Chandigarh, December 4
The World Punjabi Conference is over. Punjabi delegates from as many as 26 countries participated in the conference hosted by Punjabi University, Patiala. However, by and large, it was a show of Punjabi writers, scholars and politicians from East Punjab ( India) and West Punjab (Pakistan). Except a few, all other Pakistani delegates today returned to their country.

There are two distinctly dissimilar views with regard to the outcome of this conference. Famed Punjabi novelist, Jaswant Kanwal, says it was a “ sarkari show” dominated by politicians and official machinery. The elite of the two countries met and dispersed without achieving anything after “having good time for three days”.

However, Prof Sucha Singh, coordinator of conference from the university, says that there are three important achievements of the conference. This conference looked beyond Punjabi literature. For the first time, issues such as art and culture agriculture and trade here discussed in a serious manner at this conference.

Mr Kanwal says that he was somehow not very hopeful that much would be achieved by holding conferences in this manner. “Awam ( people) was missing from these conferences’ dominated every time by a few well recognised faces. There was no serious effort to invite representatives of important Punjabi writers’ organisations. “ I got one invitation on December 2 and another today after the conclusion of the conference”, he adds. “ After spending so much money on such conferences, there should be some concrete achievement also”, he adds.

“ People of both countries should be openly allowed to participate in the melas of sufi saints and pirs. Visas should be given by adopting a liberal approach”, he adds. People and not governments should have large involvement in such conferences, he adds. “ The ongoing activities should be converted into achievements”, he adds.

But Prof Sucha Singh says that Punjabi University had got Rs 5 crore to set up the world Punjabi cultural centre. Of it, Rs 3 crore would be spent on its construction and the remaining amount would be used as corps fund. “This centre would play a big role in days to come in the development of Punjabi literature, art and culture”, he said.

Talk has also started at the official level to sign an MoU for the exchange programme between Punjabi University and Lahore University and also between Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and Agricultural University, Faislabad (Pakistan). Of course all this would be done through proper official channels, he added. Punjabi folk artistes from Punjabi University would be performing at the SAARC meet to be hosted by Pakistan in the coming weeks. Moreover, an atmosphere has been created for furthering the cause of Indo-Pak peace and friendship.

Apart from the views of Prof Sucha Singh and Mr Jaswant Kanwal, there are others who feel that even the contact of the elite in various fields from the two countries is only confined to the “ sweet talk” so fast. After all some day reality would have to be faced. That reality is regarding the settling of old issues between the two countries.

Patiala, December 4
A maharaja bash heralded the end of the stay of the Pakistani Punjab delegates in the city, with a rich fare of Kashmiri and Patiala cuisine being offered to them in the floodlit lawns of the New Moti Bagh Palace, residence of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

‘’The cooks were brought from Kashmir’’, Patiala MP Preneet Kaur told The Tribune. She said her family was keen on dishing out fare which was familiar to the Pakistani delegates, along with items from the Patiala cuisine. “It was then that we thought of Kashmiri cuisine”, she added.

The Radisson, a five-star chain, brought Wazwan cooks from Srinagar and were responsible for catering. The dishes on offer included traditional Kashmiri dishes like ‘goshtaba’, ‘rista’ and ‘nadru palak’. Punjabis not particularly fond of Kashmiri food had the option of partaking of Patiala cuisine, which included ‘tawa meat’, ‘methi chicken’ and ‘chicken biryani’, besides other non-vegetarian and vegetarian preparations. At least 20 dishes were laid on various tables.

The Pakistani Punjab delegates were awed at the reception accorded to them. The New Moti Bagh Palace was all aglow when they entered it in the evening, with a fountain spray falling on a marble canopy in the front lawns. The dinner was held in the lawns at the rear of the palace. “We are simply overwhelmed at the reception given to us”, said Pakistani Punjab journalist Syed Majid.

Patiala, December 4
The Sikh Nation Organisation and Culture and Heritage Conservation Initiative welcomed the announcement of Mr Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Minister West Punjab regarding granting of model city status to Nanakana Sahib have demanded Vatican like status for Nanakana Sahib.

Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa, president, Sikh Nation Organization and Convener Culture and Heritage Conservation Initiative said here today that Nanakana Sahib and Amritsar had a very special place for Sikhs as well as whole humanity and should be open for pilgrimage to whole world without any restriction to spread the message of universal brotherhood as preached by Guru Nanak the founder of Sikhism.

