MANSA
DEMANDED: E.D. agents of the Department of Posts have demanded extra pay for their duty as substitutes. In a press note issued here on Wednesday, Mr Kirpal Singh, division secretary of the Indian Postal E.D. Employees Union, Bathinda, has alleged that agents were not being paid for the extra work they did as substitutes.

RESTRICTED: The District Magistrate has restricted the sale, purchase and storing of crackers in the district till November 24. A prior permission of the Subdivisional Magistrate has been made necessary in this regard.

MEETING: A meeting of the All-India Students Association was held here on Wednesday. Members demanded that the facility of concessional bus passes be restored to students of bhasha vibhag. They also gave a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

MOGA
DEMANDED: A delegation of local traders on Wednesday urged the district administration to direct the hoarders of crackers to shift their stock to a place outside the city to avoid any untoward incident.

PATIALA
PLANTATION CAMPAIGN: A tree plantation campaign was launched by the State Bank of Patiala on the campus of Government High School at Lachkani village near here on Wednesday. More then 50 saplings of different varieties like eucalyptus and teak were planted on the premises of the school ground. Also present on the occasion were the Branch Manager, Kuldeep Chand, Mr S.B. Jindal, village sarpanch, Mr Bant Singh and teachers of the school. 

OFFICE-BEARER: The Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, appointed Dr Gurcharan Singh Arshi, Professor and Director, Planning and Monitoring, Punjabi University as Project Director for the development of Guru Kashi Campus, Damdama Sahib as the World Centre of Higher Learning. As per the plans finalised by the university, the centre would be developed into two phases. In the first phase the Khalsa Tercentenary Institute of Advanced Studies would be developed into a full fledged Open University with specialisations in the field of computer technology, information technology, and management and religious studies. 

TEACHERS' CONFERENCE: The Department of Persian, Urdu and Arabic of Punjabi University is organising a three-day 22nd All-India Persian Teachers Conference, 2000, on the university campus from October 30 to November 1. Giving this information, Dr Tariq Kifayatullah of the Persian Department of Punjabi University and local secratary of the conference, said in this conference over 50 delegates from Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Bangladesh would participate and the Ambassador of Iran in India would be the chief guest. The main issues to be discussed in the conference include contribution of Punjab to Persian language and literature, role of Sikhism in the development of Persian studies, persian language and literature, Indo -Persian studies , languages, literature and cultural relations between India and Persian speaking region and Persian studies in Indian Universities and it’s problems and prospects, according to a press note issued here on Wednesday. 

SEMINAR: The Department of Sanskrit and Pali , Punjabi University here is organising a two-day seminar on ‘Women in Sanskrit literature’ on the university campus on September 29 and 30. Giving this information Dr. Ravinder Kaur, Director of the seminar, said scholars from various universities will present research papers on different subjects in seven sessions spread over two days. Delegates from various universities and from colleges affiliated to the Universities of Punjab would participate in the deliberations, she added. Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice- Chancellor, Punjabi University, would inaugurate the seminar. Dr Ved Kumari Ghai, former professor and head, Department of Sanskrit, Jammu University, would preside.

AIDS AWARENESS: Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary Model School, Sector 27-A, Chandigarh, organised a talk on ‘AIDS— an awareness’ on Thursday. Dr Monika Singh, a city Psychiatrist, spoke to the students of senior secondary classes separately on the topic. The children had an open heart interaction session with Dr Singh. Speaking on the occasion she said the youth should not go astray and they must know that there is no cure but prevention. They must abstain from unsafe sex. The children came up with their problems which they could not otherwise talk to any body around. The Principal, Ms Saroj Savant, Manager, Ms U. Bhanot, and the Co-ordinator Ms U. Sharma, and the staff members were also present. 

TAGORE THEATRE: Star Studio will organise “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar”, a show on October 15 at Tagore Theatre to bring out hidden talent and intellectual capacity of the youth of the city. The show will have games-based and general knowledge questions and prize money as award. There is no age limit to the entry of this show and entry forms are available at all the leading stores and fast food joints of the City. 

SEMINAR: The three-day state level seminar on education guarantee scheme (EGS) and alternative innovative education(AIE) organised by the Punjab Education Department ended at the ICSSR complex, Panjab University, on Thursday. The EGS and the AIE are the new centrally sponsored schemes for non-formal education for out-of- school children in the age of six to 14 years. Delegates included a team of renowned educationists from the MHRD, Department of Education, New Delhi, Special Secretary for Education, Punjab and Directors and Deputy Directors of the Department of Education. 

DHARNA: The old Phari Market Association members sat on a dharna in front of the Municipal Corporation today for the fourth day demanding rehabilitation. The Vice-President of the association in a Press note said the Government had not allowed them to start their work at their old location and had nor rehabilitated them. 

MASTI WORKSHOP: In a series of workshops being conducted by the Chandigarh Institute of Performing Arts (CIPA), it is now organising a workshop from October 3 at Bal Bhavan which will culminate in Dance Masti- 2000, a dance competition open to young dancers between the age of five to 25 years on October 15. 

NSS CAMP: A ten-day NSS camp was inaugurated by Dr Kamla Sood, Vice-Principal Government College for Education, Sector 20, here on Thursday. Ms Sood stressed that work is the greatest reward and total emotional involvement, dedication and cooperation should be everyone’s motto. Ms Harjinder Singh, Programme Coordinator, NSS, welcomed the chief guest and gave a layout of the activities to be followed during the next ten days. 

SHOBHA YATRA: A meeting of the Bhagvan Valmiki Shobha Yatra organising committee was held on Thursday. It was decided at the meeting that a shobha yatra was to be organised on October 11 on the occasion of Bhagvan Valmiki’s prakat divas. 

AMBALA
TALENT SEARCH: Shri Atmanand Jain Institute of Management and Technology Youth Management Club is organising a talent search show-2000 on September 30. Deputy Director of the AIMT, Mr Mukesh Sehgal, said the events to be included in the talent-hunt area include declamation contest, poetry competition, solo-song competition, solo-dance competition, rangoli competition, group dance competition, mono acting, mimicry, role playing, antakshari and quiz, a release said. The General Secretary of the club, Mr Amardeep Singh, said there will be a cash prize of Rs 501 for overall performance and certificate of participation will be awarded to each participant at the annual day-cum-prize distribution function. 

HISAR
VISITED: A five-member delegation from Lowa State University visited Haryana Agricultural University here on Tuesday. The delegation led by Dr Rollin Richmond, Provost of the university, held discussions with the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Vinay Kumar, and other dons of the university.

CAMPAIGN: Mr Bansi Lal, former Haryana Chief Minister, will begin a statewide awareness campaign from Bhiwani on November 5. This was stated by Mr Surender Singh, general secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party, here on Wednesday.

SIRSA
DIRECTED: The District Consumer Redressal Forum has directed the HVPN to consider the electricity connections provided to the chambers in the judicial complex as domestic. The direction was given on a complaint of Mr Yashpal Nanda.

SONEPAT
BAN ORDERS: The Haryana Government has imposed a ban on the creation of new colonies in the state without its permission. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal, here on Thursday.