The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, December 22, 2001, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AHMEDGARH
STONE LAID: Mr Nusrat Akram Khan Bagga, Sports Minister, Punjab, laid the foundation stone of canal bridge at Jandiali on Thursday. The construction cost of the bridge is estimated to be Rs 90 lakh. It will fulfil the long-pending demand of residents of the town and more than 24 villages. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Happy Verma said the minister had recently disbursed funds worth about Rs 2 crore. He detailed that a cheque worth Rs 46,14,000 was given to the local MC for development projects, a grant of Rs 50,000 was given to MGMN Senior Secondary School, and Rs 25 lakh were sanctioned for a stadium at Jandiali village. He added that cheques worth Rs 40 lakh were distributed to Madevi, Aino, Rurka, Barkar Pura, Faridpur Kalan, Faridpur Khurd, Chughan, Takhar Kalan, Dhadhe Bara, Naudhrani, Buraj, Hathan, Faijgarh, Dalergarh, Himtana, Adamwal, Ratolan, Sangrala, Rustamgarh, Sangali, Bhaini Kalan, and other villages.

DISAPPOINTED: More than 200 local residents, who had gone to Malerkotla to get themselves photographed for their photo identity cards, had to return without their work being accomplished because the photographer failed to turn up till evening. According to sources, these people had gone there along with their councillors early in the morning, as the latter had received an official communication that photo identity cards of the local residents would be prepared on Thursday and Friday. Some people had even brought their children from hostels located as far as Amritsar. Mr Vijay Thapar, president, Malwa Manav Sewa Sangathan; Mr Ravi Sharma, block president of the Congress; Mr Jitender Bhola, a CPI leader; Mr Munir Mohammad, president, Muslim Youth Front; and Mr Jagjit Singh Jaggi, president, Kalgidhar Federation; and others have demanded that identity cards should be prepared at the local MC office.

AMRITSAR
MEDICAL CAMP: A medical check-up camp was organised by two branches of the State Bank of India on the premises of Nishkam Seva Public School here under the supervision of Dr Jaspal Singh on Thursday. Medicines were given to students of the school free of cost. Mr Ravi Mahajan, chief manager of the Amritsar Cantonment branch of the bank was also present at the camp.

WORKSHOP HELD: A workshop on “Orientation towards sexuality and common sexual problems” was organised here by the Department of Community Medicine, Medical College, in collaboration with the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI). Dr Mahindere C.Watsa from Mumbai delivered a lecture on various aspects of sex and sexuality — myths and misconceptions related to it.

JALANDHAR
PROCESSION: A procession was organised on the eve of Christmas at Nakodar subdivision, near here, on Thursday. Hundreds of Christians from Shahkot, Noormahal and Nakodar participated in the procession, which started from St Jude’s Convent School and passed through different parts of the town.

DESIGN WORKSHOP: A two-day design workshop was inaugurated by Dr S.P. Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University at Apeejay College of Fine Arts here on Thursday. As many as 75 students from three colleges affiliated to the university, including BBK DAV College for Women, Amritsar, Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar, and Apeejay Institute of Design, New Delhi, participated in the workshop.

MANSA
ELECTED: Mr Rajinder Garg, Junior Engineer, Water and Sewerage Board, and Mr Pawan Kumar Garg, Subdivisional Officer, Punjab State Electricity Board, have been elected president and secretary, respectively, of the Rotary Club Mansa Greater. This was stated by Mr Prem Kumar Aggarwal, charted secretary of the club.

OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Bhagwan Dass Garg, an industrialist and Mr Pawan Kumar Garg, Development Officer, LIC of India, have been elected president and secretary, respectively, of the Rotary Club Mansa, according to Mr RC Goyal, president of the club.

NAWANSHAHR
FUNDS RELEASED: Mr Jagjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, in a press note issued here on Friday, said a sum of Rs 6.86 crore for various rural development projects, Rs 1 crore for infrastructural development, Rs 90 lakh for urban development, and Rs 8.80 lakh for employment assurance schemes, had been released in the district.

ANNUAL FUNCTION: Doaba Arya Senior Secondary School here organised its annual prize distribution function on Friday. Mr Prem Gandhi, chairman, K.C. Estates, was the chief guest and Mr Suresh Sharma, Deputy Director, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Chandigarh region, presided over and gave away the prizes to the students. The students presented a colourful cultural programme on the occasion.

MEDICAL CAMP: The local Doaba Social Welfare Society organised a medical check-up camp at Manji Sahib Gurdwara here on Friday. Dr J.S. Bhullar, Civil Surgeon, inaugurated the camp. About 600 patients were examined and were given medicines free of cost.

PHILLAUR
MEETING: The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha state unit president, Mr Sukhminderpaul Singh Grewal, has convened an urgent meeting of the working committee members, district presidents, general secretaries and all state-level office-bearers of the morcha on December 25 at Ludhiana. This was stated by the state vice-president, Mr Arun Khosla, here on Thursday.

SAMRALA
ELECTED: In a meeting meeting of Mistri, Mazdoor Union held at the Civil Rest House here on Friday, Avtar Singh Otal, Ram Singh Bondli, Bhag Singh Bijlipur, Major Singh Bondal and Nirmal Singh were unanimously elected as president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and cashier of the union, respectively.

CHEQUES DISTRIBUTED: In a function held at Daheru village, 10 km from here on Friday, Jathedar Kirpal Singh Khirnian, a member of the District Planning Board, distributed cheques worth Rs 4.40 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2.75 lakh for development of Bhaddi, Daheru and Harbanspura villages, respectively. Besides, cheques worth Rs 1 lakh each were given for the development of Gandhuan and Rupa villages, and Rs 25,000 were given to Nagar Club.

