R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AHMEDGARH
CAMP: The Pandit Dhan Raj Social Welfare Society, Benra, organised an eye care camp at the Civil Hospital, Malaudh, which was inaugurated by Dr S.N. Tewari, Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana. According to Mr Arvinder Sharma, opthalmic officer of the hospital, the team of surgeons led by Mr R.S. Gill performed 45 operations after investigating 245 patients. Mr Sharma said the society would celebrate World Sight Day at Malaudh on October 8.

FARIDKOT
RESENTMENT: The Punjab Government’s decision to reschedule the block samitis and zila parishad chairmen elections in the state has been taken to express resentment over the centre’s delay in announcing the minimum support price of paddy. This was stated by Mr Jasjit Singh Randhawa, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats and Public Health, while talking to mediapersons at the residence of Mr Gurtej Singh Gill, president, nagar council here, on Tuesday.

WOMEN CELL IN CHARGE: Mrs Jasbir Kaur Samag, wife of Mr Jaswant Singh Samag, a senior leader of the, SAD, has joined the Lok Bhalai Party here Monday. She announced the decision in the presence of the party president, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, at her residence. Mr Ramoowalia appointed her the in charge of the district women cell of the party. Mr Jaswant Singh Samag is a close associate of Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, MP, and general secretary of the SAD.

ANTAKSHRI SHOWS: Mr G.A.P. Singh, spokesman, Close Up Antakshri Management body, said here on Monday that the programme had already been completed in Andhra Pradesh and had evoked a good response from participants. Moreover, they had also shown their programmes at Sunam, Sangrur, Dhuri, Barnala, Malerkotla and Ahmedgarh. The next programme would be shown at Muktsar, Malout and Gidderbaha on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, respectively. Later, Jaitu and Kotkapura towns of the districts would be taken up. Earlier, a 20 member team of the Antakshri presented a musical show at the local MGM Senior Secondary School.

FEROZEPORE
CONVENTION: The Adesh Institute of Engineering and Technology based three first and two second prizes during the annual convention of the ISTE, which concluded at the local SBS College of Engineering and Technology, here on Monday. As many as 40 premier technical institutions of North India participated. The results are: Paper Presentation: Nurpur and Sabneet 1; Model Contest: Sumit and Siddharth; and Essay Writing: Sonia S. Kumar.

HOSHIARPUR
TRAINING: District programme officers, Senior Medical Officers and Medical Officers, are being trained under the Revised National TB Control Programme in the district. This was stated by Mr Madan Lal Kakar, Civil Surgeon, Hoshiarpur, in a press note issued here on Tuesday. Under this programme, trained employees would go door to door and distribute free medicines among TB patients in the district.

MEDICAL CAMP: The Rotary Club, Hoshiarpur, organised a free medical chek-up camp at Atowal village, 12 km from here on Monday. While inaugurating the camp, Dr M.L. Kakar, Civil Surgeon, Hoshiarpur, said 200-bedded civil hospital at district headquarter, 50-bedded civil hospitals at Garhshanker, Dasuya and Mukerian, nine primary health centres, eight community health centres, 27 mini primary health centres, three 25 beded hospitals, 89 subsidiary health centres and 248 sub centres were being run by the Health Department. A team of doctors examined 350 patients on the occasion.

FLAG MARCH: The district unit of the CPM organised a flag march to oppose the anti-people policies of the NDA Government at the Centre and Capt Amarinder Singh’s government in Punjab. Rallies were organised at Kadiana, Nasrala, Singriwala, Bassi Daulat Khan, Marnaian and Davida Ahrana on Monday. Sathi Bhagat Singh, Gurmesh Singh, Rajinder Kaur Chokha and Gurbakhash Singh addressed the rallies.

DENTAL CAMP: At least 350 school-children were treated at a dental camp organised by the local unit of Arya Samaj at a temple here on Tuesday. Dr S.K. Sharma, spokesman of the Samaj, said free medicines and toothbrushes were distributed among the children.

KAPURTHALA
SUICIDE: Anokh Singh, 52, and his wife, Krishna Devi, 48, allegedly committed suicide on Monday by consuming sulphas tablets. Their bodies were found in fields at Ramidi village. A scooter and Rs 37,850 in cash along with a suicide note were recovered from their possession. After a post-mortem the bodies were handed over to their relatives. The police has registered a case in this connection.

KHANNA
FIRST PRIZE: A team from Lala Sarkaru Mal Sarv Hitkari Vidya Mandir, Khanna, bagged first prize in the 11th Regional Science Fair and Exhibition organised at Nabha from September 19 to 22 by the Sarv Hitkari Educational Society, Punjab in connection with the Golden jubilee celebration of the society. According to a press note issued by Ms Anju Bhatia, the Principal of the school, here on Monday, three types of competitions were organised in the fair in which 400 students from 38 schools participated. The team comprised Amreen, Nimit, Navneet, Karn, Kiran and Radhika.

