Employment of 7.49 lakh man-days has been generated, 408 water tanks have been constructed and 214 tanks are under construction under a new initiative taken by Haryana Horticulture Department to integrate a component of National Horticulture Mission with Micro Irrigation.

In a first of its kind initiative for energy conservation undertaken by the city, the Jan Marg will be lit up by Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). An order of around 218 LEDs has been placed with a Pune based firm. A grant of nearly Rs 65 lakh has been given by the Central Government. The LEDs are superior in quality and will enable conservation of energy. While LEDs consume around 37 watts of power, the fittings at present require nearly 260 watts.

UT Administrator Gen eral (Retd) S F Rodrigues has asked officials in the Administration to look at alternative sources of energy for the city. Speaking at a public hearing session on Monday, he suggested that the alternative sources of energy could provide a long-term solution to the energy crisis. A core group of officers, comprising the Secretary to the Governor, the Finance Secretary and the Chief Engineer, has been assigned to look into the matter.

A majority of retail outlets of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) in Punjab and Haryana are facing an acute shortage of fuel for the past 10 days. The stock-transfer agreement with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has reportedly not been honoured by HPCL in other parts of the country (Bihar and Andhra Pradesh), forcing the IOC to restrict fuel supply to HPCL in the region.

Despite the assurance of the deputy commissioner to develop a separate line to prevent the swelling of water bodies during rainy season in Basti Guzan area in Jalandhar district, no action has been taken by the concerned authorities. The deputy commissioner had given the assurance after a complaint was filed by Rajesh Kumar of Basti Guzan in the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC). Thereafter, the deputy commissioner assured that a separate line would be laid to check stagnation of water during monsoons and the complaint was disposed of in 2003.

Chandigarh: Though the inflation now stands at 11.05 per cent, rates of grocery items, fruits and vegetables have recorded a hike of 25 to 30 per cent.Varun Chadhadoes a recce of the city markets The skyrocketing inflation, now at a 13-year high, has virtually eroded the hard-earned wealth of the common man. Though the inflation now stands at 11.05 per cent, rates of grocery items, fruits and vegetables have recorded a hike of 25 to 30 per cent.

RS 2 lakh could have solved many of the problems this unemployed graduate was facing. But Samsher could not have lived with the guilt if had used the money. The Ambala resident had picked up a bag containing the cash by mistake. As soon as he realised that, Samsher handed it over to the police. His honesty paid off. Director Public Instruction (Schools) S K Setia promised Samsher a supervisor's job under Mid Day Meal scheme on a salary of Rs 6,000 on Thursday.

Tackling mealy bug menace in Malwa belt As mealy bug attack on cotton and other crops has turned grave, the Punjab government has convened a meeting of the deputy commissioners of the Malwa belt tomorrow at Ferozepur. Sources said senior Agriculture department officers today met at Bathinda after visiting various areas in the Malwa belt where attack of mealy bug was quite intense. Mealy bug problem, common in Chandigarh region for several years, has now become a serious problem in Malwa belt. As grass and other wild plants play host to the bug, its wiping out is a huge task.

Labour pangs for farmers seem to be far from over. First it was the overall shortage of manual labour and now early rains are becoming a cause of worry for farmers. An early monsoon is good news for farmers, but the need to transplant paddy as soon as possible has only hiked labour expenses. A rough estimate says in the last couple of days alone, the labour expenses have gone up by 30 per cent. Beginning June 10, about 20 per cent of paddy cultivation in Punjab has been completed, says government data.

The unusual coolness in the air, this June, has prompted almost everybody on my campus to discuss the monsoons with renewed interest and sharper analysis,' says Nishant Bahl, a Class VIII student of St John's School. Unlike the last few years, when June was one of the hottest months, this year the month has greeted the region with a welcome pleasantness in the weather, courtesy the early-onset of the monsoons.