SPORTS MEET: In a meeting of Panchayati Raj Sports Club, Daheru, held here on Friday, it was decided to organise village sports meet from January 24 to 27. According to Mr Manjit Singh Daheru, press secretary of Jathedar Kirpal Singh Khirnian, a member of the SGPC, kabaddi and volleyball teams will participate in the meet.

BODY FOUND: The body of Rajwant Singh (70), a resident of Begowal village, was found near a canal distributary of Madpur village, 5 km from here. It was brought to the local Civil Hospital on Friday for post-mortem. According to a doctor of the hospital Rajwant Singh had seemingly fallen into the distributary as there were no marks of any other injury.

TARN TARAN
CHEMISTS CAUTIONED: Mr Gurdeep Singh, SSP, has cautioned the chemists against the sale of drugs in the area. He was addressing a meeting of the chemists of the area. He said the drugs were causing a serious threat to the security of the country, especially in this border area. The chemists assured their cooperation to the police.

CASES REGISTERED: The local SSP in a press note issued here on Thursday said the police had seized 10 kg of poppy husk from Sawinder Singh of Dhun Dhai Wala village. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against him. The police also seized 26 litres of illicit liquor from Randhir Singh, Nirvail Singh, Parkash Singh, alias Ghulla, Major Singh, Sahib Singh and Daljit Singh They have been booked under the Excise Act.

CHANDIGARH

SANKALP DIVAS: The local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party shall observe December 23, 2001, as “Sankalp Divas” to reiterate its resolve of fighting terrorism and to extend support to the measures taken by the Central Government. In a statement issued today, Mr Yash Pal Mahajan, president of the BJP’s local unit, said all party workers will assemble in the party office in Sector 33-A, on Sunday, at 10.30 am. They will be addressed by some of the local party leaders about the incidents of terrorist attack on Parliament. After that the party’s resolve shall be read out to all the members and they shall reiterate the resolve at the meeting.

AGITATION: The Panjab University non-Teaching Employees Federation in its meeting held on Friday decided to launch agitation on the campus in protest against the decision by the university authorities to abolish hundreds of non-teaching posts. Gate rallies and dharnas on the university campus would be held from Monday. They have appealed to the non-teaching employees to boycott the work relating to the annual convocation being held on December 28, 2001.

FAREWELL PARTY: The students of Homeopathic Medical College organised “Bliss” to bid farewell to the final year students of the 1997 batch in a hotel in Sector 35 here on Friday. Three main events of the party included events to choose Mr and Miss Popular, Mr and Miss Academic and Mr and Miss Perfect. A dance item was also presented by the junior batch in which college staff members also participated. Sunil Khurana and Shagun Ahuja were adjudged Mr and Miss Popular; Nitin Chopra and Anjali Mehta were chosen Mr and Miss Academic; and Nitin Chopra and Neetu Chandna were chosen Mr and Miss Perfect.

HAILED: The announcement of the Apartment Act was welcomed by various organisations here on Friday. Mr Amarjeet Sethi of the Chandigarh Nagrik Sabha termed it as an overdue step saying that it would bring about tremendous change in the way property is sold and purchased in the city. The Traders Association, Sector 17-A and 17-B, welcomed the step while urging upon the administration to work out favourable modalities. Mr K.S. Panchhi, president of the association, said the act must be implemented with honesty and without any ambiguity.

PANCHKULA
APPEALED: Dr B.L. Tandon, founder of the People’s Voice God’s Voice Group has appealed to the residents for making a judicious choice while electing representatives for the Panchkula Municipal Council elections. In a statement issued here on Friday, he appealed to the residents for checking ‘goonda raj’ in politics by electing people dedicated to serving the masses; use their power to vote in deserving candidates and to not succumb to money or muscle power.

COUNSELLING FOR PARENTS: Prof M.L. Sharma, former Head of Extension Education Department, Egerton, Agricultural University, Kenya, will counsel parents of mentally-challenged children free of cost from next month onwards. Stating this here on Friday, he said children with mental efficiency would be examined and their parents advised accordingly depending on the level of intelligence and general condition. He said young children who were normal but suffered from certain behavioural problems would also get necessary guidance. He said certain voluntary organisations had been roped in for the job. He said they would also deal with social and family problems.

SAS NAGAR
DANCE CONTEST: A dance competition was organised at DAV Public School, Phase 6, here on Friday. The students attired in traditional dresses danced on the tunes of English, Punjabi and Hindi numbers. The results of the competition are: group A — Gursimran 1, Neetu 2 and Mohit 3; group B — Bhisham Pratap 1, Surabhi 2 and Akarshan 3; group C — Harpreet 1, Akash 2 and Mandeep 3; group D — Tanvir 1, Harpreet 2 and Roohani 3; group E — Gopal 1, Lakhbir 2 and Puneet 3.

ALUMNI GET-TOGETHER: The Old Yadvindrians Association is organising a get-together on the eve of Christmas at the YPS School here. Fashion designer J.J. Vallaya, an alumnus of the school, would be present on the occasion, said Mr Rahul Malhotra, secretary of the association. Old students of the school from Delhi, Kolkatta, Mumbai and abroad are expected to participate in the celebrations. Prizes for best-dancing couple, best dressed male and female, musical chairs and quiz have been planned. Meanwhile, students of Saint Soldier International Convent School, Phase-7, here on Friday celebrated Christmas by going on a picnic to Vatika.

FUNCTION: Green Wood Public School in Phase 7 celebrated Christmas in the school premises here on Thursday. The tiny tots, dressed for the occasion, welcomed Santa Claus with cards and songs. The children were given gifts by Santa Claus. Mrs Harcharan Siviya, principal of the school, explained the significance of Christmas to the students.