Honoured: Dr S.S. Bir, emeritus Professor of Punjabi University, Patiala, and Dr I.S. Grover, Professor of botanical sciences at Guru Nanak Dev University, will be honoured in recognition of their contributions in the field of plant and environmental sciences on August 25 at Guru Nanak Bhavan Auditorium. The awards will be presented to these scientists by Dr H.S. Soch, Vice-Chancellor.

Panchayat Sangathan: The Hindustani Panchayat sangathan organised its first conference at Thathian Mahantan village near Sarhali. President of the sangathan Varinder Mohan Trehan and General Secretary Sahir Hassan attended the conference. Delegates from all over the state, including panches and sarpanches, attended the conference.

LUDHIANA
Workshop: Workshop on intensified pulse polio immunisation was held at the office of the Civil Surgeon on Monday. Dr Rajinder Kaur, Civil Surgeon, inaugurated the workshop which was attended by 60 doctors, senior medical officers and medical officers from all blocks of the district.

Appointed: Mr Naunihal Singh has been appointed organising secretary of the Punjab Youth Congress by the state president, Mr Davinder Singh Babboo.

Installation ceremony: The installation ceremony of the new team of the Inner Wheel Club was held here on Monday. Mrs Rekha Munjal was installed new president, Mrs Madhu Khosla as secretary, Mrs Kalyani Rai as treasurer and Mrs Poonam Bindra as Editor of the club's news letter. The Executive Director of the Media Production House, Ms Nalini Singh, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Exhibition: An exhibition-cum-sale of Khurja potteries, organised by the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), was inaugurated here on Monday by the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the NSIC, Mr M. Ahmad. While inaugurating the exhibition, organised in association with the Kuttir Chinni Patra Utpadak Sangathan, Mr Ahmad said the small sector must establish brand equity internationally. Mr Arun Goel, Deputy Commissioner, was the chief guest.

Election offices: The election offices of Mr Ashwani Sharma, joint candidate of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Giani Zail Singh Ekta Dal for the Ludhiana (North) Vidhan Sabha constituency have started functioning from Daulat Colony, New Madhopuri, Kirpal Nagar and Kashmir Nagar.

Meeting: The Janata Dal, Yuva Janata Dal and the Chaatra Janata Dal organised a meeting to make preparations for the rally to be held by the party in support of Gurpreet Sharma, alias Sonu, victim in the alleged rape case involving the son and a close relative of the Punjab Agriculture Minister, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal.

Election campaign: The Congress candidate from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency, Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, on Monday visited Jatana, Rampur, Begowal, FCI Colony, Doraha, Rara Sahib, and Madnipur villages as a part of his election campaign.

Milk vendors sentenced: Two milk vendors, Sikander and Balbir, have been sentenced to six months' imprisonment for selling adulterated milk. A fine of Rs 1000 each has also been imposed on them by Mr G.S. Kotla, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Civil Courts.

PATIALA
Decried: The Punjab Government College Teachers Association has decried the non-implementation of the UGC notification regarding the revision of pay-scales and payment of arrears to college teachers. Condemning the "negative" attitude of the government, Dr P.S. Bhatti, president and Mr B.S. Sandhu, general secretary of the association, said even though eight months had passed since the notification yet the government had not implemented it. They said the association had now decided to take the matter to the court.

Sapling plantation: The local Rotary Club organised a sapling plantation project at Government Multi Purpose Senior Secondary School (Girls), Model Town, here on Monday in collaboration with the State Bank of Patiala (Rajindra Hospital branch). Dr R.S. Randhawa, eye surgeon, was the chief guest at the function in which saplings of many trees and ornamental shrubs were planted at the school premises.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of Government Schools Laboratory Staff Union: president — Mr Gulzar Mohammad, vice-president — Ms Bimla Puri; general secretary — Mr Vijay Kumar; organising secretary — Mr Nikka Singh; joint secretary — Mr Bhupinder Singh.

Medical camp: A general medical check-up diabetes detection camp was organised by the Lions Club (Patiala Citizen) at Wazidpur village here on Saturday. At least 250 patients were examined and medicines were also given to the needy patients.

Presented: A delegation of Dr Ambedkar Study Circle, Chandigarh, presented a book titled 'The Philosophy of Dr B.R. Ambedkar' to Mr K.R. Narayanan, the President of India, in New Delhi on Saturday.

Meet: A customer meet was organised by the Bank of Rajasthan at Sanjay Public School, Sector 44, on Tuesday. Mr B.S. Kaithwal, Deputy General Manager, said the bank had started a car and housing loan scheme for benefit of middle income group.

Function: A function, 'Pollution-Free Environment Day', was organised by the Lions Club Chandigarh Vishal at Sector 45 Government Secondary School on Tuesday. The principal of the school was honoured by Mr D.S. Saroya, DPI (Schools).

Contest: A paper-reading contest was organised by the State Bank of India, Sector 7, at the Sector 33-D Government Model Senior Secondary School on Tuesday. Seventeen students took part.

Camp: A dental camp was organised by the Nav Bal Niketan School, Sector 12-A, for its students on its premises on Tuesday. Over 200 students were examined.

Clarification: The name of Major-General S.S. Sharma was inadvertently printed as Major-General S.S. Sharma (retd) on Tuesday in a news item titled 'Talk on Avalanche'. The error is regretted.

PANCHKULA
Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Valmik Sabha, Naraingarh: Chairman — Mr Jagdish Chander; President — Mr Sant Ram; Vice-President — Mr Chandni Ram; General Secretary — Mr Kishore Lal Hans; Treasurer — Mr Hori Lal; and Chief Adviser — Mr Roshan Lal.

Case registered: The police has registered a case under Section 304 of the IPC against in-laws of Jogindro, who had died reportedly under mysterious circumstances at Dumerkhan village in the district. The father of the deceased had allegedly filed a complaint with the police that the in-laws of his daughter used to harass her for not bringing sufficient dowry and had poisoned her.

Raped: A woman of Ahirka village in the district was raped allegedly by a person of the same village, according to a report received here on Sunday. The victim in a complaint to the police alleged that the accused, Sunil, took her forcibly to a sugarcane field and raped her. The police has registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC and arrested the suspect.

Sentenced: The Judicial Magistrate, Mr P.R. Pahadia, has convicted a salesman Sher Singh of Swahan Bahuudesia Sehakari Sabha Samiti Depot for embezzling a sum of Rs 65,269 of the society and has sentenced him to two years of simple imprisonment (already undergone) and an additional fine of Rs 4,000. In case of default in the payment of fine, the accused will have to undergo simple imprisonment of six months.

KANGRA
Blood donation: The Sant Nirankari Mission organised a blood donation camp at Dari village on Sunday. About 272 units of blood were donated by the volunteers at the camp. The blood was collected by a team of doctors from Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, and Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda.

Yajna: The Vishva Hindu Parishad performed a mahayajna at the local Brajeshwari Temple on Sunday in memory of the Kargil martyrs. Col Ajit Singh, Station Commander, Yol Cantonment, who was the chief guest on the occasion, honoured the widow of a soldier who had sacrificed his life in Kargil.

SHIMLA
Presented: The president of the Himachal Youth Congress, Mr Sukhwinder Singh, has presented an amount of Rs 51,000 to the AICC president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, towards the relief fund for Kargil heroes.

SUNDERNAGAR
Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Bharat Vikas Parishad: president — Mr Prithi Pal Singh Guleri; vice-president Mrs Kanta Puri; general secretary — Mr Bhagat Ram Sharma; and treasurer — Mr P.L. Sharma.