R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AHMEDGARH
STUDENTS MISS MEET: More than 60 budding sportspersons of primary schools of the block could not participate in the district primary sports due to alleged lack of coordination between the Block Education Office and centre in charges. Three-day sports meet of the district was held from October 22 to 24 at Dhanaula. According to information available, more than 1,000 students of 49 primary schools of Ahmedgarh block participated in the sports meet held at Jandali Khurd last week. Sources reveal that centre in charges of the block demanded funds for talking the students to venue of the meet which is around 60 km away. It is also learnt that such incidents had also taken place in the district earlier also but no action was taken against the erring blocks.

BATHINDA
MEDICAL CAMP: The Indian Organisation Committee, an NGO of Gobindpura village of the district, organised a medical check-up camp in the village on Sunday. Dr R.K. Gupta and Dr Rakesh Kumar from Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, examined about 350 patients. Medicines were given free of cost during the camp.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the district unit of Class IV government employees union of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board for the year 2001-2002. Mr Sham Sunder Yadav — president; Mr Jagdish Kumar — Vice-president; Mr Makan Singh Negi — general secretary; Mr Prem Kumar — assistant secretary; Mr Baisakh Singh — financial secretary; and Mr Arjun — Press Secretary.

JAGRAON
MEDICAL CAMP: Fortis Heart Institute, SAS Nagar, as part of their out each programme, in association with Lions Club-Midtown, Jagraon, organised ‘heart-care and check-up camp. Dr Harinder Singh Bedi, Senior Consultant, cardiothoracic surgery, and Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalra, Senior consultant, invasive cardiology, from the institute were present at the camp and provided consultation for heart ailments. Dr Bedi stressed for abstinence from smoking, advised prudent diet, keep diabetes and hypertension under control and change of life style. Dr Bedi informed that such camps were necessary as awareness was must for the heart patients. This camp was inaugurated by Mr Bhag Singh Mallah, MLA and Chairman, Punsup.

TWO KILLED: Two persons going on a scooter were hit by a bus (PB-12C-1012) near sugar mill on GT Road, 4 km from here, and died. The bus was going from Faridkot to Ludhiana, whereas the scooterist were going from Jagraon to Moga. The names of persons killed are Dalip Kumar and Mohinder Singh.

LUDHIANA
MEETING: The executive body meeting of the Punjab Ophthalmic Officer Association will be held at Jalandhar on November 1, 2001. Mr Harpal Singh Miakot, president of the association, in a press statement on Monday said issues of implementation of decision of high court for grant of pay scale, registration of all ophthalmic officers, time scale promotion and to start four and a half years bachelor of ophthalmic surgery of cataract surgery will be discussed at the meeting.

KARVA CHAUTH: The Lodhi Club will celebrate Karva Chauth on November 1 on the club premises. According to a statement, Karva Queen competition will be held on this occasion. The contest will be divided in three age groups. Group I will include members between 25 to 35 years of age, Group II will include women between 35 to 45 years of age and Group III will be of women above 45 years of age. The winners will be gives attractive prizes. Ms Babli Sandhu will be the chief guest on this occasion.

FREE EYE OPERATIONS: Gurdwara Akalgarh Sahib in association with Mata Gujri Charitable Hospital will organise 5th annual free eye operation camp on November 4. The camp will be inaugurated by Mr Suresh Arora, DIG. According to a press release, a team of doctors from Jalandhar will examine the patients and free medicines and spectacles will be provided to the needy patients on this occasion.

DIED: Two minutes silence was observed here on Monday by all members of the local Press Club due to sudden death of Mr Dharam Pal, brother of Mr Ram Gopal Sofat, president of the Press Club, Samrala.

24-HOUR POWER SUPPLY: Regular power supply would be given to all villages throughout Punjab, said Mr Kirpal Singh Khirnian, member of the district planning board. While addressing a big gathering on Sunday at Daheri village, 9 km from here, Mr Khirnian said there would be no village left in the scheme of 24-hour power supply before December 31 as already announced by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab. Under the Shagun Scheme, 44 beneficiaries were given cheques for Rs 5,100 each, Rs 25000 for the sports promotion to Mohanpur village, Rs 15000 for Bhamaddi village Rs 25000 for Harbanspura village, 15000 for Chawa village and 15000 for Beeja village on the occasion. 

