Bathinda
Mandi Board chief seeks relief package: Punjab Mandi Board chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal today demanded a special package for the state in view of the prevailing drought-like situation. Addressing mediapersons in Bathinda, Lakhowal said he had sought an appointment with the Prime Minister and would be demanding a Rs 2,500 crore package for Punjab. Hitting out at the 17 kisan unions active in the state, he alleged that these associations had done nothing for the welfare of the farmers. “These unions have even failed to effectively raise the issues that matter to the farmers,” he said. Lakhowal also said that the state government had decided to compensate the families of those farmers who had committed suicide due to financial reasons. 

Chandigarh
Arhtiyas up in arms against Centre: Members of the Punjab Arhtiya Association have decided to protest the Union Government's letter to the state government asking it to eliminate their (arhtiyas) role from foodgrain marketing. The arhtiyas along with farmers and labourers will be holding rallies in the Malwa region on August 22 and in the Majha belt on August 23. In a statement, association president Ravinder Singh Cheema said if the Union Government did not withdraw its letter by August 31, they would stage a rally in front of Parliament as well as the Ministry of Food and Supplies. 

Bilaspur
4 held for theft: The police has arrested four persons in separate incidents of theft. SP Santosh Patial said here on Friday that a police party had arrested Job Raj of Hoshiarpur, Punjab, for stealing jewellery, cash and a mobile phone from the house of Daya Ram of Dadhole Khurd village under the Bharadi police station here. The SP said three more persons had been arrested for stealing a motorcycle of Ram Pal of Palset village in the district. The three were arrested from Ghoiwaal, Punjab.

Nominations for dist Cong panel: State Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur has made four more nominations to the District Congress Committee here. District Congress president Santosh Dhiman said here on Friday that Ram Lal Thakur and Jiwan Singh had been appointed as district vice-presidents of the committee. Hira Pal Singh Thakur had been appointed as the district general secretary, while Navin Verma had been appointed as the district secretary of committee. 

3 temple trust employees suspended: The Shri Naina Deviji Temple Trust has suspended three employees working at the inn, Maatri Sharanam, in Bilaspur. Dharam Pal, Deepak and Kamal were suspended aa they were found not doing duty properly after being warned. They were also served a show-cause notice for lapses in service.

Hamirpur
Admissions to engg programmes: The Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HPTU), Hamirpur, has allowed 10+2 pass outs, having obtained 50 per cent marks with physics, chemistry and mathematics and even those who had not appeared in the AIEEE exams, to attend the second round of counselling for walk-in admissions to engineering programmes of its affiliated colleges in the state. Manoj Kumar, registrar of the HPTU, said the second round of counselling would be held from August 5 to 9 for different categories.

Kangra
1 killed, 2 injured in mishap: A youth was killed on the spot and two others injured when their motorcycle was hit by a vehicle on Thursday at Dadroli near Chattri on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway. The police said Vijay Kumar of Jalad village died on the spot, while two others received injuries in the accident. The injured were taken to Dr RP Government Medical College, Tanda, it added. A case has been registered under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A of the IPC and 187 of the MV Act.

Mandi
Jewellery shop burgled: Two persons decamped with jewellery worth Rs one lakh from the shop of Mehar Chand Puri of Moti Bazaar here on Thursday. According to the owner, two persons came to his shop as customers and decamped with jewellery worth Rs one lakh. An FIR has been registered and investigations are on.

Shimla
3 killed in mishaps: Three persons were killed in separate accidents in the Rohru area of the district on Friday. Arjun died when his tractor met with an accident near Chhachhi Dhar in the Rohru area. In another accident, Ramesh Kumar, a truck driver, died when his vehicle met with an accident. Parveen Kumar died on the spot and Balwant Sing sustained serious injuries when a pickup van coming from Shimla to Rohru met with an accident near Rohru.

Sadyal is ADGP, Law & Order: KC Sadyal, Additional Director General of Police (Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau), will be the new ADGP, Law and Order. Sadyal replaces SR Mardi, who was Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order. Sadyal will continue to look after (Vigilance) also.