50 PILGRIMS HURT: At least 50 pilgrims from Muktsar sustained injuries when the truck in which they were travelling skidded off the load, near Sarhali village, about 48 km from here, on Saturday. They were going to Baba Buda Sahib to pay obeisance at the Gurdwara Baba Buda Sahib on the occasion of the annual fair to be organised by the SGPC.
MEDICAL CAMP: Students of the local Government Middle School, Sanjay Nagar, in collaboration with the Indian Dental Association, Punjab, organised a dental check-up camp on the occasion of the 77th birth anniversary of late freedom fighter Ram Parshad Bagi of Faridkot on the school premises on Saturday.
SEMINAR: Several hundred farmers from all over the district participated in a seminar held by the Punjab Agriculture Department to popularise contract farming here on Saturday. Mr KAP Sinha, Deputy Commissioner, presided over the seminar while Dr RK Rampal, Director, Punjab Agricultural Department, was the chief guest.
BURIED ALIVE: Nisha (25), Krishna (45) and Sunita Devi (35), all residents of Dalwali Kalan village, were buried alive when a huge quantity of earth fell on them while digging a pit on Saturday. Rani and Bilo were, however, saved by people of the locality. They had reportedly gone to collect soil for preparing earthen utensils.
FREEDOM FIGHTER DEAD: Bahadur Singh, a freedom fighter, died at his native village Latifpur, near Mukerian, on Friday, according to delayed reports. He was 90. Dr Kewal Krishan, Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, visited the family of the freedom fighter and expressed his condolence.
SNATCHING: Two scooter-borne youths snatched Rs 25,000 and a gold chain from Krishna Devi of Singhowal while she was returning to her village on her bicycle from Mukerian on Saturday. She had withdrawn the money from the Mukerian branch of Punjab National Bank. The youths escaped after the incident.
MEETING: A meeting of the Elementary Teachers Union was held at Khamano under the chairmanship of Punjab president Sukhwinder Singh Chahal. The meeting flayed the decision of the Punjab Government to cancel the admissions of ETT students and expressed solidarity with the agitating students. The meeting also appealed fellow organisations to support the agitation. The meeting was attended among others by Satinder Singh, Karamvir Singh, Navreet Kaur, Sandeep Kaur, Baljinder Singh.
ANNUAL ELECTIONS: The annual elections of the Punjab Field and Workshop Workers Union, Khamano, would be held at Dewan Todarmal Hall, Fatehgarh Sahib on Tuesday at 10 am. Leaders of Punjab-level of the organisation and leaders of fellow organisations would also reach on the occasion. Employees' leaders Malagar Singh Khamano, Baljit Singh, Ranjodh Singh and Kulwant Kaushal has appealed all concerned workers to reach in time.
GOVT FLAYED: The Punjab Government has failed on all fronts as a result it has lost faith of the people during its just seven-month rule, said by Capt Kanwaljit Singh former Finance Minister, while presiding over a meeting of Akali workers of Khamano circle at Gurdwara Ranwan Sahib, near here. He warned that repression on Akali workers would not be tolerated and the officers responsible for this would be dealt with during the coming Akali government. He said people of all walks of life are forced to agitate to secure their genuine demands. He charged that all welfare schemes launched by the Akali government have been closed resulting unrest in people.
SAMMELAN: A sammelan was held at Terapanth Bhavan in Bagh Wali Gali here on Sunday which was attended by a large number of devotees. Jain Muni Shri Vinay Kumarji Alok and Muni Shri Abhay Kumarji spoke on the occasion.
PROTEST: Activists of the PAU Employees Union and the PAU Fourth Class Workers Union held a rally to protest against the non-payment of their salary here on Saturday. According to Mr Amit Pal, general secretary of the unit, he said they were affected by the decision of the government to disburse salaries on the first two working days of the month in place of the last two working days of the previous month followed earlier. If this practice is not reversed, then the employees will have to go without salaries during Divali. The gathering exhorted the government to do the needful in this context so the employees can celebrate the festival.
