AMRITSAR
PROTEST RALLY: The Bahujan Samajwadi Party held a rally here on Monday in protest against the Municipal Corporation’s working in the city. Dr D.P. Khosla, state vice-president of the party, in a press note alleged that the services of many Class IV employees were being misused by the ruling party high-ups. The rally started from Balmiki Mandir.

CONDOLENCE: The Lok Likhari Sabha expressed shock over the death of Balbir Singh Bedi, storywriter, journalist and poet, at a meeting of the sabha held here on Monday. A two-minute silence was observed in memory of the deceased.

GURMAT SMAGAM: A four-day Gurmat Samagam at the Pipli Sahib Gurdwara concluded here on Monday. The samagam was organised by Mr Sukhdev Singh, Manager, Sri Darbar Sahib, Bhai Gurmukh Singh, Head Granthi, Sri Pipli Sahib, and Bhai Tirlok Singh.

COUNSELLING SESSIONS: The Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Dr S.P. Singh, has taken the initiative to arrange personality development workshops and counselling sessions for the students of B.Tech (Computer Science), MCA, B. Tech (Electronics), MBA and other professional courses. Dr Padmnabh Vasudeva, a career counsellor from New Delhi, had an interactive session with the students.

BARNALA
COOKING WORKSHOP: A Ginni Gold cooking workshop was organised by Amrit Vanaspati Company at a hotel here on Sunday. About 250 women and girls, who were chosen by the draw of lots, took part in the workshop. Mr Bose, Sales Manager of the company, urged consumers to use good refined oils. Mr Jatinder Thakur of the Food Craft Institute, Chandigarh, also spoke.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
CLAIM REFUTED: The district units of the Government Teachers Union, the SC, BC Teachers Union, DTF, the Class IV employees union, the GTU (Gandhari) group, and the PSSF have reputed the claim of the DEO (S) that the GPF slips of C and V teachers along with their balance of the GPF had been sent to the teachers concerned. Leaders of the unions in a press note issued here on Tuesday said the DEO (S) was misleading the teaching community and creating chaos.

GURDASPUR
CONCLUDED: Mr Sucha Singh Langah, PWD (B&R) Minister, while speaking at a prize distribution function of a two-day sports and cultural mela that concluded at Varsola village, near here, on Monday, said Rs 15 crore would be spent during the current year to promote sports in the state. He announced a grant of Rs 50,000 for a village youth club. Mr Kartar Singh Pahra said a sports stadium would be built here at a cost of Rs 6 lakh.

HOSHIARPUR
NEW BUILDING: Mr Sohan Singh Thandal, Minister of State for Civil Supplies, inaugurated a newly constructed primary school building at Nadalo village here on Monday. He said computer education would be started in 5,000 government schools in the state.

JALANDHAR
‘RASAM KRIYA’: The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister , Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, on Monday attended the “rasam kriya” ceremony of the late Lashkari Thakur, former MLA from the Bamson constituency in the state. He died on August 15 at his native village Tauni Devi, in Hamirpur district.

KHAMANO
MORCHA MEETING: A meeting of the local unit of the Panthic Morcha was held at Gurdwara Sahib Khamano Mele Wali under the chairmanship of Mr Imam Singh Mann. The Chairman refuted the charges of the SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, that the morcha leaders were agents of the Congress. He retorted that Mr Badal was himself a Congress agent and was in league with Congress leaders and top Congress leaders are his relatives. The meeting was addressed, among others, by Mr Lakhvir Singh Kalal Majra, Mr Iqbal Singh and Principal Joginder Singh Khant.

DEMANDED: A meeting of employees of the local Nagar Panchayat was held at Khamano under the chairmanship of Mr Karamjeet Singh Bhagrana, district unit president of the Punjab State Karamchari Dal. The employees demanded that daily wagers and part-time Workers of the civic body should be regularised. In this meeting a local unit of the Dal was constituted. Mr Balwinder Kumar was elected president; Mr Satnam Singh was appointed general secretary, Mr Anil Kumar assumed, vice-presidentship, while, Mr Mangal Ram and Mr Rajinder Kumar were elected treasurer and press secretary, respectively.

