R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
GRIEVANCES COMMITTEES: Mr Satya Pal Dang, a former MLA, in a letter to the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, urged him to constitute district grievances committees for the quick redressal of complaints.

BATHINDA
THEFT: Cash was reportedly stolen from a Saree shop located in the Dhobi Bazar of the town on Tuesday night by thieves who broke the shutter. Mr Parmod Kumar, owner of the shop, said finger prints from the spot were also taken.

FARIDKOT
MEETING HELD: Mr A Venu Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, underlined the need for the implementation of preventive measures to protect the coming generations from polio. This was stated by him on Monday while presiding over a senior district officers’ meeting held here to review arrangements regarding Pulse Polio Programme to be enforced on January 5 and February 9.

EYE CAMP: As many as 58 eye operations were performed and over 600 persons were examined at an eye camp organised by the Lions Club, Kotkapura here on Monday. Dr P.S. Brar, an ophthalmologist of the area, along with his team, examined the persons. Dr Harkesh Singh Sidhu, ADC (Development), inaugurated the camp. Mr Mantar Singh Brar, MLA, Kotkpura, announced a grant of Rs 50,000 to the organisers.

HOSHIARPUR
THREE BOOKED: A case has been registered against Gurpreet Singh, Balbir Singh and Onkar Singh of Noor Talai village for allegedly raping a girl of the same village on December 13.

VIKAS MANCH: Leaders of the Janata Dal (S), the CPI, the CPM, the Lok Bhalai Party and the Republican Party of India at a joint meeting here on Monday constituted ‘Vikas Manch’ to field candidates in the coming elections of the local municipal Council. Mr Darshan Singh Sidhu and Mr Gurbachan Singh Soos, spokespersons of the manch, said those interested in contesting elections should submit applications in the office of the District Janata Dal (S) before December 25.

MEETING HELD: The Anti-corruption Board of India at its meeting here on Monday decided to boycott candidates of all political parties in the coming elections of the local municipal council. Mr Sanjiv Waria, chairman of the board, in a press note, said the board would support only honest independent candidates.

CASE REGISTERED: A case has been registered under Section 302 of the IPC in connection with the murder of Kewal Singh of Sosal village. Piara Singh, brother of the deceased, had lodged a complaint in which he had stated that Kewal Singh went to Chabewal village on December 14 and did not return. The body of Kewal Singh was later found in the field of Bikar Singh in Jian village on the Hoshiarpur-Mahilpur road.

LUDHIANA
SHOBHA YATRA: A shobha yatra will be taken out on Wednesday at 8 am from Shri Sanatan Dharam Hanuman Mandir in Naulakha Bagh Colony in connection with the five-day Manav Kalyan Sammelan which begins on Wednesday. The yatra, which will be led by Pandit Bhimsen Vashisht, will be attended by several other saints. Students of Mahavir Model School and members of the Hanuman Mandir Mahila Sankirtan Mandal will also take part in the yatra. A poojan ceremony will be performed at the temple after the yatra.

JAGRAN: The Suraj Welfare Club held its 19th annual jagran in Salem Tabri under the supervision of Mr Ashok Virmani, its president, on Monday. It was inaugurated by Mr Prem Mittal, Senior Deputy Mayor, and the holy flame was lit by Mr Ashok Thapar.

SUNDER KAND: The Marwari Mitter Sangh held a recitation of the Sunder Kand in Naulakha Colony on Monday. Among those who recited the epic by turns were Mr Kamal Naulakha, Mr Prahlad Prajapat, Mr Navrattan, Mr Dalip Kumar, Mr Surinder Raj Purohit, Mr Kamal Lohia, Mr Leeladhar Rathi and Mr Vinod Setia.

KIRTAN: The local centre of the ISKCON held a sankirtan on the occasion of Ekadashi on Monday at its newly opened meditation centre in Sterling Towers under the supervision of Mr Satish Gupta and Mr Rajesh Garg.

SATSANG: The local chapter of the Art of Living held a weekly satsang session in Shri Krishna Mandir in Model Town on Sunday evening.

