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TOP STORIES

Vegetable agents go on strike from today
Flay move to privatise recovery of market fee
Ludhiana, March 31
Fruit and vegetable commission agents here will go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow against the government’s decision to privatise the recovery of market fee by the Mandi board.

No fooling, Vat is here for real
Ludhiana, March 31
The Excise and Taxation Department is all set for shifting to the new valued added tax (VAT) regime here from tomorrow (April 1). More than 90 per cent of nearly 43,000 registered dealers in the district have already submitted their fact sheets and new tax identification numbers (TIN) have been issued to them.

Bandh against VAT continues
Ludhiana, March 31
Shops and industrial units remained shut on the second day of the three-day bandh against the value added tax (VAT) here today. Industry associations also held meetings to discuss the future course of action on the issue.

Policemen patrol Ghumar Mandi, Ludhiana, during a protest against Vat on Thursday. — Photo by Sayeed Ahmed.

Gang of robbers busted Ludhiana, March 31 The local police today claimed to have busted a gang of five robbers who were planning a robbery near Malikpur village near here. Various household goods, two pistols and two rods have been recovered from them. The robbers who were arrested by the Ludhiana police on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Treat sick animals, circus told
Ludhiana, March 31
A joint team of veterinary officers of the local Animal Husbandry Department and activists of the People for Animals, who had inspected the Amar circus camping in city a few days ago, has asked the management not to make the sick animals perform different feats and provide them immediate treatment.

Passing Thru

Students of Punjab Agricultural University enjoy the pleasant weather on the campus in Ludhiana. — Photo by Sayeed Ahmed

COMMUNITY

Curb child labour, NHRC to chief secy
Ludhiana, March 31 The National Human Rights Commission has asked the Chief Secretary Punjab to enforce the Child Labour Act, 1986, here to curb the child labour in judicial complexes and government offices.

HRD Manager of DMCH sacked, claims union
Ludhiana, March 31
Human Resource Development Manager at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) Rajeev Verma was dismissed from the service by the managing committee today, claimed functionaries of the DMCH Employees Union.

Obituary
A literary luminary and teacher
Ludhiana, March 31
In the death of Prof Sulekh Chander Kanwal the cultural and literary world in Punjab has lost a glowing figure. Professor Kanwal had influenced the literary and cultural life for a long time. He breathed his last on March 22 in Patiala.                Sulekh Chander Kanwal

Indians wish to donate blood for Pakistanis
Mandi Ahmedgarh, March 31
“Donating blood to Pakistanis would be the most novel component of a war to conquer the hearts of citizens of a nation that had been branded as an enemy of our country,” claims Mr Vikram Joshi, a human rights activist and member of the Dedicated Brothers Group an NGO.

Insurance staff observe strike Ludhiana, March 31 Protesting against the management’s attitude, class III and class IV employees of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India observed a strike here today.  Class III and IV employees of the LIC protest outside the LIC office at Dugri in Ludhiana on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

3 pc DA hike from Jan 1 hailed
Ludhiana, March 31
The Punjab Finance Minister’s announcement yesterday in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to hike DA by 3 per cent for its staff from January 1 this year is appreciated. It will raise DA from 14 to 17 per cent of the basic pay and pension and provide relief to low-paid staff, says a press note issued by Mr Yash Paul Ghai, Additional General Secretary of the Government Pensioners’ Association.

Pensioners hold meeting
Mandi Ahmedgarh, March 31
A meeting of activists of the Pensioners Welfare Association of the block was held at the local Treasury Office. It was presided over by Mr Inder Pal Sharma, state president of the association.

• Meeting on wheat procurement
• ‘Check female foeticide’

CRIME

Five held for smuggling, gambling
Khanna, March 31
The Khanna police arrested five persons on charges of smuggling and operating satta yesterday. Two of them have been arrested for smuggling liquor, one for smuggling poppy husk and two for operating satta.

New session a headache for parents
Ludhiana, March 31
With results out and the new session in schools starting tomorrow, children are excited as they have got new books, school bags, uniforms. But this has put an extra burden on parents who have had to buy text books, exercise notebooks, stationery items like erasers, pencils, crayons and even school bags from the school as it has been made mandatory.

PAU VC promises another clean tenure
Ludhiana, March 31
The Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, Dr K.S. Aulakh, who assumes the office for a second four-year term tomorrow, today promised to provide a clean and transparent administration. He said he would try to complete the unfinished agenda he had set for himself in the first term.

From Schools
Camp ends with fancy dress competition

Ludhiana, March 31 Whizkid play school organised fancy dress and drawing competitions on the concluding day of a six-day camp on the school premises today. Art and craft, dance, personality development and casio playing were taught to kids during the camp. Students of Whizkid play school participate in a fancy dress competition in Ludhiana on Thursday. — Photo by Inderjit Verma

Amrik Sandhu nominated to state panel
Ludhiana, March 31
Dr Amrik Singh Sandhu, Director Extension Education, PAU, Ludhiana, has been nominated member of the state-level steering committee to monitor the progress of Agri-business Development Support Project in Punjab. The nomination was made by the Governor of Punjab.

COURTS

Strategy to hold lok adalat discussed
Ludhiana, March 31
A meeting of assistant district attorneys of Legal Services Authority, Punjab, was held here to chalk out a strategy for organising the national-level lok adalat, to be held on April 10 here. The meeting was held under the supervision of the Member Secretary of State Legal Services Authority, Mr H.P.S Mahal and District and Sessions Judge, Mr Harbans Lal.