FATEHGARH SAHIB
Board meeting: Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Chairman of the District Planning Board, presided over a meeting of the board here on Monday. He said the state government had spent Rs 10.46 crore on various development projects in the district. Mr Kalia said under the pension scheme for the aged, widows and disabled persons Rs 83.11 lakh were disbursed.

JALANDHAR
Pensioners' meeting: A meeting of pensioners was organised by the All-India Central Government Pensioners Association here on Monday. Mr S.R. Kang, senior member, District Consumer Protection Forum, was the chief guest. Mr Kang explained the salient features of various provisions and clauses of the Consumer Protection Act. He cited a number of judgements by various consumer protection forums to answer queries of pensioners.

LUDHIANA
DCC office-bearers: The following have been nominated office-bearers of the District Congress Committee (Urban), Ludhiana: vice-presidents — Mr Avtar Singh, Mr Madan Lal Aggarwal, Mr Rakesh Sood, Mr Krishan Lal Maigh and Mr Dewan Chand; general secretaries — Mr Jagdish Marwaha, Mr Ablash Sahi, Mr Babu Ram, Mr Rajinder Sayal, Mr Dharampal Verma and Mr Subhash Duggal; and secretaries — Mr Mohinder Kumar, Mr Surinder Sapna, Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Rajinder Kochhar, Mr Inderjit Chopra and Mr Darshan Lal Sethi.

MOGA
Arrested: The Baghapurana police in this district on Monday said Dev Raj, a resident of Rode village in this district, had been arrested and 15 kg of poppyheads seized from him. He had been involved in smuggling for the past several years. He is being interrogated for further details.

Freedom fighter: Veteran freedom fighter Ishar Singh Balianwali passed away after a brief illness here on Monday. He was 95. He leaves behind three sons and two daughters. Ishar Singh was cremated with full state honours in Bathinda. Punjab Minister of State for Food and Supplies Chiranji Lal Garg laid wreaths on the body of Ishar Singh on behalf of the Chief Minister.

NAWANSHAHR
Elected: Mr H.R Sharma and Mr Gurmit Singh have been elected president and secretary, respectively, of the district unit of the Punjab State Government Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union.

SANGRUR
Sangat darshan: A sangat darshan programme was held here on Monday. Mr Anirudh Tewari, Deputy Commissioner, presided. Of the 13 complaints received three were solved on the spot and the remaining ones were referred to the departments concerned. The Deputy Commissioner directed all officers to remain present in the sangat darshan, failing which strict action would be taken against them.

MUBARIKPUR
Fire: More than 2 tonnes of jute bags, stored on the premises of Nabha Industries, situated on the Mubarikpur-Ramgarh highway, were reduced to ashes when a fire broke out about 12.45 a.m. on Monday night. Fire engines from Dera Bassi and Chandigarh brought the flames under control after five hours.

PANCHKULA
Energy conservation: As many as 200 school children participated in a race organised by the district administration to observe Energy Conservation Day on Monday. Besides, 50 children also participated in an essay competition on “The biggest source of solar energy”. The first, second and third position holders in the essay contest were given a cash prize of Rs 1000, Rs 700 and Rs 200, respectively, by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Aggarwal.

Welfare association: The following have been elected the office-bearers of the Resident Welfare Association of Sector 4: Chairman — Mr S.D. Daid; President — Mr R.K. Gupta; Senior Vice-Presidents — Mr R.N. Trikha, Mr K.D. Prabhakar and Mr Jagjit Soi; Vice-Presidents — Mr N.N. Bhanot and Mr Naresh Bansal; General Secretary — Capt S.S. Malhi (retd); Finance Secretary — Mr R.P. Sharda; Cultural Secretary — Mr Ashwani Kumar and Joint Secretary — Mr O.P. Sharma.

Lecture: The Ghoomer Academy will organise a lecture-cum-demonstration of bharatnatyam at Hans Raj Public School on May 7. Renowned classical dancer, Suchitra Mitra, will be the main attraction at the summer cultural workshop for children.

Sammelan: The five-day 69th Shri Hariram Sankitran Sammelan will be organised in Sector 20, Chandigarh, from May 7.

JIND
Mourned: The district unit of the Haryana Rajkiya Adhyapak Sangh at a meeting here on Monday condoled the death of Mr Jagde Ram and Mr Ramphal, government teachers who were killed in two separate road accidents in Jind district recently.

Sanatan Dharam Sabha: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Sanatan Dharam Sabha: president — Mr Sat Prakash Mishra; senior vice-president — Mr Mahesh Sharma; vice-president — Mr Ram Dhari; secretary — Mr Surinder Kumar Gautam; joint secretary — Mr Rishi Lal Goyal; and treasurer — Mr Ishwar Chand Patwari.

PANIPAT
Congress grass: At a meeting of district officers here on Monday, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Rastogi, asked the officers to get parthenium removed from their respective offices and surroundings. He urged the District Education Officer and the District Primary Education Officer to ensure that the congress grass was eliminated from educational institutions. He also asked the president of the municipal committee to take immediate steps to eliminate the grass from all municipal wards.

SIRSA
Assaulted: Lilu Ram and his son Kalu Ram, were injured by a group of persons with sharp-edged weapons in the fields on Sunday. It has been alleged that a group of four persons led by Gopi Ram made a murderous assault on them when they were irrigating their fields. The reason for the assault is said to be a dispute over irrigation water.

Blood donation: As many as 60 units of blood were collected at a blood donation camp organised by Setu, a social organisation, here on Sunday. As many as 40 police officials, including Mr Patram Singh, DSP, donated blood.

Open durbar: As many as 110 complaints were put forward in an open durbar held on Monday at the local Patwar Bhawan. The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Gupta, disposed of the problems on the spot. He also appealed to officers to take personal interest in redressing the problems of the common man.

Complaint lodged: A complaint has been lodged with the SSP, Sirsa, and the state Chief Minister through the DC against ASI Charan Singh and three constables of the Fatehabad police by Tara Chand, Sarpanch of Nahrana village. Mr Tara Chand has alleged the four raided his house on Saturday in his absence without having any search warrant from the Sirsa police.

Solar energy race: A solar energy race was organised by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) here at the local Maharana Partap Stadium on Monday. Mr Arun Gupta, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sirsa, flagged off the race. Earlier, a declamation contest on "Solar energy is best energy" was also held at the local Government Girls Senior Secondary School.

Suicide: Sanjiv Kumar, a resident of Chamba Khas in Dehra subdivision, allegedly committed suicide by taking some poisonous substance on Monday. The reason for the suicide is not known. A case has been registered.

NAHAN
Requested: Mr Sannu Ram Chauhan, Chairman of the Sirmour Zila Parishad, in a press note released here on Monday requested the Himachal Chief Minister to accept the demands of panchayat chowkidars. He said the agitation of these chowkidars was justified as the salary they were getting was less than of part-time water carriers of the Education Department.