Sikh Nation Organization and CHCI appealed to Mr Pervaiz Elahi and Capt Amrinder Singh the Chief Ministers of West and East Punjab to make efforts with respective government of their countries for granting of Vatican status to Nanakana Sahib and Amritsar to provide hassle free pilgrimage at both places to the whole humanity.

Ludhiana, December 4
Pained at the indifference shown by the Punjab Government during the World Punjabi Conference (WPC) in taking up the issue of 76 incarcerated Sikh youths in Pakistani prisons, the International Bhai Mardana Yaadgari Kirtan Darbar Society will hold up traffic on the state highway near the PAP Complex in Jalandhar on December 15.

The organisation has been spearheading the movement to get Sikh youths released from various Pakistani prisons. They have been successful in pleading the cause of several youths who were victims of unscrupulous travel agents. According to an estimate, more than 5,000 youths are languishing in prisons across the world and little is being done by the government to bring them home.

Mr Harpal Singh Bhullar, president of the organisation, alleged the World Punjabi Conference proved to be a government show where only pleasantries and gifts were exchanged between the visitors and the hosts while important issues were not even discussed informally. Other than becoming a forum for voicing politically correct statements and generating bonhomie among a select few, what the outcome of the conference has been, he questioned.

He said they had raised the issue of the detention of 76 Sikh youths from various parts of the state currently being held in Pakistan prisons. “I had faxed a letter to Mr Pervaiz Elahi, the Chief Minister of West Punjab, detailing the plight of the youth who were being forced to sweep the barracks of the prisons and denied even the basic facilities,” he added.

“The Principal Secretary of the CM, Mr Sikandar Mirza, called back to inform him that they had received the fax and that a copy had been forwarded to Capt Amarinder Singh’s secretariat so that time could be allotted to a delegation of the society to enable them to discuss the issue with Mr Elahi during the conference,” he said.

He said this was the second time that they have been disappointed. “We had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and brought the plight of Sikh youths to his notice. He said there was little he could do and it was up to the Pakistan government to do the needful. While the Prime Minister at least gave us a hearing, the Chief Minister did not even bother to acknowledge their letter,” he added.

He said the indifference on part of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Punjab in this context showed their priorities and lack of concern towards the misery and pain of families whose children were languishing in prisons. 

Faridkot, December 4
Swaran Singh, who claims to have participated in the Indo-China war in 1965, is fighting a battle for survival today, He is awaiting his pension for the past over 30 years.

Speaking to The Tribune here today, he said he had submitted applications to government officials during different regimes in the state, but to no avail. He has now written to the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the Punjab Chief Minister, and other officials seeking their intervention in the matter.

Swaran Singh, a resident of Mandwala village with a poor background, in his letter to the Prime Minister, has said that he was recruited in the Indian Army on November 17, 1956. After being trained in Meerut for 9 months, he was posted in the Naushera sector. He was later shifted to the 5 Training Platoon and the Indo-China war broke out during his stint with that platoon. He fought the enemy on the heights of Mander during which his 13 companions laid down their lives for the country.

After the war, he was sent back as “reserve”. According to him, in pre-1971 days, after completion of a particular term in the Army, soldiers were sent home as ‘reserve’ and were called as and when needed. The Army again called him in 1968 and he underwent training in Meerut for a month.

A month before the 1971 Indo-Pak war, he was to retire as he had completed his 15-year term. When he contacted Army officials in this connection, they said he was called sometime back, but he didn’t join his duty. Responding to this, he said the letter in that regard didn’t reach him in time and when he went there to resume his duties, Army officials told him that he would be called later.

Since 1971, he had written a number of applications to the officials concerned, but none of them responded he said. The ex-soldier, who is in his late 60s, said he had no other source of income and he was finding it tough to make both ends meet. He said he should be given all benefits, as he had rendered services to the Indian Army for 15 years.

Ropar, December 3
With an average of one person dying on the Mohali-Ropar national highway every week, about 200 persons have lost their lives in total accidents during the past three years on the 35 km National Highway-21. The district police is yet to devise a way to control the increasing death toll on this stretch.

The congested road on the national highway has become accident-prone due to uncontrolled traffic from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana. Besides roadways buses and trucks from different states, private buses, hundreds of three-wheelers and two-wheelers ply on this stretch every day.

