BATALA
Rath yatra: Lord Jagannath rath yatra was taken out here on Saturday with great enthusiasm by the local people. The rath yatra started from Khushi Vatika, GT Road, and  culminated at Community Hall, Khajuri Gate.

Bathinda
BMC homage: A two-minute silence was observed at the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) offices on Monday to pay tribute to those killed in the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The BMC demanded from the government that tough measures should be taken against those responsible for the heinous act so that such incidents do not recur.

Mishap: On Sunday at around 11 pm, a biker crossing the pavement on the old bridge over the Sirhind canal fell into the canal itself along with his bike. An auto-rickshaw driver coming from behind sighted him. He lowered himself into the canal upside down with others supporting him. Finally, they managed to rescue him. He was given first aid and his bike was also taken out. Volunteers of Naujawan Welfare Society also aided in the rescue efforts. That the flow of water in the canal had been stopped for the last two days proved helpful.

CHANDIGARH
Conference in Hanoi: Cooperation minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh will represent India at the International Cooperative Alliance conference to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, this week. He will leave for a four-day tour of Vietnam on Wednesday. The conference is on “Role of cooperation in development of economy, particularly in the context of current economic meltdown”. The International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific has more than 25 nations as its members.

Gurdaspur
Theft case: A fax machine with attachments of scanner and modem was stolen from the Dainik Bhaskar office here last night. Senior correspondent of the newspaper Sunil Kumar said the thieves entered the  office after breaking open the main gate.

Jalandhar
Gen Pratap is Army Air Defence DG: Lieut-Gen Ram Pratap took over as Director-General of Army Air Defence at Army Headquarters here Monday. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), the General was commissioned in January 1972. He has served in the Cabinet secretariat (JIC) and the Military Operation Directorate.

Nawanshahr
Medical camp: Unity of Man - Kirpal Sagar, an NGO, organised a medical checkup-cum-eye operation camp to commemorate the birth anniversary of its founder Dr Harbhajan Singh on Monday. Dr Chitranjan Brar, civil surgeon, inaugurated the camp. As many as 200 patients were examined and 20 eye operations conducted under the supervision of eye surgeon Dr D.P.S. Sandhu, former director, health services, Punjab.

Diabetes camp: Baldev Nayyar, a veteran social worker, organised a diabetes detection-cum-awareness camp at Rai Hospital, Banga, on Monday. As many as 73 persons were examined, out of which 37 were found diabetic. Nayyar gave tips on diabetes management.

‘Jan Kalyan Divas’: The local Arya Samaj, in collaboration with Shashi Kumar Ashadeep Trust, organised a “Jan Kalyan Divas” at Arya Samaj Mandir here on Sunday. Prem Bhardwaj, president of the Arya Samaj, presided over the function and distributed blankets to 75 poor and needy persons.

SANGRUR
Bhai Ghaniyaji Sewa Dal: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Bhai Ghaniyaji Sewa Dal: chairman - Ranjit Singh; president - Gurmeet Singh Nagi; vice-president - Jasbir Singh Pinka; general secretary - Lakhdeep Singh Deep; cashier - Sarbjit Singh Walia; press secretary - Rajwinder Singh Lucky; auditor - Bhupinder Singh Sodhi; and chief advisor - Rajinder Singh.

CHANDIGARH
Last date extended: Keeping in view the persistent demand by the public and feedback received from the field offices, the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam has decided to extend the last date of voluntary disclosure of load scheme for domestic, non-domestic, agricultural tubewell and industrial consumers. The scheme will now remain open till December 31 and no penalties will be charged from the applicant(s) for regularisation of unauthorised load. A spokesman on Monday said the scheme evoked a good response from the consumers and 24,430 consumers had voluntary declared about 260 MW load under the scheme up to October 31. The unauthorised load of AP tubewell consumers would also be regularised on receiving the application and agreement form. The applicant(s), who had extended the existing electricity supply to the new bore, would also be covered under the scheme.

2 HCS officers shifted: The Haryana government has issued transfer and posting orders of two HCS officers with immediate effect. Jagtar Singh, under secretary, planning department, has been posted as City Magistrate, Bhiwani, in place of Naveen Kumar Ahuja, who goes as general manager, Haryana Roadways, Yamunanagar.

Balbir’s death mourned: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has expressed grief over the sad demise of Balbir Singh, media adviser of Haryana minister of state for tourism, forests, environment and sports and youth affairs, Kiran Choudhry. Balbir Singh, who had retired from the Haryana information and public relations department as joint director, breathed his last on Sunday due to cardiac arrest. He was 72. His mortal remains were consigned to flames at his native village, Jewli, in district Bhiwani on Monday. Hooda and Choudhry conveyed their sympathies to the members of the bereaved family.

KURUKSHETRA
Tanwar is KU registrar: The dean of students’ welfare and social sciences, Kurukshetra University, Prof Raghuvendra Tanwar, in addition to his own duties took over as the new registrar of the university till further orders here on Monday. Prof Tanwar assumed the charge in place of Ramesh Sharma, who had retired on November 30. A notification to this effect was issued by the vice-chancellor of the university, Prof R.P. Bajpai, here on Sunday.

REWARI
Cow smuggler held: The police arrested a man, who used to allegedly smuggle cows, on charges of making a bid on the lives of police personnel of the Rohrai police station of Rewari district as well as causing the death of four out of nine cows being taken to Mewat region for butchery on Monday. He has been identified as Sahun of Guarka village of Gurgaon district. However, his four other accomplices -Ayub, Farooq, Moroo and Asroo - managed to escape. A senior police official said when the desperadoes made a bid to run over police personnel, the vehicle, which was loaded with 9 cows, overturned. He further said four cows died due to congestion.