AMRITSAR
COMPETITION: D.R.Modern Senior Secondary School will organise a science competition and cultural programme to observe Teachers Day here on Wednesday. This was stated by Mr Pathania, Principal of the school, in a press note here on Monday.

CULTURAL FAIR: An annual cultural fair will be held in memory of Baba Sheetal Purian at Baba Kalan village, Ajnala, on September 9. This was stated by Mr Gurpreet Singh, president of the mela committee, in a press note here on Monday.

HUNGER STRIKE: Members of the Punjab Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union held a fast on Monday under the leadership of state executive member Prof H.S. Walia and district president B.S. Bal. The union demanded the implementation of the pension-cum-gratuity scheme, release of arrears and rural area allowance. This was stated by Prof H.S. Walia, state executive member of the union.

DHURI
CONCLUDED: A two-day eye camp organised by the local Eye Bank Samiti in collaboration with the Niskam Sewa Sabha concluded at Mangla Ashram on Sunday. As many as 998 patients were examined and 104 operated upon by a team of specialists from Patiala. Medicines and food were given free of cost.

GURDASPUR
TRAFFIC BLOCKED: Municipal employees held a demonstration and blocked traffic here on Monday in protest against the proposed abolition of octroi.

HOSHIARPUR
CPM MARCH: CPM workers will hold a march in villages from September 7 to 21 in the district to make people aware about anti-people policies of the Punjab and Central governments. This was stated by Mr Gurmesh Singh, district secretary of the CPM here on Monday.

RALLY HELD: Municipal employees held a gate rally in front of their office in protest against the proposed abolition of octroi by the state government. They said if the move was not withdrawn, all municipal employees in the state would begin an indefinite strike.

IRRIGATION FACILITY: Inhabitants of 15 villages on the banks of Shah Nehar in the Hazipur block of this district have demanded alternative arrangements of irrigation due to the closure of Shah Nehar. At an open darbar at Canal Rest House of Bela Sariana village, villagers discussed this problem with Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner.

JAGRAON
HAND SEVERED: The right hand of Amrit Pal Singh, a labourer, was severed while he was working at an engine-operated chaff-cutter at Gagewal village, 40 km from here on Tuesday. He has been admitted to the local Civil Hospital. He had got married just a month ago.

SHAGUN SCHEME: Since the introduction of shagun scheme in 1997, under which each beneficiary is given Rs 5,100 for the marriage of his/her daughter, the local administration has so far distributed over Rs 89 lakh to nearly 17,400 persons. During this financial year, a sum of Rs 13 lakh has been distributed till now.

CAMP: As many as 142 farmers attended a camp organised by Canara Bank, Mr Balbir Chand, Divisional Manager, RO, Jalandhar, distributed about 90 kisan credit cards worth Rs 68 lakh among farmers on the occasion. He also gave an assurance that the branch would soon be computerised. Earlier, Dr M. Santhana Gopalan, manager, welcomed the farmers at the camp.

LUDHIANA
RE-ELECTED: Mr Jagmohan Gupta has been unanimously re-elected as the president of the Sanatan Dharam Sabha. Giving the information, Mr B.D. Budhiraja, Principal, Kamla Lohtia Sanatan Dharam College, said a function to mark the beginning of his second term was held on Tuesday on the campus. He said the sabha managed the functioning of the college and Sanatan Dharam Girls’ Senior Secondary School at Daresi Ground.

NAWANSHAHR
ERRATIC POWER SUPPLY: Residents of the town are sore over the erratic power supply. They allege that their complaints are not being attended to properly at the complaint centre of the PSEB. Streetlights in a number of mohallas and colonies have not been functioning and despite repeated complaints nothing has been done so far, they added.

BSM RALLIES: The Bahujan Samaj Morcha, with a view to mobilising its workers for the ensuing assembly poll, organised bicycle and scooter rallies in the district. Mr Satnam Kainth, former MP and president of the morcha, flagged off a rally at the nearby Banga town. Mr Mehar chand Kailey, district president of the morcha, and Dr Kamaljit, a senior leader, flagged off rallies at the town and Rahon, respectively. Mr Nachattar Singh Suman, senior morcha leader, flagged off a rally at Aur.

WINS: Ms Navkiran Kaur, a student of Class VIII of the local JSFH Khalsa High School, won the third prize at a state-level science seminar held recently at Sangrur, said Mr Balihar Singh Bains, District Science Supervisor.

INAUGURATED: Mr Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Welfare Minister, on Monday inaugurated the Garhi Ajit Singh — Malla Bedian — Aur link road and a hall at Pir Nigaha, a religious place.

PATIALA
RALLY HELD: Municipal workers organised a rally here on Tuesday in protest against the abolition of octroi. Addressing the rally, the leaders opposed the government decision to abolish. They said it would harm the future of thousands of employees. The rally was addressed by Mr Pushpinder Pathak, Mr Prem Chand Sharma, Mr Harjeet Singh, Mr Ramesh Kumar, Ms Vijay Sharma, and Mr Sansari Lal Bhalla.

PHAGWARA
FOUND DEAD: Manoj Kumar (21) was allegedly strangled at Rehana Jattan village on Monday. A case has been registered under Section 302 of the IPC.

DHARNA HELD: Municipal employees staged a dharna here in protest against the government’s move to abolish octroi.

