R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
CHETNA MARCHES: Gurmat Chetna will organise marches from Varanasi and Dhuan (Rajasthan) on August 25 and 26, respectively. The SGPC in a press note here on Monday stated that a team had been sent to Rajasthan. Mr Dilmegh Singh, secretary, SGPC, said the march from Varanasi would halt at Kanpur, Lucknow, Shajahanpur, Delhi and Fatehgarh Sahib before reaching here on August 30.

Jalalabad
SEIZED: The Sadar police claims to have seized 210 kg of poppy husk. On a tip-off, a police party led by ASI Ranjit Singh raided Budhu Ke Wala village and seized the poppy husk from the possession of Mohinder Singh, son of Kartar Singh, a resident of Dharmu Wala village, here on Monday. The police has registered a case under Sections 15-61-85 of the NDPS Act, 1985.

Gurdaspur
ANNIVERSARY: The Army Wives Association of the 21 sub-area celebrated the 39th year of installation of the association here on Monday. Mrs Usha Sharma, president, 21 sub-area unit of the association, inaugurated a cultural function organised on the occasion.

Pathankot
VANAMAHOTSAVA: More than 150 saplings were planted by NCC-7 Punjab Battalion at Senior Secondary School, Lamini here on Tuesday. Mr Ashok Sharma, MLA, was the chief guest. Lieut Brij Mohan Sharma said it was the duty of every citizen to make the environment clean and green by planting saplings.

HARYANA

Fatehabad
VANAMAHOTSAVA: Over 500 saplings were planted by the students of Government High School at Dhani Issar village, under the Vanamahotsava programme that concluded here on Monday. According to a press note, Headmaster, Raghunath Mehta, exhorted students to plant a sapling each. He also urged them to adopt at least one tree each.

Hisar
RALLY THREATENED: To register its protest against the increasing unemployment and corruption, the Haryana Berozgar Yuva Sangathan will organise a rally at Rohtak on September 18. Sangathan convener Udayvir Punia claimed that more than one lakh youths from the state would participate in the rally. Mr Punia said the rally was being held against increasing unemployment, corruption, ban on student union elections, criminalisation of politics and rising costs of application forms.

BHARAT RATNA: The All-India Sonia Gandhi Association has urged the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, to confer the Bharat Ratna on the Congress president, Ms Sonia Gandhi. This was stated in a memorandum submitted by the association's north zone president, Dr M.C. Rishi, to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Balbir Singh Malik, to be forwarded to the President. The association has demanded due representation to the youth and debar persons above 70 years of age from contesting elections.

Karnal
CONGRESS: Workers belonging to various political parties joined the Congress in the presence of Mr Harvinder Kalyan, secretary of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), at a function organised at Madhuban, 15 km from here, on Monday. Those who joined the Congress included Mr Ajmer Singh and Mr Paramvir Singh of the Ekta Shakti, Mr Rajesh Chahal, general secretary of the district youth wing of the Samajwadi Party, Mr Gajendra Singh and Mr Dayanand of the Indian National Lok Dal.

HOSTEL FACILITY: The district administration has decided to accommodate girl students in the working women hostel of Karnal. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the district officials here on Monday.

SHIFTING OF DAIRIES: The Municipal Council (MC) has decided to shift 282 dairies from the town to Ingli Pingli village on the Kaithal road. The MC has assured that it would provide all modern facilities to the dairy owners as per the provisions of the Haryana Urban Development Authority.

Kurukshetra
BHAAGWAD KATHA: Shrimad Bhaagwad Katha and Sant Sammelan organised by Maanav Kalyan Sewa Samiti under the auspices of Shri Harsh Cultural Society, Kurukshetra, concluded at Maharaja Palace here on Sunday. The Hind Samachar Group of Newspapers, Chief Editor, Padam Shri Vijay Chopra presided. He called upon the people in general and women in particular to avoid female foeticide.

Rohtak
HARVINDER’S ALBUM: Noted producer of Haryanvi pop Harvinder Malik screened his latest album ‘Dhare Ja Pahuncha England’ here on Monday. The songs of album have been penned by a Ram Niwas, IAS. It has music of Vaishnav Deva.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Dharamsala
CLASH: A minor clash took place between two unions of students of the Regional Centre of Himachal Pradesh University here on Monday evening after the results of the Central Students Association came out. The police has registered a cross case against the accused. While in one complaint, Amit Rana has alleged that he sustained injuries after eight LLB students beat him up, another student, Aditya Gogra, has levied the same allegations against him.

Mandi
PROCESSION: The Mandi District Handicapped Association organised a procession here on Tuesday and demanded that free travelling facility for the physically challenged be restored in the state. “We expect that Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will accept their demand and restore the free travelling facility to them not only within their home district, but throughout the state”, said the spokesperson.