GURDASPUR
Petrol sale: The sale of petrol at places in the district bordering Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh has fallen to 25 per cent after the Punjab Government raised the sales tax on petrol. The cost of 30 litres of petrol in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir is Rs 723 whereas it is Rs 844 in this district. In view of this margin, petrol station owners having their units bordering this district in adjoining states, sell their supplies to petrol station owners at Pathankot at a premium.

Examinations boycotted: The teaching faculty of the Beant College of Engineering and Technology boycotted practical examinations of various semesters being held in the college on Thursday. According to Mr J. Behl, press secretary, Punjab States Engineering Colleges Teachers Federation, they will boycott the practicals being held here on Friday and Saturday. The teachers are demanding the implementation of the revised pay scales.

Goods recovered: The police arrested Raj Kumar of Paramanad village in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday on charges of thefts. Stolen goods recovered from his possession. A case has been registered against him.

MOGA
Theft of foodgrains: Incidents of theft of foodgrains from government godowns in the district are increasing. According to reports, the thefts are committed in collusion with representatives of government agencies and officials. The stock stolen from these godowns is reportedly being sold to traders on marginal profits.

NAWANSHAHR
Inaugurated: The District Education Officer, Mrs Gurjit Kaur, on Wednesday inaugurated a computer room at JSFH Khalsa High School, according to Mr Baldev Singh Pabla, Headmaster of the school.

PATIALA
Book released: A book 'Ik Titli Di Kahani' translated in Punjabi by Mr Darshan Singh Aasht was released at Bhasha Bhavan here by Dr Madan Lal Hasija, Director, Department of Languages, Punjab.

SAMRALA
Cheque presented: The HelpAge India presented a cheque for Rs 2,40,000 for an eye camp programme to the Guru Angad Dev Seva Society, Ludhiana, at an impressive function organised by the HelpAge India at the local Nankana Sahib Public School on Thursday. The cheque was presented by Ms Kuldeep Kaur, Principal of the school, to Dr A.S. Nagpal, president of the society. Mr Ashwani Kumar, sponsored events officer, HelpAge India, was also present on the occasion. He said the HelpAge India had assisted nearly 1,600 projects all over the country for the poor.

Lawyer dead: As a mark of respect to practising advocate K.L. Sharma, who died of old age, the first half was observed as holiday in the Sector 17 District Courts here on Thursday. During the second half, advocates abstained from work. However, urgent legal matters were taken up.

KHARAR
Demanded: Mr Jagjiwan Lal, Sarpanch of Tira village and President of the Kandi Area Gram Panchayat Sabha, has demanded that Tira-Togan, Bansepur-Saini Majra and Sangala-Kandoli roads be repaired soon.

Eye operations: A free eye operation camp will be held in Malikpur village on Sunday.

PANCHKULA
Painting contest: The third annual on-the-spot painting contest will be held in the Pallavi complex, Sector 5, on Friday at 9 a.m. for students of primary, middle and high schools. Students from Chandigarh, Mohali and the town will participate in the contest. Cash prizes will be given to the first three positions, a press note issued by the General Manager, Mr Rajiv Bedi, said here on Thursday.

Function organised: The District Innerwheel Club organised a function here on Wednesday. Mrs Pushpa Khanna, chairperson of the club, gave articles of daily use to two poor girls, for their marriage.

SIRSA
Assault: Sheela and her husband, Jeet Ram, of Dhanoor village in the district were seriously injured when they were attacked with sharp-edged weapons in the village on Wednesday. According to sources, Pappu and Devi Lal, armed with weapons, were creating nuisance in the village under the influence of liquor and when questioned by Sheela and her mother-in-law, they made a murderous assault on Sheela. When her husband reached the spot he was also injured.

Arrested: Ravinder Singh, a farmer of Desu village in the district, was arrested by the police on Wednesday on a charge of theft of irrigation water. According to sources, the Subdivisional Officer of the Irrigation Department, Kalanwali, in a complaint to the police, had alleged that the accused had broken a portion of the Panna irrigation minor on July 26 and irrigated his fields.

SONEPAT
Relief camp: Dr Puran Mal Gaur, a veteran social activist and president of the state unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, inaugurated a relief camp organised to collect money and other articles of daily use for the cyclone-hit on Wednesday in front of Hindu College here. He lauded the role of members of the parishad for organising the camp.

Resentment among aged: Resentment prevails among aged, widows and handicapped persons against the "inefficient and unsatisfactory" working of the Social Welfare Department in the city. Many aged and handicapped persons alleged that they were being harassed on one pretext or the other whenever they visited the office.

KANGRA
Body found: The decomposed body of a 55-year-old man was recovered from the forest at Bhadrowa village falling under the Nurpur police station on Wednesday. According to the police, the body was sent for a post-mortem.