ABOHAR
BUNGLING ALLEGED: Some residents, in a memorandum faxed to the Chief Minister, Managing Director, Sugarfed, and the Registrar Cooperative Societies, have alleged bungling in the process of inviting tenders by the local cooperative sugar mill. Some persons were reportedly denied tender forms. The management of the mill, however, described the allegations as false.

DRY FODDER: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, flagged off a train carrying dry fodder to drought-hit areas of Gujarat at the railway station here on Thursday.

THREATENED: A large number of people assembled at Koyalkhera village on Friday to pay homage to Harbhajan Lal Kamboj who was allegedly killed in a scuffle. They said they would resort to an agitation if the persons named in the FIR were not arrested soon.

BATHINDA
ANTI-MALARIA MONTH: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jaspal Singh, held a meeting here on Friday with doctors of the Civil Hospital and members of various non-governmental organisations, (NGOs) regarding the observation of June as an anti-malaria month in the district. Mr Bawa Ram Gupta, Civil Surgeon, highlighted various programmes to be undertaken during the month.

FEROZEPORE
PROCESSION HELD: Students of Industrial Training Institute held a procession in protest against inadequate water supply, hike in fees, and change in the pattern of holidays. They also complained of shortage of instructors.

HOSHIARPUR
CONDEMNED: Mr Mohinder Singh, president of the Government Primary Teachers Association, in a press note here on Thursday condemned the state government for deputing only central head teachers of primary schools to conduct education survey when only two days were left for summer vacation. He said it would affect students.

JAGRAON
EYE OPERATION CAMP: The Jagraon Citizen Welfare Council, a social organisation, will hold a free eye operation camp at Dr Sharma’s hospital and nursing home at the Tehsil road on Sunday. According to Mr Ashok Sharma, chairman of the council, Dr Bhandari, an eye specialist, and his team from Ludhiana will conduct test and operations.

LUDHIANA
DRIVERS’ UNION: The PSEB Drivers Union will hold its annual general body meeting to elect the office bearers on June 3 at 66 KV Rest House, Ropar. Mr Gurdev Singh, state president of the union, has urged all circle level presidents and general secretaries, as the serving and former office-bearers, to attend the meeting.

ASSURANCE: The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker, Mr Sat Pal Gosain, has assured the Kidwai Nagar Welfare Society (Trust Flats) that their outstanding problems, including the sale deed or transfer of ownership of the flats, would be sorted out by the end of next month. Mr Gosain was speaking at the annual general body meeting of the society. Mr Parveen Bansal, councillor, Ward No 57, also attended the meeting. Earlier, Mr R.R. Katyal, general secretary of the society, explained in detail the hardships being faced by the residents, particularly at the time of execution of sale deeds and transfer of plots.

RALLIES: The PSEB Employees Federation (AITUC) and the Technical Services Union organised joint gate rallies at divisional offices in Industrial Estate and Focal Point to mobilise the workers for the state-level dharna in Patiala on Tuesday. Speakers charged the PSEB authorities with backing out from the promises made to the employees over grant of promotion scale for 9, 16 and 23 years and filling up of vacant posts.

FOUNDATION STONE: The work for the construction of a new road in the New Maya Nagar locality in the Haibowal area here was taken in hand as a former Punjab minister, Mr Malkiat Singh Dakha, laid the foundation stone at a function. He appreciated the efforts put in by the area councillor, Mr Hem Raj Aggarwal, for getting more and more development projects done and expansion of basic civic amenities in the area. Residents focussed on the problems being faced by them due to lack of sewerage system and urged the councillor and other leaders to initiate steps for laying the sewer lines in the locality at the earliest.

PSEB FLAYED: The United Cycle Parts and Manufacturers Association has condemned the PSEB authorities for effecting a drastic hike in the advance consumption deposit (ACD) for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers of all categories, allegedly through a back dated circular. In a statement issued here on Friday, the association president, Mr D.S. Chawla, has observed that the move was absolutely in contravention of the assurance given by the Chief Minister during his interaction with the members of the industry here on May 15. Rather than providing any relief to the industry the PSEB management had inflicted a might blow by way of increase in the ACD, ranging between 30 and 300 per cent. The Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Mr P. D. Sharma, termed the decision as a clear-cut proof of the anti-industry and anti-urban people attitude of the government.

EDUCATION RALLY: A Kerala-based South Asian Anti-Child Slavery Organisation organised an education rally as a part of its Save Childhood Movement here on Friday. The rally was started on January 21 in Kerala, and passed through various districts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhara Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi and Haryana. Mr Kailash Satyarthi, president of the organisation, said the state governments need to do a lot to improve literacy rate in the country.

TRAINING CAMP: A two-day gurmat training camp, organised by the Directorate of Education and Training of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, concluded on Friday at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Sargodha Colony, here. Nearly 300 students participated. Mr Sarbjit Singh, Assistant Professor of journalism, Punjab Agricultural University, and Ms Sarabjot Kaur, lecturer of Punjabi, Government College for Women, spoke on the occasion.

PFA BEGINS CAMPAIGN: In order to control rabies and check the growing population of stray dogs in the city, the People for Animals, in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry Department, has started a campaign to sterilise street dogs and immunise them against rabies.

VILLAGERS’ PROTEST: On a call given by the Kirti Kisan Union, residents of Manuke, Deharke, Bhamipura and Bassuwal villages held a dharna in front of the General Manager’s (Telephones) office here on Thursday demanding an early commissioning of the Manuke exchange. Mr Hardev Singh Sandhu, state president of the union, addressing the protesters said the inauguration of the exchange had been unnecessarily delayed due to a political tussle.