A survey of National Highway-21 shows that the district police seems to be satisfied with putting up only signboards carrying warnings and slogans about traffic rules on this stretch. It has not given any serious thought to work out a suitable solution to avoiding accidents.

On this accident-prone stretch, traffic policemen were seen at the Balongi barrier, the sales tax barrier, the Kharar barrier, the Kurali level crossing and at the entrance of the city. On other places there are about 10 signboards along both sides of the road to avoid accidents. Traffic policemen at the barriers are rarely visible after the evening.

The major cause of the accidents is attributed to speeding, poor maintenance of vehicles and congested roads. Besides, no signboards have been placed where link roads join the national highway. A large part of the road between Kurali and Ropar is missing.

The problems have assumed serious proportions due to little check on speeding vehicles on the stretch. Traffic rules seem to be alien concepts to most of the persons using this route. In addition, most of two-wheeler riders were seen driving without a helmet on this stretch. This is despite the fact that out of 200 deaths during the past three years in road accidents on this stretch, about 150 persons were two-wheeler riders.

The Superintendent of Police, Ropar, Mr Rakesh Agarwal, who has done a study into the causes of accidents on this national highway, said the widening of the highway could solve the problem on this stretch. A decision in this regard has to be taken by the National Highway Authority and the PWD Department. The road on the stretch was congested. He said the Police Department would launch a special drive to check the speeding and drunken driving on this stretch to curb accidents and spread awareness about the traffic rules. Besides, two motor cycles and a Tata Sumo were being used for patrolling on this stretch by policemen.

POLITICS

‘Opposition supporters booked in false cases’
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, December 4
On the ‘directions’ of a senior Congress leader and former minister, the Bhikhiwind police has allegedly registered false cases against several residents of Bhikhiwind area for favouring Opposition.

Alleging this at a press conference here today, Col G.S. Sandhu (retd), chairman, Majha ex-servicemen Human Rights, brought these victims before the media and alleged that a retired DSP who had been given one-year extension was harassing them.

Colonel Sandhu has taken up these cases with the IG, Jalandhar zone, Mr S.K. Sharma, who ordered a probe into these and assured action against erring police officials.

He questioned the one-year extension given to the DSP even as the Police Department has surplus officers. He urged the authorities not to repeat this.

Narrating an incident in support of his claim, he alleged that Gurlal Singh of Dool Kona and Daljinder Singh of Ratoke were picked up by the SHO of Ajnala police station on September 9 from their homes and kept in illegal custody for three days. On September 12 a false case under Sections 489A, 489 C, IPC, and 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act was registered against them. He said the victims had supported the Opposite party during the elections.

Chandigarh, December 4
Punjab ranks third in fresh water fish farming in the country. But the state is getting the aqua delicacy from Mumbai for local consumption. This is not all. Punjab farmers are pumping in too much on too little. In fact, the farmers are spending three times more on the feed than they should be.

Nothing fishy about the entire thing. It is just that the fish being cultivated in Punjab does not tickle the taste buds of food-loving Punjabis — at least this is what Technical Director with American Soybean Association Dinesh T. Bhosale has to say.

In Chandigarh for attending Agro Tech 2004, Dr Bhosale says that the fish being cultivated in Punjab is with “bones” — something which is not liked by the Punjabis.

An expert in the field of poultry, livestock and aquaculture, Dr Bhosale adds that a substantial quantity of fish raised in the state is being consumed by migrant labourers, while the locals are going in for stuff from Mumbai. In the process, they are pulling out more money from their wallets than they are required to.

Otherwise also, the farmers in Punjab are spending too much on the feed. Rather, they are wasting 70 per cent of the feed by just throwing it away in the water, or by putting it in a sack before submerging it.

As a result, the farmers are producing 1 kg of fish by nourishing it with equal amount of feed. “On the other hand, they can easily cultivate 4 kg of fish by providing it with 1 kg of feed. This, he asserts, can be done by following a scientific method of feeding, also by going in for the right kind of feed.”

“We are encouraging the farmers to buy floating feed so that the losses can be minimised,” he asserts. “In fact, we are asking the Punjab Government to convince farmers to go in for this kind of stuff. For the purpose, we are holding seminars and conferences”.

Giving details of their free-of-cost programme funded for this part of the region by the US Department of Agriculture, Dr Bhosale says: “The farmers are also being encouraged to grow Indian Magur and Murrel fish not only for local consumption, but also for the purpose of importing it”.

