GURDASPUR
Arrested: A police naka party at Simble Chowk here apprehended Bhupinder Singh and Parveen on Thursday who were involved in 17 cases of theft at Nurpur in Himachal Pradesh and Pathankot in Punjab. According to Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, the accused confessed to having stolen a scooter, a gold chain and a locket at Pathankot. They also admitted their involvement in three cases of theft at Nurpur. A case has been registered.

Protest: The PSEB Engineers Association and junior engineers of the local circle held a joint rally on Thursday at Batala to protest against the apathy of the Batala police in arresting the culprits involved in manhandling. Mr R.L. Vashist, Senior Executive Engineer posted at Batala, and staging a dharna at his residence.

Polio vaccination drive: All arrangements to administer polio drops on October 24 to children in the age group of up to 5 years have been finalised. According to Mr S.K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, 3.5 lakh children have been identified for the programme. As many as 1,852 pulse polio camps will be held, which will cover most areas in the district. Fortyone mobile teams will be on duty to administer polio drops at isolated places, including brick-kilns and labour colonies.

HOSHIARPUR
Condemned: The district secretariat of the CPM, at a meeting held under the presidentship of Comrade Beant Singh, strongly condemned the lathi charge on peaceful workers by the police on September 30 at the party office here. In a press note issued here on Wednesday, Comrade Gurmesh Singh, District Secretary of the party, said the meeting demanded immediate transfers of the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP, Hoshiarpur, and an inquiry by a high court Judge into the incident.

LUDHIANA
Best book award: A book titled "Atlas of the Buffalo Anatomy" written by Dr H. Singh and Dr K.S. Roy of College of Veterinary Sciences, Punjab Agricultural University, has been selected for the annual Dr M.S. Randhawa Best Book Award for the year 1997. This was stated here on Wednesday by Dr Surjit Singh Gill, Additional Director, Extension Education (Communication Centre), and Secretary of the selection committee. The award, which carries a memento, a certificate and Rs 5,000, will be presented during the university convocation.

MOGA
Kerosene prices: The black market price of kerosene has touched an all-time high here following an increase in the rates of diesel as announced by the Union Government recently. According to reports, the price of kerosene on Wednesday was quoted at Rs 13 a litre against its controlled price at Rs 3 a litre. The sharp rise in price is causing great inconvenience to the consumers who are not able to get kerosene from the fair price shops.

Meeting: The state unit of the All-India Food Corporation of India Employees Union at a meeting held here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of its President, Mr Birjinder Bawa, urged the management of the corporation to accept their long-pending demands. The management had already given an assurance that all genuine demands would be accepted. It was decided at the meeting that if the demands were not accepted, the union would be forced to launch an agitation to press their demands.

NANGAL
Workshop: A three-day regional workshop on "Tracing and Family Reunion", a programme of the international committee of Red Cross, was inaugurated here on Wednesday by Mr B.M. Ritolia, General Manager, NFL, Naya Nangal. The workshop is being organised by the Indian Red Cross Society and the state Red Cross Society. The basic thrust of the programme is to trace and reunite separated family members during natural calamities, wars and deliberate and unintentional migration to foreign countries.

NAWANSHAHR
Death anniversary: A 'shradhanjali samaroh' to pay tributes to Gian Singh, a Victoria Cross winner, on his third death anniversary will be organised at his native Shahabpur village, about 10 km from here, on October 24. Giving this information here on Wednesday, Mr Resham Singh, Senior Vice-president of the district unit of the SAD, said Mr Parkash Singh Badal would participate in the function.

PATIALA
Nomination: The Punjab Governor, Lt-General B.K.N. Chhibber (retired), has accepted a recommendation of Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, to nominate the university NSS coordinator, Dr B.S. Mann, as a special invitee to the State NSS Coordination Committee. The committee is an apex body to monitor the NSS programmes.

ROPAR
Blood donation camp: The local branch of the State Bank of India, in collaboration with the Rotary Club here, organised a blood donation camp on Wednesday at Government College here. According to Ms Kamaljit Walia, Manager of the branch, 116 donors donated blood at the camp. The donors included college students and bank employees.

