Mid-term Poll, 1969.- In the Fourth General Elections, 1967, no single political party had obtained majority in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Some of the political parties, viz. the Akali Dal (Sant Group), the Jan Sangh, the Republican Party and the Right Communists joined together to form the ‘People’s United Front’ which formed its Ministry on March 8, 1967. After sometimes, defections started and an Akali Minister having also defected formed his Ministry on November 25, 1967, with the support of sane some Independents and the Congress legislative party. The relationship between the Ministry and the Congress – its supporters, did not continue to be smooth for long and ultimately, the Congress party withdrew its support. As a result, a situation was created in which no single party or workable alliance of parties could provide a stable Government. In the circumstances, as recommended by the Governor, Punjab, the President’s rule was proclaimed in the State from August 23, 1968. Thus, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha constituted in 1967 stood dissolved, necessitating mid-term general elections so as to constitute a new Vidhan Sabha.

The entire poll throughout the State was held on a single day on February 9, 1969. Out of the total population of 9,80,879 (1961 Census) of the district, the number of electors was 5,78,229.

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Constituencies⁹

There were 9 Vidhan Sabha Constituencies (including 2 reserved for the Scheduled Castes) in the district, viz. Fatehgarh Churian, Batala. Srigobindpur, Qadian, Dhariwal, Gurdaspur, Dinanagar (Scheduled Castes), Narot Mehra (Scheduled Castes), and Pathnkot. From these constituencies, 4 Akali Dal, 3 Congress and 2 Jan Sangh candidates were elected. The number of valid votes polled by each of the contesting parties is given below: -

Name of party		No. of valid votes polled		Percentage
Congress	..	176255	43.2
Akali Dal	..	110218	27.0
Jan Sangh	..	72677	17.8
Independents	..	19351	4.8
Communist Party of India	..	15484	3.8
Punjab Janta Party	..	13201	3.2
Republican Party of India	..	492	0.1
Proutist Block of India	..	439	0.1
Total	..	408117	100

9. Report on the Mid-term General Elections to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, 1969 (Chandigarh, 1971), pp.58-59

Bye-election to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha Constituency, 1970.- In 1970, bye-election to the Gurdaspur Lok-Sabha Constituency was held owing to the death of the sitting Congress candidate. The total number of electors in the district was 5,42,631. The Congress again won the contesting parties in the district was follows: -

Name of party		No. of valid votes polled		Percentage
Congress	..	149708	48.8
Congress (O)	..	51229	16.7
Jan Sangh	..	43289	14.1
Akali Dal (Sant Group)	..	30171	9.8
Independents	..	25733	8.4
Republican Party of India	..	6635	2.2
Total	..	306765	100

(Source: Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Chandigarh)

Fifth General Elections to the Lok Sabha, 1971.- The Fifth General Elections of the Lok Sabha Constituencies were held in March 1971. There was only one Lok Sabha Constituency in the District, viz. Gurdaspur. The total number of electors in the district was 5,38,901. The Congress candidate won the seat. The total number of valid votes polled in favour of each of the contesting parties in the district was as follows: -

Name of party		No. of valid votes polled		Percentage
Congress	..	1,84,788	62.6
Congress (O)	..	90,941	30.8
Independents	..	19,394	6.6
Total	..	2,95,123	100

(Source: Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Chandigarh)

Fifth General Elections to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, 1972.- These elections were necessitated due to the premature dissolutions of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha constituted in March 1969. It was for the second time that the President’s rule was imposed in the State. In the wake of the President’s rule, emergency was declared due to Indo-Pak Conflict in 1971. The preparations for the conduct of a new general election held, therefore, to be made under the shadow of emergency. The poll throughout the State was held on a single day on March 11, 1972.

There were 9 Punjab Vidhan Sabha Constituencies (including 2 reserved for the Scheduled Castes) in the district, viz. Fatehgarh Churian, Batala, Srigobindpur, Qadian, Dhariwal, Gurdaspur, Dinanagar (Scheduled Castes), Narot Mehra (Scheduled Castes) and Pathankot. The total number of electors in the district was 6,11,944.