POLICE-PUBLIC MEET: A police-public interaction meeting was held at the Prem Nagar police post in the Islam Ganj area on Monday which was presided over by Mr Tirlochan Singh, SHO. Mr Ramesh Chand Sachdeva, president, Ekta Shopkeepers Association, Mr Dimple Bindra, president, Ludhiana Vikas Sangh, Mr Sabhajit Pandey, president, Koshish Janjagriti, and Mr Jasbir Singh Kalra, president, Bhartiya Naujawan Sabha, apprised the SHO about problems being faced by area residents. The SHO reportedly assured the gathering.

OPENED: KAFF, manufacturers of kitchen accessories and appliances, has opened a showroom in Ludhiana. After the inauguration of the showroom in Ludhiana, the Regional head, Mr Surjit Sharma, said, the kitchen appliances market was growing at an accelerated pace in the country and in Punjab the demand was still more.

MALERKOTLA
INJURED: Two persons were injured seriously when their scooter collided with a car at Flaund village, near here, on Monday. The injured, Mohinder Kumar and Jeet Singh, were admitted to the local Civil Hospital where their condition was stated to be out of danger.

MOGA
POLIO IMMUNISATION: The district administration has decided to administer polio drops to as many as 1, 37, 446 children in this district in two phases — first from January 5 to 7 and secondly from February 4 to 11, next year. This was stated here on Tuesday by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr G. Romesh Kumar.

NAWANSHAHR
MEDICAL CAMP: A medical check-up camp was organised by Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust, Dhahan Kaleran here, at Langroya village, near here on Sunday. More than 1,000 patients were examined at the camp, according to Ms Sushil Kaur, PRO of the Trust, here on Monday.

DIABETES CAMP: Mr Baldev Nayyar, district chairman (diabetes awareness), Lions Club-321 D, in collaboration with Lions Club (city Smile), Banga and Rai Heart Hospital, organised a diabetes awareness-cum-detection camp at town Banga near here, on Sunday. Nearly 150 persons were examined.

PATIALA
CONFERENCE: A team from the Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Patiala, headed by the Department head, Dr Manjit Singh Bal, participated in APCON-2003, annual conference of Indian Association of Pathologists and Microbiologists and the annual meet of International Academy of Pathology-Indian Division recently concluded in Kolkata. The team from Government Medical College presented seven papers and Dr Bal chaired one of the scientific sessions at the conference. Dr Kanwal Surinder, Dr Inderjeet Singla, Dr SS Riar, Dr Permeet Bagga, Dr Sonia, Dr Sukhdeep and Dr Mona Garg presented papers on various topics of tumours.

HONOURED: The Ambedkar Welfare Association on Tuesday honoured Mr M.L. Kumra, a yoga expert, on account of his service to society. Convenor of the association Gurmeet Inder Singh and Mr Raj Kumar Gharu jointly conferred the honour.

SAPLINGS PLANTED: The Garden and Environment Society on Tuesday organised plantation of saplings at polo ground here. About 250 saplings were planted by sportsmen of the city. Speaking on the occasion Deputy Commissioner Tejveer Singh lauded the efforts of the society and stressed upon the need to plant more trees

HONOURED: Mr Vijay Kumar, scoutmaster, Government Senior Secondary School, Lachkani, has been presented the “Bar to the Medal of Merit” by the DPI (Secondary) Mr Jagtar Singh at a meeting of the state council held recently for his commendable service to the Scoutmaster movement. Ms Bhupinder Kaur Rana, District Education Officer, Patiala, was present on the occasion.

PHAGWARA
ARRESTED: Jarnail Singh and Tilak Raj of Bhanoki village have been arrested and 20 kg of poppy husk seized from them. Both had been arrested at a naka near Kirpa Nagar here, according to police sources here on Monday.

ENVIRONMENT MELA: The Phagwara Environment Association will organise a two-day “Vatavaran mela” here on December 21 and 22, according to Mr Jagat Singh Palahi, patron of the association, here on Tuesday in which various non-government organisations will take part.

