AMRITSAR
INSA MEDAL: Dr Arvind, a lecturer, Guru Nanak Dev University, was awarded the INSA medal for young scientists for the year 2000 in physics by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) at its annual general meeting in New Delhi. The award carries a medal, a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and an independent research grant.

CYCLE RALLY: A cycle rally was inaugurated by Father Daniel Gill, chief of the local Sacred Heart church, here on Tuesday. The aim of the rally was to promote universal brotherhood.

DOHARA
ACCIDENT: Several persons have been injured in various road accidents during the past 24 hours. The ASI Dohara, Mr Harbans Singh, said that yesterday Mr Ravi Kumar of Chet Nagar was coming on his scooter along with his mother, wife and daughter when his scooter collided with a scooter. He and his family members were admitted to a hospital. On the same day, Harjinder (9) was hit by a Tata Sumo in the main market. In third case, Mr Kuldip Singh and Mr Gurmit Singh were injured when their scooter bumped into a bus. In fourth case, Mr Sukhwinder Singh of Patiala sustained leg injury when the tyre of the tractor he was driving burst. 

HOSHIARPUR
LIC FUNCTION: The local branch of the Life Insurance Corporation of India observed social security month here. In a function organised in this connection at the Zila Parishad on Monday evening, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu distributed cheques of Rs 2,000 each to 47 poor widows under the social welfare scheme of the LIC.

KILLED: Naresh Kumar of Bohan was killed in a group clash at the village here on Monday. Naresh was hit on his head with iron rod. A case has been registered.

JEWELLERY STOLEN: Gold ornaments, weighing 22 tolas, were stolen from the house of Ms Rattan Kaur at Jandiala village on Monday. The Mahilpur police has registered a case.

JALANDHAR
KILLED: Two youths were killed in different road accidents on the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway, while a man died after falling from the tractor on which he was riding on the same highway on Wednesday, the police said. The deceased have been identified as Sukhraj Singh (25), Malminder Singh (24), and Jagjit Singh.

LUDHIANA
ELECTORAL ROLLS: The work for the revision of electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections has been taken in hand and the preliminary publication will be made on November 2. According to the Deputy Commissioner Mr S.K.Sandhu, those, who altain the age of 18 years and are not registered as voters, can lodge their claims in form 6 for registration. For correction of entries, the voters can submit details in form 8 and objections, if any, can be filed in form 7 with the concerned election registration officer or other officers, designated for this purpose. The Deputy Commissioner also appealed to all political parties to lend their cooperation in the revision of electoral rolls. He further informed the staff, deployed for revision of electoral rolls, would be present at the booths, specially set up for this purpose, even on holidays. 

PACKAGE: The Marxist Communist Party of India (MCPI) has termed the package announced by the Union Government for the farmers as a right, but belated step. The government should have intervened much earlier to save the farmers from harassment and exploitation in the mandis, said the MCPI state secretary Mr Kuldip Singh, in a statement here. He said the announcement by the government to ensure a minimum support price to the Punjab farmers was the outcome of the struggle of the farmers, their political allies and the people. The party called upon the government to ensure strict compliance of the package because the procurement agencies and the bureaucrats seemed reluctant to implement the government decision. 

PATIALA
HOUSING: The local Improvement Trust has initiated a scheme of construction of houses for the weaker sections of society. A press note of the trust said the houses would be alloted by way of draw of lots to he held on the premises of the trust in Chotti Baradari on October 31. 

OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Harcharanjit Singh Sodhi has been appointed President of the Hira Nagar Welfare Society. The other office-bearers are: Vice-President — Mr Satpal Rahi; Secretary — Mr Dayal Singh Bajaj; Joint Secretary — Mr Gurjit Singh; Treasurer — Mr P.C. Jain. 

RURAL DEVELOPMENT: The state government and the Central Government have initiated efforts to improve the lot of weaker sections of society. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr J.S. Bir, while addressing a meeting of governing body of the Rural Development Agency on Wednesday. He said under the Swarn Jayanti Gram Sway-rozgar Scheme, people who are living below the poverty line would be granted loans of Rs 3 lakh each to construct their own houses. He said under the Indira Awas Yojna the government was providing weaker section of society with soft loans. He said Rs 57.20 lakh had been disbursed for the construction of new houses and Rs 12.40 lakh had been given to convert kutcha houses into pucca ones. 

PHAGWARA
BURGLARY: Jewellery and other valuables worth Rs 1.50 lakh were burgled from local Onkar Nagar residence of Satwant Singh on Monday.