PRIZES GIVEN: Mr Naresh Gupta of Ludhiana has won four tickets to Bangkok in the ICI Paints-sponsored "Dream Homes Gallery" contest, organised in three cities of the country including Ludhiana, Mumbai and Gurgaon. The second prize of two tickets to Bangkok was won by Mr Harsh Kumar, while the third prize shopping vouchers worth Rs 30,000 was bagged by Ms Romy Gupta. The prizes were distributed at a function by Mr Manish Bhatia, Sales Manager, North, here on Saturday.
ELECTED: Mr Swaran Singh and Mr Balbir Singh were unanimously elected president and vice-president, respectively, of the Sukhmani Sahib Sewa Society, New Moti Nagar, at a meeting held at Gurdwara Singh Sabha on Friday. Mr Balwinder Singh was unanimously elected as the general secretary and Mr Jeet Singh Sandhu was nominated as the adviser to the religious body. Later, addressing the gathering of society workers, Mr Swaran Singh said that the society would organise weekly recitations of Sukhmani Sahib at different places in the city at its own expenses if need be.
SHANKRACHARYA: Jagadguru Shankracharya Shri Madhavashram ji has been made the chief patron of the Gau Sewa Sangh, Haibowal. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the sangh here on Friday which was held at Shri Ram Darbar mandir on the Jassian road. Several other office-bearers of the sangh were also nominated at the meeting, according to Mr Ravi Nandan Sharma, president of the sangh.
JAGRAN: The New Jagdambey Club of Jai Shakti Nagar would hold its second annual jagran in Raju Colony of Prem Vihar on the Tibba road on October 19. According to club chairman, Mr Sohan Lal, all preparations for the annual event have been completed. Doshi and party would sing hymns in praise of Maa Bhagwati, he added.
BABY SHOW: A healthy baby show would be organised on the occasion of Dasehra to be celebrated by the Kitchlu Nagar Dasehra Committee. A decision to this effect was taken at a joint meeting of the dasehra committees of Kitchlu Nagar Dasehra Committee, Rishi Nagar Welfare Committee, Jai Shri Durga Mata mandir Committee, National Welfare Society and the Haibowal Khurd Welfare Committee on Friday. A havan would also be held in the morning on the Dasehra day, according to Mr Munish Chopra, in-charge of the mela.
GAYATRI YAJNA: A Gayatri Jap Yajna would be held on Monday at the R.K. Public School in Mahajan Vihar on the Bhamian road, according to Mr Ajay Kumar Sharma, Director of the school. Apart from school children and their parents, councillor Mr Ram Chander Yadav and Mr Chander Pal, president, Mata Vaishno Devi Temple, would also participate in the yajna.
FOUNDATION STONE: The foundation stone of the Jagannath Temple would be laid on October 14 at Sterling Towers on the Vrindavan road, according to a spokesman of ISKCON. A function would be held on the occasion which would be presided over by Sakshi Gopal Dass ji from Kurukshetra and Shri Bhakti Vinod Dass from Chandigarh. A maha-sankirtan by ISKCON followers would be held from 9 am to 11 am on the occasion. A havan would be performed later from 11 am to 12 noon under the supervision of Shri Rasikanand, who is arriving for the purpose from Vrindavan. The foundation stone would be laid by Mr Ajay Bhandari and 56 types of bhog would be offered to Lord Jagannath, added the spokesman.
FUNCTION: A prize distribution function was held on the premises Bharatiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Udham Singh Nagar, on Friday. The function started by lightening a 'deepak' and singing of Saraswati Vandana. The chief guest, Ms Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, Additional Deputy Commissioner, presided over the function and awarded prizes to 120 meritorious students. Dedicated teachers and the teachers who had completed 15 years and 25 years of service were also awarded in the function Director Mr Setia Ji, Mr M.M. Vyas and Mr Miter Sen Ji were also present at the occasion.
MODELLING WORKSHOP: J.D. Institute of Fashion Technology has organised a 10-day modelling workshop on their premises. The workshop, which started from September 30, is being conducted by one of India's top fashion choreographer and leading fashion model, Kaushik Ghosh of Roots International. Mr Vikram Munjal, director of the Institute, here said it was an effort made by the institute, towards the grooming of city youngsters.
