from the PGI to show solidarity with the soldiers who fought at Kargil.

Hindi Divas functions conclude
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 21— The fortnight-long 'Hindi Divas' celebrations organised by the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) concluded here yesterday.

Prof Luxmi Narayan Sharma of the Department of Hindi in Panjab University, who was the chief guest, spoke on the role of Hindi in the freedom struggle of the country.

Earlier, the CSIO Director, Dr R.P. Bajpai, sought cooperation of the staff in the use of Hindi and urged them to do more routine work in Hindi.

The Administrative Officer, Mr Jai Singh Meena, read out the annual report on the use of Hindi.

Meanwhile, in the translation competition organised by the State Bank of India's Zonal Office in Punjab, Mr Surendera Kumar Gupta, Mr Purkaram Singh and Mr J.R. Sharma, were awarded first, second and third prizes, respectively. In the note-writing contest, Mr N.K. Talwar, Mr Mahesh Kumar and Mr J.R. Sharma won first, second and third prizes, respectively.