R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
ASI BOOKED: The district police has booked an Assistant Sub Inspector for allegedly taking bribe to register a dowry case. Amarjeet Singh, a resident of Damganj, in his complaint to Islamabad police stated that the accused ASI, in charge of Gurbaxnagar, police post, had taken a bribe to register the case against the in-laws of his niece, Puja. He alleged that the in-laws of Puja were demanding more dowry and were torturing her. When they tried to register an FIR, the ASI took Rs 7000 as bribe from him.

DHURI
QUIZ CONTEST: The local United Club organised a quiz contest and a dance competition at S.D. Sabha Ashram here on Friday. More than 150 students from 15 schools participated. Robin Model School, Dhuri, and Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir, Dhura, won the first and second position, respectively, in the quiz contest, while Vasant Valley Public School, Ladda, bagged the first position and Shivalik Public High School, Dhuri, and Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir, Dhura, bagged the second position in the group dance competition.

HOSHIARPUR
WORKSHOP: A one day workshop on “Teachers’ awareness-diseases of school children” was inaugurated at the multipurpose female training health school here on Friday by Dr M.L. Kakkar, Civil Surgeon, Hoshiarpur. Dr Ajay Bagga, coordinator of the workshop, said classroom teachers had the responsibility for direct health teaching and health personnel had the responsibility for making accurate current information available to them. Dr Dalip Kumar, Deputy Medical Commissioner, also addressed the teachers.

LUDHIANA
CONCERN: A meeting of the Kitchlu Nagar Main Market Association, which was held here on Thursday, expressed concern on the deteriorating law and order situation in the area. It was decided at the meeting to demand the setting up of a police post in Kitchlu Nagar, in addition to the construction of speed breakers and other emergency provisions in the area. The meeting, which was chaired by Mr Munish Chopra, president of the association, was attended, among others, by Mr Sanjay Agnihotri, Mr Sushil Dilawari, Mr Surinder Sharma, Mr Mukesh Verma, Mr Jayant Kapur, Mr Rajinder Bhandari and Mr Kewal Krishan.

IDOLS INSTALLED: With the active cooperation of the Bihar Yuva Parishad, an idol of Lord Shiva was installed in the Shri Valmiki Mandir in the Industrial Area A on Friday. A function was held on the occasion which was attended among others by Mr Surinder Bhola, president, Ek Jot Sabha, Mr Rajiv Sharma, Mr Nek Chand, Mr Kuldip Kumar and Mr Arjun Chaudhery. Similarly, an idol of Lord Shiva was installed in the Kali Mata Temple in Rishi Nagar on Thursday. A function was held on the occasion at which the holy flame was lighted by Mr Munshi Ram, Mr Gurcharan Vadhera and Mr Sardari Lal.

POOR GIRL'S MARRIAGE: The Maa Bhagwati Club would marry off a poor girl at Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha in Deep Nagar on November 24, according to Mr Avinash Sikka, president of the club. He chaired a meeting of the club here on Friday which took the decision. The others who attended the meeting were Mr Dimpy Makkar, Mr Harish Goyal, Mr Davinder Kumar, Mr Vinay Dhir, Mr Surinder Gill and Mr Kewal Arora.

WIDOW PENSION: The Ludhiana Young Welfare Society, New Cycle Market, would provide relief to more than 100 widows in the form of ration at a function on November 17, according to Mr Rajnish Parbhakar, a spokesman for the society.

LECTURE: The Punjab Postgraduate Department of the Government College for Boys and the Punjab Sahit Sabha arranged a lecture by Dr Ajmer Aulakh, noted dramatist and director, on the college campus on Saturday morning. Two plays, ''Baganey Bohr Di Chann'' and ''Jhanaan Da Pani'', were staged which the audience enjoyed and applauded. Talking about the play, Dr Aulakh highlighted the fact that he selected the themes of a common man's life in the village scenario. He talked of life and its problems. The talk was informative and academic in nature and benefited the students.

CONVENER: Prof Prithipal Singh Kapur, a former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University and a member of the Pay Review Committee of the UGC has been named convener of a committee appointed to assess the performance of Berharmpur University, Orissa and to also examine its proposals for the Tenth Plan.