WEBFONE SERVICE: Mr Labh Singh, GM, Telecom, Sangrur, in a press note issued on Saturday said the Telecom Department had started Webfone service in the district. the said Internet telephony was now available on BSNL's Internet PCOs installed at customer service centres at Sangrur, Malerkotla and Barnala. At Sunam it would be provided by October end. Internet cards were available at the customer service centres.
SEMINAR: The Punjab Agro Industries Corporation in collaboration with the district Agriculture Department organised a seminar here at Bazid Palace on Saturday to mobilise farmers for diversified cultivation of rabi crops. About 300 progressive farmers participated in the seminar in which Mr Kirpa Shanker Saroj, AMD, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation, Dr Ram Dass, Joint Director, Agriculture, Punjab, Dr Hardev Singh Atwal, Chief Agriculture Officer, Dr Vivek Sharma, Dr SC Sandhu, Dr Khurana and Dr Sahota agriculture experts), delivered lectures on latest techniques of cultivation of rabi crops.
BHURIWALE SECT: The local followers of the Bhuriwale sect organised a shardanjhali samaroh' to pay tributes to Swami Brahma Nandji Bhuriwale here at the Geeta Bhavan on Sunday. Swami Chetna Nandji Bhuriwale, present head of the sect, presided over the function. Mr Parkash Singh, MLA, and Mr Ram Kishan Kataria, a former MLA, were present on the occasion.
GOVT URGED: Mr Surinder Arora, president, district unit of the Beopar mandal, in a press note issued on Sunday urged the state government not to auction octroi posts to private contractors as this policy had adversely affected the trading community. He also urged the government to provide alternative sties for shops to about 200 shopkeepers of Nawanshahr and Banga towns, who are apprehensive about their dislocation due to the on-going project of widening of the Nawanshahr-Phagwara road.
MEDICAL CAMP: The Youth Arora Club organised a free heart and neuro check-up camp at Doaba Arya Senior Secondary School here on Sunday. Mr Vijay Chopra, Editor, Hind Samachar Group, Jalandhar, inaugurated the camp. As many as 250 persons were examined and medicines were given free of cost at the camp, said Mr Vipin Arora, vice-president of the club.
EYE OPERATION CAMP: The Lions Club, Charan Kanwal, Banga, organised a blood donation camp at Civil Hospital, Banga, about 13 km from here, on Sunday. Mr Avinash Khanna, MLA, Garshanker, inaugurated the camp in which 21 units of blood were collected.
STATIONERY GIVEN: The Lions Club, City Smile, Banga, distributed stationery items to as many as 125 poor students of Government Primary Schools of Kajla and Gujjarpur Khurd villages here on Sunday.
WATER FOR PASSENGERS: The local Janta Seva Samiti, an NGO engaged in providing drinking water to passengers at the railway station here for the past two decades, has decided to serve water in plastic bottles from next year. This announcement was made at a function of the samiti held here on Sunday.
ELECTED: The following have been elected as office-bearers of the Shiv Mandir Committee, Sector 30-B: President — Rakesh Pal; working president — Pankaj Sharma; vice-presidents — Narinder Pandey and Shakuntala Sharma; general secretary — Subhash Talwar; joint secretary — Rajinder Mehta; organising secretary — Vijay Sharma; treasurer — Basant Lal Rampal and executive committee members — Ishwar Dutt Sharma, Dhani Ram, Bhardwaj, Hari Dutt Sharda, Jagdish Ram Kalia, Sakal Deep, C.M. Sharma, Rama Bhaskar, Rakesh Gupta, D.R. Gulpham, Ram Chander Garcha, Rajesh Jaiswal, G.L. Malhotra and Sharda Bhardawaj.
EXHIBITION CONCLUDES: Sixty entrepreneurs from different trades participated in the three-day exhibition, Chandikrit-2002, organised by the UT Department of Industries in Sector 17 which concluded here on Sunday. A lot of enthusiasm was seen in the public on stalls of electronics, pottery, handicrafts and food products. The Director, Industries, Mr H.S. Kandhola, claimed that over one lakh people visited the exhibition and business enquiries worth crores were made. An on-the-spot painting contest was organised on Sunday. This saw a participation of over 300 students from various government schools. A quiz contest was also held as a part of the exhibition.
