BATHINDA
Technofest: The Technofest Trendz '99- a festival being organised by the students chapter of the Indian Society for Technical Education of the local Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology will start on Friday.

FEROZEPORE
Tributes paid: Teachers and employees of local government aided private schools on Wednesday took out silent procession which started from MLM Senior Secondary School and culminated outside the Deputy Commissioner's office. Earlier they held a meeting and paid homage to Mr Ramesh Chander Kohli.

Rally held: Members of the Ferozepore District Paramedical and Health Employees Union held a rally in support of their demands on Wednesday. Union leaders, among other things demanded, release of grade of Rs 5800-9200 to the nursing staff and abolition of Punjab Health System Corporation.

JALANDHAR
Passports despatched: Passports applications received in the passport office here up to serial number 402/104934/98 have been processed. Passports have been despatched to the persons concerned whose applications were complete.

Cops warned: Senior Superintendent of Police Sharad Chavan told newsmen here on Wednesday that he has warned the policemen against indulging in corrupt practices. He said on key posts only those persons whose integrity was above board would be posted.

NAWANSHAHR
Co-operative: To strengthen co-operative movement the involvement of the people in development of villages should be encouraged, The Deputy Commissioner, Dr Roshan Sunkaria said, while addressing a gathering at Rehipa village, about 20 km from here, on Wednesday on the occasion of profit distribution function organised by the Rehipa Co-operative Agriculture Service Society. He distributed Rs 1930242 as profit among 375 members.

PATIALA
Tractor launched: Patiala Municipal Commissioner Harkesh Singh Sidhu on Wednesday gave away the keys to the first 10 farmers at the launch of new Holland India's 50 horse power Ford tractor here. A company release said around 700 farmers attended the function. Its chief of sales and marketing, Mr B.S. Yadav, disclosed that the local dealer would provide after sales service and spare parts support to the customers.

PHAGWARA
Woman killed: An unidentified woman in her twenties was reportedly run over by a train here on Wednesday. In another incident Mrs Urmila (50) of Prempura died when she mistakenly consumed some poisonous substance.
College staff's stir: Members of the non-teaching employees union of the local Multani Mal Modi College began an indefinite stay-in-strike on Wednesday to protest against the non-implementation of revised pay and pension scales. Mr Joginder Singh, president of the union said, the employees also boycotted the university and board examinations and claimed that all official work came to a halt.

Nominated: Mr Chander Mukhi Sharma, President, Chandigarh Territorial Youth Congress Committee, has nominated the following office-bearers of the District (Urban) Youth Congress Committee: President — Mr Gurmeet Sehgal; Vice-Presidents — Mr Ankur Chaudhary, Mr Paramjeet, Mr Navpreet Bhangoo and Mr Sunil Malik; and General Secretaries — Mr Rabinder Dhillon, Mr Rajiv Vashist, Ms Sapna Sharma and Ms Harinder Kaur.

Seminar: The Union Minister for Chemicals , Fertilisers, Food and Consumer Affairs, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, will inaugurate a seminar on “Opportunities in polyurethane industry” at the Institute of Microbial technology here on March 20.

Line managers: The Punjab Chapter of the National Institute of Personnel Management will organise a one-day seminar on “HR for line managers” at the ICSSR Complex of Panjab University on March 20. The programme aims at equipping line managers with necessary HR skills, tools and techniques for effective performance.

Employees: A deputation of government employees living in types I, II, III and IV houses in Sector 43 here met the Chairperson of the Chandigarh Social Welfare Advisory Board, Mrs Kamla Sharma, on Thursday to highlight the poor maintenance of their houses. Mrs Sharma, assured them that their problems would be speedily redressed.

Medical camp: A medical camp for ex-servicemen was organised by the Vajra Corps at Anandpur Sahib on Wednesday. It was inaugurated by the GOC of the corps Lieut-Gen Kamal Davar. A team of specialists in medicine, surgery, eye, gynaecology and dentistry examined the patients. The camp will conclude on Friday.

FARIDABAD
Eye camp: An eye camp was organised in Nirankari Public School in Sector 16 on Wednesday. This was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner, B.K. Panigrahi.

KURUKSHETRA
Eye camp: An eye camp organised by the Puran Chand Arora Charitable Trust Delhi, concluded at Sant Ram Arora Dharamshala (Krishan Dham) here on Wednesday. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.N Roy was the chief guest. According to founder President of the trust, Mr Puran Chand Arora, 1000 patients were examined. Intra-occular Lenses were fitted in the eyes of 225 patients.

SIRSA
Education society: Controversy relating to the post of President of the Sirsa Education Society ended on Wednesday with the election of erstwhile general secretary, Sita Ram Bagla, a founding member, as the President. Earlier the society had been co-opting the Deputy Commissioner, Sirsa as its President. This came under question recently when Mr B.K. Panigrahi was transferred to Faridabad. At Wednesday's meeting, Dr R.S. Sangwan, was elected the Vice-President while Mr Naurang Rai and Dr Karan Singh were elected as the secretary and treasurer, respectively.

SONEPAT
Residents' plea: The Residents Welfare Association and the Sonepat Citizens Council have demanded action against the dairy owners who had increased the milk price from Rs 17 per litre to Rs 19 per litre without the approval of the district authorities. The representatives of the organisations on Wednesday urged the authorities to fix the price of milk.

Demanded: Mr Ranjit Kaushik, a leader of the Haryana Youth Congress on Wednesday demanded the immediate shifting of an octroi post from the bus stand of Jat Joshi village on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road. He said the truck drivers stopping at this post to pay octroi indulge in eve-teasing.

Basant fest: The district unit of the All-India Sufi Sant Milan will hold a two-day 'Basant utsav' from March 20 in the Mamoon Bhanja masjid in the city. A programme of qawwalis will be the main attraction of the programme.

Blood donation camp: Students and faculty members of the C.R State College of Engineering, Murthal, about 8 km from here on Wednesday donated blood at a camp, organised jointly by the National Service Scheme (NSS) unit of the college and the district Red Cross Society.

Dacoity: The SSP, Mr Selvraj, said here on Friday that a gang belonging to Pardi tribe was suspected to be behind the killing of the wife of Mr Ram Lal Malhotra and his son at Ganaur Mandi. Leaders of several political parties have condemned the incident, and demanded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for kin of the deceased.

SHIMLA
Faulty water bills: Residents of the Vikas Nagar area of the town have been protesting against the Shimla Municipal Corporation for charging them commercial rates in water bills. Mr A.K. Batish, president of the SDA Residents Welfare Society, said that residents of the area which recently was brought under the Municipal Corporation area, have been receiving water bills on commercial rates. They urged the authorities to issue the bills on domestic rates.