Navratra celebrations: The Thursday Ladies Club celebrated navratras by organising 'antakshari' at the Central Club of the Lions Club Rose Chandigarh on Thursday.

Awards: The Rotary Club Chandigarh Mid-Town will celebrate vocational services by giving away awards to Miss Santosh Khurana, Assistant Architect, Mr Malkiat Singh, postman, and Mr Kanwar Pal Singh, head constable, Chandigarh Traffic Police, on Friday.

Eye camp: The Lions Club Chandigarh Greater and Mid-Town celebrated ''sight-first day'' and organised a free eye and medical camp at Karsan multipurpose building in which 300 patients were examined and given free medicines.

Surprise visits: Mrs Kamla Sharma, Chairperson, Chandigarh Social Welfare Advisory Board, made surprise visits to creche units in Dhanas, Dadu majra, Madrasi Colony, Maloya and Baterla. These creches are being funded by the board for the benefit of the children of working women and ailing mothers.

PANCHKULA
Workshop: The Surya Foundation will organise a one-day orientation workshop on HIV/AIDS on Friday for all senior secondary schools in the district. The workshop, which is funded by the Haryana AIDS Control Society, will be held at the Forest Auditorium, Pinjore. Mr P.K. Mahapatra, Director, Secondary Education, Haryana, will be the chief guest.

SAS NAGAR
Painting contest: An on-the-spot drawing and painting competition was organised by Greeen Wood Public School in coordination with the local branch of State Bank of Patiala here on Thursday. As many as 100 students in different age groups participated in the competition.

NARNAUL
Resentment: There is much resentment among the District Bar Association members here over a decision of the Haryana Government, reported in a section of the Press, to transfer more than 17 villages of the Satnali area (Mahendragrah subdivision) to Bhiwani district. Inhabitants of Mahendragarh district want that status quo should be maintained in the event of reorganisation of the district.

PANIPAT
New Deputy Commissioner: Mr Sandeep Garg took over as the Deputy Commissioner on Monday. He replaced Mr Anurag Rastogi who has been transferred as Joint Secretary, Finance.

Open darbar: An open darbar to sort out people's problem on the spot was organised at Neoultha village, 10 km from here, on Wednesday. The Subdivisional Officer (Civil), Mr P.K. Sharma, presided over it. As many as 58 applications regarding various problems were received at the darbar. Mr Sharma handed over these applications to the officers concerned with directions to solve the problems immediately. Most of the problems related to electricity and drinking water.

SIRSA
Burn injuries: Asha Rani (28) Gagriwala village in the district received serious burn injuries at her home on Tuesday while she was preparing tea. She was admitted to the Civil Hospital here where her condition was stated to be stable.

Arrested: Om Parkash of Mandi Dabwali in Haryana and Chander Singh of Bhadra in Rajasthan were arrested by the Dabwali police on Tuesday for smuggling opium. The police recovered 2 kg of opium from them which was being carried in a jeep.

Theft: Mander Singh of Dadu village in district was arrested by the police on Tuesday on a charge of theft. The police recovered gold ornaments from him, which were allegedly stolen by the accused from the house of Baga Singh of Dadu village on September 30. A case has been registered under Sections 454 and 380 of the IPC.

Fake currency: Karni Singh of the local J.J. Colony was arrested by the police here on Tuesday on the charge of cheating. Mr K.K. Misra, Superintendent of Police, said the accused had purchased liquor from a liquor vend and had given fake currency for Rs 100.

Held for gambling: Lilu Ram of Mandi Kalanwali, Dev Raj of Khairpur and two others were arrested on Tuesday by the police here under the Gambling Act. The police recovered a large sum from their possession.

New Deputy Commissioner: Mr Amit Jha took over as the Deputy Commissioner here on Tuesday in place of Dr Avtar Singh, who has been transferred as Secretary, Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam, Panchkula. Mr D.D. Gautam has been appointed as Additional Deputy Commissioner in place of Ms Nirja Shekher.