MALERKOTLA
SATSANG HELD: A “divya maha satsang” was organised on the premises of Hanuman Mandir by the Art of Living, Malerkotla chapter, here on Monday. It was largely attended. The Art of Living members from all over the state regaled the audience with soulful bhajans.

WELFARE STAMPS: Mr Baldev Singh Mann, president, Malerkotla Bar Association, in a letter to the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, has demanded that the welfare stamps should be provided at the local courts. He said lawyers were ready to affix the stamps as per the instructions of the Bar Council.

MANSA
BAIL REJECTED: Mr Harbans Lal, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mansa, has again rejected the bail application of Dr Pushpinder Kumar Singla, Medical Officer, Rural Hospital, Bhikhi. The Vigilance Bureau had arrested Singla while he was allegedly accepting Rs 3,000 as illegal gratification. 

PATIALA
CAMP: The Lions Club Patiala organised a free eye check-up and operation camp at Civil Hospital, Amloh, near here, on Monday. The club president, Mr Sarbjit Singh Ahuja, said nearly 500 patients were examined by Dr Sachin Walia and Dr Jatinder Kansal. Free medicines were distributed among patients.

APPOINTED: Mr Sukhminder Singh was appointed as president and Mr Dharam Pal Sharma as general secretary of the State Transport Advisory Committee during a meeting held here on Monday.

YOUTH PROGRAMME: The local police in collaboration with the Punjab Human Rights Commission, the Punjab Police Academy and other organisations, including the South Yorkshire Police, the British Council and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK, has launched a youth programme under its community policing project. The programme, Youth and Police, has set up a youth club, Jagriti, comprising young boys and girls from schools and colleges of the city. Mr Gautam Cheema, SP (City), is the Project Manager, assisted by Ms Sujata Ashwarya and Dr Raman Dang as Project Officers, Priyanka Awasthi and Jitbachan Singh, both as club leaders. The Jagriti organised a medical camp at Rakhra village on Monday in co-operation with doctors of Government Medical College and Government Dental College. Nearly 400 persons were examined.

DELEGATION: A delegation of the Punjab Small Newspapers Editors Union met the Secretary of the Information and Public Relations Department, Mr D.S.Guru, here on Monday. They discussed various problems which the small newspapers were facing and demanded increased number of advertisements from the Punjab Government.

CONDEMNED: The Punjab Pensioners Welfare Association has condemned the Punjab Government’s decision not to disburse the salary to government employees and pensions to the pensioners. Stating this here on Monday, the association general secretary, Mr Dayal Singh Bajaj, claimed the order to be ‘unconstitutional and against the fundamental rights provided in the Constitution’. The association demanded release of pay as well as the pension failing which the association leaders would be forced to take stern action.

OFFICER ELECTED: Mr Mohan Lal, Advisor to the District Governor was elected as the Installation Officer of Lions Club, Patiala Central and Patiala Vishal during a meeting held in the auditorium of Language Department here on Monday. Meanwhile, the Lions Club, Patiala Central and Patiala Vishal also organised a seminar on AIDS and drug addiction at Veer Hakikat Rai Senior School.

SUNAM
SHOPKEEPER KILLED: Som Nath, alias Somi, a watch-shop owner, was killed on the spot when another watch-shop owner, Vishnu Kansal, allegedly fired at him outside the local bus stand on Sunday evening. Mr Satish Kumar, alias Kala, elder brother of the deceased, was seriously injured in the incident, which reportedly took place after an altercation between the shopkeepers over the sale of watches.

HARYANA

INAUGURATED: Mr Raj Singh Dahiya, chairman, Sonepat Zila Parishad, inaugurated the newly-constructed building of the Balmiki Panchayat Chaupal at Dhadana village, 10 km from here, on Sunday. According to a report, the chaupal had been constructed out of funds raised by the Balmikis of the village.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
FIVE HELD: The police has arrested five persons, including two girls, on the charge of prostitution from a local hotel. Mr S.R. Ojha, Superintendent of Police, said on Monday that a case had been registered in this connection.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the HP State Deputy Commissioners Office Employees Association: president — Mr Jagat Ram Sharma; senior vice-president — Mr Ran Singh Chauhan; vice-president — Mr Lala Ram Sharma; general secretary — Mr Jagdish Attri and joint secretary — Mr Ranbir Singh.