L U D H I A N A

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TOP STORIES

3 convicts sustain burns in jail
LPG pipe leakage leads to fire
Ludhiana, February 21
Three prisoners in the Central Jail here sustained burns on their arms and legs when a fire broke out in the kitchen due to a suspected leakage in an LPG pipe this afternoon. Jail officials claimed that the convicts had mishandled the pipes.

Protests, marches mark bandh against VAT
Ludhiana, February 21
The call for a nationwide bandh by the Akhil Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal today in protest against the introduction of value-added tax (VAT) from April evoked good response with most shops, business establishments, industrial units, workshops and other commercial enterprises remaining closed for the day.

Activists of the Punjab Pardesh Beopar Mandal burn an effigy of VAT during a bandh in Ludhiana on Monday. — Tribune photo: Sayeed Ahmed

For most markets, it was weekly off
Ludhiana, February 21
While the bandh against the VAT system in Ludhiana was complete, a number of traders, most of them retailers, said it had to be successful as over half of the markets remain close today, it being a weekly off. The traders resented the bandh call given against VAT. They said while they support the bandh, they did not want it on a Monday.

His heart beats on the wrong side Ludhiana, February 21 Pawanjot, son of Mr Dalwinder Singh, a farmer of Fatehgarh Sahib district, was born with his heart on the wrong side and with all his major arteries connected to the wrong chambers of the heart. Due to this congenital defect, he used to frequently turn blue and this hampered his growth. Dr H.S. Bedi with Pawanjot. — A Tribune photograph

Dead man’s plot sold ‘fraudulently’
Ludhiana, February 21
Deputy Commissioner Anurag Verma has asked the Senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana, to register a case against Hardeep Singh, son of Kulwant Singh of Tehsil village in Ludhiana district, under Section 419, 420 of the IPC for allegedly committing a fraud by selling a plot belonging to a dead person.

COMMUNITY

Cong policies causing demographic changes: BJP
Mandi Ahmedgarh, February 21
The state unit of the BJP has accused a section of bureaucrats of allegedly promoting the ‘hidden agenda’ of the Congress to Islamise the nation. It has warned that the country would prove to be a hell for other communities if a joint crusade was not launched against such designs.

Doc, family live in fear of goons
Ludhiana, February 21
An MBBS doctor and his family is living under fear of some alleged goons in Basant Vihar Colony, Noorwala road, Basti Jodhewal, with the police not being able to provide respite from terror. The goons do not seem to have any fear of law as they had allegedly forcibly locked the clinic of the doctor and were not allowing him to practice in the area.

BSNL employees hold demonstration

Ludhiana, February 21 Employees of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) today held a demonstration in front of the office of the General Manager, Telecom, here in protest against the apathetic attitude of the administration towards members of National Federation of Telecom Employees. Telecom employees hold a demonstration in front of the General Manager’s office in Ludhiana on Monday. — A Tribune photograph

Company workers hold dharna
Ludhiana, February 21
Over 125 workers of M/s Farm Parts Company held a dharna protesting against the alleged compulsory retrenchment of workers. The protesting workers, under the banner of Moulder and Steel Workers Union, also presented a charter of demands to the labour inspector.

AGRICULTURE

February rain — a mixed blessing
Good for wheat, mustard; bad for potato
Ludhiana, February 21
Much against the apprehensions of the farming community about the continuous rains and low temperature, the wheat and mustard crop is likely to benefit from the downpour though it may harm crops like gram and potato.

EDUCATION

College students extend helping hand to underprivileged
Ludhiana, February 21
The students of DD Jain College try to bring smile on the faces of the underprivileged by listening to their woes, sharing their experiences and extending a helping hand to them.

Educationists condemn use of helpbooks 
Ludhiana, February 21
Educational standards in schools and colleges have been declining. If a graduate is asked to write an application letter, he may find it an arduous task. Students want instant success and teachers also want a shortcut. Helpbooks or guides are made use of profusely. These books are cheap and easy to cram, besides neither teachers nor students have to work hard.

Hamara School
Believing in change and innovation

“The aim of education should be to teach us how to think rather than what to think, to improve our minds so as to enable us to think for ourselves than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men." (Beattie) A view of Spring Dale Secondary School, Ludhiana.— A Tribune photograph

Principalspeak
I feel that education is not only teaching and being taught but it is a word synonymous with developing the personality of young students. So I find traditional methods of teaching outdated which do not appeal to the minds of students. Young, aware, active and tender hearts of students need to be polished into fine products with proper care and attention.

Seminar on industry-admin interface
Mandi Gobindgarh, February 21
A seminar on “Industry— Administration Interface” was held at the Regional Institute of Management and Technology (RIMT) here today. The Deputy Commissioner of Fatehgarh Sahib, Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, released the first copy of the RIMT news letter.

Gurpreet tops BAMS exam
Mandi Gobindgarh, February 21
In BAMS (Ist professional) (Batch 2003-04) university examination conducted by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, at local Desh Bhagat Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Mandi Gobindgarh, Gurpreet Kaur stood first in the university by securing 1291 out of 1600 marks.

PIMT to hold cultural show
Mandi Gobindgarh, February 21
The Punjab Institute of Management and Technology (PIMT), Mandi Gobindgarh, will organise a cultural show ‘Aftab 2005’ on February 25, according Ms Manisha Gupta, coordinator of the programme.

CULTURE

Digital film festival enraptures audience
Ludhiana, February 21
A week- long digital film festival that started from February 15 has showcased some really amazing films. The students of Dayanand Medical College and Nursing College were quite impressed with the films and so were the audience. The film festival is going on in Dumra Auditorium in the Hero Heart Centre of DMC Hospital.

SPORTS

Sandeep excels in athletics Ludhiana, February 21 Sandeep Singh made his presence felt on the opening day of the 85th annual athletics meet of Satish Chander Dhawan Government College here today. He bagged two gold medals (in shot put and triple jump) and one bronze medal (in long jump). Mr S.K. Sharma, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, inaugurated the two-day meet in which more than 100 students were taking part. He took salute at an impressive march past by NCC cadets, NSS volunteers and players. An athlete in action during the annual athletics meet of Satish Chander Dhawan Government College in Ludhiana on Monday. Photo: Sayeed Ahmed

Amit Saxena bags carrom title
Ludhiana, February 21
Amit Saxena proved too good for his opponent Bimaldeep Singh to annex the carrom title in the sports meet being organised for the Faculty Members Club of Punjab Agricultural University at the Sukhdev Bhavan here today. In the final (18-35 years category) Amit pipped Bimaldeep 3-0 in five sets.