HOSHIARPUR
BKP lauded: At a function organised by the Bharat Vikas Parishad unit at Shamchaurasi, 18 km from here on Saturday, Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur appreciated the role of the parishad for uplift the down-trodden and handicapped persons of the society. Artificial limbs to handicapped and woollen blankets to the needy were given on this occasion. Mr Dharampal Singh, President of the unit highlight activities of the parishad.

Tributes paid: Tributes were paid to Lambardar Amar Singh, a well-known social worker of Hoshiarpur district and father of Ms Surjit Kaur, Education Secretary, Punjab, by Jathedar Tota Singh, Education Minister, Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon Development and Panchayat Minister, Master Mohan Lal Forest Minister, Mr Swarna Ram, State Minister of Education, Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu and Deputy Commissioner Hoshiarpur, and many others on a bhog and antim ardas ceremony at Kaluwahar village, 22 km from here on Saturday. Jathedar Tota Singh announced the upgradation of village primary school to middle standard and Rs 2 lakh for the construction of building. Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon said that a community centre with library would be set up in the village for which he announced Rs 2 lakh.

LUDHIANA
Honoured: Wing Commander J.S. Bhalla, Principal GRD Academy and Director Ludhiana Sahodaya Schools complex of the CBSE was conferred the meritorious award by the Parent-Teacher Association of India for his services in the field of education. He was the sole recipient of this award from Punjab.

MOGA
Pensioners Day: The All-India Pensioner's Day was celebrated at Kot Kapura, 45 km from here on Friday. Pensioners from various districts participated. Gurdial Singh, novelist was the chief guest. The Supreme Court on this day in 1992 had given verdict to this effect that the government employers were bound to provide the pensioners with relief and other benefits which may ensure their status and standard of living to be maintained throughout life up to the same standard at least from which he retired. President Punjab Pensioners Association, Hardev Singh addressed the gathering.

NAWANSHAHR
Small savings: Rupees 30 crore had been collected under Small Savings up to November 98 against the given target of Rs 36 crore in the current year and district was all set to collect Rs 54 crore under various small saving schemes up to March 99, said the Deputy Commissioner, Dr Roshan Sunkaria at a function held here on Thursday to honour the small saving agents. He said that Rs 19.21 lakh would be spent on development projects in the district, out of the 'award money' of the small savings during the current year. Besides, Rs 10 lakh was also being spent on the construction of the rest house here.

Chetna Samaroh: A "Sakharata Chetna Samaroh" was organised at nearby Sauna village here on Friday. The Deputy Commissioner, Dr Roshan Sunkaria, exhorted all sections of the society to come forward to make this drive a grand success. The panchayats, which would work for the spread of literacy in the district would be given Rs one lakh each as award announced by the DC. Earlier, he laid the foundation stone of the sports stadium of the Government Middle School there and prasied the efforts of school staff, gram panchayat and villagers for the construction of a school building. The DC also gave a cheque of Rs 50,000 for the construction of sports stadium in the school. Dr Roshan Sunkaria also distributed woollen clothes and shoes among the poor and needy students of the school, which were donated by the Rotary Club, Nawanshahr. A cultural programme was also presented by the various "Kala Jathas" of the District Literacy Society.

PATIALA
IIPA body: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local branch of the Indian Institute of Public Administration here: President — Dr Harbans Pathak; honorary secretary — Mr O.P. Gupta; Vice-President — Dr I.S. Sethi; Joint Secretary-cum-Treasurer — Prof Manjit Singh.

PHAGWARA
Newly born dies: A new-born baby girl found abandoned here two days ago died in a private hospital on Saturday. The new born was wrapped in a blanket and was found thrown near the roadside dhaba near the local bus stand.

Function: The Residents Welfare Forum (Kothies) Sector 46-D, held the second vishal Bhagwati jagran on Saturday. Mr Satya Pal Jain, MP, and Mr Gian Chand Gupta, Major, were among those who attended the jagran.