SAMRALA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Government Schools Lecturers Union: president — Mr Sawqran Singh; vice-president — Mr Balraj Singh; general secretary — Mr Vijay Kumar; secretary — Mr Charan Singh; press secretary — Mr Hari Om Kaura; finance secretary — Ms Paramjeet Kaur and executive members — Ms Amarjeet Kaur, Mr Nirmal Singh, Mr Mukand Singh, Mr Charanjit Singh, Mr Kesar Singh, Mr Avtar Singh Billing, Ms Charanjeet Kaur, Ms Santosh Kumari and Mr Kulwant Singh.

ZIRAKPUR
INAUGURATION: The general secretary of All-India Congress Committee, Ms Mohsina Kidwai, will inaugurate Sohi Banquets located on the Ambala-Kalka highway near Zirakpur on Wednesday at 10 am. Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, Punjab, Mr H S Hanspal, president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Bhajan Lal, president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, and Ms Preneet Kaur, M P from Patiala, would be guests of honour, informed Ms Sheelam Sohi, member of the PPCC.

HARYANA

AMBALA
NSS CAMP: The National Service Scheme and Women Cell organised a talk on “Crime against women and traffic rules” in SD College, Ambala Cantonment, on Tuesday. SI Pramod Kumar and HC Subhash Chander explained to the students regarding traffic rules as well as on the rights of the women. They said the police must be informed about any crime against women. Among others, Amit, Arundhir, Puneet, Dr S.P. Sharma, Dr S.K. Sharma, Prof H. Virk, Ms Alka Sharma, Pawan Kumar, Varsha, Sanjay, Ravi, Harsimran and Pooja were present.

RELAXATION SOUGHT: The Rashtriya Bhrashtachar Virodhi Manch on Tuesday demanded relaxation in 50 per cent marks for students who have cleared the engineering entrance examination. Mr P.C. Kaura, vice-president of the manch, said there have been instances where students have cleared the entrance examination but are rejected since they have scored less than 50 per cent marks. He said admission notice for engineering courses are advertised before the outcome of Class XII exam and students have to apply for it.

MEETING: A meeting of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Haryana, was held under the presidentship of Mr Sukhdev Singh Gobindgarh at Anaj Mandi, Ambala city. Among others, Mr Sant Singh Kandhari, Mr Surinder Singh Khalsa, Mr Randhir Singh Fauji, Mr Amarjit Singh Sidhu, Mr Ajit Singh and Mr Surinder Singh Gorsian were present.

EVE-TEASING: Three persons were arrested by the Ambala police for eve-teasing. According to the police, Jeevan Dass, a resident of Kangra, and Amit Nayar of Una were arrested at Ambala cantonment while teasing a woman. In Ambala city, on the complaint of Bhuvneshwar, the police has arrested Sunil in this regard.

LIQUOR SEIZED: The police has arrested a woman for illegally selling liquor at Ambala cantonment. The police had also seized 38 bottles of liquor from her possession. According to information, the police raided the house of Saroj.

FATEHABAD
CANE CRUSHING: The Commissioner, Hisar Division, Mr P.K. Das, inaugurated the sugarcane crushing season of Bhuna Cooperative Sugar Mills on Tuesday. The Deputy Commissioner, Dr R.B. Langyaan, the ADC, Mr C.R. Rana, and the SDM, Tohana, Mr Satbir Singh, were also present on the occasion.

KARNAL
MOTORCYCLE STOLEN: A motorcycle belonging to M.S. Sachdeva, Bureau chief of Dainik Vir Arjun, was stolen on Monday from near Parnami Temple in the Model Town here. A case has been registered. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SHIMLA
ARREST SOUGHT: Capt Pankaj Sood, brother of late Sandeep Sood, has accused the police and the district administration of laxity in nabbing the prime accused in the Oaksland double murder case. Captain Sood also announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to those giving information about Shayamal Rao Reddy who had escaped from police custody seven months ago.