Bathinda
Coin vending machine: To resolve the problem of loose change, the State Bank of Patiala on Tuesday inaugurated a small coin vending machine at its Kikkar Bazar branch here. General manager (Technical and Inspection) S Sridhar said the machine would supply coins with denomination of Re one and Rs two. Chief manager IM Sofat termed the machine as first of its kind in Malwa.

31 units of blood donated: Thirty-one persons donated blood here during a camp organised by Dr HS Sodhi on the first death anniversary of Comrade Joginder Bhasin.

Protest over demolition: Lodging resentment over the demolition process of about 124 commercial establishments in the city, ex-minister Charanji Lal Garg along with a deputation met the DC on Tuesday. Garg alleged that the shopkeepers, who were issued notices, did not get fair chance to express their viewpoint. The DC assured Garg of constituting a committee to hear the aggrieved parties before demolishing the buildings.

CHANDIGARH
Assn hails decision: The Punjab State IAS Officers Association has welcomed the decision of the Punjab Information Commission asking all IAS officers to declare their assets. In a statement, the association said it unequivocally supported the principle of transparency, probity and accountability in public services, and therefore, had never raised any objection or caused any obstruction with regard to the disclosure of the contents of annual property returns of officers.

LUDHIANA
Couple kidnapped: A couple was kidnapped here on Tuesday by some miscreants. “The couple was walking when two cars came and stopped in front of them. A group of around 10-12 persons came out of the vehicles and started beating the girl. Later they took her in the car. The boy managed to flee,” police sources said. However, the boy was followed by the kidnappers and was later caught by them. Investigations were still on till the filing of the report. Neither the couple nor the kidnappers have been identified.

MOGA
Kharif irrigation: The state Irrigation Department has announced a rotational programme of irrigation from December 18 to December 25 for the kharif season through the canal water channels. The channels of the Sirhind Canal System will run on a priority basis from Bist Doab, Sidhwan branch, Bathinda branch, Patiala feeder and Abohar branch, respectively. A spokesperson for the department said the direct distributaries of the Bhakra Main Line in group ‘A’ would run to their indent. The balance water supplies available will be utilised in the Ghaggar branch and its off-taking channels- Ghaggar branch and Patiala Minor in Group ‘B’, respectively.

Pathankot
Travel agent arrested: The police arrested Rakesh Singh, a resident of Jhakhar village, here today for duping a youth of Rs 2.6 lakh on the pretext of sending one Mukesh Singh abroad. Mukesh Singh gave Rs 2.6 lakh to Rakesh Singh in 2008. However, Rakesh Singh neither send him abroad nor returned his money.A case under  sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered.

PATIALA
Farmers back Sidhu: The Indian Farmers Association on Tuesday came out in full support of Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu for demanding a heritage status for Amritsar. The association lauded his efforts for getting the city recognised all over the world. Association president Satnam Singh Bairu said all state MPs must support Sidhu’s cause, forgetting their party conflicts.

Elected: Members of the PSEB Resident Welfare Association, 66KV Grid Colony, at its meeting elected new office-bearers here on Tuesday.President - Sohan Singh; vice-president-Mahesh Kumar; general secretary-Surjit Singh Dhillon;finance secretary-Ravi Dass;press secretary-Ramesh Arora and adviser-Bhagwan Singh. Executive members:-Raj Kumar,Bhupinder Singh,Jitendar Singh,Gurbaj Singh, Bikram Singh and Daeshan Singh.

AMBALA
Bar association poll: Satish Kumar Jain was elected president of the Ambala District Bar Association unanimously on Tuesday. Jain had been the president of the bar association for five times. He also remained deputy advocate general in 1986. The lawyers Sham Singh, Jasdev Saini, Jawahar Lal Gupta, Mohan Lal Gupta, Rita Suri, Inder Mohan Rao and Chander Mohan Rao welcomed Jain for holding the chair of the bar for the sixth times.

Couple killed in accident: A couple died in a road accident last evening. According to information, Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Sector 7, was on his way to Ambala from Jansui village on his two-wheeler, when a speedy truck hit him on the Ambala-Hissar road. The couple was then rushed to the Civil Hospital. Ramesh’s wife Raj Rani succumbed to her injuries, while Ramesh was referred to a hospital in Chandigarh, where he died. A case has been registered against the truck driver.

KURUKSHETRA
9,894 to take UGC test: As many as 9,894 candidates in 39 subjects have been registered for the University Grants Commission (UGC) NET for the eligibility of Junior Research Fellowship and Lectureship, which has been scheduled to be held on December 27. Stating this mediapersons here on Tuesday, Examinations Controller, KU, YP Goswami said the KU was the only identified test centre of the UGC in Haryana for the test which would be held at 31 examination centres created by the university in two shifts. He said roll numbers to all eligible candidates had been dispatched. Those who did not receive their roll numbers can obtain duplicate roll number three days before the examination.

PANIPAT
Seminar on cyber crime: The Samalkha Group of Institutes on Monday organised a seminar on national cyber crime in which experts and administrators stressed upon the need to find quick solutions to combat cyber crime. The seminar was presided over by Deputy Commissioner Vijay Singh Dahiya. He said information and communication mediums were steering the society towards new directions and it had become an inseparable part of life. He said experts should work to find a collective solution to tackle various problems being faced in communication.

REWARI
Man dies of burn injuries: A visually challenged man identified as Muni Lal (70) died after he sustained burn injuries while he was sitting beside a fire at Parkhotampur village, 16 km from here, on Monday. He was rushed to the local Civil Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. The Jatusana police, which held an inquest under section 174 of the CrPC, has treated it as a case of accidental death.

Girl booked: The supervisory staff reportedly found Noopur Agarwal appearing in place of Neha Devi in Mathematics paper of the first semester of BBA examinations of MDU at an examination centre in Kishan Lal Public College here on Monday. On a complaint filed by centre superintendent Shamsher Singh Yadav, the city police has registered a case of cheating and impersonation in this regard.

SIRSA
2 caught for impersonation: Two youths were caught impersonating for others in the re-appear examination of the Diploma in Arts and Craft course in Chaudhary Devi Lal University on Tuesday. The youths - Naresh and Vikas - were found appearing for students, Suresh and Deepak, respectively. The invigilating staff handed over the youths to the local police after recording their statements. The youths were, however, let off by the police and no criminal case was registered against them. Jagdish Chander, in charge of the HUDA police post, said no written complaint had been given to them in this regard.