KHARAR
SCHOOL LAND: The Nagar Sudhar Sabha of Mundi Kharar village, falling under the municipal limits, in a memorandum to the Tehsildar on Tuesday demanded that a piece of land of Major H.P. Singh Government Middle School in Mundi Kharar village should not be bartered with a person of Desu Majra village. In an earlier memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner they had stated that the exchange of land was being done to benefit a particular person. They stated that the land was donated by residents of the village and thereafter the municipal committee became the owner of the land, but the possession of the land was still with the school. They stated that the exchange of the land was against the interests of the school. They have demanded that no exchange of land with another piece of land be accepted.

CHECK-UP CAMP: The Family Planning Association of India, Mohali branch in coordination with the Civil Surgeon, Ropar, organised a gynaecology and skin diseases check-up and treatment camp at Kotla Nihang village. According to a press note issued here on Tuesday, specialist doctors examined over 150 patients. The camp was organised under the Japan Trust Fund for AIDS for truckers in different truck unions. Dr Rajinder Singh, Civil Surgeon; Mr B.S. Sodhi, Mr M.S. Dhillon and Mr Surinder Singh were among those who spoke on the occasion.

KHANNA
CASE REGISTERED: An FIR in the murder case of Sehajpal Singh, has been registered under Sections 302, 324, 323, 148 and 149 of the IPC. The police has arrested Ghana Khan, Bali Khan, Sher Khan, Butta Khan and Nazar Khan in this connection, said the SSP, Mr R.N. Dhoke.

CAMP: The SDM, Mr Pardeep Sabharwal, has informed that a camp for making certificates of Scheduled Caste children will be organised on Tuesday and Wednesday at Issru and Jaspalon villages. The certificates will be attested by the Tehsildar on the spot. He said a new tubewell would be installed at Nai Abadi. He said it would be ensured that the staff in the offices was punctual. The SDM further said highlighters would be painted to indicate the names of the localities.

LUDHIANA
INAUGURATED: Nishkam Seva Ashram has inaugurated its seventh dispensary at E-659, Phase VIII, focal point, here. The land has been provided for the dispensary by M/S Usha Enterprises. A qualified doctor will attend to the patients from 4 pm to 8 pm everyday. The inauguration was preceded by a havan. In addition to the general diseases, TB patients will also be examined here and if needed be referred to the Nishkam TB clinic, Jujhar Nagar, New Simplapuri.

SEVA INTERNATIONAL: Seva International, a wing of the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, has decided to honour eminent paediatrician, Dr Sukhmeet Singh, with Seva Award-2001 for his valuable contribution in the field of health services, first-aid training and publication of literature on health. Dr Sukhmeet Singh is the author of book, “Is death preventable? and many other booklets and pamphlets. He has also designed innovative dolls for training purposes, besides, slides and ready reference cards to help the medical fraternity.

MACHHIWARA
SAHITYA SABHA: In a meeting of the local Sahitya Sabha, held at the local Government Senior Secondary School, rich tributes were paid to writers Lochan Bakhshi, Rajinder Sodhi and satirist Bhupinder Singh Bhopal.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the Crime Prevention Bureau: president — Mr Ashok Kumar Sood; vice-president — Mr Inderjit Kumar; general secretary — Mr Subhash Malik; press secretary — Mr Sukhwinder Singh Gill; cashier — Mr Gurcharan Sharma; Additional Cashier — Mr Naresh Kumar Lihal; and joint secretary — Mr Shami Kumar Pehalwan.

MOGA
APPROVED: The Punjab Government has approved a sum of Rs 1.43 crore for various schemes in the district. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kanwalbir Sindhu, here on Tuesday. The money would be spent on shifting electricity wires from the Civil Lines and for the installation of transformers at various places, he added.

SANCTIONED: The Punjab Government has sanctioned sum of Rs 6.5 crore for the development of various villages in the district. Stating this here on Tuesday, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kanwalbir Singh Sidhu, said the money would be spent on the construction of link roads and cementing village drains.

NABHA
INSPECTION DAY: The annual inspection day of the 14th Punjab Battalion of the NCC here was celebrated at Government Ripuduman College. The inspection was done by Col A.S.Gahlaut, Group Commander of the NCC, Patiala. Lieut-Col B.P.S. Cheema and Col Ashok Sharma, Commanding Officer and in-charge, respectively, of the battalion, explained the achievements of the battalion.

NAHAN
MEETING HELD: A meeting was held here on Monday to celebrate the 2,600th anniversary of Lord Mahavira. Additional Deputy Commissioner Sarabh Negi presided over the meeting. A resolution was passed at the meeting to name a portion of the main bazar as Jain Bazar and a street as Jain Gali.

