The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, December 26, 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

AMRITSAR
KILLED: One person was killed and three others were injured in a collision between a tractor and an autorickshaw near Naurangabad village, near here, on Monday. According to the police, Sawinder Singh, of Kallaha village died on the spot. The injured have been identified as Manjit Kaur, Sukhwinder Singh and Sahib Singh.

BATHINDA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Local bodies Contractors Association: president — Mr J.S. Brar; and vice-president — Mr H.L. Gupta.

HOSHIARPUR
INAUGURATION: Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the Zila Parishad, inaugurated a modern shopping complex of the parishad here on Monday. The complex has 32 shops, besides a parking lot.

CONDEMNED: Maulvi Syed Azhar Hasan, president of the Muslim National Front, Hoshiarpur district, has condemned the killing of five women by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. In a press note issued here on Monday, the Maulvi said the killings were unfortunate and meant to create terror among the minority communities in the state.

JAGRAON
SABHYACHARAK MELA: The Jagrup Singh Gagra Sabhyacharak Manch organised a sabhyacharak mela at the municipal park here on Sunday, in the memory of Mr Gagra. Mr Gurdip Singh Bhaini, MLA, inaugurated the ‘mela’, and Mr Gurdev Singh Lapran, president, District Congress Committee (rural), presided over it. Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, MP, was the chief guest at the function in which many folk-singers participated. Ms Gurmel Kaur, wife of late Mr Gagra, was honoured and the singers were given prizes on the occasion.

DOG SHOW: A dog show was organised at Government Senior Secondary School here on Sunday. Over 270 dogs of different breeds like Labrador, Pomerarian, German Shephard, Cocker Spaniel, Rottweiler, along with their owners, came to the show from far-off places. Mr Gurcharan Singh Grewal, president, Sikh Students’ Federation (Mehta group), inaugurated the show. The winners of first position were given cash prizes of Rs 2,500.

VOLLEYBALL TOURNEY: The Royal Sports Club organised second volleyball tournament at Government Senior Secondary School here. Over 50 teams from Punjab, including those from Khanzerwal, Chak-A, Himmatpura, Naudorani, National Club (Chandigarh) and Bodde Konke Kalan, participated in the tourney, which was inaugurated by Mr Jagtar Singh Jagga. The prizes were given by Mr Bhag Singh Mallah, MLA, to the winner.

KHANNA
ELECTED: Mr D.R. Jalota, Principal, Radha Vatika Senior Secondary School, has been elected Director of the Ludhiana Sahodaya School Complex in an election meeting held at Guru Nanak Public School, Sarabha Nagar, under the chairmanship of Mr R.S. Grewal, Principal of G.G.N. Public School. The new team of office-bearers would take charge in April, 2002 for a term of two years.

CHRISTMAS: Tiny tots of Smile Playway School, Dugri, celebrated Christmas at a function held here on Monday. Sai, Manjot and Ishek, kids from nursery classes, came dressed up as Santa Claus and distributed sweets and gifts among the students. The kids sang Christmas carols and danced to the tune of several songs.

LUDHIANA
DE-ADDICTION CAMP: A de-addiction camp was organised by the Brahmkumaris at the Verka milk plant here on Sunday, which was attended by nearly 200 persons. De-addiction medicines were distributed free to them and were also given counselling. Speaking on the occasion,Mr Balbir Singh, chairman, Verka milk plant, Amritsar, said such camps were needed in the state as the number of addicts was constantly growing. He lauded the efforts being made by the Brahmkumaris to free the society of the menace of drug addiction.

CONTEST: The prize distribution ceremony of the “mera magic” embroidery contest organised by Vardhman Threads was held at Nishkam Sewa Sewing Centre here on Tuesday. A total of 75 students participated in the contest. Balwinder Kaur won the first prize, followed by Rajinder Kaur and Sandeep Kaur Dhaliwal. Prizes and certificates were distributed by Mr C.B. Sharma, Chief Manager, Sales, and Mr Sharvan Kumar, director of the centre.