CONTEST: Vardhman Spinning Mills organised an embroidery contest at New SMD Senior Secondary School, New Shivaji Nagar, here on Friday. Among Class VII students, Tania Monga was declared first, followed by Pallavi Aggarwal and Sonam Matharoo. Preety Matharoo, Neena Aggarwal and Neha Chopra were declared first, second and third, respectively, among Class VIII students. In Class IX, Bindiya stood first, Bhavanjeet Kaur was declared second and Pooja Rani was selected third. Neelam Ahuja, Lovely and Poonam were declared first, second and third, respectively, among Class X students. Ms Jyoti Gupta and Mr Gagandeep Singh, both school teachers, pronounced the judgement.

PATIALA
TALENT HUNT: Mr Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, Chief Librarian, Central State Library on Saturday presided over the ‘Talent Hunt Programme’ organised by the National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS) here. Inaugurating the programme, Mr Krishan Sahni, a director of Punjabi films and TV serials, stressed the need for spotting and grooming fresh talent for improving the standard of theatre and films. Teenaged youngsters from 25 local educational institutions exhibited their talent These selected will be imparted a month-long training through a theatre workshop. The workshop will be conducted by Mr Pran Sabharwal, Sunita Sabharwal and others.

PAINTING COMPETITION: An ‘open painting competition’ was organised by the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Regional Office, Baradari Garden, here on Saturday. About 200 students of 15 different schools of Patiala district participated in the competition. The competition was organised as a series of programmes to celebrate the ‘World Environment Day’ which falls on June 5. The theme of the competition was environmental pollution. The results (first three positions) are as follows: sub-junior group (5-8 years): Amitoj Monga (Our Lady of Fatima), Pallvi (Sri Aurobindo International) and Akshi Bhardwaj (DAV Public School); junior group (9-12 years): Jaskiran Kaur Virdi (St Peter’s Academy), Kriti Dua (St Peter’s Academy) and Dhian Singh (Our Lady of Fatima); senior group: Pallvi Chadha (Budha Dal Public School), Charanjit Singh and Rajnish Kumar both from (BN Khalsa Sr Sec School). A state level function will be held on June 5.

INVITED: Dr T.R. Sharma, former Professor and Dean. Education, Punjabi University, has been invited at the International Seminar for Educational Leaders. Mr Sharma will deliver his paper on “Strengthening teacher education-new strategies and best practices’ to be held at the Graduate School of Education from September 3 to 7 by Harvard University.

PWD WORKERS MORCHA: The PWD Workers Talmel Sangharsh Committee morcha on Saturday entered its eleventh day. The morcha is being held against the alleged wrong attitude of the Chief Engineer, (Public Health), and the Chief Engineer (Bhavan and marg), towards the workers. The committee demanded filling of senior posts which were lying vacant.

RALLY: The PSEB Employees Federation (AITUC) will hold a rally in front of the main office of the PSEB here on Tuesday. The presidents of various mandals accompanied by workers will take part in the rally. These will include members of the Rajpura, Nabha, Samana, Patran mandals apart from local division employees of Patiala.

LATHI-CHARGE: Ms Seema Vad, district president BSP, on Saturday condemned lathi-charged on Dalits of Khanpur village, near Kharar by the Punjab police. She urged an inquiry into the matter and also decided to hold a rally on Wednesday to protest against the lathi-charge. She said the rally would start from the bus stand, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Chowk and pass through Lahori Gate, Arya Samaj Chowk, Ramdas Road, Sirhindi Bazaar, Kila Chowk, A-Tank, Adalat Bazaar, Anardana Chowk, Dharampura Bazaar, Sheran Wala Gate, Mall Road and would finally conclude at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office.

PHAGWARA
CAR STOLEN: An old Maruti Car was stolen from the central town on Thursday. An FIR has been registered.

SAHNEWAL
AWARENESS CAMP: A family health awareness camp will be organised on June 1 to June 15, according to Dr Nalini Dutta, Chief Medical Officer, Sahnewal. For the purpose; she added, the town has been divided into separate blocks. The main aim of the camp is to make people aware of AIDS, she said.

ISA CHIEF: Dr K.K. Gombar, Professor and Head of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care at the GMCH was re-elected as President of the Chandigarh branch of the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists (ISA) at its annual meeting held at the Government Medical College and Hospital here on Saturday. The meeting was attended by anaesthesiologists from various institutions of the city. Dr S.K. Malhotra, Additional Professor in the Department of Anaesthesiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, delivered a guest lecture on “mangement of disaster and mass casualities”. Other elected office bearers included: vice-president — Dr S.K.Malhotra, secretary — Dr Rajeev Malhotra; and treasurer — Dr Sanjeev Palta.

PU COMMITTEE: The committee constituted to examine the issue regarding the qualifications for the post of the Assistant Registrar of Panjab University as prescribed by the UGC, unanimously recommended that since the scales offered for the posts of the Assistant Registrar in PU were on the pattern of the Punjab Government, the university should go ahead with the filling of posts in accordance with the qualifications laid down in the PU calender. The committee observed that these qualifications were minimum and there was no bar for those who possessed higher qualifications to apply. This was stated that in a press note issued by the university here today.

DELEGATION: A delegation of the Government college laboratory staff union led by Mr Balwinder Singh, president of the union, met Deputy Director Public instructions (Colleges), Punjab, Mr S.S. Sooch, and discussed the union’s various demands. Mr Sooch assured the staff that the posts of the senior laboratory attendant and gas men would be converted into junior lecturers assistant and plant assistant and that of plant collector into lab assistants. Mr Sooch invited the delegation to visit him in the last week of July again.