Harassed IT assessees seek date extension
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 27 — The District Taxation Bar Association today sought extension of the last date for filing the income tax return for salaried classes. Assesses have also complained of harassment due to the recent orders regarding the necessary filing of details of permanent account number (PAN) or appending acknowledgement receipt of having applied for it.

Long queues were witnessed at the income tax offices in Tagore Nagar and Rishi Nagar here today in view of the approaching last date of filing the returns, which is June 30. Some of these assessees said there was a lack of counters, drinking-water facility and other things in the offices. They said the recent orders had inconvenienced them a lot.

According to Mr Anoop Kumar Jain, President of the District Bar Association, the Central Board of Direct Taxes has issued directions past week that no IT return should be accepted without the PAN. Also, if it has not been allotted, an acknowledgement certificate of applying for it along with the duplicate PAN application form 49-A should be submitted with the tax-return form. According to him, the IT Department has not publicised the instructions and an assessee learns about it only on visiting the department for filing return.

Mr Jain said the department was also responsible if a person did not receive his number as there were many delays in issuing it. He said there was no need of attaching the acknowledgement receipt as independent legal provisions for penalising non-PAN assesses already existed.

Mr Ashok Juneja, an Income Tax consultant, said there were resentment and panic among the salaried classes over these new instructions as they had not been publicised properly. He said many assessees might not be able to file the returns in time.

A number of assessees said they had spent a full day in the queue and after learning about the new instructions at the counter, had to go back to get the necessary documents.

Mr Narinder Mittal, ITO (Headquarters), contested the complaints. He said since the past two years, the IT Department had been informing the public regularly that for any correspondence with the department, the PAN was required. He said no complaint of harassment had come to their notice. He said though there had been a delay in issuing the PANs to some persons, it was largely due to assessees making mistakes in filing the forms or some procedural delays. He said, however, all such persons should have the acknowledgement card with them while filing the returns.

Rape makes divorce case uglier
From Ruchika Mohindra
Tribune News Service

Raikot( Jagraon), June 27 — A case in which rape has been used as a weapon of revenge has come to light.

Sukhwinder Kaur, a resident of Rupa Patti village in Raikot sub-division, was allegedly kidnapped by her estranged brother-in-law, Paramjit Singh along with five others and later raped by his brother, Avtaar Singh, both residents of Rasoolpur village near the Sidhwan Bet area. They were allegedly seeking revenge from the former's wife, Baljinder Kaur (victim's sister), who had decided to divorce him and was insisting on getting the custody of the children.

It is learnt that both Baljinder Kaur and accused Paramjit Singh, settled in Rasoolpur, were embroiled in a legal battle over their divorce and the custody of their children. It is alleged that Paramjit Singh was an alcoholic and this was the main bone of contention between the couple.

Apparently, Paramjit Singh's ego was hurt when his wife decided to leave him and her claim on their children aggravated the matter further and he decided to seek revenge. On the fateful night of June 17, Paramjit Singh along with his brother, Avtaar Singh, Karnail Singh, Dev Singh, Harnek Singh and Jagjit Singh went to Rupa Patti village, where two of Baljinder's sisters — the victim and Inderjit Kaur — were married to two brothers, Bakhshish Singh and Tara Singh.

Incidentally, the brother of the three sisters, Sukhwinder Singh, a resident of Gorshiyan Makh village near Sidhwan Bet had come to meet his two other sisters. It is alleged that around 10:30 p.m., all the six accused went to the house of the other two sisters and demanded that they tell him about the whereabouts of Baljinder Kaur. After a heated exchange of words, accused Paramjit Singh forcibly took hold of the victim, Sukhwinder Kaur and threatened that he would take her instead if they did not reveal the whereabouts of his wife.

When the three siblings did not relent, the accused tried to forcibly take away the victim and when Sukhwinder Singh and his other sister Inderjit Kaur tried to stop them, the accused, allegedly armed with swords and rifles, hurt them. While Inderjit Kaur sustained injuries with the sword, Sukhwinder Singh was fired at but managed to escape unhurt.