MACHHIWARA
MOBILE SERVICES: A private mobile service provider, Spice, started its services in the area on Monday evening. A 50-mtr-high tower has been set up near the old Sabzimandi to transmit the waves in a 10 km radius.

OCTROI EVASION: A special check-post has been set up by the local Nagar Panchayat at Gani Khan Nabi Khan Gate to keep a check on octroi evaders. The campaign headed by the executive officer, Mr Tejinder Singh, has fetched an extra revenue of Rs 10,000. According to Mr Sukhsagar Singh, accountant of the nagar panchayat, around 10 cases of octroi evasion had come up so far.

SEMINAR: The Punjab Small Industries and Export corporation, Chandigarh, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, will hold a seminar on “Exports from Punjab” at Ludhiana on October 11, according to Mr Ashwani Kohli, senior vice-president of the Punjab Chamber of Small Exporters, here on Tuesday. The Punjab Industries Minister, Mr Avtar Henry, will inaugurate the seminar, Mr Kohli added.

CHANDIGARH

PANCHKULA
COMPLAINT: Mr Gopal Krishan Goyal, an insurance agent, has accused his father-in-law and latter’s relatives of criminal intimidation. In a complaint to the Superintendent of Police, Ms Charu Bali, Mr Goyal has alleged that he was abused, manhandled and threatened by relatives of his father-in-law — Manohar Lal Garg, Surinder Kumar Singla, Radheshyam Singla, Mukesh Singla and Suresh Sharma. He has alleged that he has a matrimonial dispute with his wife, Meenakshi, a resident of Sector 15, here. Their case is pending with the Crime Against Women Cell. 

HARYANA

AMBALA
ONE KILLED: One person was run over by a train near Ambala city here on Tuesday. The deceased seemed to be a beggar. According to the railway police, the deceased was not identified so far. His body was sent for postmortem to the local Civil Hospital. 

ANTICIPATORY BAIL: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Dr Ashok Shasan brother of a former Congress Municipal Commissioner, Ambala city, who was booked in the MLA assault case on August 14. Earlier, the District Court had dismissed his bail application. Ms Kiran Bala Jain appeared on behalf of Dr Shasan in the court. The Ambala city police had registered a case under Section 307 against Dr Shasan and others when the local MLA, Ms Veena Chibbar, was assaulted in Baldevnagar area by several residents. The former municipal commissioner, Mr Harish Shasan, was granted bail by an Ambala District Court. 

KALKA
FUNCTION: To pay tribute to the martyrs, Haryana Martyrs’ Day function was held on the premises of local Government College on Monday. The chief guest on this occasion was the SDM, Mr Sushil Sarwan, while the function was presided over by Principal of the college Bhim Singh Dahya. On this occasion Hardev Singh Uppal, former DIG, and his wife, Tajinder Kaur, were honoured for the sacrifices made by their family for the national cause. They were presented a memento and shawl. A cultural programme was also organised by the students on the occasion. 

SIRSA
CAMPAIGN FOR ENGLISH: The Additional Sessions Judge, Sirsa, Mr Virender Singh, has advised the District English Promotion Forum not to be over-enthusiastic about English. Speaking as the chief guest of the forum on Monday, he emphasised the importance of integrity and upright public behaviour. The president of Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum, Rohtak, Mr Jagdish Chopra said instead of giving undue importance to English, Indian languages should be promoted. The president, District English Promotion Forum, and DSP Rai Singh and Dr Sagwan called for learning English.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
TEACHERS PROTESTS: Leaders and activists of the Himachal Pradesh State Teachers Union staged a demonstration and day-long dharna in front of the office of Deputy Director of Education here on Monday. They are demanding the removal of the Education Minister, Mr I.D.Dhiman, as he had transferred a large number of teachers.

WORM IN THE TAP: A one-foot long worm, locally called “Tandua Keeda”, gushed out of the kitchen tap of Ramlal at Baba Bangali (Raura) Sector here on Sunday. Several house-holds in the vicinity have been receiving brownish and stinking water.

KULU
DEATH: Gokul Chand (35), son of Damodar Dass of Hechali village in Mandi district was crushed to death by a speeding Jeep ( HP-34-3743 ) at Pirdi, 3 km from here, on Monday. The driver has been arrested.

KUMARHATTI
PARISHAD POLL: The fresh election for pradhan and uppradhan of the parishad will be held on October 7 at Solan. As many as 64 pradhans and uppradhans of 32 panchayats of Solan block will take part in the election in which besides the selection of new executive committee the president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary of the parishad will be elected.

SHIMLA
ADOPTION : A one-day orientation programme on adoption for state government officials of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh was organised here by the State Welfare Department in collaboration with the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA). Inaugurating the programme, Mr T.G.Negi, Secretary Welfare, said the main objective of the initiative was to facilitate adoption, regulate inter-country adoption and create awareness among the government officials about the condition of destitutes, orphans and abandoned children. According to an estimate, India has 30 million orphans, out of which 12 million were destitutes, he added.