MANSA
TRAFFIC AWARENESS: A two-day traffic awareness camp which concluded on Tuesday was organised by the Young Patriots Club as part of the Indo-British project in which more than 300 NSS volunteers, including girls and boys from different schools of the district, took an active part. Mr Gautam Singhal, Deputy Superintendent of Police Commando, Mansa-cum-Project Manager, stressed the need to follow the traffic rules strictly.

MOGA
GARLIC: Due to an increase in the demand of garlic in the region, its price has touched an all-time high, particularly in Baghapurana town in the district. Consumers said on Monday that garlic was being sold at Rs 80 per kg while its price last week was Rs 40 per kg.

NAWANSHAHR
COLLEGE FUNCTION: Amardeep Singh Shergill Memorial College, Mukandpur, 20 km from here, organised a three-day ‘Amardeep mela’ to mark the foundation day of the college which was established in the memory of Amardeep Singh Shergill in 1993. Gurvinder Singh, Mamta Tandon, Kumud and Bikramjit Singh won the first prize in lok geet, ghazal, recitation and debate contests, respectively.

STATUE UNVEILED: Ms Satwant Kaur Sandhu, Printing, Stationery and Youth Services Minister, and Mr Swarana Ram, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister, unveiled a statue of Dr B.R. Ambedkar and inaugurated the newly constructed sewerage and streets here on Monday. They also distributed cots, carpets and cheques to the panchayats falling under the Banga Assembly segment.

VACCINATION CAMP: The local unit of Sri Ram Sharanam, Gohana, in collaboration with Wockhardt Merind organised 31 hepatitis B vaccination camps at Nawanshahr, and its surrounding villages on Monday. According to Dr Jatinder Dev Verma, pramukh sevadar of the unit, 7,000 persons were vaccinated against the disease.

PATIALA
CONSTABLES PROMOTED: On the recommendation of a three-member departmental promotion committee, 443 constables have been promoted as head constables. This was stated in a press note released by the SSP, Patiala, on Tuesday. In compliance with the directions of the DGP, Punjab, the committee was constituted to scrutinise the service record of constables who had completed 16 years of regular service. The newly promoted head constables would undergo a two-month course at the Punjab Police Academy, Phillour.

MC ELECTION: The elections of the Nabha Municipal Council were held on Monday. Mr Pawan K. Garg and Mr Amandeep Khanna were elected senior vice-president and junior vice-president, respectively. Councillors the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP boycotted the proceedings.

TRAINING: In an effort to make rural women self-sufficient, Patiala Handicraft Handloom W.C.I.S. Limited will provide training to them under ‘Arwind Scheme’. This was stated in a press note released by the organisation. The inaugural ceremony will be held at Darukutia village on Wednesday.

ORDERS: The Deputy Commissioner of Patiala, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, has ordered the heads of all district government departments to refrain from taking station leave till the elections in the state conclude. This information was given in a press note issued by the Deputy Commissioner office. The Deputy Commissioner has warned of strict action against any official who takes a station leave without permission during the Assembly election.

PHAGWARA
DRUG ABUSE: The Directorate of Social and Health Services of the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle has tied up with the United Nations International Drug Control Programme on a drug abuse programme. This will give a fillip to the drive against the evil of drug and alcohol abuse, said Mr Sarabjit Singh, director of the centre.

SAMRALA
STRIKE: On a call given by the Punjab State Treasury Officials Association, the employees of the local Treasury Office observed a full-day strike here on Monday causing inconvenience to the general public as well as to farmers of the sub-division. The officials are demanding the stoppage of appointment or recruitment of assistants directly to the department and to implement the demands already accepted by the government.

APPOINTED: Baba Sarbjot Singh Bedi, convenor of Shiromani Akali Dal Panthic Morcha, has appointed the youth Akali leader, Mr Gurtej Pal Singh of Bhagwanpura, as member of the council. Mr Gurtej Pal Singh is the son of late Jasdev Singh, former Minister, and a close friend of Mr Ravi Inder Singh, former Speaker. The appointment has been welcomed by the local leaders of circle jatha Samrala, Giani Mohinder Singh Bhanglan, Mr Ujjal Singh, and Mr Tarlok Singh.

