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MC OFFICIAL’S ARREST
Vigilance unearths assets worth
Rs 1 crore
Ludhiana, April 3
The Ludhiana Vigilance Bureau has unearthed movable and immovable property worth over Rs 1 crore belonging to a head draftsman with the local Municipal Corporation who was arrested recently under the Prevention of Corruption Act on the charges of graft. The MC employee, Avtar Singh Bhatia, a relative of a senior Akali leader, possesses as many as nine plots, including two shops and a kothi.

CBSE BOOKS OUT OF PRINT
Students’ load lightens but tension remains
Ludhiana, April 3
Teaching work in all schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is likely to be affected at least for a month as many books are either yet to be printed or have gone out of stock. Majority of these books that are not available include those for the board classes.

Docs caught disclosing sex of foetus
Ludhiana, April 3
The district administration has come down heavily on doctors performing sex determination tests. With a view to showing its seriousness, the administration today caught red-handed two city-based doctors while conducting sex determination tests.

Volunteers join hands to preserve Sukhdev memorial Ludhiana, April 3 After the district administration failed to preserve the ancestral house of the great martyr, Sukhdev, at Chaura Bazar, some local residents have joined hands and formed a voluntary organisation to preserve the house of the martyr. The ancestral house of martyr Sukhdev in a dilapidated condition in Ludhiana. IV

Count your cash before leaving counter
Ludhiana, April 3
Count your cash before leaving a bank's cash counter, lest you end up a loser. And do not trust the wad of notes with bank slips stapled as these may not necessarily carry 100 notes. As the bank does not take any responsibility in case the cash is less or some notes are missing.

Johar takes bureaucrats to task Ludhiana, April 3 The Minister for Higher Education Mr Harnam Das Johar, a recent entrant to the Cabinet, yesterday held extended interaction with senior officials of almost all departments in the presence of members of the public, representatives of trade and industry, party office-bearers and councillors.
Minister for Higher Education Harnam Das Johar during an interaction between government officials and members of public in Ludhiana on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

COMMUNITY

Martial law in Punjab: Sukhbir
Sahnewal, April 3
“Capt Amarinder Singh, in his efforts to please Sonia Gandhi, has crushed the democratic set up of the state. The government that once was for the people, of the people and by the people, has been transformed into a dictatorial regime where martial law flourishes and the people cry for justice and peace,” alleges Sukhbir Singh Badal, general secretary, SAD and MP.

• Sukhbir for CBI probe

Messenger of peace returns home Ludhiana, April 3 After successfully completing her peace expedition on a bicycle, Supam Sandhu, a local girl, who had left for the Wagah border on March 29, returned home today to a warm welcome. WELCOME BACK: Supam Sandhu being honoured after her return from a peace mission to the Wagah border in Ludhiana on Thursday. — Photo Inderjeet Verma

Residents seek better amenities, funds for development
Ludhiana, April 3
Residents of Shaheed Karnail Singh Nagar on Pakhowal Road have urged the Municipal Corporation authorities to redress the basic problems of the locality and allocate adequate funds for several infrastructural development projects hanging fire for quite some time.

8 poor girls married off Sahnewal, April 3 The Sahnewal Area Welfare Society organised the marriage of eight poor girls at Sodhi Sahib Gurdwara, here under the supervision of Mr Tejinder Singh Sandhu and Jathedar Pal Singh, president and vice-president of the society, respectively, yesterday. Many items of daily use were also provided to the girls by the society. Newly married couples at a mass marriage ceremony at Sodhi Sahib Gurdwara in Sahnewal on Wednesday.

Dhan Pothohar conference on April 20
Ludhiana, April 3
An all-India cultural conference of the Dhan Pothohar Brotherhood would be held on April 20 in the auditorium of the Government College for Women. This was decided at the executive meeting of the brotherhood held here today under the chairmanship of its president, Mr N. S. Nanda.

Chetna rally reaches Ludhiana
Ludhiana, April 3
A rousing reception was accorded to the chetna rally, organised by the Arya Samaj against drug addiction and other social evils afflicting the youth. The rally was flagged of from Amritsar on April 1. Several young volunteers are also participating in the rally. In Ludhiana, the rally was received at the Mata Rani chowk by hundreds of people.

Teacher killed in road mishap
Ludhiana, April 3
Gloom engulfed the Arya College for Boys today morning when a teacher died and two other teachers of the college were injured in a road accident near Moga when their car collided head-on with a jeep. The teachers were on their way to Moga to attend a conference.

Industry to oppose VAT
Ludhiana, April 3
About two dozen senior industrialists of the city have unanimously resolved to oppose the implementation of Value Added Tax in the state. Dubbing it unfit for implementation in the country, these industrialists refuted the government claims, saying that VAT would be good for all.

Day 4: hosiery markets remain closed
Ludhiana, April 3
Most of the hosiery markets in the city remained closed for the fourth day today against the government’s decision to impose the central excise on them. The markets are scheduled to remain closed till April 6 in response to a call given by the Federation of Knitwear, Textile and Allied Industries Associations.

AGRICULTURE

Contract farming: govt to shift 2.5 lakh hectares
Ludhiana, April 3
The government was committed towards shifting 2.50 lakh acres from the present crops to maize, basmati, sunflower, sugarcane and pulses during this year and the contract farming, involving multi national companies, had also been introduced from the current financial year which would ensure the marketing of the produce at the previously-fixed minimum prices.

EDUCATION

PAU sets new priorities in research
Ludhiana, April 3
Punjab Agricultural University has decided to bring a significant change in setting new priorities in the areas of research and development. Stating this, Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, said new thrust areas identified for research would focus on development of globally competitive, cost-effective and eco-friendly production technologies.

COURTS

Lok Adalat for traffic challan on April 5
Ludhiana, April 3
Mr Baldev Singh, District and Sessions Judge and Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority, has informed that a special Lok Adalat to clear the big backlog of more than 32,000 challans relating to Traffic Rules violations, the first of its kind in the district, will be organised on April 5, 2003 in the Sessions Court complex.

CULTURE

• Film TV academy starts branch

Deafness can be cured
Ludhiana, April 3
Deafness is not at all irreversible or incurable. Latest researches have revealed that even 100 per cent deafness can be cured without any surgical intervention. The high-tech hearing aid which can be conveniently placed in the ear without being noticed is now available in the market at quite an affordable price.

Blood donation camp held
Ludhiana, April 3
A team of doctors and technologists from the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, organised a blood donation camp at the Punjab College of Technical Education, Baddowal, here yesterday. More than 130 students donated blood for the benefit of thalassemic children, getting treatment at the thalassemia unit of the DMCH.

SPORTS

Under-17 cricket trials
Ludhiana, April 3
Trials to select the Ludhiana cricket probables (under-17) for the regional coaching centre being organised by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association under the aegis of the Punjab Cricket Association will be held at the Arya College for Boys grounds on April 5 at 3.15 pm.