AMRITSAR
SUBSCRIPTION WAIVED: Registration charges and security deposits have been waived for the second connection or any other subsequent connection with a non-STD facility in 11 places. These areas include Ajnala, Amritsar, Bhikhiwind, Jandiala Guru, Majitha, Patti, Rajasansi, Rayya, Tarn Taran, Khem Karan and Ramdass. This was stated by Mr Rakesh Kapoor, GMT, here on Wednesday.

STAMP EXHIBITION: The Department of Posts and Telegraph will organise a two- day stamp exhibition at the local DAV Public School from January 18. This was stated here on Wednesday by Mr V.K. Mohendru, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices.

GURDASPUR
DEPOSIT ARMS: Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, District Magistrate, by an order issued here on Wednesday directed persons released on bail, with criminal background and those involved in riots to deposit their licenced arms with dealers or in respective police stations with an immediate effect. The orders would not apply to those from the Army, paramilitary forces, the police and those keeping arms to protect religious places.

PATIALA
SEMINAR: A two-day seminar on ‘Development of Sikh thought during the 20th century’ was inaugurated at Punjabi University here on Wednesday. Delivering the keynote address, a former professor and Head of Guru Nanak Sikh Studies Department, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, spoke at length on the need to establish specialised institutions where Sikh thought and ideology could be taught. The Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Dr Jasbir Singh Bir, commented that the 20th century Sikh studies had not been able to bring out the doctrine of sovereignty. The President of the Delhi Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Mr Avtar Singh, was honoured with the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Coronation Bicentenary Award. Sanskrit scholar Prof Om Prakash Sharma, who is translating Guru Granth Sahib into Sanskrit, was also honoured at the function.

ANTI-TERRORISM RALLY: “Terrorism is a phenomenon which must be condemned universally and unequivocally.” This was the consensus at the anti-terrorism rally jointly organised by the National Integration Chair of Punjabi University and NSS unit of the local Government College for Girls, here as part of National Integration Week. Dr Baltej Singh, Professor and Head of Punjabi University’s National Integration Chair, said the only way of combating terrorism was that the establishment understood its responsibility and ensured that all sections of society were treated equally. He exhorted youths to come forward to fight the menace of terrorism. An essay writing competition on ‘youth for healthy society and national integration” and an exhibition of craft was also organised on the occasion.

BLOOD CAMP: A blood donation camp was organised at Government Mohindra College here on Thursday under the supervision of the Head of the Blood Transfusion Department, Government Medical College, Dr Kulbir Kaur Walia. The camp was inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, who lauded the efforts of the college administration in promoting the blood donation movement in the city. 

SAMRALA
LAWYERS’ STRIKE: The lawyers of the local Bar Association observed a complete strike here on Thursday in protest against the Supreme Court’s judgement on the issue of completion of SYL Canal. An emergency meeting was also held in the Bar room under the presidentship of Mr Anil Gupta, president of the association. This was disclosed to mediapersons by Mr Amandeep Singh, the association secretary, at a press conference. He added that the lawyers also passed a unanimous resolution, urging the Central Government to take necessary steps, including the relevant amendments in the Act concerned, to protect the interests of the state.

TARN TARAN
BORDER VILLAGES TOUR: Mr Rajan Gupta, IG (border zone), Amritsar, and Chairman of the Joint Task Force Management for the border problems, toured the border villages along with other police officials on Wednesday. Mr Gupta also addressed meetings at this village situated at the zero line. Mr Paramjit Singh Bhucher, Mr Harbhajan Singh, Sarpanch, Bhucher Khurd gram panchayat, Mr Palwinder Singh, Sarpanch, Bhucher Kalan, Mr Parminder Singh, Sarpanch, Cheena Bidhi Chand urged him to declare a 5-km stretch of this border area as backward and also demanded essential commodities at subsidised rates.

ECO-CLUBS: The Adviser to the UT Administrator, Ms Neeru Nanda, will launch “Eco-clubs” on Saturday at DAV College, Sector 10. The Director, Environment, and Chief Wild Life Warden-cum-Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mr Ishwar Singh has formed eco-clubs to make people aware about environment. Clubs will also be launched in government schools. 

ENGINEERS’ BODY: Mr V.K. Walia, Mr Kailash Garg, Mr Sandeep Kumar and Mr Pawan Narial have been elected chairman, president, vice-president and general secretary, respectively, of the Association of Chandigarh Housing Board Engineers here. The elections were held on Wednesday in which Mr Vimal Sharma was elected joint secretary, Mr D.S. Rana press secretary and Mr Inderjeet Singh finance secretary.

PANCHKULA
BANKERS’ MEETING: The Deputy Commissioner, Ms Jyoti Arora, has called upon the bankers to provide loans to unemployed youths on priority basis so that they can start their own ventures and also stressed upon the need to carry out joint campaigns for recoveries. She was addressing the district level review committee of bankers and various government agencies here on Thursday. She said that all information about the District Rural Development Agency was now available on D-net and the same could be accessed through the information kiosks at Panchkula, Kalka, Barwala, Morni and Raipur Rani. She exhorted the bankers also to take similar IT initiative in the banking sector in order to provide faster services to the citizens.

AMBALA
ONE KILLED IN ACCIDENT: One person was killed and one other injured in a road accident on Ambala-Jagadhri road on Wednesday night. According to sources, Vinod Kumar and one of his friends were going towards Ambala on a motor cycle, when their vehicle was hit by a car near Kalpi. Vinod died on the spot while his friend sustained injuries. The injured was later admitted to the local Civil Hospital. A case has been registered.

SHOPKEEPERS PROTEST: Shopkeepers of Gandhi Market Ambala Cantonment, have criticised the anti-encroachment drive launched by the MC authorities. On Wednesday, council officials, with the help of police constables, had lifted the goods of some of the shopkeepers and loaded these in a trolley. However, the shopkeepers protested and got their goods unloaded forcibly from the trolley. Mr Narender Kumar Shera, president of the block Congress committee, said in press note that the council authorities were adopting a strict attitude towards small shopkeepers while no such action was being taken against big shopkeepers. 

SECTION 144 IMPOSED: The District Magistrate, Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, has ordered the imposition of Section 144 in the district with immediate effect. He has directed all the house owners to get register the name of their tenants at their nearest police station within a week, otherwise legal action will be taken against them. 

INAUGURATED: A modern accident repair facility of Metro Motors at its Mohra branch was inaugurated on Thursday by Mr Mani Raman, general manager (customer support), Tata Engineering Passenger Car Business unit. Mr Y.P. Das, managing director of Metro Motors, said the body repair shop had been provided equipment imported from Italy. “We will restore an accident vehicle to its original dimension as specified by the manufacturer,” he said.

VERDICT HAILED: Haryana minister, Risal Singh and Naggal MLA Jasbir Mallour have welcomed the directions given by the Supreme Court on the SYL canal issue at the district Indian National Lok Dal office on Wednesday. They said that former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal had raised the SYL canal issue and Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala had followed up the efforts to get Haryana its right, a release said.

KURUKSHETRA
CHARTER OF DEMANDS: Executive Council members of the Kurukshetra University Teachers’ Association (KUTA) led by the President of the association, Dr Pradeep Chauhan, met the Vice-Chancellor, Mr R.S.Chaudhry, and handed over a charter of demands to him on Wednesday.

PANIPAT
WORKSHOP: The Haryana Government has sanctioned Rs 4 crore to Gram Vikas Samities in the district This was stated by Mr V.P. Sharma. District Development and Panchayat Office here on Wednesday.