SAHNEWAL
DOWRY CASE: A case of dowry has been registered under Sections 406,498-A and 506 of the IPC at Sahnewal police station. The complainant, Karamjit Kaur, daughter of Harjinder Singh and wife of Avtar Singh, has alleged physical and mental torture at the hands of her in-laws. She accused them of intimidating her to bring more dowry. The case has been registered against her husband Avtar Singh, father-in-law Narinder Singh, mother-in-law Baljit Kaur and sister-in-law Kiranjit Kaur.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been appointed office-bearers of the Panchayati Raj Sports Club here: Mr Tejinder Singh Sandhu — president; Mr Jagdeep Singh Honey — vice-president; Mr Avtar Singh Sandhu, Mr Randhir Singh Dheera and Mr Baljinder Singh Motha — conveners; Dr Shamsher Singh Kaile — patron; Mr Sukhdev Singh Sandhu — chief patron; Mr Gurdeep Singh Gogi, Mr Harminder Singh Sandhu, Mr Ajmer Singh Sandhu, Mr Tarlochan Singh, Mr Kulwant Singh Kanti, Mr Satish Kumar, Mr Tara Singh Sandhu, Mr Harpreet Singh Sandhu, Mr Harwinder Singh, Mr Arash Aneja and Mr Kuldeep Chathali, — members.

TARN TARAN
JAILED FOR HUNTING: Mr Amarjit Singh Virk, Subdivisonal Magistrate, Patti, has awarded three-month imprisonment and one-year probation to Loosa Ram of Patti for killing wild animals. He was nabbed hunting wild animals in the Harike bird sanctuary on November 22.

CHANDIGARH

NEW PORTAL: Hello G.com, an education portal, was inaugurated by the Director, Public Instructions, Schools, Chandigarh, Mr D.S. Saroya, in Sector 17 on Tuesday. The product package includes Encyclopaedia Britannica, Students Britannica and Hello G educational CR. It also provides one-week free computer training and accident insurance worth Rs 1 lakh. The product costs Rs 5,500.

WORK BEGINS: NSS volunteers had started work on a project to develop a vatika in MCM DAV College, a press note said on Tuesday. To mark the International Year of Women Empowerment, a national integration camp was being organised from December 22 to 31. A cultural programme was also held.

PROFESSOR DEAD: Prof Amrik Singh Chawla of the Panjab University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences died on Tuesday after putting in service for more than 30 years. He had over 900 publications to his credit. Professor Chawla is survived by his wife and two daughters.

MEETING HELD: A general body meeting of the Punjabi University (Campus) Old Students Association was held here on Tuesday. The general body passed the constitution of the body. The following were elected office-bearers of the association: president — Mr D.S. Guru; secretary — Mr S.S. Sidhu; vice-president — Mr H.S. Nagra; joint secretary — Ms Suman Rani Bansal; and treasurer — Mr G.S. Sidhu.

FAST CALLED OFF: The All India Tapriwas and Vimukt Jaties Federation called off its chain fast at the Matka Chowk after the Punjab Government issued a notification on filling vacant posts in reserved category. This was stated in a press note by Mr Raijnki Ram Bazigar, general secretary of the federation.

BLOCK PRESIDENT: Mr Sudesh Gauba was elected president of the Mani Majra block of the local unit of the Chandigarh Nationalist Youth Congress. This was stated by Mr Gurbachan Singh, president of the unit.

DEMOLITION FLAYED: The local unit of the Sarv Hind Mazdoor Dal on Tuesday criticised the Chandigarh Administration and the local MP for demolishing hutments near the Gursagar Gurdwara near Sukhna Lake. In a press note, Dr Arvind Kumar Mishra, president of the unit, said the demolition left the labourers roofless in winter. The unit also demanded that the Administration take up some steps to rehabilitate the affected persons.

EYE CAMP: A free eye operation camp was conducted by Dr Surinder in association with the Baba Mal Dass Charitable Trust at the latter’s Laser Eye Hospital in Phase X, SAS Nagar, on Tuesday. A total of 160 persons in batches of 25 would be operated using a phacoemulsification technique during the camp.