INSTALLED: Mr Daljit Singh Kohli was installed as president of the Lions Club Vishal with its board of directors at function on Saturday. Mr Charanjit Singh, past District Governor, performed the installation ceremony. After being installed as president, Mr Kohli said apart from the Lion International, all human beings, who were well-off must help the sick, under privileged and down-trodden people of society as shown to the community by the founder of Lions movement, Melvin Jones. Mr Kohli pledged that with the help of club members he will organise free medical , eye , blood donation and animal welfare camps.
MEETING: A meeting of the Federation of Welfare Associations was held under the chairmanship of president Brig R.S. Sharma, on Sunday. As many as 28 representatives of various welfare associations of Panchkula and the Mahila Sangharsh Samiti participated in the meeting to discuss the cable issue. Supporting Krishna Communications, a private cable operator here, who is promising to give cable connections at 10 times lower the price offered by other operators, the federation announced that he would soon get a connection from Star Television, and would then give connections here. Among those present in the meeting were Mr S.D. Daid, Lieut-Col Surjeet Singh, Dr S.K. Chabbra, Ms Kamaljeet, Ms Satinder Trikha and Ms Satya Rikhi of the Mahila Sangharsh Samiti.
ENCROACHMENTS: The Citizens Welfare Association has decried the large-scale encroachments in corridors of various markets by the shopkeepers for displaying their wares. In a press release, Mr S.K. Nayar said these commercial establishments had covered the entire space meant for public use while shopping. No space is left for shoppers as the wares displayed by shopkeepers, especially in Sector 7, 10, 11 and 15 markets. He said the association had taken up the matter with HUDA authorities several times, but no fruitful results had been achieved. He urged the Estate Office to remove all these encroachments by launching a drive against these encroachers.
DARBAR: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Abhilaksh Likhi, will hold a darbar on Tuesday to redress grievances of people of the Babain block. All senior district officers will also be present on the occasion.
EXPULSION: Following the amended provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Amendment ) Act, 2000, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rahul Anand, on Sunday ordered the expulsion of Mr Diyala Ram, pradhan, Sanwal gram panchayat, Mr Gayatri Dutt, pradhan, Gola gram panchayat, Mr Faini Ram, member, Basodhan gram panchayat, and Mrs Nirjala Devi, member, panchayat samiti ward Rathiar-Basodhan, in Chamba district from their posts.
HONOURED: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rahul Anand, honoured the oldest citizen of the town, Mr Siri Ram Butta, a retired Forest officer, aged 98 years, at a function organised by the Chamba Citizen Progressive Council at the local Hotel Iravati on Saturday evening.
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the Himachal Pradesh Primary Teachers Federation: president — Mrs Narinder Sharma; general secretary — Mr Bhanu; and cashier — Mrs Urbashi.
APPOINTED: Mr D.N. Pardesi, district president of the Human Rights Department of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, has appointed Mr Dewan Chand Kampani, Mr Hari Chand, Mr Gurmukh Singh, Mr Laxmi Dhar and Mr I.C. Chauhan as members of the committee.
TWO KILLED: Two persons were killed and two others were seriously wounded when a truck in which they were travelling fell into a gorge at Kut on the Chamba-Pathankot Highway via Chowari, about 35 km from here, on Saturday. According to a police spokesman, the truck, loaded with packed apple carton, failed to negotiate a curve and rolled down a hillock. One person was killed on the spot while another succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital. The deceased have been identified as Pinki and Jarnesh of the Chhatradi area in Chamba district. The injured have been admitted to Referral Hospital at Chowari. A case has been registered.
BODY RECOVERED: The body of Pankaj, a student of plus I, was recovered from the local powerhouse site of the mini Bhuri Singh Project, on Saturday. Pankaj was reportedly drowned in the Sal rivulet while swimming.
ABVP'S MEMO: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Saturday submitted a memorandum to Prof S.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, complaining about high fees being charged from the MCA students. Mr Rohit Kumar, campus secretary, ABVP, said the MCA students were being charged Rs 3000 as computer machine fee, which had no mention in the university prospectus. He said under the NRI quota, the students were being charged Rs 8820, which was exorbitant.