Out of these 9 candidates elected from the above constituencies, 7 had affiliation while the Congress, 1 with the Akali Dal (Sant Group) ans 1 with the Communist Party of India. The total number of valid votes polled in favour of each of the contesting parties in the district is given below: -

Name of party		No. of valid votes polled		Percentage
Congress	..	196013	50.02
Akali Dal (Sant Group)	..	94789	24.19
Jan Sangh	..	53197	13.58
Communist Party of India	..	24610	6.28
Independents	..	19705	5.02
Communist Party of India (Marxist)	..	2446	0.71
Congress (O)	..	786	0.20
Total	..	391846	100

(Source: Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Chandigarh)

(b) Political Parties and Organizations

The importance of political parties in a parliamentary democracy needs hardly be emphasized. Modern democratic governments cannot function effectively in the absence of political parties. They play a very important part in the functioning of democracies is as much as they are the means of educating public opinion on general issues and also of criticising government policies where they are not supported by incontrovertible arguments. The most important function of the political parties is to provide the possibility of an alternative government to that which is in office.

The development of political parties has brought about a profound transformation in the structure of political regime. They also stand for certain ideas and are committed to a specific set of policies and programmes. Their numerical strength varies from time to time.

In India, political parties have been in existence for quite sometime past, but they were not well-organized. The adoption of the British parliamentary system of Government after the independence, however, called for their re-organization on solid lines. As a result of mergers and amalgamation, a number of well-organized All-India parties and State parties have been left in the political field.

A brief description of the political parties, which have their branches in the Gurdaspur District, is given below :

All-India Parties

Indian National Congress. – This is the most important and largest political party in India. Founded in 1885 for the purpose of mobilizing public opinion on the problems of the country, the Indian National Congress gradually became the most powerful instrument of the nation’s struggle for freedom. In 1947, its efforts were finally crowned with success when India achieved independence.

From the achievement in 1947 up to March 1977, the Congress formed the most powerful political party in the country and ruled at the Centre. In the Punjab, the party ruled up to about the middle of the sixties and again from 1972 up to March 1977.

The District Congress Committee was formed at Gurdaspur in 1917. The City Congress Committees also exist in different towns in the district.

Communist Party of India. – Founded in 1925, the Communist Party of India is the second largest well-organised party in the country. It enjoys influence among labourers and poorer sections of the society. The party could not capture any seat in the district either for the Lok Sabha or the Vidhan Sabha till the fourth general elections in 1967. It, however, won one Vidhan Sabha seat in the fifth general elections, in 1972.

Communist Party of India (Marxist). – The party is represented in the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. It has never won any seat in the district either for the Lok Sabha or the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Samyukta Socialist/Praja Socialist Party. – The party has no particular hold on any section of people. In the First General Elections in 1951-52, the party contested from four constituencies in the district and its candidates got only 5,785 votes in all. It has not contested any other general elections held thereafter.

Republican Party of India. – Founded by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, this party is a reorganized form of the Scheduled Castes Federation to form an opposition to the Congress and the caste Hindus. It aims at safe-guarding the interests of the Scheduled Castes and the Backward Classes. The party contested only one Vidhan Sabha seat in the district in the mid-term poll in 1969 and its candidate got only 492 votes. In the bye-elections to the Lok Sabha seat, held in 1970, its candidate got only 6,635 votes. This party has not captured any seat in the district in the elections held up till the Fifth General Elections in 1972.

Swatantra Party. – The year 1959 witnessed the emergence of the Swatantra Party, formed largely to fight the tendencies towards the abolition of private property and towards collectivism. It is a rightist party in the sense that it is directly opposed to socialism in the economic sense and seeks to maintain the status-quo. The party also believes in fostering spiritual values and preserving the heritage of Indian culture.

Bhartiya Jan Sangh. – The party was formed on the eve of the first General Elections, 1951-52. It claims to derive inspiration from the values of the Indian culture and life. It has an all-India character having its urban and rural units.

The party aims at the establishment of an economic democracy with equal opportunities for development to all and with no chances for any exploitation. It believes in the principle of one country, one nation, one culture and one national idea. It stands for Indian traditions, culture and heritage.

In the Fourth General Elections in 1967, the party won only one out of the 9 Vidhan Sabha seats in the district, while in the Mid-term Poll in 1969 it won 2 out of the 9 Vidhan Sabha seats in the district.