RAFFLE DRAW: A raffle draw for assistance to the cause of the Red Cross Society has now been slated for September 5, at 11 a.m. and will be held at the Ramlila ground in Paonta Sahib. This was stated by Mr M.P. Sood, Subdivisional Magistrate, Paonta Sahib.

NAWANSHAHR
SEMINAR HELD: A district-level science seminar on the topic “Biotechnological revolution — benefits and concerns” was held at Government Senior Secondary School here on Monday. Mr Gurmail Singh Sahlon, Deputy District Education Officer, presided over the seminar. Navkiran Kaur, Bahadur Singh, Kirti Sharma, Sandip Kaur, Anu, Amarinder Singh, and Paramjit Kaur were given prizes on the occasion. This was stated by Mr Balihar Singh Bains, District Science Supervisor.

INAUGURATED: The Welfare Minister, Mr Sarwan Singh Phillaur, inaugurated newly upgraded schools at the nearby Bazidpur and Kahlon villages on Monday. He presented a cheque for Rs 1 lakh to the Sarpanch of Kahlon village and announced that a grant of Rs 50,000 would be given for the development of a Dalit dharamshala at Bazidpur village. Mr Jatinder Singh Kariha, MLA, Mr Mohinder Singh Hussainpur, SGPC member, Mr Pritam Singh, SDM, were among others who spoke on the occasion.

KAVI DARBAR: The Navjot Sahitya Sanstha, Aur (Nawanshahr), organised a kavi darbar and natak mela in memory of Tarlochan Singh Hansmukh at Vishavkarma Mandir in Aur, about 15 km from here, on Sunday. Mr Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Welfare Minister, presided over the function. He also released ‘Jagde Rehna’ (a collection of Punjabi ghazals) written by Baljit Anjan and announced a grant of Rs 21,000 to the sanstha.

PATIALA
OCTROI ABOLITION FLAYED: Hari Singh Tohra, president of the Punjab State Karamchari Dal, condemned the Punjab government’s decision to abolish the octroi. He said the octroi abolition would have adverse effects on employees as it provided employment to thousands of people from municipal councils in the state. The income from octroi was being used by the councils for maintenance of the cities and the towns. He insisted that the government should reconsider its decision.

DRAMA COMPETITIONS: The Language Department, Punjab would hold Punjabi and Hindi drama competitions at divisional level on 12 and 13 September here. Students from the schools in Patiala division, Ludhiana, Ropar, Sangrur and Fatehgarh Sahib would participate in these competitions. The teams can forward their entries to the District Language Officer, Patiala till September 10. The officer has directed that the plays having anti-government, anti-religion and anti-politics themes would not be allowed to get staged. The team that would win the competition would participate at state-level competitions.

LECTURE DELIVERED: A lecture on critical realism, Marxism and human emancipation was delivered by Dr Roy Bhaskar at the department of Political Science, Panjab University here on Monday. Dr Roy Bhaskar is patron of the Centre of Critical Realism at London. Dr Bhaskar talked about critical realism in the context of Marxism and the impact it has had on individual freedom. Prof Randhir Singh, former Professor of Political Theory, Delhi University, presided over the function. The lecture was attended by students and faculty members of the various departments in the university.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the Class IV Ayakar Karamchari Mahasangh: president — Mr Goni Ram, secretary — Mr Umed Singh Rawat, vice-president — Mr Kashmir Singh Thakur and treasurer — Mr Jaganath Thakur.

INAUGURATION: The ‘Spic-Microsoft’, centre of excellence located in Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12, would open here on Wednesday. The Governor of Punjab and UT Administrator, Lieut Gen J. F. R Jacob (retd) will inaugurate the centre.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Vikas Welfare Association of Government and MC Residential Houses, Sector 20-C: president — Mr P.K. Vashisht; vice- president — Mr Ashok Sabharwal; general secretary — Mr Ram Gopal; joint-secretary — Mr Lehna Ram; propaganda secretary — Mr Iqbal Singh; and finance secretary — Mr Sushil Kumar.