Punjab and Haryana, Dr Bhosale claims, are ideal for fish farming because there is plenty of water in the two states. “As of now India is number two in the world as far as fish cultivation is concerned. Within the country, Andhra Pradesh is number one, followed by West Bengal. Punjab is third and Haryana is fourth. In Punjab, fish farming is being carried out at a large-scale near Ludhiana and Khanna”.

He concludes: “The states can improve their ranking and the financial status of the farmers, by going in for farming on scientific lines. Rather, they can produce in six months what they produce in a year”. 

Bathinda, December 4
While Dr Kirandeep Kaur, a lecturer in Faridkot, has moved an application with the National Commission For Women (NCW) for registration of a dowry case against her husband and his kin, her husband Mr Mandeep Singh Dhillon, deputy director, Technical Education Department, Punjab, has moved an application with the Bathinda police for registration of a theft case against her.

In a complaint lodged with the Chairman, NCW, Dr Kirandeep alleged that though she had also moved an application with the Bathinda police for registration of a criminal case against Mr Dhillon and his kin, no action has been taken in this connection so far.

She alleged that as no case was registered and she was facing a constant threat to her life from her husband. She added that all her items had been taken away by her husband.

She alleged that immediately after here marriage she was asked to bring more dowry from her widow mother.

She alleged that since her husband was closely related to a senior IAS officer of Punjab, the police authorities concerned had not be taking any action on the complaint moved by her against him. On the contrary, she was being summoned time and again by the Bathinda police in connection with the complaint moved against her by her husband.

Mr Dhillon said his wife had got frustrated after he had moved a complaint against her and hence she had moved to the NCW to pressurise the Bathinda police.

He added that even the people of their locality were willing to record their statement before the police that Dr Kirandeep Kaur herself had taken away all household goods which belonged to him.

Bathinda, December 4
Objecting to naming a club library in the civil lines area here after Guru Nanak Dev, the Sikh Front has issued a warning to its office-bearers to vacate the premises by December 31.

Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, Jathedar, Takht Damdama Sahib, who has taken a serious note of this matter, said he would send a jatha of Panj Piaras to make an on-the-spot inquiry as to what was going on the premises. He added that he would take appropriate action on the report of the Panj Piaras, which would be submitted to him.

Mr Gur Kirpal Singh, president, Sikh Front, in a press note issued here today, said the premises belonging to the Guru Nanak Dev Hall Library must be vacated by the office-bearers of the club for religious functions and after doing so, the office-bearers should make an announcement in the same connection through the print media.

He added that if the office-bearers failed to do so by December 31, the Sikh Front would organise a gathering of Sikhs and would announce its programme in this connection.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the club had remained embroiled in various controversies in the past few years. The club came into controversy when a badminton hall was constructed on its premises at a time when the site plan was not sanctioned. It again came into controversy when the state PWD claimed that it was the real owner of the land and asked the club officer-bearers to prove ownership of the club over the same.

Capt Amarinder Singh, who paid a visit to the club, gave Rs 10 lakh to its management from his discretionary quota about an year ago.

Mr Gur Kirpal Singh said the Sikh Front was also concerned that the RSS was trying to separate all Sikh Takhts by empowering these to award punishment to those who had allegedly been violating tenets of Sikhism. He added that the Sikh Front had written a letter to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi for appointing Mr J.J. Singh, as Army chief.

Chandigarh, December 4
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice of motion for December 15 on a petition filed by a Patiala-based dental surgeon, Dr Ramesh Chand Sharma.

The petitioner has challenged the December 1 order of the Patiala District and Sessions Judge, through which his petition had been dismissed. He had moved a petition under Section 9 of the Indian Arbitration Act, seeking interim relief in regard to holding of election of the President of the Indian Dental Association, Punjab State branch.

In his plea, the petitioner has also prayed that direction be issued to the respondents not to hold any election of the office-bearers of the IDA, Punjab State branch, scheduled to be held on December 5, 2004.

After hearing advocate Vijay Sharma, counsel for the petitioner, Mr Justice Tapen Sen directed that notice be issued through registered post for which necessary requisites are required to be furnished within one week, failing which the petition would stand dismissed.

