L U D H I A N A

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TOP STORIES

‘Abducted’ girl recovered
Girl not willing to return to her parents
Ludhiana, October 16
Mystery shrouds the case of a minor girl, a resident of Shimla, who was found residing with a local family in Dugri here today by a team of the Himachal Pradesh Police.

Nigerian minister visits PAU
Ludhiana, October 16
To understand the technical know-how about rice production and role of mechanisation in agricultural development, a seven-member delegation from the Republic of Nigeria visited Punjab Agricultural University here today.

Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Mallam Adamu Bello visits Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

IT raids on export house continue
Ludhiana, October 16
Income Tax raids on a local export-cum-roadline unit, that started yesterday evening, continued for the second day today. The officials of the department have carefully scrutinised records across various banks in the city, recovering incriminating documents that allegedly linked the unit with hawala trade.

Badal disrupting VB inquiry, says Goyal
Mandi Gobindgarh,  October 16
The Congress government had promised to the electorate in its manifesto to provide the people a clean and corruption-free government in the state. Now when the SAD chief and his associates have been caught by the Vigilance Bureau for allegedly amassing wealth, disproportionate to their known sources of income, they have the government of political vendetta, said Mr Brij Lal Goyal, vice-president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, to the mediapersons after a meeting of the party workers here today.

Badal, Tohra befooling masses: Joshi
Ludhiana, October 16
“Unity forged between Akali Dal factions led by former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra is not Panthic unity but it is based on opportunism and selfish motives of the two leaders.” These observations were made by Mr Ramesh Joshi, secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee while addressing a meeting of party workers here last evening.

Brothers get life term for murder
Ludhiana, October 16
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr S.M.S. Mahal, has sentenced Chander Bhan and Suraj Bhan, both hailing from Uttar Pradesh, to rigorous life imprisonment in a murder case. They were facing the charge of murdering Amar Dev at Jagraon in June, 2000. A fine of Rs 2000 each was also imposed on them.

• Student leader attacked

• 31 more dengue patients at DMCH

COMMUNITY

Residents rue voter card bloomers
Ludhiana, October 16
Glaring mistakes in the voter identity cards continue to irk city residents with more and more people complaining that the cards prepared by the district administration on behalf of the Election Commission of India were erratic.

Activists of the Punjab Pradesh Shiv Sena hold a protest rally on the Sankalp Divas eve in Ludhiana on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Tough visa norms for new  applicants
Ludhiana, October 16
The Canadian Immigration Department has relaxed point system for skilled category applicants. However, it will be tough for new applicants to qualify for immigration despite the relaxation.

Police destroys narcotics
Jagraon, October 16
Implementing an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the police has launched a special drive to clean its ‘malkhanas’ of narcotics that were piling up there. The ‘malkhanas’ are filled to the brim as the huge stock of drugs, including poppy husk and opium, have not been disposed of since the early 90s.

Think before igniting crackers
Before celebrating Divali it is important to understand the impact of air and noise pollution on humans. Laboratory reports reveal presence of highly toxic heavy metals like cadmium and lead in crackers. Copper found in crackers is poisonous to humans by ingestion. Inhalation of copper dust and fumes causes irritation in the respiratory tract.

Readers write
No regularisation of non-compoundable violations
The one-time settlement scheme of the government for condoning building bylaws violations giving benefits to the offenders to garner votes is highly disgusting. The root cause of this malady is the connivance between Municipal Corporation officials and the violators, who are influential persons. The real sufferers are the common man.

Surcharge waived on exempted units
Ludhiana, October 16
The Excise and Taxation Department, Punjab, has waived the surcharge imposed on units enjoying exemption from sales tax. The relief has been provided with retrospective effect from December 7, 2002, through Punjab General Sales Tax (Second Amendment) Ordinance notified on August 27, 2003.

Animal Rights Day observed
Ludhiana, October 16
The local chapter of the People for Animals celebrated World Animal Rights Day by organising an animal welfare camp at Vishwakarma Chowk here. The camp was inaugurated by Mr Nahar Singh Gill, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana.

