Bathinda
Demanded: The Kheti Virasat Mission, Jaitu, in a press release, has demanded that the chairperson of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) should be asked to resign following his pro-genetically modified crops stand and anti-conservation comments at the national seminar on ‘Biodiversity, bioresources and biotechnology for sustainable livelihood of the rural community’ held in Chennai recently or concede to the farmers’ demands that includes tendering an apology to all activists struggling for an objective and independent assessment of genetic engineering in agriculture.

Inter-state fair: The 30th Sham Lal Lyalpuri Memorial Inter-state Naat Mela began at Maha Shakti Kalan Mandir here on Friday. Open competitions of dance and drama would be held at the three-day fair.

Sukhbir’s elevation held: The Punjab Pardesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) at a meeting held on Friday, welcomed the decision of the Shiromani Akali Dal (B) in which the delegates unanimously elected Sukhbir Singh Badal as the president 
of the party. Speaking on the issue, Madan Lal Kapoor, president of the PPBM, said, “We expect that Sukhbir will work for the betterment of trade and traders.”

Seminar: The Indus Quality Foundation organised a two-day workshop at Silver Oaks School on meditation. Ashwani Kumar, an engineer from Pilani, emphasised upon the need for improving concentration to make one’s own destiny.  Discussion on humanity and divinity was the highlight of the seminar, designed to touch the heart and soul of the individuals.

Condemnation: State president of the Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) Darshan Singh Jeeda has condemned the Badal government’s move to sell the government property, through a press statement. He said that no party has the constitutional and moral right to sell  public property after coming to power. This reflected the bankruptcy of the state government, he  said.

Sports meet: The Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Researches, Bathinda, organised the first annual sports meet in the medical college campus. Professor V. Mohan was the chief guest.  All medical students, paramedical staff and staff of the allied institutions participated. In his inaugural speech, V. Mohan laid emphasis on sports  and cultural activities and said that besides the academic activities, these were important for the development of inter-personal relationships and overall development of  students and society.

Retired: Gurjant Singh Grewal, auditor, district diet and supplies controller, has retired after 33 years of service on  Thursday. The press release received from the State Ministerial Services Union claimed that he  had been the president of the Bathinda unit of  the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union for the last eight years and was elected as state vice-president last year.

CHANDIGARH
Subsidy to solar power units hailed: Bikram Singh Majithia, science technology and environment and non-conventional energy minister, on Wednesday thanked Vilas Muttemwar, union minister for new and renewable energy, for announcing the formulation of the generation-based incentive scheme for solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power as financial assistance to project developers, acceding to the request of the Punjab government.

DERA BASSI
Theft: Thieves decamped with cash and mobile phone sets from an electronics shop at Mubarakpur on Friday. According to the police, owner of the shop Gurvinder Singh said when he went to open the shop in the morning, he saw the locks broken and 15 cell phone sets and Rs 1,800 cash  missing.

Hoshiarpur
Poppy seized: The Sadar police on Friday arrested Baba Ram of Bassi Khawaju under sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act and seized 60 kg of poppy husk from him. The police, on a tip-off, arrested him in a raid conducted at the old Adamwal road.

Eye camp: As many as 10 female and 50 male prisoners of the district jail here have pledged to donate their eyes after death at a motivational camp organised by the Eyes Donation Association (EDA) in collaboration with the jail authorities in  the jail complex here on  Friday.

LALRU
Injured: At least five persons were injured in various accidents that took place on Chandigarh-Ambala highway. A Qualis hit a stationary truck near Dappar ammunition depot on Thursday night. The occupants of the car Davinder of Chandigarh and one other were injured. In another incident, Sewa Singh, a cart puller, was injured after being hit by a truck. In yet another incident, two motorcyclists were injured in an accident near Jola Khurd.

NABHA
Freedom fighter dead: Freedom fighter Ujjagar Singh (Khaddian Wala ) was given a tearful adieu by all sections of society. Ujjagar Singh (86) died at his residence in Mohalla Kartarpura on Thursday night after a brief illness. Last year he was conferred with the President Award by APJ Abdul Kalam for his contribution to the society. SDM Balraj Singh Sekhon, DSP Arshdeep Singh Gill and former MLA Romesh Singla laid wreaths on the body of the freedom fighter.

Nawanshahr
Man killed: A 28-year-old man, Kulwinder, was killed near Mubarakpur village on Thursday when his bike collided with a train on an unmanned railway crossing.

Diabetes camp: A free diabetes awareness-cum-detection camp was organised by social worker Baldev Nayyar at Rai Hospital, Banga, on Friday. During the camp, around 67 persons were examined, of which 22 were found diabetic. Nayyar gave tips on dietary habits and exercises.

Seminar held: The SAI College of Education, Jadla, organised a state-level seminar on “Teaching technology - recent advances and emerging challenges” on Friday. The seminar was attended by 29 delegates from different educational colleges. Papers on topics like “Computer assisted instruction and communication technology” and “Improvisation in teaching” were presented.

Fee hike: The Association of Principals (GNDU, Amritsar jurisdiction), has termed the university’s decision of fee hike as “unilateral, illogical and unjustified.” Demanding withdrawal, association general secretary Jaspal Singh Randhawa said the decision of increasing fees from Rs 4,710 to Rs 11,000 would affect the student belonging to the economically weaker section.

PATIALA
Blood donation camp: The Patiala Cricket Association organised a blood donation camp in the memory of former cricketer Dhruv Pandove at Dhruv Pandove Stadium on Thursday. The camp, which is an annual affair, attracted more than 100 people. A team of doctors from Rajindra Hospital’s Transfusion Medical Blood Bank, headed by Dr Kusum Thakur, supervised the proceedings. Vice-president of the association Dr Janak Sachdeva inaugurated the camp.

Appointed: Dr Ashwani Kumar, who was working as principal-director of Ayurvedic and Uniani System of Medicine, Punjab, was appointed chairman of the Board of Ayurveda and Unani Medicine by the government of Punjab, department of medical education and research on Friday.

SANGRUR
Anti-Leprosy Week ends: The Anti-Leprosy Week, observed by the District Leprosy Society, concluded with a programme on leprosy awareness through entertainment sources at Government Girls Senior Secondary School here on Wednesday evening. A magician from Chandigarh, Ved Parkash, showed various magic tricks to disseminate information on preventive and curative aspects of leprosy, besides tuberculosis (TB) and AIDS. District TB-cum-leprosy officer Dr Surinder Singla, leprosy nodal officer Dr Pritpal Singh Binner, civil surgeon Dr Satwant Bhalla and school Principal Raksha Singla spoke on the occasion.