The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, June 3, 2002, 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
TEAMS SENT: Following migration from border villages, the district administration has sent Transport Department teams to the border areas to keep a vigil on elements fleecing villagers. Teams of doctors and veterinary doctors have also been sent, said an official on Saturday.

HOSHIARPUR
ARRESTED: The police arrested Charanjit Singh alias Channi and Sunil Kumar of Hardo Khanpur on Friday and seized Rs 3 lakh and recovered a stolen scooter from them. According to the police , the two used to steal scooters and sell these after forging documents there of.

JALANDHAR
ALLEGATION: The Pendu Mazdoor Union has criticised the police for allegedly detaining two labourers at the Shahkot police station. In a press note issued on Saturday, the president of the union, Mr Satpal Sahota, alleged that the police picked up Ranjit Singh of Bir Baloki village, along with his relative, from his house last week and had been keeping them in “illegal” detention.

NAWANSHAHR
SEIZED: Dr Naresh Kumar Arora, SSP, in a press note issued here on Saturday said the police had seized 575 kg of poppy husk, 27 gm of smack, 100 gm of opium, 215 litres of wine , 21 litres of illicit liquor and 25 kg of lahan.

DISTRIBUTED: The Lions Club (Nawanshahr City) distributed books and uniforms among more than 100 poor students of the local Tara Singh Kahma Memorial School on Saturday. Mr Iqbal Singh, president of the Club, presided over the function.

PATIALA
JUDICIAL COMPLEX: The Advocate General, Punjab, Mr Harbhagwan Singh, who was invited here by the president of District Bar Association, Mr S. S Billing, assured that all efforts will be made to release the funds at the earliest for the completion of judicial complex here. He also said that funds would also be made available for the lawyers’ chambers.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Patiala Retail Cloth Merchants Association: president — Mr Bhupesh Aggarwal; vice-president — Mr Tarsem Bansal and Mr Anish Mangla; general secretary — Mr Vimal Chopra; and treasurer — Mr S. P. Mangla.

PHAGWARA
12 WITHDRAW: Twelve candidates have withdrawn nominations for panchayat samiti poll in Phagwara block, said SDM cum Returning Officer Zora Singh on Saturday.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Medical Laboratory Technicians Association: president — Mr Sikander Singh; general secretary — Mr Amarjit Singh; and treasurer — Mr Varinder Kumar. The association also decided to meet the Director, Health Services Punjab on June 3 regarding its demands including NPA and other allowances to the paramedical staff and the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on promotions.

ACCIDENT: Jasbir Kaur on Saturday fell off a bus at Chiheru and received serious head injuries.

ROPAR
COMMUNITY CENTRE: The local Rotary Club dedicated a community centre in Rotary Roop Kunj Complex, to its residents on Saturday. The complex was inaugurated by Ms Seema Jain, Deputy Commissioner.

CHANDIGARH

SHRAMDAAN: Mr U.S. Bhargava, General Manager, and Mr V.K. Sood, Deputy General Manager of Punjab National Bank, Northern Zone, Chandigarh, along with other senior officers and staff with their family members participated in Shramdaan on Sunday at the Regulator End of the Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh. About 120 officials and employees of Chandigarh Housing Board led by Mr G.K. Marwah, Chairman, removed silt from the bed of the lake. More than 100 persons from Khandelwal Samajam, Chandigarh, took part in the shramdaan. Singapore Airlines and Bajaj Travels, Chandigarh, with their staff and family members also took part in shramdaan. Talwar Dairy, Sector 15, Chandigarh, distributed sweetened milk to the shramdaanis. Till date 4,37,975 cubic feet of silt was removed from the lake.

CHAIN FAST: On the 26th day of the fast by the Groz Beckert Workers Union on Saturday, those who observed hunger strike were Mr Nawal Kishore, president of the union, along with four other members, Mr Nathu Ram, Mr Phool Chand, Mr Om Prakash and Mr Baleshwar. The union members alleged that the management was coming out with false statements that the operations in the factory are running smoothly. “They are only using piled up stocks. No manufacturing work is being carried on”, said Mr Shyam Bhandari, general secretary, in a press release. The press release stated that the working committee of the union has decided to intensify its struggle and continue with their protest till their demands are met by the management.