VAYU-SAINIK CAMP: The local Directorate of NCC organised a Pre Vayu Sainik Camp at the Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur. Eight air squadrons from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh took part in the camp. Chandigarh’s Number 1 squadron was declared champion. It won the air modelling, skeet shooting and the aero quiz organised by the Aeronautical Society of India. Cadets Lal Chand and Umesh Sharma won gold medal in tow line glider, and also the silver medal in powered free flight, besides the bronze in control line and static aeromodel. Sergeant Bhupinder Singh of the squadron was declared the best in skeet shooting. 

DIVALI: Divali was celebrated on Wednesday at various branches of Shemrock School, Chandigarh and Mohali. Children dressed as Rama, Sita and Lakshmana enacted the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya. A pooja was held on the occasion. Colourful rangoli designs and arrangement of diyas delighted the students. The Principal, Mr Komal Khosla, and staff members were all present. 

MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED: A delegation of Gram Sudhar Sabha, Burail, led by its president Mr Sat Pal Gupta, met Lieut-Gen (retd.) J.R.F. Jacob, Administrator of Chandigarh, and submitted him a memorandum, on Wednesday. According to the president of the Sabha the main demands include, improvement of the primary school building; regular water supply, street lights in the village, etc.

LADIES CLUB: The State Bank Ladies Club, celebrated Divali Night by organising a cultural programme at the north block of the local head office building, on Tuesday. The members and participants busted crackers to mark the day. 

MILAP DIVAS: Bhaichara Milap Divas (Communal Brotherhood Day) was celebrated by the students of Government High School, Sector 40, on the eve of Divali. Students and teachers interacted with each other and exchanged greetings. Mr Bahadur Singh, Headmaster of the school, stressed the need of promoting national integration. 

‘AIDS AND LITERACY’: ‘AIDS and Literacy’, an awareness camp was organised by Jan Shikshan Sansthan, at Colony No 4, on Wednesday. Over 300 residents were made aware about AIDS and the importance of literacy for national development. Material on AIDS awareness distributed among the participants of the camp. 

ADVENTURE: 20 NCC Naval Wing Cadets of Chandigarh Naval Unit from DAV College, Sector 10, SGGS College, Sector 26, Government College, Sector 11, and Government College, Sector 46, successfully completed 10 days adventure sailing expedition, on Tuesday. The cadets were imparted intensive training in boat pulling, sailing, communication and navigation. The cadets explored the vast expanses of the Govind Sagar Lake from Bilaspur to Bhakra. 

POWERMEN'S COMPLAINT: At an emergency meeting of the U T Powermen Union Chandigarh, the union strongly condemned the UT Administration for not releasing bonus before Divali. It was decided at the meeting to participate in the convention to be held on November 7 by the Mulazam Action Committee, Punjab. It was also decided to observe one day token strike on November 12, against the privatisation of power sector for which legal notice had been sent to the administration. This was stated by Mr Bhagmal Rana, general secretary of the union in a press note issued on Wednesday. 

KIRTAN DARBAR: A kirtan darbar on the eve of birth anniversary of Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji would be organised on November 28 at Kisan Mandi Ground, Sector 40. The darbar would commence at 12 noon. Renowned ragis from all over the country and abroad would be participating in the darbar. 

PANCHKULA

ONE ARRESTED: The police has arrested Gautam Prasad, a resident of Azad Colony, for allegedly possessing two bags of banned cracker which he had brought for sale on Divali. According to sources, the accused was arrested from Sector 21 market and a case under the Explosives Act has been registered against him in Sector 5 police station.

PROTEST: The seven elected members of the Cantonment Board, Ambala, have protested against they ralleged interference of others in their area of functioning. A press note signed by all seven elected members states that they will all rise above political considerations to fight for the rights of the residents of Ambala Cantonment. They observed that the decision to not permit the hawkers to sell their wares in front of the Military Dairy Farm is unfair, despite the fact that the hawkers have valid rehri passes and trade licences. 

JWALAMUKHI
CONGRESS COMMITTEE: The local unit of Block Congress Committee split on Wednesday and subsequently a parallel body was constituted by rival group under the presidentship of Mr Inder Mohan Walia.

BOAT CONTRACTOR: A large number of commuters who travel by boat across the Beas river from Chamba Pattan to Pragpur, near here, have expressed resentment at the irregular service being provided by the boat contractor. They urged state minister Ramesh Choudhary and the local administration to look into the matter.

As the small post offices in the Grain Market and Ahluwalia Market and at the Telecom Centre and the Telephone Exchange do not accept bill payment, subscribers do not have any alternative but to go to the main post office on the Rahon road for the purpose. They have to stand in queues for hours together in scorching heat, biting cold or rain as there is no shed (see photo). This road, on which most schools, colleges and marriage palaces are situated, is one of the busiest in the town. The queues and the parking of scooters, bicycles and other vehicles in the area create traffic problems.