Abohar, December 4
Farmers blocked traffic for three hours in front of the new grain market here today to express resentment over the non-availability of DAP fertiliser against cash payment. The blockade was lifted after the civil administration and IFFCO representatives assured them that those who were issued slips yesterday would be supplied five bags each of the fertiliser.

Most of the farmers who blocked traffic were from neighbouring subdivisions. Some of them admitted that they were not farmers.

Some SAD and BJP activists were seen inciting people at the market today to block traffic and raise slogans against the administration. The plan was reportedly discussed during the visit of some SAD leaders here yesterday.

Mr Nahar Singh Mavi, Area Manager of IFFCO, refuted the allegations levelled by some political activists that there had been irregularities in the distribution of fertiliser. He asserted that field staff from adjoining centres had been pressed into service to ensure transparency in providing five or six bags to each person waiting.

Farmers from Fazilka, Malout and Mukstar subdivisions might have come here on learning that DPA fertiliser was available here, he added.

There was no black marketing or maldistribution and no shopkeeper had been supplied fertiliser by IFFCO, he asserted.

Bathinda, December 4
The scheduled and unscheduled power cuts being imposed in the state have started affecting the price of raw cotton adversely in Punjab as its demand has been going down. Cotton ginning and pressing mills have been flooded with raw cotton and these have not been working to their capacity due to power shortage.

Even as the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has started making bulk purchases of raw cotton from all markets of Punjab to stabilise prices, which have been falling continuously since the beginning of the season, the flooding of ginning and pressing mills with raw cotton has virtually forced traders out of the markets.

Mr Bhagwan Bansal, president of the Punjab Cotton Factories and Ginners Association, said the association had made a request to the Chief Minister and the Power Minister to intervene for removing peak load restrictions on cotton ginning and pressing factories as the factories were flooded with raw cotton and finding it difficult to run to capacity.

He added that due to low demand from the factory owners and traders, the prices of raw cotton had been going down, affecting the economy of growers adversely.

He said if there was no power shortage, the factories could function properly and could generate more demand for raw cotton, which in turn could boost prices.

The CCI authorities, which had started purchasing between 2,500 and 3,000 bales of cotton daily from the markets of Punjab to keep its prices up, had taken up the matter of power shortage with the Punjab Government, official sources said. They added that the CCI would purchase unlimited quantity of raw cotton from Punjab to ensure its minimum support price (MSP) to the growers.

The prices of raw cotton have been ranging from Rs 1,750 to Rs 1,810 per quintal despite the fact that its MSP for Punjab is Rs 1,815 per quintal. It is for the first time in the past about two decades that raw cotton has been fetching a price less than its MSP despite the fact that its prices at the time of opening of the season in September 2004 ranged between Rs 2,400 and Rs 2,500 per quintal.

The panic which has gripped the farmers has also been affecting the prices of raw cotton adversely. Though the prices have been going down for the past many weeks, the farmers have been unloading their produce in the markets in huge quantities continuously as they do not have holding capacity.

Another factor is that traders, factory owners and textile mill owners have been expecting that size of crop in Punjab alone will be around 18 lakh bales. It was earlier estimated that Punjab would not produce more than 15 lakh bales.

Barnala, December 4
The Barnala police today booked five persons, including a Naib Tehsildar, for allegedly misusing a computer meant for registration of sale deeds and openly flouting the state government laws meant for execution of these deeds.

The police has registered a case following the directions of Mr Hussan Lal, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur. The police has booked Mr Tarsem Mittal, Naib Tehsildar, Nirmal Singh, computer operator, Shiv Pal Sharma, deed writer, Surjeet Singh and Balbeer Singh, both registration clerks. under Sections 465, 467, 468, 471 and 193, IPC.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that in connivance with the Naib Tehsildar the registry clerks along with the help of the computer operator executed the sale deeds in the absence of Tehsildar. Both purchaser and seller were told to stand by the chair of the tehsildar and pose for the photograph. Later, with the help of computer graphics the photograph of the Tehsildar, already stored in the computer, was imposed on the empty chair. In this way the deeds were executed. The inquiry was initiated by the Deputy Commissioner.

Barnala, December 4
Teachers of privately managed colleges of Sangrur district blocked traffic at a chowk near SD College here today. They were protesting against the alleged indifferent attitude of the state government towards their problems.

The protesters assembled in SD College in response to a call given by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU). Later, they took out a rally and blocked traffic.

