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Admn ill-equipped to check floods?

Ludhiana, June 23 The flood-fighting equipment is out of order and this puts a question mark on the preparation of the district administration to check floods.

Aluminium boats meant to be used during floods are being used as tables by tea-stall owners near Mini Secretariat in Ludhiana on Monday. IV

Discontent simmers among Cong councillors
Ludhiana, June 23
All is not well with ruling party councillors in the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation. While the reaction of the SAD-BJP councillors was on the expected lines during the zonal-level review meetings convened by the Mayor, Mr Nahar Singh Gill, recently.

Sewerage board scam spills over to MC
Ludhiana, June 23
After exposing a scam of Rs 4.5 crore, allegedly siphoned off by some government employees and contractors in the Rs 20-crore water supply and sewerage project in the state, the Vigilance Bureau has now started a probe into circumstances under which the local Municipal Corporation authorities ‘accepted’ the projects handed over to them by the state Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

Ramesh Kumar is Sahnewal MC chief
Ludhiana, June 23
The members of the Municipal Council, Sahnewal, have unanimously elected Mr Ramesh Kumar Pappu, as its president, Mr Swaran Singh Sandhu, senior vice-president and Ms Kulwant Kaur as vice-president at a meeting held here today in the office of the Municipal Council.

PCR squad to be fine-tuned
Ludhiana, June 23
The district police has decided to infuse new life in the PCR- motor cycles squad in the city , which was mired in controversies for the past few months. Though hailed as major crime controllers and busters, the PCR cops were facing charge of corruption and misuse of authority lately.

Child labourer rescued, 2 held Ludhiana, June 23 A child labourer was allegedly kept in illegal confinement and beaten up for three days by two auto spare parts dealers in the city. The police has arrested the suspects and booked them for torturing the child. According to the FIR, 15-year-old Mohammad Rasil was working as a helper in the auto dealers’ shop for the past several months. The employers got angry at him for some reason and locked him in a room. The child was beaten up and not given anything to eat. Mohammad Rasil, a child labourer who was rescued from illegal confinement by the police, shows his injury marks. — Photo Inderjit Verma

COMMUNITY

Unauthorised travel agencies mushroom in city
Ludhiana, June 23
A number of unauthorised travel agencies have come up in Ludhiana. Although these agencies claim to organise tours and travels for various tourist destinations, including foreign tours, their main source of earning remains booking of tickets for railway travel. These agencies, with some understanding with the railway officials, help passengers to get tickets after claiming a hefty amount as booking charges.

Congress launches mobilisation drive
Sahnewal, June 23
Various leaders of the Congress today gathered at a private resort on Dehlon Road to mobilise party workers for the panchayat elections, scheduled to be held on June 29.

Truckers threaten stir
Ludhiana, June 23
A delegation of the Ludhiana Goods Transport Association met the Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner and appraised him of the problems faced by them. The official assured him that their problems would be looked into.

Development pace to be stepped up
Ludhiana, June 23
Mr Malkiat Singh Birmi, Minister of State for Jails, Housing and Urban Development, Punjab, has asserted that the state government has decided to increase the pace of development in the state through village panchayats. The year 2003-04 was being observed as development year, he added.

City greets pre-monsoon showers
Ludhiana, June 23
After an extended spell of sweltering heat and soaring temperature, the city had its first pre-monsoon showers in the wee hours today, which provided the much needed respite to the residents. According to the weather office at the PAU, the city recorded a rain fall of 10.8 mm and the day temperature plummeted to 30.5°C .

Tributes paid to Sanjay Gandhi
Ludhiana, June 23
Glowing tributes were paid to Sanjay Gandhi on his death anniversary here today. The main function was organised by the District Congress Committee (DCC) Ludhiana urban under the chairmanship of its president, Mr Jagmohan Sharma.

Residents’ problems highlighted
Ludhiana, June 23
The Rashtriya Ekta Society, Punjab, has submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma, regarding various problems being faced by city residents.

• Riot victims hold meeting

• Ashok Garcha Improvement Trust chief

CRIME

450 kg of poppy husk seized
Ludhiana, June 23
The police with the help of Mr Dharam Pal, SHO, PS Jagraon, claimes to have busted a gang of poppy husk smuggler with the arrest of three persons and recovered of 15 bags of the contraband weighing 450 kg.

Killed for teasing woman
Ludhiana, June 23
Teasing a woman cost a man his life in the Dhandari Kalan area last night. He was murdered by the husband and another relative of the woman. Ram Bali, 35, was allegedly stabbed several times by two labourers Ram Jawahar’s and Inder Singh for teasing Ram Jawahar’. Both were caught by some residents of the area and handed over to the police.

BUSINESS

Hoteliers seek industrial tariff on power
Ludhiana, June 23
The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Punjab has reiterated its demand seeking industrial tariff on electricity for hotels instead of commercial tariff which they are paying.

PNB opens branch
Ludhiana, June 23
Mr Nahar Singh Gill, Mayor, Ludhiana, inaugurated a new building of the branch office of Punjab National Bank at Feroze Gandhi Market here today. Mr Gill opened his account with the branch and appreciated the efforts of the bank in providing services like inter-city/intra-city banking, instant transfer of funds, etc from any of the bank branches.

‘Scratch and Win’ draw out
Ludhiana, June 23
Royal Pharmacy, Ludhiana, has won the first prize of 21 inch Panasonic colour television under the ‘Scratch and Win’ scheme of Ludhiana Tribune. The lots were drawn by the Manager, HSBC, Ludhiana branch, in the presence of several customers.

Placement programme concludes
Ludhiana, June 23
A five-day intensive placement orientation programme for MSc (IT) students concluded at Khalsa College for Women, Civil Lines, here today. The programme was organised by the Information Technology Centre for College Education (ITCCE), Panjab University, with an aim to prepare students for campus interviews. Several lectures were delivered by eminent resource persons from Panjab University and the local industry.

CULTURE

Kids exhibit theatrical skills

Ludhiana, June 23 Two plays staged by child artistes at Punjabi Bhavan last evening marked the conclusion of a 20-days drama workshop organised by the Art Theatre. The programme began with a religious song penned by Karamjeet Grewal. This was followed by a choreography on the song ‘Sharara’ presented by Rabia, Ria, Tanya and Pavneet. Child artistes stage a play at Punjabi Bhavan in Ludhiana on Sunday. — IV

Audio cassette released
Ludhiana, June 23
An audio cassette of songs, ghazals and patriotic songs, ‘Yeh Sham Mastani’, was released last evening by Mr Inderbir Singh Nanda, chairman, Ek Koshish (NGO). Mr Nanda said all songs had been sung by amateurs, which include Amarjit Arora, Jasminder Singh, Mohinder Singh, Samir Gandhi, Mr D.K.Sachdeva and Mr Ajay Khanna.The music video of the songs will be released in the first week of August.

HEALTH

DMCH, Hero institute in Rs 5 cr deficit
Ludhiana, June 23
The Dayanand Medical College and Hospital and Hero DMC Heart Institute had a deficit of Rs 5 crore during 2002-2003. This was revealed at the general body meeting of the governing body on Saturday. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Mr Brijmohan Lal Munjal, president.

Punjab to have three de-addiction centres
Ludhiana, June 23
The Centre has decided to start de-addiction centres in the state. For this it has recommended the name of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, an NGO, for opening three centres.