DECLAMATION CONTEST: The Central Bank of India, Vijaya Bank and the Oriental Bank of Commerce together organised an extempore declamation contest at the conference hall of the Central Bank of India. The contest inaugurated by the Deputy General Manger of the Oriental Bank Mr S.C. Malhotra, was organised under the aegis of the Hindi Language Association, Chandigarh. Mr S.K. Harish, Chief Manager of Central Bank, was also present on the occasion. The first three prizes went to Mr Vilas Malhotra (Central Bank of India, Sector 17), Mr V.K. Bhatia (Allahabad Bank), Mr Arun Bajaj (Syndicate Bank) and Ms Neelam Kapoor (NABARD), respectively. Mr F.C. Chouhan of Vijaya Bank won a consolation prize.

BICENTENARY CELEBRATIONS: The Punjab Governor, Leiut Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), will inaugurate the light and sound programme, “Sher-e Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh” at the Parade Ground on Wednesday at 7.45 p.m. The programme, pertaining to the life and times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, is a part of the ongoing year-long bicentenary coronation celebrations of the Maharaja.

SINGING COMPETITION: Noted schools from Chandigarh, Nabha and Dagshai competed in the Fanta Fiesta Singing competition organised here today. There was an overwhelming and enthusiastic repsonse from all the 19 participating schools. Ms Dolly Guleria, Mr Kanwar Iqbal and Mr Gaurav Trehan adjudged the show. Mr Jaspal Singh Kandhari of Kandhari Beverages Ltd was the chief guest and he presented the winning team with a gift hamper. Results St Soldiers (1), Y.P.S., Mohali (2) and Sacred Heart (3).

ORDER: VIP, has bagged its single largest order of over 55,000 briefcases worth Rs 40 million for the discerning German market. A top German retail chain has selected the V.I.P. Odyssey briefcase for its men’s accessories promotion scheduled in November, 2001, according to a press release.

EXHIBITION: IDP Education, Australia, will organise a two-day Australian Education exhibition at Hotel Mountview in Chandigarh beginning August 29 for students opting for higher education in Australia. This is the eighth such exhibition where more than 40 Australian institutions are expected to participate, according to a press release.

SINGING CONTEST: Nineteen schools of Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali, Nabha and Dagshai participated in the Fanta Fiesta Singing competition held at Tagore Theatre here today. About 500 children from different schools enjoyed the performances of the students. Ms Dolly Guleria, Mr Kanwar Iqbal and Mr Gaurav Trehan were the judges. The Fanta Fiesta folk dance competition will be organised on August 29 at Tagore Theatre. The results of the singing competition are as follows: Winner — St Soldiers School First runner-up — Yadavindra Public School, Mohali, Second runner-up — Sacred Heart Convent School.

AMBALA
APPOINTED: Mr J.S. Bajwa has been appointed as advocate on panel for conducting Cantonment Board cases at the district courts here.

EXPORTERS' ASSOCIATION: The Haryana Exporters’ Association has requested the Union Telecom Minister to send an SOS to the Ambala Telecom Authorities to look into different telephone complaints. The chairman of the association. Mr N.C. Jain, suggested that it should be examined by a technical team to find out where the actual fault in the lines was and advise the local staff to set it right. “Not only the export business is suffering the exporters are losing foreign exchange and the department is also losing revenue. It is also sending a wrong signal to the foreign buyers that the telecom system in India is poor.” he said. Mr Jain claimed that the digging work was going on in the Ambala Cantt area for the laying of new cables but it was surprising that no technical staff was supervising the work, resulting in damage to the telecom cables by labourers.

SONEPAT
STOLEN: Thieves stole Rs 6,500 and jewellery worth about Rs 1.50 lakh from a house in Khanna Colony here on Monday. The police has arrested a bus conductor in this connection. A case has been registered.

‘KALASH YATRA’: A large number of devotees, including “women, took part in a kalash yatra” held in connection with a week-long religious congregation which started here on Monday. The programme will end on September 2.

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE: As many as 20,500 members were enrolled on the opening day of a recruitment drive launched by the district Youth Congress here on Monday. Mr Sudesh Sharma, in charge of the drive, said a recruitment camp was organised on the campus of Hindu College in this connection.

BICYCLE RALLY: The Naujawan Bharat Sabha organised a bicycle rally here on Monday in protest against the failure of the Central Government to provide jobs to the educated jobless youth. Carrying placards and raising anti-government slogans, they passed through the main bazars of the city.

SONGS PROGRAMME: The Youth Development Council organised a songs programme in the Meenakshi Garden, near the Tarana cinema, here on Monday. Vishu Bhatnagar, a Doordarshan artiste, and his party presented a cultural programme and songs on this occasion.