WORKSHOP: A workshop on ''age management'' was organised by the VLCC. The experts gave demonstration of the age reversing treatments mainly collagen-elastic induction and the tightening treatment. They advised a proper clean up and the right approach towards the facial treatment.

COMPUTER CARNIVAL ENDS: The closing ceremony of the first-ever computer carnival was held at Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar. Dr Daniel Abraham, Director, CFC Public School, was the chief guest. The chief organiser, Mr Sanjay Shroff, informed that more than 200 students from 15 schools participated in the three-day event. A multimedia competition, cyber media, was also held and the results are: winners — Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School and the runners-up team was from Tagore Public School, Aggar Nagar.

ORAL HEALTH WEEK: The Indian Dental Association in collaboration with Colgate Palmolive (India) Ltd is celebrating oral health week. An inter-school competition was held on Saturday morning at Baba Isher Singh School. Students participated in a beautiful smile contest and on-the-spot painting competitions.

SUNAM
PRESS DENY: The Pratidarpan Sanskrit Mandir Sunam on Saturday organised a function to celebrate mediapersons, political and social leaders lauded the role of media in maintaining peace, communal harmony and National integrity.

CHANDIGARH

WORKSHOP: The local branch of the Family Planning Association conducted a workshop under Adolescent Health Care Clinic at the branch centre in Sector 4, here on Friday. As many as 63 volunteers participants attended this camp. Ms Pushpa Khanna, president of the branch, said only friendly approach towards adolescents could help on their counselling.

HARYANA

AMBALA
PRESS DAY: A conference was held at Ambala City to mark Press Day on Saturday. The SDM, Mr M. K. Ahuja, presided over the function, which was attended by several journalists. Mr Ahuja said the Press helped in bringing to the notice of the administration the problems being faced by residents. Journalists, while highlighting the various challenges faced by them, observed that the district administration must ensure correct information is passed on to the journalists.

LECTURE: A lecture was delivered on Saturday by Dr Sukhdev Singh on the role of writer in the modern world. The lecture was organised by the Punjabi Sahitya Sabha at Gandhi Memorial National College. He said: “Understanding of literature is inter-connected with the understanding of society.” He observed that “every individual has a right to freedom of life.”

KILLED: A cyclist working in a poultry farm at Nasirpur village, near here, was killed when he fell from his bicycle on the Ambala-Hisar road on Saturday. According to the police, the victim has been identified as Suresh Kumar originally belonging to Nepal.

BHIWANI
CHARGES: The local Municipal Council is recovering “development charges” imposed by the Haryana Urban Development Authority for authorising colonies at a rate of Rs 120 per sq ft. Under this drive, the council has reportedly realised Rs 1.75 lakh during the past four days.

FATEHABAD
PRESS DAY:- The district administration organised a function in the local Patwar Bhavan on Friday on the occasion of the National Press Day. ADC C.R. Ran, SP K.K. Rao, SDM Yogesh Bhardwaj and DTO I.S. Dahiya were present. The DC said mediapersons had a role to play in the betterment of the society. He called upon them to perform their duty without fear and favour.

KAITHAL
MITC STAFF’S PLEA: Members of the Joint Action Committee of agitating MITC employees have urged the Haryana Government to review its decision to close the MITC as a large number of families of the employees are facing financial difficulties and finding it difficult to meet their day-to-day expenses. This was decided at a meeting of office-bearers of the MITC Employees Union held here on Friday.

KALKA
CAMP: A free eye camp was organised by the local Hospital Welfare Association, at the Civil Hospital, Kalka, on Thursday. As many as 150 patients were examined by a team of doctors led by Dr R.K. Kakkar from the General Hospital, Panchkula. Operations of patients will be performed free of cost on November 22. Spectacles and medicines were distributed among patients free of cost.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SHIMLA
NEW SHIMLA: Residents of the New Shimla area a harried lot. This area was developed at the sector and phase-levels, but later it was merged into nagar Panchayat. Now, the Municipal Corporation has lifted the garbage dumps from Sector 1 to Sector 4, resulting in garbage accumulating in open spaces and residents have to hire safai karamcharis at hefty rates. The residents of Sector 1 are the worst affected as garbage accumulates at the entry point of Sector 1and foul smell emanates.