Pension adalat: Amritsar will host the first defence pension adalat in the first week of April to redress grievances of defence pensioners here and in adjoining districts. This was stated by Mr S.N. Yadav, senior accounts officer, Office of the Chief Controller Defence Accounts (P), Allahabad.

FEROZEPORE
Committee: A high-level committee, headed by Mr R.N. Gupta, Finance and Chief Secretary, Agriculture, Punjab, visited the city on Friday and heard farmers' grievances whose paddy crop had been damaged. A meeting of rice millers, 'arhtiyas' and Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) experts would be held in Chandigarh to discuss the issue, he added.

JALANDHAR
Inaugurated: Mr Balbir Singh Sangha, President, Punjab Samaj Seva Society, inaugurated Lohian Charitable Hospital, a first hospital of alternative medicine in the state, at Lohian Khas village near here on Friday. Dr Ajit Singh Saini, Director of the hospital, said this system of medicine was more effective, cheeper and free from side effects. A free medical check-up camp was also organised by the hospital.

Function: The Apeejay College of Fine Arts organised the annual prize distribution and convocation on Friday. Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Local Bodies Minister, Punjab, was the chief guest. An art gallery was also inaugurated by him in the college.

LUDHIANA
Meeting: A meeting of Congress workers, under the chairmanship of Mr Mohinder Singh Kalayan, a former Rajya Sabha MP, took place on Wednesday in which the deteriorating condition of the town was discussed. The inefficiency of the local Municipal Corporation on all fronts and the high-handedness of the Punjab Government also figured in the discussion. It was resolved to form a charter of demands and constitute an action committee.

Caught: Mr Vinod Kumar Jain, an Inspector at the office of the District Food and Supply Controller, was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 1,500. The accused had allegedly demanded the bribe from Mr Harwinder Singh, a kerosene depot holder, for renewing his licence.

MOGA
Ban sought: Parents of school-going children urged the district administration here on Saturday to impose a ban on the loudspeakers installed at all religious places as the annual examinations were going on. They said these loudspeakers also disturbed those who were ill.

Invitation: Dr Jagdish Rai, a veterinary officer of the local Civil Dispensary, has been invited to attend the fifth International Symposium on Nutrition of Herbivorous to be held at Texas in the USA from April 10. He will present his research papers in the symposium.

NAWANSHAHR
Dharna: The district unit of the Revenue Patwar Union, Punjab, held a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Friday in support of their long-pending demands

AIDS: The Shagun Welfare Society, Mohali, organised AIDS awareness programmes on the local truck union premises at Balachaur and Asron on Thursday. Mr Pritam Singh Johal, Additional Deputy Commissioner, and Mr Ashok Kumar, Joint Director, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, lauded the efforts of the society in creating awareness among the masses.

Gherao: Activists of the district unit of the Punjab Kisan Sabha gheraoed the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Friday and virtually disrupted the working of the office for about two hours. Earlier the activists took out a protest march in the town.

PATIALA
Coaching classes: The IAS and Allied Services Training Centre, Punjabi University, will now start coaching classes for the second batch of PCS (Executive) personality development and interview preparation course from March 5 in place of March 2, according to Dr G.S Bajwa, Director of the centre. He said there was no change in the date of admission.

Books: Two children's books, 'Baal Bataan' and 'Baal Geet', written by Darshan Singh Asht in Punjabi will be released on March 7 at Bhasha Bhawan here, according to Mr Jasbir Singh Jass, General Secretary, Punjabi Baal Sahit Academy, here on Friday.

Seminar: The Horticulture Department of Chandigarh Administration organised a seminar on Saturday at museum and art gallery as part of the Festival of Gardens. Mr Jagdish Sagar, Adviser to the Administrator, UT, while inaugurating the seminar, said a committee had been constituted recently to advise which species of plants should be planted in the second phase of the city. The speakers addressed topics like general floriculture, commercial floriculture in Punjab, plain orchids and trees in Chandigarh.

Trade delegation: Mr Tommy Thomson, Governor of Wisconsin, USA, accompanied by the Counsul-General in Chicago, Mr J C Sharma, will visit Chandigarh on Sunday. He will be accompanied by a 30-member trade delegation. The delegation would visit the Festival of Gardens and the Kalagram craft fair.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the SC/BC Morcha of the BJP vice-presidents — Mr Rajinder Kumar, Mr Sher Singh, and Mr Sukhvinder Singh; General Secretaries — Mr Vinod Dhalor and Mr Bhagwan Dass Sangam; secretaries — Mr Pappu, Mr Ranjit Singh, Mr Raju Dass Bengali and Ms Rameshwari; and treasurer — Mr Satya Paul Singh.

AIDS awareness show: The Shellac Fashion World, in collaboration with the State AIDS Control society, UT, will organise an “AIDS awareness road show” in the city on Sunday. The road show will start from the PGI gate and pass through Sectors 11, 10, 16, 9, 8, 7, 26, 30, 29, 20, 21, 34, 35, 43, 36, 23, 22 and 17.

ZIRAKPUR
Remanded: The Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Rajpura, on Saturday remanded Amar Bahadur to judicial custody till March 13, for possessing illicit liquor. The accused had been arrested by Lohgarh police for selling liquor to jhuggi dwellers in the town. A case under Section 61 of Excise Act has been registered against him. According to Mr Tajinder Singh, sub-inspector, 14 bottles of country-made liquor were recovered from him.

SIRSA
Fish farming: In order to promote fish farming in the district a loan worth Rs 7.50 lakh was distributed among 12 farmers during this financial year by the Fish Development Agency, Dr Avtar Singh, Deputy Commissioner, said here on Saturday. He said agency had trained 40 persons in fish farming in this district.

Seminar: The Shri Ramalok Kalyan Manch will organise a seminar on "Religion Politics Society and Journalism" here on Sunday, Mr Raj Kapoor Bharadwaj, president of the manch, said here on Saturday. Mr Suresh Akhori, Chairman, India Journalist Union, will be the main speaker.

Three arrested: Sanjay, his father, Hardayal, and his mother, Bidami, of Rupana Bishnoian village in this district were arrested by the Nathusari Chopta police on Friday in a criminal case registered against them last week under Sections 498-A and 304-B of the IPC. Mr B.S.Sandhu, SSP, said here on Saturday that they were arrested on a complaint of Ladhu Ram of Ramsara village . He said his daughter, Rajbala, was married to Sanjay about four years back and she was allegedly poisoned to death on February 19.

Contaminated water: Residents of about six villages, including Naherana, Ludesar and Nathusari, have been getting contaminated drinking water being supplied by the public health authorities. According to informed sources, more than 12 villages of Darba assembly in the district are in the severe grip of water-logging and thousands of acres were not being cultivated for want of relief.

SONEPAT
Two killed: A cyclist, Jaipal (34) of Butani village in Jind district, was hit by a car and killed on the spot near Bari village on Friday. The Ganaur police has registered a case against the car driver. In another accident, a cyclist, Salim of Shahzadpur village, was hit by a Haryana Roadways bus and killed on the spot near the village on Friday. A case was registered against the bus driver.

Body found: The body of a man, around 45-year-old, was found in a coach of HNK train at railway station here on Friday. According to the railway police, the body was sent for a post-mortem examination.

YAMUNANAGAR
Visit: Choudhry Narayan Singh, Minister, Technical Education, Haryana, visited the Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Management Studies and Research here on Friday. Discussing the role of educational institutions in the area of management, the minister said this institute was providing valuable contribution in the field of quality education.