AMRITSAR
URGED: Mr Kirpal Singh, a former deputy chairman of the Punjab Human Rights Organisation, an NGO, has urged the Principal Secretary and the DGP to hand over his case to the CBI or Additional Director-General of Police. Mr Kirpal Singh was booked on the charge of rape by the Patiala police.

REFRESHER COURSE: A three-week refresher course on “economic reforms and growth sustainability in India” organised by Academic Staff College concluded here. Dr Satinder Singh, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, presided and presented certificates to participants from Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. The course was held under the supervision of Dr Parminder Singh of the Economics Department of the University.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
Medical camp: The District Red Cross Society with the help of Hospital Welfare Section organised a free medical camp at Hansali village here on Friday. Addressing the gathering, Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner, said the society had chalked out a time-bound schedule to hold free medical camps. He called upon NGOs to come forward for the service of the needy. At least 523 patients were examined at the camp and were given medicines free of cost.

Orders issued: The District Magistrate, Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, exercising the powers under Section 144 CrPC, has made it compulsory for all house owners of the district to provide information, including name, address, background etc about their tenants. The orders would remain in force till December 2. Similarly in a separate order under 3 Act no 2 of Section 144 CrPC, 1973 (1974), the magistrate has imposed a ban on the use of loud speakers at high volume between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. without seeking permission from the SDM.

HOSHIARPUR
GRANT: The district has received a grant of Rs 7,90,28,400 under the Sarv Sikhyia Abhiyan. Rs 35,000 have been given to each of the 500 primary schools. This was stated by Mr Kirandeep Singh Bhullar, Deputy Commissioner, here on Thursday.

MANDI AHMEDGARH
WORKSHOP: A workshop under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan was held at Government Senior Secondary School, Kanganwal, on Thursday. Mr Bhupinder Singh Bath, Principal and in charge of the workshop, said the workshop was attended by 36 heads of the schools of the Ahmedgarh block and many other education workers. Mr Gurvinder Singh, a senior lecturer at the District Institute of Education and Training, apprised the attendants of the scheme. He stressed the need for maintaining account books properly in connection with expenses incurred on various activities.

PATIALA
Declamation contest: The Rotary Club organised a declamation contest at SDSE Senior Secondary School here on Thursday. Nineteen participants from 10 schools spoke on various topics during the contest. Aurobindo International School bagged the trophy, while Sambhav Jain of the same school won the first prize of Rs 500. Amandeep of Victoria Girls School and Simran of Army School won the second and third prize, respectively. A consolation prize was awarded to Neeraj of Aurobindo School.

Money sanctioned: The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board has sanctioned a sum of Rs 56 lakh to install streetlights and traffic signals on the Patiala-Rajpura road. A large number of crossings and link roads exist on the stretch from Badi Nadi to Bahadurgarh. Residents of the colonies situated along the road had been demanding the facility for some time as a number of accidents had taken place due to darkness.

SAMRALA
APPEAL: Mr Jasveer Singh, DSP, has appealed to residents not to burst crackers on Divali and celebrate the festival by lighting candles and diyas. Talking to mediapersons, the DSP sought cooperation from the Press and warned anti-social elements to avoid gambling.

TRIBUTE: Tributes were paid to Mr Gian Chand Chopra, Director, Chopra Senior Secondary School, Machhiwara, here on Thursday. On this occasion, Mr Chander Shekhar, IG, Punjab, Mr Anil Sood, president of the Nagar Council, Mr Ved Pritpal Singh, Principal of the National Senior Secondary School, Samrala, highlighted the services rendered by him.

VAN MAHOTSAV: Van Mahotsav was celebrated in Malwa College, Bondli-Samrala, in association with the local branch of the State Bank of Patiala, on Thursday. On this occasion, saplings were planted. Mr Aggarwal, Manager of the bank, and Dr Parminder Singh Benipal, Principal of the college, appealed to students to plant saplings.

HONOURED: A postman, Mr Gurnam Singh, serving in the Machhiwara post office, has been declared the best postman in the Ludhiana District (Rural) by the Chief Post Master General, Mr Puri. He was given the award at a function organised in Machhiwara on Thursday. Mr Gurnam Singh is the first postman to have received this award in the Ludhiana district.