FAZILKA
Funds collected: The ‘Operation Vijay’ Sahyog Sabha, here has collected about Rs 1.5 lakh during the last one week from philanthropists of the area. According to Mr Sanjeev Doomra, Convener of the Sabha, the first instalment of Rs 10,02,58 has been deposited in the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

Nawaz Sharif's effigy burnt: Hundreds of residents of this town belonging to about two dozen different political, social, religious organisations burnt an effigy of Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan to protest against Pakistani intrusion in Kargil. They also took out a procession and raised anti Pakistan slogans.

FEROZEPORE
Rent Control Act: The President of the Senior Citizens (Retd) Welfare Association Mr R.S Bhalla, here on Monday, urged the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, to notify the amended the Rent Control Act already passed by the Punjab assembly, on May 5,1995. This will help the elderly ex-servicemen and NRI's to repossess their properties both in urban and rural areas which were illegally occupied by the tenants.

GARHSHANKAR
Appointed: Mr Gurlal Singh Sandhu was appointed Chairman of the Market Committee here, on Sunday. The District President of the SAD hoped that Mr Sandhu, would be able to solve the problems of the farmers.

Work incomplete: The development schemes started by the government, are not progressing even at a snails pace, here. Though the government had sanctioned Rs 1 crore for laying underground pipes in Bhichohi village in 1997, no progress has been made so far.

GURDASPUR
Gang busted: The police has busted an inter-state gang of charas smugglers with the arrest of Raj Kumar a resident of Nangal and Dharam Pal of Motli under Indora Police Station in Himachal Pradesh. One-and-a-half kg of charas was recovered from them. A case under Sections 20, 61, 85 of the NDFC Act has been registered against the accused.

MOGA
Blocked: Thousands of Registered Medical Practitioners (RMP) on Sunday blocked the traffic for about an hour on the Moga-Kot- kapura road in Baghapurana town, 15 km from here, in support of their demands. They were protesting against government for not allowing them to run their clinics. They demonstrated against the Punjab Government and Mr Sadhu Singh, MLA, for their failure to meet their demands and also raised slogans against the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. They said they would continue to agitate till their demands were conceded. At a meeting in Subhash Market they urged the government to immediately accept the longstanding demand of RMP doctors.

Wheat flour supply: Residents here on Monday urged the Punjab Government to make arrangements for the supply of wheat flour to them, through government fair price shops. They also condemned the Civil Supplies Department for its failure to check the sale of kerosene at Rs 10 a litre against its price of Rs 3 a litre at the government fair price shops. They lamented administration for its failure to book the culprits.

Body found: The body of Mohinder Singh, a resident of Baghapurana town, 15 km from here, was found on Sunday by the police from a road leading to Jaisinghwala village. His bicycle was also recovered by the police. The police has sent the body for post-mortem examination. However, his parents maintain that their son has been murdered. They have demanded inquiry into the murder and the registration of a case under Section 302 of the IPC.

PHAGWARA
Felicitated: Punjabi singer and writer Debi Makhsoos Puri was felicitated here on Sunday by Navchetan Saahit and Kala Manch, Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha and the North Zone Cultural Centre. A celebrated Punjabi poet Dr Jagtar presented memento to him. The writer turned- singer also recited his poem on the occasion.

ROPAR
Medical camp: More than 700 persons were examined and medicines worth Rs 35,000, were distributed on Sunday at a medical camp organised by the local Rotary Club at Ghanauli village near here, in memory of Kavishar Harnam Singh, a freedom fighter, and Mr Hazoora Singh, a former member of the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board. Dr R.S. Parmar, a former district Governor of Rotary International, who headed a 12-member team of doctors at the camp, said most of the patients were treated for medical, gynaecological and eye problems.

MANI MAJRA
Effigy burnt: An effigy of the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif, was burnt in Janata Rehri Market, Mani Majra, on Monday.

SIRSA
Choked sewer: Resentment against the public health authorities prevails among the residents of the local Maharaja Agarsain Colony as the sewerage system of the colony has got choked. Knee-deep dirty water has converted State Bank of India road into a lake. Members of the Agarsain Colony Sudhar Samiti alleged that their complaints had fallen on deaf ears as nothing had been done by the authorities so far to mitigate the problem. The residents warned that they would be forced to block traffic on the G.T. Road if their demands were not met.

SONEPAT
Protest: Residents of Kelan mohalla here on Monday protested against the inadequate and erratic supply of drinking water in the evening almost every day and decided to hold a massive demonstration and gherao of Mr Jawant Singh, Public Health Minister, the Superintending Engineer and the Executive Engineer of the department. A resolution to this effect was adopted an at emergency meeting of the residents held here on Monday.

Fast called off: Six prominent citizens of the Mandi area who began their indefinite fast in protest against the inadequate and erratic supply of power and drinking water and non-repair of roads called off their five-day old fast on Sunday night following the acceptance of their demands by the district administration. According to official sources, the agreement reached between the hunger strikers and the district authorities on the intervention of Mr Chiranji Lal Sharma, former MP and the senior Congress leader of Haryana. Mr P.K. Mahapatra, Deputy Commissioner, Mr K. Selvraj, Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Harish Jain, SDM and officials of other departments concerned were present on this occasion and they assured the hunger strikers that the district administration would ensure the water and power supply during the rotation period and the repair of the roads would be started soon.