Stir Threat
Jalandhar: Jalandhar Petroleum Dealers Association today threatened to launch an agitation and even close the petrol pumps if the Punjab government failed to withdraw the hike in octroi rates on petroleum products. The decision was taken in a meeting of the association here. The association observed that with the hike, petrol would be costly by 15 paise per litre and diesel by 10 paise per litre in Jalandhar as compared to neighbouring districts like Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.

Appointment Hailed
Shimla: Himachal Chief Minister, P. K. Dhumal has congratulated A. M. Khusro who has been appointed as chairman of the 11th finance commission. He expressed hope that with the appointment of Khusro, Himachal Pradesh will get its due from the commission.

J-K Security
Chandigarh: Swami Krishnanand, president of All India Hindu Maha Sangh and founder of Naina Devi Gufa has demanded strict security arrangement in Jammu and Kashmir so that people might not leave the state out of fear. "The situation in the state is so tense that the President and the Central government must intervene," he said in a press release issued today.

Injured
Bathinda
: At least 26 persons were injured when a private company BUS overturned near Rampura Phul, Wednesday afternoon. The injured are being treated at the local civil hospital. On was injured seriously has been refereed to DMC, Ludhiana.

Rally
Barnala: The Students Federation of India (local unit) held a rally outside the office of the local SDM to lodge a protest against a computer centre which had allegedly, duped hundreds of students. The students alleged that the centre management enrolled several students by staking a false claim that their computer centre was duly affiliated with the UGC.

Camp
Nahan: The Rotary Rehabilitation Centre Trust at Nahan organised a disabled welfare camp at Haripurdhar about 100 km from here today. As many as 84 beneficiaries were provided artificial limbs and wheel chairs etc costing Rs 1 lakh. Hundreds of local residents attended the camp.

Odds and Ends
Batala: As a part of national campaign to celebrate World Population Day, the state government has also made arrangements to observe the day on July 11. Director Health Services and Family Welfare P. S. Jassi, Punjab, said on Tuesday that Punjab government would launch a long term family welfare campaign for the weaker sections. He said district level seminars would organised in all the state districts on Saturday and a state level function organised at Civil Hospital, Muktsar. Manoranjan Kalia would be the chief guest.

Batala: Sant Baba Hazara Singh Youth Club, village Ghuman near here, has decided to run a month-long coaching class for its newly elected sarpanch and panch who are totally illiterate. Satbir Singh, president and Sukhwinder Singh, secretary of the club told that the club would impart them primary education in the degree college of their village to help them in running the affairs of the village. They demanded from Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, and State Election Commissioner C. D. Cheema, to set norms of minimum qualification for candidates seeking panchayat elections.Nahan: Rameshwar Sharma, Session Judge, district Sirmour, convicted Jagdish Chand s/o Pannu Ram r/o village Bankoli, tehsil Paonta yesterday, for offence under Section 307 of the IPC to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 5 years and fined him Rs 500. According to Kulwant Singh, district attorney Sirmour, the accused, on February 4, 1996 at about 12 am, was found inside the tile factory at Bainkuan under the influence of liquor. When watchman Gulzar Singh asked the accused the reason for his presence, he was hit by an axe on the head by the accused. Ujagar Singh had become unconscious and had gained consciousness only at PGI, Chandigarh.

Nahan: Nandu, a life prisoner in a murder case slipped away from the Jail yesterday when he, alongwith other prisoners, was brought to work in the jail farm. They were working under one warden and he slipped away taking benefit of the long grass in the farm. The superintendent of the jail who is also the SDM of Nahan, said that the police was immediately informed and a special force had been deputed to search for him.

They said that when they came to know that they were being provided fake certificates by the centre, they boycotted the examinations. They also demanded their money back and asked the institute to be closed down.

However, SSP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota when contacted, said that the students had committed a blunder by boycotting the exams without knowing the real position. He claimed that after they started the agitation, he had himself contacted the authorities at National University of Journalism at Bhopal and had found that this computer centre was duly affiliated to it.