The staff and trustees of the K G P Children's Hospital decided to start a new confirmatory service for Indoor HIV patients which will enable free western blot tests. They had earlier donated Rs 40,000 for the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Gujarat Refinery, as part of their celebrations, announced plans to adopt new technologies which would enable the refinery to raise its productivity from 70 per cent to 80 per cent. The new unit would be completed by 2003.

To inculcate a feeling of patriotism, city-based NGO `SOCLEEN' organised a group song competition for schools. Navrachna and Alembic Vidyalaya were declared first and second in the competition, in which 12 schools from the city participated. The third position was jointly shared by Ambe and Tejas Vidyalay.

The members of the Society for Physically Handicapped honoured a few of their talented students. The society also organised a patriotic song competition for the students. Deputy Municipal Commissioner I Peerzada was also present on the occasion.

Members of the Sanskriti Theatres staged a play called `Lok Mela'. Costs were minimised to enable contributions to the Kargil welfare fund.

The representatives of Vikas Jyot under the `Street Children Project' organised several cultural activities jointly with the Lioness and Lions Clubs and Ravi Associates.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad organised a patriotic song competition and plays related to the sacrifices of soldiers in the recent war.

The Gujarat Electricity Board also paid homage to the country's leaders and offered prayers for the martyrs who laid down their lives.

About 200 students of various city schools took part in a painting competition organised by the Information Department on Independence Day. The subjects were `Kargil Victory' and `Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan'. City-based painter Jalendu Dave judged the competition. Amit Bhavsar, Shruti Joshi, Herat Shah, Neyti Mule, Dhavinkumar Patel, Suvorin Bhaumik, Loma Desai, Bhamliya Shilpa, Vashi Yesha and Ranjana Bharia bagged the top prizes.