R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMLOH
WOMEN KIDNAPPED: Mr Jatinder Kumar Billoo a part time employee of the PSEB at Ambay Majra village, in a complaint to the SHO, Amloh, has alleged that one of his relative has kidnapped his wife, Ganiwala, with his 15 month-old son on May 6. A sum of Rs 1950 in cash and a pair of gold ear rings, a ring and some clothes were also missing from the house.

DORAHA
2 INJURED: Two persons were injured when a Maruti car (PB 12 C-7239) hit the scooter that they were riding at Daburjee village on Monday. The injured, Bahadur Singh and his sister-in-law Sarabjit Kaur, were admitted to a local hospital. They are reported to be out of danger.

LUDHIANA
IMA MEETING: A meeting of the local chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) was held at the IMA house here on Tuesday which was attended by over 100 doctors. A lecture on the newer anti-hypertensive drugs was also organised. Addressing the meeting, Dr L.S. Chawla, former Vice-Chancellor Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences, stressed the importance of the Punjab Medical Council, which is having semi-judicial power. He emphasised that various problems being faced by the doctors in the form of kidney scandal would not have cropped up had there been a strong PMC. He said he would canvass for the panel of doctors chosen by the IMA

FESTIVAL: An exhibition of non-alcoholic drinks aptly named 'summer drinks featival' was launched at Euro Mart, Hambaran Road. The Municipal Commissioner, Mr S.K. Sharma , inaugurated the festival. The Director of the Euro Mart, Mr N.L. Gupta, said, “The timing of the festival has been decided keeping in mind Namani Akadeshi to enable the people do their shopping at affordable rates.

WIDE RANGE: Villa Pearls , a new show room, offering solutions for interiors, exteriors, furniture, kitchens, bathrooms was inaugurated by the Minister for Urban Development and Jails, Punjab, Mr Malkiat Singh Birmi. Mr Vineet Handa, Managing Director, said they offer a wide range of products and services for those who were planning to set up their dream homes, farm houses, or hotels.

FASHION STUDIO: Sonu Gandhi, a renowned name in the fashion world of Ludhiana opened Sonu Gandhi Ensemble in BRS Nagar. Her clothes display the most exquisite fashion statement of the era.

ANTAKSHRI COMPETITION: An antakshri competition was held in between two- day training programmes for Chairman and Parliamentarian hosted by Jaycees to entertain the participants from different cities of the Zone1. Four teams took part in the competition. Mr Raman Nayyar stood first. Mr J.P. Aggarwal, Mr Jasminder Singh, Mr Manvinder Kataria, Mr Neeraj Goenka, Ms Kiranjeet Kaur took part in the training programme.

ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Goods Transport Association: patron — Mr Harhajan Singh; chairman— Mr Charan Singh Lohara, senior vice-presidents — Mr Diljang Singh and Mr Gurjeet Singh; general secretaries — Mr S.K. Sood and Mr S.S. Kalra.

CHESS MEET: The two-day district Chess Championship for all categories will be held at R S Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, on May 17 and 18. According to a press note issued here on Tuesday by Dr Rajinder Chawla, secretary, Ludhiana Chess Association, the meet would be played on Swiss league basis with five rounds for each participant. Entries could be submitted with Dr Chawla at the venue on May 17 at 9 am.

CONDOLED: An emergency meeting of Punjabi Sahitya Akademy was called to condole the death of the famous Punjabi novelist Col Narinder Pal Singh. A two minute silence was observed to pay homage to him. The General Secretary of the Akademy, Prof. Bhattal gave a brief life sketch of the author. Prof Gurbhajan Gill, senior Vice-president of the Akademy, Mr Surjit Patar, president of Akademy, Mr Gur Iqbal Singh, Dr Sukhdev Singh, Mr Prem Singh Bajaj, Mr Janmeja Singh Johal,Dr Sarup Singh alag, Mr Jaswant Zafar, Mr Dhan Singh Komal,Mr Kulwant Jagraon, Ms Surinderjit Kaur, Dr Sukhjit Singh, were present on the occasion.

COMPETITION: To test the literary skills as well as artistic ability of students, an inter-school graffiti competition was held on Monday at BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar. The first prize winner of the final round in the majors was Ravneet of Class XI from Guru Nanak Public School. The second prize went to Sweety of Class XII from Sacred Heart Convent School and the third prize was bagged by Roop of Class XI from BCM Arya Model School. Among the lieutenants, the first prize went to Sugandha of Class VII from Sacred Heart Convent School, second prize was taken by Soumya of Class VII from Sacred Heart Convent School took the second prize and Neha of Class VIII from BCM Arya Model School got the third prize.

ZIRAKPUR
LIGHTNING: Three buffaloes died on the spot and their owners had a narrow escape when lightning struck a cowshed at Gazipur village, 2 km from here, on Tuesday.

CHANDIGARH

ELECTED: The Haryana Secretariat Services Officers Association has elected new office-bearers of its executive committee. While stating this here on Tuesday, a press note issued by the association said Mr Ram Saran, Deputy Secretary, Finance, had been elected the president while Mr Shadi Lal Kapoor, secretary to Minister, and Ms Kusum Lata, private secretary, had been elected as vice-presidents. Mr Ramesh Gauba, private secretary, has been elected general secretary, Mr Chander Bhan Panu, Superintendent, Accounts, as joint secretary and Mr Tara Chand, Superintendent, (cash) has been elected finance secretary. 

