Bathinda
Chief engineer: Kamaljit Singh has taken over charge as chief engineer, GNDTP, Bathinda, on Friday. He replaces K.K. Goyal who has been transferred as chief engineer P&M, Ludhiana. On taking over as chief engineer, Kamaljit Singh, who has an excellent professional record, said his first priority would be not to achieve but to exceed the generation targets fixed by the PSEB.

Guest lecture: Dr Vitull K. Gupta, consultant physician at Kishori Ram Hospital and Diabetes Care Centre, has been invited to deliver a guest lecture on “Globalisation and healthcare in India” at the 5th International AMCAA-AMDAANA CME 2009 at Government Medical College, Amritsar on February 14-15. Dr Dupta was honoured by IMA Bathinda for his achievements this year.

50 students donate blood at camp: The True World of Education, in association with Rotary Club, Bathinda Cantt, organised a blood donation camp on its premises here on Friday where over 50 students volunteered for the noble cause, said Rajeev Goyal, managing director of the institute. Aashish Chaudhary, SSP, Bathinda, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Jalandhar
‘Hike allocation for higher education’:The Federation of Associations of College Principals, Punjab and Chandigarh, has welcomed the proceedings of the 55th meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) in rejecting some of the unconstructive recommendations made by the National Knowledge Commission (NKC). Federation president Dr V.K. Tewari said the Punjab government should increase allocation for higher  education and create  a statutory democratic  state council of higher education as recommended by the UGC two decades ago.

PATIALA
Minor fire at Rajindra Hospital: An electric junction box in the emergency wing of Rajindra Hospital caught fire due to short-circuit here on Thursday. The minor fire erupted at around 10 am in the emergency wing, which was adjacent to a number of sensitive wards like the cardiology and plastic surgery wards and operation-theatre. Sources said the junction caught fire due to a short-circuit in the “old wires”.

Appointed: Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, has appointed Dr Baldev Singh Malhi as head of the Law Department of the university and Dr Ravi Kiran Singh as in charge of the department (Evening shift) of the university under the rule of headship by rotation.

Honoured: Bhushan Kumar, research scholar in the Department of Botany of Punjabi University, was facilitated by the Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Dr M S Kang with the best-poster award, with a certificate of merit, medal and a cash award in a poster session of biosciences, agriculture and biotechnology during the 12th Punjab Science Congress held in Ludhiana recently.

Rajpura
Man ends life: Avinash Chander, a resident of Shyam Nagar, committed suicide by jumping before a speeding train on Thursday night. According to the police, the deceased was upset for past long time due to some chronic ailment. Investigation has been initiated in this connection by the police.

SANGRUR
Kisan sabha holds rally: Activists and members of the district unit of the Punjab Kisan Sabha (Sambar) held a rally at the district administrative complex here on Thursday. They submitted a memorandum to the administration for forwarding it to the Prime Minister. Former MLA and district president of the sabha Achhra Singh, general secretary Hardev Singh Bakhshiwala and district secretary of the CPI Satwant Singh Khandewal addressed the rally.

Training to drug addicts: To make the reformed drug addicts self-reliant and financially strong, the authorities of District Red Cross Drug De-addiction Hospital have started a bee-keeping project on the hospital campus. Inmates will be imparted training to start their own bee-keeping units. Project director Mohan Sharma said Sukhwinder Singh, a reformed addict from Bamal village, had taken upon himself the responsibility to impart free bee-keeping training to the inmates.