GURGAON
Mewat Sangh: The following have been elected presidents of all blocks of the Mewat area of the Mewat Seva Sangh Organisation: Nagina Block — Mohammad Abbas; Ferozepur Jhirka — Kamruddin; Puhana — Feroze Khan; Nuh — Mohammad Iqbal; Hathin — Misal Khan; Taoru — Mohammed Iqbal.

SIRSA
Residents' woes: Resentment prevails among residents of the local Agarsain colony against the Municipal Council here for not maintaining street lights in the area. It was alleged that street lights had been functioning erratically for the past several days and repeated complaints to municipal authorities failed to elicit any response. Members of the Agarsain Colony Sudhar Sammiti also said several streets in the colony were unpaved.

Thief arrested: The police recovered stolen properties, including one jeep, from the possession of Vijay Chimpa of Rajgarh on Saturday. Mr B.S. Sandhu, SSP Sirsa said Jhupa was arrested in Bhiwani district on Saturday. The accused confessed to thefts at various places in Sirsa city and a stealing an Ambassador car from Bhadra in Rajasthan.

Faulty sewerage: Dr Radhey Shyam Sharma, municipal councillor and senior leader of the Indian National Lok Dal has demanded that the faulty sewerage of Kirti Nagar be rectified and sullage gathered in the government primary school of Kirti Nagar ground be removed. He alleged that the executive engineer of the department who visited the area at his goading expressed his inability to act due to shortage of funds.

Power supply: Mr Surender Singh, MP and HVP principal secretary general alongwith Haryana Panchayat and Development Minister Kanwal Singh addressed a district level HVP workers meeting on Saturday at the meeting hall of the local Surkhab tourist complex organised by the district unit of Haryana Vikas Party. Mr Surender Singh said Rs 8000 crore was being spent by the Haryana Government to improve power supply in the state. He said that every citizen of Haryana would get 24-hour power supply within the coming three-four months.

Families clash: One person died on the spot and five others, including three women, were injured in a clash between two families near Jhordnali village in this district on Saturday. Lal Chand and his brother Sanjha Ram had divided their agriculture land a couple of months ago. Sanjha Ram died recently. Sources said Satnam Singh, son of Sanjha Ram objected to fencing of the land by his uncle Lal Chand. Upon this the latter, two sons and his wife attacked and killed Satnam Singh. Ms Narani Devi, mother of Satnam Singh tried to intervene but was also injured. Ms Narani Devi has been shifted to Rohtak and four others injured hospitalised.

SONEPAT
Moral values: Haryana Governor Mahabir Prasad while speaking at the 24th annual prize distribution function of the Moti Lal Nehru School of Sports at Ani, 15 km from here on Saturday, said the future of the country would be bright only if educational institutions strove to infuse moral values such as discipline, iron will, hard work, noble behaviour and self-confidence in youths. The national educational policy, he stressed, should be made more meaningful and job-oriented.

5 ex-sarpanches booked: The Ganaur police has registered cases under Section 409 of the IPC against five former sarpanches namely Mr Sunil Kumar of Kurar Ibrahimpur village, Mr Subhash of Umedgarh village, Mr Prem Singh of Ram Nagar village, Mr Suresh Kumar of Panchi Jatan village and Mr Ram Singh of Patti Brahminan village for allegedly embezzling the public funds. Superintendent of Police, K. Solvraj said on Saturday that the registration of cases followed a written complaint lodged by the Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Ganaur, alleging that the above-mentioned persons had failed to utilise the panchayat funds given to them for executing the schemes under the Jawahar Rozgar Yojna. They also had failed to deposit the unutilised amount despite repeated requests, the officer alleged.

Boycott lifted: Students of Government College at Gohana town who earlier had boycotted the home test, are now turning up daily to sit for the examination. According to official sources, this followed the sending of the letters by the Principal to the parents of the students asking them to send their wards for the home test. The administration has also deputed the police around the college to maintain peace during the examination.

YAMUNANAGAR
Award: Dr D.C. Mittal, Secretary Indian Medical Association of the Jagadhri-Yamunanagar branch has been selected for the award of merit certificate rotating Trophy of Dr (Mrs) Navamani Bose for 1997-98. The award will be given at a special award ceremony on December 27 '98 at Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) by the national president Dr R. Jayachandra Reddy.