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PUNJAB, HARYANA, Chandigarh

Colourful festivities marked the 58th Republic Day celebrations in Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh here on Friday. The occasion was marked by march past by personnel from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Police and cultural programmes presented by schoolchildren. While Punjab Governor Gen S F Rodrigues Retd and his Haryana counterpart A R Kidwai unfurled the Tricolour at Mohali and Nuh in Mewat district respectively, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda took the salute at Ludhiana and Faridabad.

MAHARASHTRA

Mumbai on Friday celebrated the Republic Day amid high security with flag hoisting ceremonies being held in educational institutions and various centres across the state. The official function was held at Shivaji Park. Governor S M Krishna hoisted the National Flag in the presence of dignitaries, including Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil. A march past by personnel from Indian Navy, CISF, NCC cadets and the National Service Scheme students, among others marked the celebration, and two navy missiles mounted on trucks were also displayed. The event culminated with colourful tableaux featuring students from a suburban school with maintaining ecological balance as the central theme.

TAMIL NADU

Governor S S Barnala unfurled the Tri-colour near Gandhi Thidal at the Marina Beach, which saw both cultural groups, school and college students presenting a carnival before a huge crowd. Chief Minister M Karunanidhi gave away the Jeevan Raksha Padak Award to Maria Leo Shajan, a standard VII student from Kanyakumari district, for saving the lives of four children of his village during the tsunami. He also presented the Anna Medal for gallantry to two civilians, posthumously, for their acts of bravery and the Gandhi Adigal police medal to three police personnel in appreciation of their outstanding work in curtailing illicit liquor. Nineteen government departments showcased a tableaux of their performances during the past eight months of the DMK rule, displaying a pageantry of floats.

KARNATAKA

Terming corruption a 8220;dirty act8221;, Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi said there was a need to formulate a policy of 8220;zero tolerance8221; towards all acts of corruption. 8220;We need to assert that there is no difference between a small act of corruption and major instances of malfeasance. There is no such thing as petty corruption 8212; there is corruption, per se,8221; he said during his Republic Day address at the Field Marshal Maneckshaw grounds here on Friday. Referring to the recent ordinance by the state government to ensure that public lands encroached by persons with money and muscle power in cohort with bureaucracy are sternly dealt with, he said he hoped, 8220;no outside influences, political, casteist or personal, is permitted to hinder the just, fair and long-awaited implementation of the ordinance8221;.

MIZORAM

In his first gubernatorial address to the people of the state after assuming office, Mizoram Governor Lt Gen Retd Madan Mohan Lakhera on Friday said the government has been striving hard for all-round development of the state. 8220;We have accorded priority to economic self-sufficiency, mitigation of high incidence of unemployment, maintenance of law and order, development of infrastructure for road communication, education, healthcare, provision of safe drinking water, generation of power and industrialisation,8221; he said.

MANIPUR

Republic Day was celebrated in Manipur amid tight security as normal life was hit by the general strike and boycott called by militant organisations. Governor S S Sidhu unfurled the National Flag at the First Manipur Rifles Battalion Ground where there was heavy deployment of security forces. The boycott and the general strike was called by Manipur People8217;s Liberation Front MPLF, an umbrella organisation formed by major insurgent outfits United National Liberation Front UNLF, Revolutionary People8217;s Front RPF and People8217;s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak PREPAK. Official sources said security and police forces were deployed at all vulnerable places where patrolling has also been intensified. Shops, business establishments remained closed in the general strike. Militants have been boycotting the day8217;s celebrations since past several years.