The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, July 11, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

L U D H I A N A

VC withdraws show-cause notice to professor
Ludhiana, July 10
Softening his stand the Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Dr K.S. Aulakh, has withdrawn a show-cause notice issued to a professor for speaking to the press about another show-cause notice issued earlier for speaking to the press about the appointment of Dr Aulakh as Vice-Chancellor of PAU.

Edit: Politics at PAU

Woman, paramour held for murder
Ludhiana, July 10
With the arrest of four persons that includes one woman, the Jagraon police today claimed to have solved the case of murder of a 25-year-old youth of Aitiana village, whose decomposed body was recovered from a canal near Rada Sahib Gurdwara yesterday afternoon.

The accused (sitting from left) — Gurjeet Kaur, Nihal Singh, Gurjit Singh, Sikander Singh. The faces of the main accused have been encircled.

Four members of octroi gang held
Vendors claim police connivance
Ludhiana, July 10
After lying low for a few months in the wake of a day-light murder of a member of an alleged hafta and illegal octroi-taking gang, the illegal activity has started again at the Vegetable Market near Chowni Mohalla on the busy and narrow portion of the GT road passing through the city.

EARLIER STORIES

	Tension grips Miller Ganj market July 10, 2001
	Four of family killed in bus-jeep collision July 9, 2001
	Downpour leaves commuters clamouring for boats July 8, 2001
	CET mess-up: Controller of Examination changed July 7, 2001
	PAU cancels CET July 6, 2001
	Flood-prevention steps on war footing July 5, 2001
	Donation withdrawn, courtesy rivalry July 4, 2001
	SAD rally kicks off poll campaign July 3, 2001
	Speakers for action against Jaya July 2, 2001
	Wet blanket on normal life in city, Jagraon July 1, 2001
	Indo-Pak war enters cyberspace June 30, 2001

Water level below optimum in Bhakra, Pong dams
Ludhiana, July 10
Despite heavy rain in the catchment areas of Bhakra and Pong Dams, the water level in the two major power generation complexes reservoirs remains below the optimum level. This is rather a matter of concern for the authorities concerned.

COMMUNITY

NCP a house divided, workers disenchanted
Ludhiana, July 10
All is not well with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), floated by former Union Minister Sharad Pawar after he parted ways with the Congress. The party, even before establishing itself and consolidating its base in Punjab, particularly in this district, has virtually disintegrated and a majority of the party workers were not only disenchanted but expressed disgust over the ongoing tussle for one-upmanship among various party leaders.

Advisory panel seeks information centre for pensioners
Ludhiana, July 10
The Punjab Government Pensioners’ District Advisery Committee has demanded setting up of a information centre for pensioners in the district administrative office. The committee held a meeting here today with Deputy Commissioner S. K. Sandhu to discuss the matter.

Sex education vital for teenagers
Ludhiana, July 10
In the present-day context when all newspapers are filled with reports of rape, molestation and sexual harassment, it becomes important to educate girls and boys about sex. Sex is certainly not a dirty word. It has been given murky connotations that makes people shirk from talking about it openly.

Resentment against police inaction
Ludhiana, July 10
Relatives of Ms Surjit Kaur, married in Balachaur, near Nawanshahar, have alleged that the police of Balachaur had failed to take action against Mr Gurcharan Singh, husband, Mr Shingara Singh, father-in-law, and Mrs Kartar Kaur, mother-in-law of Ms Surjit Kaur, respectively, who have been torturing her for not bringing adequate dowry.

Action against looting of Nepalis sought
Mandi Gobindgarh, July 10
A meeting of the All-India Nepalese Unity Society, Mandi Gobindgarh, held here, was presided over by unit president Khan Bahadar Vashist.

BUSINESS

Industry condemns widening of tax net
Ludhiana, July 10
Industrialists, traders and the general public here have condemned the Central Government’s decision to include 15 new services under the service tax. The Finance Ministry has issued a notification for the inclusion of banking and postal services, repair of two-wheelers, photography, telegraph, telex, videotape production, sound recording service, scientific and technical consultancy and insurance ancillary services. The tax would be applicable from July 16.

Continue CBI raids, say traders
Fatehgarh Sahib, July 10
The district Beopar Mandal and the district anti-corruption cell have welcomed and appreciated the raids conducted by the CBI on the corrupt officials of the Excise and Taxation Department on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and have demanded that such raids should continue and more corrupt officials be brought to book.

Indian spinners want level field
Ludhiana, July 10
Spinners here have welcomed the decision of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry to investigate the allegations of dumping of acrylic yarn in India by Nepal. A vendor sells Chinese artificial flowers in Ludhiana.

Chinese flowers flood city markets
Ludhiana, July 10
The city streets are flooded with artificial flowers that have been imported from China. Vendors can be seen selling these flowers everywhere here. These flowers, that cost anything between Rs 20 and Rs 200, are a big hit with middle-class buyers.

A vendor sells Chinese artificial flowers in Ludhiana.

Announce export policy: exporters
Ludhiana, July 10
The textile, cycle and cycle parts’ exporters here have urged the state government to announce the state export policy that has been delayed for more than four years.

AGRICULTURE

BKU wants increase in MSP
Ludhiana, July 10
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) has sought increase in minimum support price of different crops on the basis of the wholesale price index. The rate of average quality paddy should be Rs 689 per quintal, of super fine paddy variety, Rs 753 per quintal, of oil seeds, Rs 2,860 per quintal, of cotton, Rs 3,250 per quintal and of sugarcane, Rs 143 per quintal, they demanded.