Teachers of SD College, Barnala, Arya Mahila College, Barnala, Guru Gobind Singh College, Sanghera, Khalsa College, Sandaur, Akal Degree College, Mastuana, Guru Teg Bahadur College, Bhawanigarh, and Desh Bhagat College, Bardwal Dhuri, etc. took part in the protest.

Addressing the protesters, Prof R.S. Brar, state president of the PCCTU, urged them to make the All-India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation’s (AIFUCTO) demonstration to be held on December 6 in New Delhi, a success by taking part in it in large numbers.

The protest was to be held to press the Union Government to offer parity to DPEs and librarians with lecturers in scales and the third promotion to lecturers keeping in view the stagnation in the scale of Rs 18,300.

He alleged the indifference of the state government of financial crisis in the private colleges. He urged government to immediately redress the grievances of teachers of private colleges.

He expressed satisfaction over government's decision to clear last financial year's grant-in-aid bill worth Rs 14.40 crore for private colleges.

Prof P.K. Sharma, president of the Sangrur unit of the PCCTU, urged teachers of private colleges to remain vigilant of the dilly-dallying tactics of the government.

He called upon them to get more organised to safeguard their interests.

Prominent among those who addressed the rally included Prof Jit Pal Singh Sandhu, former president of the state unit of the PCCTU, Dr M.L. Bansal, Prof J.P. Garg and Prof Amrish Kumar.

Fatehgarh Sahib, December 4
The first-ever Religious Youth Festival of colleges being run by the SGPC started with much fanfare at the local Mata Gujri College. All the 18 SGPC-run colleges are participating in this festival. Mr Parkash Singh Badal, President of the SAD, inaugurated the opening session of the festival and Bibi Jagir Kaur, President of the SGPC, presided over the function.

Mr Badal in his inaugural address said the youth were the treasure of any community, society or nation. It was the moral responsibility of all leaders of the community to impart to them a high standard of education as well as education about religion.

He said the Sikhs had their own schools and colleges but they did not have any university. Now the SGPC had decided to set up a World Sikh University at Fatehgarh Sahib. It would be dedicated to the 300 years of the supreme sacrifice of the Sahibzadas.

Bibi Jagir Kaur said educational institutions were like nurseries and temples. Their main aim was to educate our youth and make them responsible citizens. She said they must also be imparted religious education and taught Sikh history, which was full of sacrifices.

She said the SGPC was spending a major portion of its budget on education and dharam parchar.

The second session of the festival was inaugurated by Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, former minister, and Bibi Surinder Kaur Badal presided over the function. Bibi Surinder Kaur exhorted the students to follow in the footsteps of the Sahibzadas and be ready to fight for truth, justice and a righteous cause. She also appreciated the role of the SGPC in organising the festival, which, she said, would inculcate morality and ethics among the youth.

Mr Calcutta spoke at length about the concept of martyrdom in Sikhism. He said Baba Fateh Singh at the age of seven years and Baba Deep Singh at the age of 82 attained martyrdom.

Dr Gurmohan Singh Walia, Principal of the college, welcomed the guests and highlighted the achievements of the college in various fields.

On the first day of the festival, Khalsa College Patiala won the first position in group shabad competition, Khalsa College, Garhshankar, and MG College, Fatehgarh Sahib, stood second.

In solo shabad, Khalsa College Patiala stood first, MG College, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Khalsa College, Muktsar, stood second.

In on-the-spot painting competition Charanjit Kaur of Mata Ganga College, Kotan, won the first position while Jaswinder Kaur of Khalsa College, Muktsar, stood second.

In on-the-spot poster-making, Gurleen Kaur of the local MG College stood first while Sumanjeet Kaur of the local MG College, stood second.

In Vaar Gayan, Mata Ganga Girls College, Kotan, stood first while Guru Nanak College, Muktsar, stood second.

In kavishari, Khalsa College, Garhshankar, stood first while the local MG College stood second.

In folk instrument, MG College got the first position.

SLIET convocation on Dec 8

Sangrur, December 4
The seventh annual convocation of the Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET), will be held on December 8 on the SLIET campus.

Giving this information today, Dr N.P. Singh, Dean, Academic, SLIET, said more than 250 students would be awarded degrees in various engineering trades, while about 500 students would be given certificates and diplomas in different certificate and diploma courses of the institute. TNS