TEACHERS’ STRIKE: A two-period strike was observed by teachers of the local Guru Nanak College in connection with the state-wide protest week commencing on Monday. The call was given by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union against the non-implementation of the pension and gratuity schemes.

FELICITATED: While speaking at a function organised at a local college on Tuesday, Punjabi writer and winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award, Waryam Singh Sandhu, maintained that sensitivity and penchant for reading were prerequisites for becoming a writer. He was felicitated for his outstanding literary contributions to the Punjabi literature.

SAMRALA
PENSIONERS’ SANGH: A deputation of the Punjab State Pensioners’ Maha Sangh under the leadership of Mr Prem Sagar Sharma, president, met Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Pradesh Congress President, at the residence of Congress MLA, Mr Amrik Singh Dhillon, here on Tuesday and urged him to look into the demands of pensioners. The deputation claimed that the maha sangh had met the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Capt Kanwaljeet Singh, Finance Minister, and Bibi Satwant Kaur Sandhu, Pensioners Minister, in this connection. Mr Kanwaljeet Singh assured the deputation on April 25 at Fatehgarh Sahib that the pensioners would get 5 per cent and 10 per cent enhancement in their basic pensioner’s at the age of 65 and 75, respectively, but nothing had been achieved so far. Mr Prem Sagar said the next meeting of the sangh would be held at Malwa Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Kochar Market, Ludhiana on September 16 at 11 am. The deputation included Mr Balbir Singh, Joginder Singh Josh, Naginder Singh, Ajit Singh Bagri, Darshan Singh and Parduman Singh (Ropar), Mr Jarnail Singh Dhillon (Ludhiana), Prem Sagar Sharma (Sangrur).

SANGRUR
BANNED: The District Magistrate, Mr Sarvjit Singh, has banned the digging of kutcha wells without a written permission of the Executive Engineer, Public Health Department (Rural Water Supply), in rural and urban areas of the district. The order, which has been issued under Section 144 of the Cr PC, will remain in force till October 12.

SUICIDE: Bant Singh (42), a rickshaw-puller of the local Ravidas Colony, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree near the Police Lines here on Sunday. A case has been registered under Section 174 of the Cr. P.C.

TARN TARAN
PRINCIPAL TAKES CHARGE: Mr Parmjit Singh, took over as Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Chabba, on Monday. Mr Tarsem Singh, who was the Headmaster of the school took over as Headmaster of the Government High School, Dhotian.

MASS MARRIAGE: Twelve couples tied nuptial knots at a function organised by Baba Kali Das, a social worker, at Pakhoke village on Sunday. Mr Alwinder Pal Singh Pakhoke, senior vice-president of the SGPC, was the chief guest.

PLANTATION DRIVE: Senior Division NCC cadets, as well as, staff of the No. 1 Chandigarh Air Squadron planted saplings at Government College, Sector 11. The drive was inaugurated by college Principal, Dr S.N. Singla and the squadron’s commanding officer, Wg Cdr R.K. Sharma. A statement issued here on Tuesday said the drive was a part of the community development programme of the NCC to create awareness about the environment amongst the cadets. The drive has evoked a good response. A few days ago, junior division cadets of the squadron had undertook a similar drive at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 20.

NOMINATED: Dr C.L. Narang, Director NSS, Panjab University, has been nominated member of the advisory panel by the UT Administration. The committee will be chaired by the Deputy Commissioner and will stand for three years.

CRASH COURSE: The local branch of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India will organise a crash course for CA students (inter and final) from September 11 to September 26. It is to be conducted by faculty of the Board of Studies of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, New Delhi, at GGDSD College, Sector 32.

CONDOLENCE MEETING: Faculty, staff and students of the department of Hindi, Panjab University, held a condolence meeting on Monday to mourn the death of a peon of the department, Sham Lal, who had died on August 31. The department remembered Sham Lal’s service and association with the department, his humble manners and honest nature. He was also a Hindi poet. His works had been appreciated by critics and were also published.

LITERACY WEEK: The Jan Shikshan Sansthan is observing the international Literacy Week from September 3 to September 10, by organising skill development programmes like candle making, food preservation courses etc. General awareness programme and education programmes for the neo-literates will also be organised in the various parts of the city. A ‘prabhat pheri’ will also be organised on the eve of International Literacy Day at Colony Number 4, Industrial Area, on Thursday.

HONOURED: The Association of Private Educational Institutions, Chandigarh, organised a function to honour Ms Harjinder Kaur, the newly elected mayor of the Municipal Corporation. The President of the association, Mr S M Verma, gave a brief account of the service being rendered by the member institutions in the field of education. He explained that their institutions were functioning from residential premises for the past four decades, and thus assisted the UT Administration to cater to the educational needs of the people of city. The Chief guest, Ms Harjinder Kaur, while addressing the Principals assured all help to the association.

SHIMLA
LOCAL BUS SERVICE: Residents of the Chakkar area are facing inconvenience due to lack of local bus service. They said buses plying on long routes did not carry local passengers. The authorities concerned had not taken action despite repeated complaints, they alleged.

AGGRAWAL SABHA: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Shri Aggrawal Sabha: president — Mr Mool Krishan Aggarwal; senior vice-president — Mr Om Prakash Singh; vice-president — Mr Ashtosh Aggrawal; general secretary - Mr K. Aggarwal; treasurer — Mr Deepak Aggarwal; and joint secretary — Mr Rajesh Bansal.