Sarabha Ladies Club celebrates Divali
Ludhiana, October 16
The Sarabha Ladies Club celebrated Divali at Friends Regency here today. The members, participants and guests were specially dressed for the occasion. A cultural programme was presented by the club members on the occasion.

CRIME

One booked on theft charge
Ludhiana, October 16
The Focal Point police yesterday registered a case under Section 380 of the IPC on a statement of Mr Manjeet Singh, a resident of Jamalpur, against Gurwinder Singh, a resident of Ahluwalia Colony. The complainant alleged that the accused had stolen his gold bracelet.

BUSINESS

Hike in nickel prices flayed
Ludhiana, October 16
Mr Joginder Kumar and Mr Manmohan Singh Ubhi, both office-bearers of the Ludhiana Electroplating Association, have flayed the abnormal hike in nickel prices at London Metal Exchange from $ 8,800 to $ 11,300 per tonne, which has crippled the metal finishing industry.

AGRICULTURE

Farmers attend field day camp Amloh, October 16 Burning of paddy stubble was not only a violation of the directive of the government, but it also reduced the productive health of the soil. The poisonous smoke polluted the air and caused many diseases, said Dr Barjinder Singh Rana, an extension specialist from Punjab Agriculture University’s Farm Advisory Service, Patiala circle. Mr B.K. Chopra, Senior Manager, NFL, addresses farmers at Dharamgarh village on Wednesday. — Photo by Bhushan Sood

From Colleges Divali mela at SDP college Ludhiana, October 16 SDP educational institutions, under the guidance of Mr Balraj Bhasin, president of the SDP Sabha, organised a Divali mela on the premises of the SDP College for Women here today. Students of one of the SDP educational institutions perform bhangra at Divali mela on the SDP college premises in Ludhiana on Thursday. — Photo by I.V.

Student injured during exhibition
Ludhiana, October 16
The conclusion of two-day exhibition at Kundan Vidya Mandir turned sour when a Class XII student was injured in a chemical explosion during an experiment on volcanic eruption here today.

Students participate in mehndi contest
Ludhiana, October 16
Over 100 students of New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, participated in a mehndi competition here yesterday. Students were divided into two groups.

• Poetry recitation contest

• GNIMT declared best unit

COURTS

Man acquitted of murder charge
Ludhiana, October 16
The Sessions Judge, Mr Baldev Singh, has acquitted Arjan Singh of Pehowa of the charge of murdering a rickshaw-puller, Badri Kumar, in May, 2001, as the prosecution failed to prove the allegations levelled against him.

Panel to review renewal of homoeo practitioners illegal
Ludhiana, October 16
A member of the Central Council of Homoeopathy, Dr P.S. Ranu, has alleged that the three-member Appeal Committee, constituted by the state government for the renewal of registration of the homoeopathic practitioners whose registrations have been recently cancelled due to non-renewal, is illegal, un-constitutional and utter violation of the Punjab Homoeopathic Practitioner Act, 1965, and the Homoeopathic Central Council Act, 1973.

World Anaesthesia Day celebrated
Ludhiana, October 16
The World Anaesthesia Day was celebrated by the Department of Anaesthesiology and Resuscitation, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, here today. All anaesthesiologists of DMCH and Hero DMC Heart Institute assembled at the Anaesthesia Department of DMCH in the morning.

Top cardiologists to attend seminar
Ludhiana, October 16
Padma Bhushan Prof M. Khalilullah, a former Professor and Head, Department of Cardiology and Director, G.B. Pant Hospital, New Delhi, will deliver the 21st Dr L.H. Lobo Memorial Oration at the Christian Medical College and Hospital on October 18 on “Newer approaches in the management of cardiovascular diseases”.

SPORTS

Nirdosh wins TT title
Ludhiana, October 16
Nirdosh Sood, a student of local Bharatiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Udham Singh Nagar, added another title to her kitty when she emerged champion in the Punjab State Open Table Tennis Ranking Tournament (under-14) held at the Bhagat Singh Indoor Stadium, Sangrur, recently.