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Sector 37: President — Mr Niranjan Singh Virk; vice-president — Mr Manmohan Singh Puri; general secretary — Mr Sarmohinder Singh Anand; joint secretary — Mr Avtar Singh Parmar; cashier — Mr Harbans Singh; and store incharge — Dr Manmohan Singh. 

SUMMER CAMP: Yadavindra Public School (YPS), SAS Nagar, and Patiala in collaboration with Elk Island Public School, Alberta, Canada will organise a residential summer camp at Alberta. A group of 35 students from YPS schools is expected to join the camp.

PANCHKULA
WATER SHORTAGE: With the mercury rising, residents continue to suffer due to low water pressure in most sectors. Most of the two-storeyed and three-storeyed houses are not getting proper water supply on the first and second floors. The problem is more severe in flats in Sectors 14, 20 and Mansa Devi Complex.

HARYANA

AMBALA
CELEBRATED: Mother’s Day was celebrated in Dua National Model School, Model Town, Ambala city. A competition for preparing greeting cards for mothers was also held. Shilpa stood first, Rahul and Priyanka stood second and Narinder stood third. In the junior wing, Deepak stood first, Mona stood second and Ruchika stood third. Bhavya of Class II was given a special prize. Among others, Anmol, Amisha, Sapna, Prabhjot, Nidhi, Gagandeep, Shilpa, Sidharth and Tanisi expressed their views on the important role played by a mother. Inderjeet, Samriti, Shikha and Paras recited poems.

REIKI CAMP: A free Reiki, acupressure and sujok camp began here on Tuesday. The camp is being held at Halwai Bazar dharamshala. The camp will be from 9 am to 12 noon and 4 pm to 6 pm in the evening hours, a release said.

OLD-AGE PENSION: The number of old-age pension beneficiaries has gone up in the Ambala district. The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ms Neelam Pradeep Kasni, said these beneficiaries would get pension of Rs 200 per month each.

KALKA
BEAUTIFICATION: In order to beautify the British-era railway station here, the Railway authorities have started a renovation project of Rs 24 lakh. Under this project, metalling of roads and renovation of waiting rooms would be undertaken.

KARNAL
TREE PLANTATION: As many as 20 lakh saplings would be planted in Karnal district during vanamahotasav in all villages, towns, schools, colleges and other institutions of the district said the Deputy Commissioner here.

PINJORE
EYE CAMP: The Vishvakarama Sangh, Panchkula, organised an eye check-up camp at Bausaulan village near Pinjore. The camp was inaugurated by Dr Emina Kumar of the Jeevan Bhakti Society of Kalka. Free Medicines and 127 spectacles were provided to the patients.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
The District Congress Committee of Chamba has hailed the decision of the Himachal Government of abolishing the user charges in government hospitals and terminating the ‘Rogi Kalyan Samitis’ in the state. A press note of Mr D.N. Pardesi, spokesman, DCC, stated that the government in the state was committed to fulfilling the promises made during the elections.

KUMARHATTI
FOREST FIRE: Over two and a half hectares of forest was destroyed by fire that broke out in the area adjoining Special Service Bureau (SSB), Dharampur, on Monday. Timely action by forest staff and SSB personnel prevented the fire from spread further. The fire that was reported around 2 pm was controlled by 3.30 pm. This was the second case of fire in this forest range.

PALAMPUR
RS 150 CR FOR WATER: Thakur Kaul Singh, Himachal Irrigation and Public Health Minister said here that over 85 per cent villages in the state had been provided with drinking water still the state faced water shortage to the extent of 25 per cent or 30 per cent. He added that by March 2004, all villages in the state would get drinking water. Out of 45367 villages in the state only 574 villages were left without drinking water for which Rs 150 crore had been earmarked.

PAONTA SAHIB
VISIT: Members of a committee on Yamuna pollution control, comprising 22 MPs have visited Gurdwara Sri Paonta Sahib. They were received by members and the Manager of the gurdwara. MPs were given siropas’. Mr Buta Singh, head of the committee, addressed the gathering. The Manager, Mr Kulwant Singh, apprised the MPs of problems of the town.

PARWANOO
MEETING: Mr Harimohan Sharma Prashar, the president of the Himachal branch of the International Brahmin Sabha said a national meeting of the sabha would be held at Shiv Mandir, Sector-1 on June 7 and 8.

KILLED: A local trader died and his son was seriously injured in a car accident on Monday. Gobind Das, a trader of Sector1, and his son were going in a car. Their car rammed into a tree near Laha village on the Saha-Shehjadpur road.

SUNDERNAGAR
FUNCTION: The local Government Polytechnic College celebrated its 43rd annual day and prize distribution function on Monday. Mr Rangila Ram Rao, Excise and Taxation Minister, was chief guest. Local MLA, Mr Sohan Lal, also attended the function. Mr Rao sanctioned Rs 5,000 to the college cultural troupe.