PANCHKULA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following office-bearers have been elected for the year 2002-2003 at the general body meeting held at Arya Samaj, Sector 9: patron — Mr Ram Piara Kashyap; president — Mr Dharam Vir Batra; secretary — Mr Yash Pal Arya; senior vice-president — Mr Jagdamba Gupta; vice-presidents — Mr Avinash Chander, Mr K.K. Aggarwal, Mr M.L. Manchanda and Mr Ved Verma; deputy secretaries — Mr Sunil Batra, Mr Baldev Vig, Mr G.P. Raheja, Ms Pameela Kakria and Ms Usha Gupta; treasurer — Mr M.N. Chauhan; additional treasurer — Mr B.D. Bali, librarian — Ms Krishna Chaudhry; additional librarian — Mr Sudarshan Chauhan; and auditor — Mr I.K. Grover.

SEMINAR: The local chapter of the Indian Dental Association organised a seminar on diseases acquired by practicing dentists in clinics on Sunday. Discussions were held on the different types of infections that could be acquired from patients and the preventive measures to be used. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nitin Jain said dentists faced threat of hepatitis and HIV infection from their patients. Since the dentist was coming in direct contact with the infected patients body fluids, saliva and blood, the risk was high. Besides, dentists also run a risk of fungal and viral infections, as well as diseases like rubella, he said. He advised the doctors to take precautions against these infections by sterilising their equipment, using surface disinfectants , wearing masks and gloves while examining patients. Dr Arun Bhardwaj made a presentation on AIDS and dentistry.

HARYANA

AMBALA
HONOURED: Mr Harvinder Singh, head clerk in Divisional Railway Manager complex of Ambala division, has been awarded by the Railway Board for use of Hindi in official work. Mr Singh was given the award at a function in New Delhi. He is the only employee from Ambala division to have won the award this time. Ten other persons from other railway divisions were awarded on the occasion.

BHIWANI
ROAD MISHAP: Two persons sustained injuries when their motorcycle collided head on with a four wheeler near Sanga village on Saturday. The injured, Birender of Sanga and Prem of Bhala village, have been admitted to Rohtak Medical College. Meanwhile at least 4 persons received injuries in a clash that took place over irrigation of the fields at Chand village.

ARRESTED: The police has arrested Praveen Kumar alias Gulab of Janakpuri, Delhi, for allegedly withdrawing money on a fake bank draft. SP Rajinder Singh said on Thursday that the accused had managed to withdraw Rs 39,400 by giving the fake draft in a branch of the State Bank of India on April 1.

MAN SHOT AT: One person was shot at following a land dispute here on Saturday. According to reports, Bir Singh (22) of the Ravi Das Mandir area was going to Devsar village when some people fired at him. A case has been registered.

ROAD MISHAP: A person was killed and other injured seriously in a road accident near Haluwas village on Saturday. According to reports, Vikram of Ghuskani village, along with his two friends, was going on his motorcycle when it collided with a vehicle near Haluwas, Vikram died on the spot.

KAITHAL
ARRESTED: The police has arrested three youths allegedly involved in looting Rs 50,000 from a local businessman at gun point on May 24. The police also seized three pistols and some cartridges from the accused, said SP A.S. Chawla here on Sunday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
RETAIL PRICES FIXED: The District Magistrate, Mr Chamel Singh has fixed retail sale prices for essential food items in the district and has ordered all shopkeepers to display these rates at prominent places in their shops. The ‘halwais’ have also been warned against weighing sweets in cardboard boxes.

UNA
FAIR PRICE SHOPS: Essential Commodities worth Rs 32 crore were distributed through 262 fair price shops in Una district during past two years. A spokesman of the Food and Supply Department said that 1,02,642 ration cards were issued, of which 12,584 were given to those from the below poverty line and 4596 cards to the poorest of poor families in the district.