State Parties

From among the State parties, mention may be made only of the following :-

Shiromani Akali Dal. – It was founded towards the end of 1920 as the representative organization of the Sikhs. This organization was, in a way, the product of the freedom struggle both in the religious and political fields ; and it, thereafter emerged as the vanguard of the non-co-operation movement in the Punjab. During the Gurdwara Reform Movement, 1920-25, it struggled for the liberation of the gurdwaras from the control of the Mahants.

In the Third General Elections in 1962, the party won 3 out of the 8 Vidhan Sabha seats in the district. In the fourth General Elections in 1967, the party won only one out of the 9 Vidhan Sabha seats in the district. In the Mid-term Poll in 1969, the party won 4 out of the 9 Vidhan Sabha seats in the district. In the Fifth General Elections in 1972, the party won only one out of the 9 Vidhan Sabha seats in the district.

The position of the different parties in the Lok Sabha and the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in the district, on the basis of the general elections held from time to time, is given in the following statement :-

Party Position in Lok Sabha and Punjab Vidhan Sabha Elections in Gurdaspur District

					LOK SABHA					PUNJAB VIDHAN SABHA
Name of the party				No. of seats won								No. of seats won
	First General Elections, 1951-52		Second General Elections, 1957	Third General Elections, 1962		Fourth General Elections, 1967	Bye-Election, 1970	Fifth General Elections, 1971	First General Elections, 1951-52		Second General Elections, 1957	Third General Elections, 1962	Fourth General Elections, 1967	Mid-term Elections, 1967	Fifth General Elections, 1972
ALL-INDIA PARTIES
India National Congress	..		1	1		1	1	1	8		8	5	7	3	7
Communist Party of India	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..	1
Communist Party of India (Marxist)	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..	..
Praja Socialist Party	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..	..
Republican Party of India	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..	..
Swatantra Party	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	..	1	2	..
Bhartiya Jan Sangh	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	3	1	4	1
STATE PARTIES
Akali Dal	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..	..
Janata Party	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..	..
Independents Including unrecognized parties	..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..		..	..	..	..	..
Total No. of seats in the district:	..	1	1	1		1	1	1	9		8	8	9	9	9

(Source:- Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Chandigarh, and his publications entitled Reports on General Elections, Punjab, 1951-52, 1957,1962,1967 and 1969)

(c) Newspapers and Periodicals

Since the attainment if independence in 1947, the number of periodicals published in the district in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, etc. has shown a marked increase. These periodicals deal with news items and current affairs besides reflecting popular opinion to a large extent. Some of these also contain information on science, history, morality, nature, study, etc.

No daily newspaper is published in the district. The particulars in respect of the periodicals, published in the district, are given below:

