Regional beat — Chandigarh

Tercentenary celebrationsChandigarh: The governments of Gujarat, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh have constituted state level committees unde...

Tercentenary celebrations
Chandigarh: The governments of Gujarat, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh have constituted state level committees under the chairmanships of their respective Chief Ministers to commemorate the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa.An official press statement today stated that the Chief Ministers of Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh are also in the process of constituting such committees in their respective states.These committees would organise programmes and events relating to tercentenary celebrations by associating local Sikh organisations, the press statement added.

Offices closed
Chandigarh: Offices of the Punjab government and its boards and corporations and educational institutions will remain closed during the second half of January 4. This is to facilitate the participation of devotees in the nagar kirtan’ on the eve of the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, according to a government announcement.

Ban sought on smoking
Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdawara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) today demanded to maintain status of holy city of Amritsar by implementing ban on cigarette smoking and drinking in 200 metres area around the Golden Temple.

In a letter written to SSP Amritsar, SGPC secretary Surjit Singh said the Punjab government had banned sale and use of tobacco and liquor in the periphery of Golden Temple and Durgiana Temple but district authorities were not taking any action in this regard.

Demands
Shimla: The state-level Pong Dam Oustees Committee today unanimously resolved to request the Chief Minister to set up a Pong Dam Oustees Corporation to look after the welfare of the oustees and solve their long pending problems. The committee, which met here under the chairmanship of Revenue Minister Rajan Sushant stressed the need for early disposal of 20,000 pending cases of the oustees and strengthening of the office of the Deputy Commissioner to expeditiously pursue the cases.

Kullu: Bhimin Ram Azad, the state president of Akhil Bharatiya Swatantra Lekhak Manch and general secretary of Kullu unit of Akhil Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya academy has urged the state government to amend the Forest Conservation Act to provide two biswas of land for the construction of residential house for the poor landless through Ratta Naotor. In a press statement issued here, he regretted that the same representation was made to the previous state Congress government, but in vain.

Endeavour
Kullu: Roop Singh Thakur, programme officer of NSS wing of Govt sENIOR Secondary School, Haripur, helped extinguish a fire that broke out in the forests, near Soyal village recently. Thakur, in a press statement issued here, said that 40 NSS volunteers, guided by himself, D.P. Balbir Rana and Hari Krishan, a social worker from Karjan village, succeeded in controlling the fire. He said that the local forest officials have lauded the efforts of the NSS volunteers.

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Celebrations
Kullu: New Year eve was celebrated at the key tourist resorts of Manali, Kullu, Bhuntar and other parts of the valley. Most of the private hotels remained occupied with tourists from Punjab, Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat. At Manali the tourists kept on dancing throughout the night at the main market. However, many tourists were disappointed as there was no snowfall on the New Year eve.

Camp for handicapped kids
Dharamsala: The district administration will organise camps with the help of anganwadi workers and specialist doctors for nearly 3,591 handicapped and mentally retarded children in the district. Deputy Commissioner B.K. Aggarwal has stated in a press release that the handicapped would be provided with artificial limbs. He also said the Red Cross, Dharamsala, would orgainse a camp on the same line at the Forest Rest House, Fatehpur, on January 10, the release added.

Revenue Minister to head grievances committee
Dharamsala: The district-level grievances committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Revenue Minister Rajan Sushant and its first meeting will be held on January 7 in Zila Parishad Hall here. Deputy Commissioner B.K. Aggarwal is the secretary of the committee. Other members include: MLA Rakesh Pathania, Brij Behari Butail, Bipin Parmar, Des Raj, Chander Sarveen Chaudhary, Nirmala Devi, Dulo Ram, ex-minister Harbans Rana, ex-MLA Ram Chand Bhaha, and ex-MLA Shiv Kumar. Presidents of zila parishad, zila panchayat samiti and MC have also been nominated to the commttee.