In Brief 8212; Chandigarh

Dhiman files nomination
Mata Ram Dhiman, president of the local unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party, will contest the election to the Lok Sabha from Chandigarh. Accompanied by party senior leaders and workers, Dhiman filed his nomination papers here today. He is the first candidate to file his papers for the Chandigarh constitutency. Expansion hailed n In a statement issued here today, the Sector 46 Residents8217; Welfare Society welcomed the expansion and rennovation of the Sector 16 General Hospital and the Sector 22 Poly-Clinic announced by the UT Health Services Director. The society urged upgrading of the Sector 45 Health Centre to a poly-clinic.

The Mazdoor Ekta Welfare Committee of Dadumajra Colony met here today and resolved to request the UT Election Commission to arrange a demonstration of the electronic voting machine in all the labour colonies and villages of the Union Territory. The members pointed out that the machines are being demonstrated in the office of the Deputy Commissioner but poor people have no access to this office and, as many of them are poorly educated, they will be unable to vote the machines if they are not shown the operation. The committee also took note of the poor sanitation in Dadumajra and asked for immediate steps to safeguard residents from disease.

The Malwa Cultural and Social Welfare Society will conduct a blood donation camp on August 14 at the Indira Holiday Home, Sector 24. According to a press note from the society, a programme of skits and Punjabi songs and dances will be presented on the occasion. T.S. Badwal is directing the show. Satwant Gill, who has donated blood 113 times, and J.S. Benipal, who has donated blood 50 times, will be honoured on the occasion.

In a statement released here today, P.N. Sharma and H.G. Gambheer, president and general secretary respectively of the Hotel Workers8217; Union, accused police of aiding the Hotel Sunbeam management by preventing the protesting employees of the hotel from sitting in dharna in front of the hotel. According to the union activists, the hotel has resorted to an illegal lock-out for the past five days and even when called before the Assistant Labour Commissioner, the management refused to lift the lock-out. The union said that the hotel has dismissed 92 employees.