Periodicals published in the Gurdaspur District as on December 31,1971

Serial No.	Name of periodicals		Place of publication	Year when started	Language		Circulation
			WEEKLIES
1.	Lalee	..	Batala	1967-71	Punjabi				..
2.	Mere Ham Dam	..	Do	1968	Do				..
3.	Punjabi Veer	..	Pathankot	1965	Do				2000
4.	Social Sandesh	..	Batala	1964	Do				1950
5.	Aaj-ki-lehar	..	Dhariwal	1968	Urdu				1832
6.	Babar	..	Qadian	1952	Do				971
7.	Dogra Times	..	Pathankot	1966	Do				..
8.	Intkhab	..	Batala	1959	Do				..
9.	Jai Vaishno	..	Pathankot	1971	Urdu and Hindi				250
10.	Mazloom	..	Do	1956	Urdu				2000
11.	Naya Bharat	..	Do	1956	Do				..
12.	Prabodh Jagat	..	Gurdaspur	1966	Do				1500
13.	Shan-E-Punjab	..	Pathankot	1968	Do				..
14.	Tufan	..	Batala	1964	Do				6466
15.	Waqif Kar	..	Do	1967	Do				..
16.	Man Mandir	..	Do	1970	Hindi and Punjabi				..
17.	Cahirman	..	Shakti	1967	Punjabi & Urdu				..
			FORTNIGHTLIES
18.	Ka mchari Ekta	..	Gurdaspur	1968	Punjabi				..
19.	Aan-e-Punjab	..	Pathankot	1969	Urdu				1500
Serial No.	Name of periodicals		Place of publication	Year when started	Language	Circulation
20.	Antaryami	..	Do	1968	Do			2200
21.	Azad Jagat	..	Shahpur Kandi	1969	Do			2200
22.	Gharib Janata	..	Lahri Gujran	1968	Do			..
23.	Jai Swatantra	..	Do	1969	Do			1400
24.	Jawahar Jyoti	..	Shahpur Kandi	1966	Do			2000
25.	Meghdoot	..	Do	1971	Do			1677
26.	Neel Kamal	..	Pathankot	1970	Do			..
27.	Nidar	..	Gurdaspur	1964	Do			1890
28.	Red Star	..	Pathankot	1966	Do			1558
29.	Shakti Puja	..	Gurdaspur	1967,1968	Do			..
30.	Tershool	..	Do	1970	Do			..
31.	Dohra Pul	..	Dinanagar	1970	Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi			2000
31.	Teacher’s Voice	..	Batala	1968	English, Hindi and Punjabi			..
			MONTHLIES
33.	Manav Mahima	..	Batala	1962	Hindi			1200
34.	Attal	..	Do	1961	Punjabi			2000
35.	Kasumbhara	..	Gurdaspur	1970	Do			..
36.	Manav Mahima	..	Batala	1968	Do			250
37.	Atma Katha	..	Taragarh	1950	Urdu			..
38.	Philosopher	..	Dhariwal	1971	Urdu, Punjabi and English			250
		Non-included Category Papers
39.	School Glimpse	..	Dhariwal	1968	Multilingual
			BI-MONTHLIES
40.	Gurdas	..	Gurdaspur	1956	English, Hindi, Punjabi and Sanskrit			100
41.	Teesari Aakh	..	Kala Afghana	1970	Punjabi, Hindi and English			..
Serial No.	Name of periodicals		Place of publication	Year when started	Language	Circulation
			ANNUALS
42.	Chanar	..	Pathankot	1964	English, Hindi and Urdu			1500
43.	Gudawari	..	Qadian	1964	English, Hindi and Punjabi			..
44.	Vidiotama	..	Batala	1967	English, Sanskrit, Hindi and Punjabi			..

(Press In India, 1972, 16^th Annual Report of the Registrar of Newspapers for India under the Press and Registration of Books Act, Part II (Delhi, 1973)

The Following newspapers and periodicals, published outside the district, are in fairly large circulation in the district:-

Newspapers and periodicals published outside but in fairly large circulation in the district

Serial No.	Name of newspaper/ periodical		Place of publication	Language	Periodicity
			NEWSPAPERS
1.	Tribune	..	Chandigarh	English	Daily
2.	Indian Express	..	New Delhi	Do	Do
3.	Times of India	..	Do	Do	Do
4.	Hindi Milap	..	Jullandhur City	Hindi	Do
5.	Vir Partap	..	Do	Do	Do
6.	Punjab Kesri	..	Do	Do	Do
7.	Ajit	..	Do	Punjabi	Do
8.	Akali Patrika	..	Do	Do	Do
9.	Nawan Samachar	..	Do	Do	Do
10.	Hind Samachar	..	Do	Urdu	Do
11.	Milap	..	Do	Do	Do
12.	Partap	..	Do	Do	Do
13.	Pradeep	..	Do	Do	Do
			PERIODICALS
1.	Illustrated weekly of India	..	Bombay	English	Weekly
2.	Filmfare	..	Do	Do	Fortnightly
3.	Femina	..	Do	Do	Do
4.	Dharmyug	..	Do	Hindi	Weekly
5.	Sarita	..	Delhi	Do	Monthly
6.	Sushma	..	Do	Do	Do
7.	Preet lari	..	Prit Nagar (District Amritsar)	Punjabi	Do
8.	Tasvir	..	Jullundur City	Do	Do
9.	Drishti	..	Do	Do	Do
10.	Biswin Sadi	..	Delhi	Urdu	Do
11.	Shama	..	Do	Do	Do

(d) Voluntary Social Service Organizations

The voluntary social service organizations play a major role in the development of the community life and also help to increase the social solidarity of the state. These organizations are run by the people and for the people. The voluntary social service is an activity of a self governing body of people working together for the betterment of the society and the community life as a whole. As a result, the voluntary social service organizations have become the sheet-anchor of the present society. In the present era of freedom and equality, the states are speedily marching towards the concept of a Welfare State. These circumstances have paved way for the voluntary organizations to play their significant role. Such organizations are getting enormous scope in these days of busy life.

The needs of the individuals are increasing fast and are keeping pace with the modern development in various fields. Day-by-day, the individual is relying more and more upon the state. The state has to step into solve various problems covering the life of the individuals. Though it is desirable to have state attendance at every walk of life of the individual it has become impossible for the state, owing to the burden of the administration, to fulfill its responsibilities. Where the state id unable to look into the demands of the individuals, the voluntary social service organizations step in.

There are a number of voluntary social service organizations in the district serving the social needs of the people in a variety of ways. These organizations play an important role in the educational, social and cultural development of the community. These also provide welfare activities for children, women, aged and infirms, handicapped and other deserving sections of the society. A brief account of the important organizations is given below :

General Welfare Institutions :

District Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Board, Gurdaspur. – It was formed by the Government of India in 1919. Originally named as the District Soldiers’ Board, its nomenclature was changed during the World War II (1939-45) to District Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Board. The board has official and non-official members and works under the control of the Deputy Commissioner who is its ex-officio President, and an honorary Vice-President from the Army. The state Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Board, which works under the Home (Military) Branch of the Punjab Civil Secretariat, exercise administrative and financial control over it. From January 15, 1964, the State Government has absorbed the Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Boards in its regular public services as a permanent department.

The Board helps the military personnel in respect of pension, relief grants, bonus, scholarships, loss of discharge certificates, Jangi Inam medals, medical treatment, final settlement of accounts and other allied matters. It also looks after the welfare of the families of the serving soldiers’, ex-servicemen and deceased soldiers’. Besides, the Board assists the civilian people in getting employment in defence, etc.

Bharat Sevak Samaj, Gurdaspur. – This association is affiliated to the Punjab State Bharat Sevak Samaj, Chandigarh, and subscribes to the ideals, functions and activities of the parent body. It is running a nursery school and a tailoring-cum-needle craft centre for women at Gurdaspur. Both these institutions are particularly meant for the benefit of the poor section of the society. A work centre for helpless and needy women and a creche for the benefit of working women have been started.

This organization did useful work in organizing aid to the troops during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. In conjunction with other voluntary bodies, free canteens were organized for the benefit of the Jawans. Quilts, sweets and fruits were collected and supplied to the concerned authorities for distribution among the wounded soldiers. It renders assistance to the people during natural calamities like floods, etc.

Sewa Sadan Leper Colony, Dinanagar. – A lepers’ colony, called Sewa Sadan and run by the lepers, themselves exists at Dinanagar. It has a plot, measuring about an acre in which vegetables are grown. The Health Department gives medicines for the lepers of the colony. The lepers make their livelihood through begging. In 1973, there were 75 lepers in the colony.

Other Organizations

In addition to the above, there are a few other organizations functioning in smaller fields but doing useful service in their own spheres. Of these, mention may be made of the following :-

Bhartiya Sanatan Dharm Mahabir Dal, Gurdaspur. – With its headquarters at Chandigarh, the organization is registered with the Bhartiya Sanatan Dharm Mahabir Dal, Chandigarh. Formed in 1972, it has its branches at Pathankot, Batala, Tibber, Thanewal and Kahnuwan in the district. The organization sends its volunteers for assistance in making arrangement for the fairs and festivals held at different places in the district and outside. These volunteers also help at the local functions organized from time to time. It gives aid to the poor and helps the people at the time of fire, accidents, etc.

Shri Sanatan Dharm Mahabir Dal, Gurdaspur. – With its headquarters at Chandigarh, this organization is registered with Shri Sanatan Dharm Mahabit Dal, Punjab. Formed in 1925, Shri Sanatan Dharm Mahabir Dal, Gurdaspur, has been rendering voluntary services in religious, social and cultural fields. It has its braches at Batala, Qadian, Dhariwal, Dinanagar, Tibber and Pathankot.

The organization assists the authorities in the maintenance of law and order at different fairs and festivals. It also helps during natural calamities like floods, etc.

Organizations of National or International Repute

There are a number of other organizations of national or international repute which are established elsewhere but have their branches in the district.

The Indian Red Cross Society (District Branch) Gurdaspur. – The Indian Red Cross Society was established in 1920 under Act XV of the Government of India. The Gurdaspur District Red Cross Branch was started in 1925 with the Civil Surgeon as its President and the Superintendent of the office of the Deputy Commissioner as its secretary.

The important activities of the society are : hospital welfare ; community and sanitation ; relief of the sick, suffering and wounded persons ; relief of soldiers, airmen and other military personnel ; maternity and child welfare including family planning ; disaster and emergency reliefs of all kinds ; assistance to junior Red Cross activities ; blood transfusion service ; establishment of first-aid posts ; training in first-aid and home nursing ; help to sister charitable institutions, etc.

The main sources of income of the society are : collection from Lucky Bag funds, District Relief Fund, membership subscriptions, contributions and donations, etc.

Some of the services rendered by the District Red Cross Society are detailed below :

With regard to the maternity and child welfare work, the society maintains a health centre at Kalanaur with three sub-centres at Sangatpur, Bhanwan and Khaira. Besides, it maintains 19 trained dai centres in the rural areas where a good number of labour cases are conducted. The centres also provide medical-aid to the expectant and nursing mothers and attend to the family planning work. In addition, the society maintains as urban family planning centre at Gurdaspur.

Relief supplies in the form of kurtas, shirts, bed sheets, baby milk powder, sulpha drugs, vitamin tablets, wolleen blankets and scarves are provided to the poor and needy persons. Grants are also given to fire and flood stricken people and for the construction of veterinary and Ayurvedic dispensaries. Besides, aid is provided to the institutions and Ayurvedic dispensaries. Besides, aid is provided to the institutions engaged in social welfare work in the form of spectacles for poor persons, quilts for leprosy patients, extra diet and medicines for poor and needy patients, amenities for T.B. patients, artificial limbs, etc.

The District St. John Ambulance, Gurdaspur, imparts training in ambulance, first-aid, home-nursing, mother craft and child welfare and hygiene and sanitation, etc. An ambulance car is maintained by the district branch for carrying the sick and injured persons to the hospital and attending to such other emergency calls. There are 102 first-aid posts in the district. During 1972, the number of persons trained in the district in first-aid and home-nursing was 6,109 and 5,125, respectively.

The District Red Cross Society has a hospital welfare section which provides free medicines, etc. to the poor patients.

Rotary Clubs at Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot. – with its head-quarters in the U.S.A., the Rotary Club is a world-side organization whose moto is “Service above Self”. It is a type of brotherhood to serve the humanity, nation, country and the world on the whole.

The general activities of a rotary club are dedicated to the community at large. These are four-fold, namely, club service, vocational service, community service and international service is only for its own members, while vocational service includes employer-employee relations, the four-way test, occupational information and trade and professional relations. Community service consists of community safety, rural-urban relations, scholarships, awards and student loans, student guests, crippled children, etc. International service include international youth projects, rotary foundation and world community service.

There are rotary clubs at Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot, the activities of each of which are described below :

The Rotary Club, Gurdaspur, was established in 1971. It rendered useful service during the Indo-Pak War of that year by taking part in the civil defence work, running of free canteen for soldiers and provision of warm clothes, fruit, etc. for those injured in fighting. At the time of the floods in the River Ravi in 1973, the rotarians provided relief to the people in the worst hit areas of the district. The club has initiated the immunization of children against polio and other diseases. It also provides aid to a nursery school.

The Rotary Club, Batala was established in 1962. It rendres useful service to the town in the form of cleanliness drive, mass immunization camp, free eye camps, road safety campaigns, free medical relief camps, scholarships to poor students, sewing machines to deserving ladies and to war-widows, recognition of war heroes, free canteens, books and magazines, sweets, fruits and gifts to the jawans during war time, financial-aid to the deserving persons for the marriage of their daughters or for treatment etc.

_______________________________________________________________

10. According to the rotarians, the four-way test of things they think, say or do are : (i) Is it the truth ? (ii) Is it fair to all concerned ? (iii) Will it build goodwill and better friendship ? (iv) Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Established on June 16, 1971, the Rotary Club, Pathankot, has 35 members and meets once a week. It takes up different projects such as free inoculation through doctor members to the poor and needy, distribution of free medicines to the sick, provisions of woollen clothes to the needy and poor children in schools and scholarships to the deserving students in the local schools and colleges, etc. It has also constructed a cremation ground by the side of the Chakki Khad through contributions by its members and collections from the public.

1. A monument has been erected at Batala in memory of the Gorkha Jawans who laid down their lives in the Dera Baba Nanak Sector during the India-Pakistan War in 1971.

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