However, Sukhwinder Kaur was forcibly taken away by the accused in a Maruti van bearing registration number DDD-1127. She, however, returned to the village the next morning and was brought to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Jagraon, Mr Jaskaran Singh, by her family.

According to Mr Jaskaran Singh, "The victim told us that she had been taken by the accused to Sujanpur village near Sudhar and kept captive in the tubewell of the maternal uncle of Paramjit and Avtaar Singh and that she had been raped by Avtaar Singh."

He also informed that the medical examination of the victim was performed on June 20. It was later that the police was mobilised and after raids were conducted, five of the accused — Paramjit Singh, Avtaar Singh, Karnail Singh, Dev Singh and Harnek Singh — were arrested by the police. One of the accused, Jagjit Singh is still at large. 

Online SBI banking soon
From Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, June 27 — It is going to be the era of “at home banking” very soon. Customers can now login their computers and make transactions at their own end without having to visit the bank. The State Bank of India is planning to introduce online transactions very soon. The facility can be availed of only by customers called, “commercial customers” in banking parlance with a limit of Rs 25 lakh and above.

The bank had already provided the online facility to some of its commercial customers for checking up accounts and statements. The facility enables a customer to check the amount at his end with the help of a computer and a modem.

According to Mr S.S. Sharma, Assistant General Manager (Overseas branch), the SBI is the first bank to introduce this facility in the state. It was started in August 1999 on the Hero Cycles’ premises by the Chief General Manager of the bank.

The ‘remote login’ facility, as it is called, is provided by loading special software in the customer’s computer.

Currently, customers can check only their accounts, balances, deposits and other details. They can also get print outs of their account statements at their own end. However, no transactions could be made online earlier. The facility also exits at Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Parwanoo.

Mr Sharma revealed that commercial customers with a limit of Rs 25 lakh or above could avail of this facility. This had proved to be a successful experience in Ludhiana, the industrial capital of northern India. The AGM pointed out that big customers, who needed to visit the banks regularly for checking the account statements, may no longer need to do so.

There are about 40 customers who have been provided with the ‘remote-login’ facility by the SBI. The facility is being provided by the Overseas branch of the SBI and the Commercial branch at Pahwa Hospital. Big industrial houses like Hero Cycles, Hero Exports, Eastman Industries and Venus Fabrics are currently availing at this facility.

Mr Sharma said, the bank might soon extend this facility, to other branches in the city as well as in the state. This not any lessened the burden on the bank staff but led to better services to customers.

The bank would soon be providing online transaction facilities to its customers also. The AGM said that security and other details were being worked out in this regard. So far, no bank in Punjab provided the online transaction facility.

The customers can also make transactions like remitting and debiting cheques and avail of related banking facilities.

Their day enters into night
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, June 27 — Chhotu's day begins at 7 in the morning and ends late in the night. His world is confined to the dhaba where he works. He gets a paltry sum of Rs 600 a month, besides meal twice a day.

Chhotu's is not an isolated instance. He is one of the thousands of child labourers working in the town at different places. Even the billion-dollar hosiery-export industry also hires children for obvious reasons.

Since child labour is illegal, government agencies do not have any record of the number of child workers here, most of whom work under inhuman conditions. For these agencies, child labour does not exist at all.

It is not confined to the commercial or industrial sector only. Even in houses, persons prefer to hire children as they are less troublesome than adults, besides willing to work for little or no money.

It is not only poor wages which is a matter of concern but also the ill-treatment of these children by their employers (read masters). A small mistake is enough to provokes the master to give a severe punishment. This may range from a severe thrashing to refusal to provide meals.

Their parents, mostly petty labourers, also want that these children should work to add to the family income. Some of the parents are jobless themselves and depend on the earnings of their minor children only.

Shakir is 12-year-old. He is learning the job of a motor mechanic at a workshop in the Civil Lines area here. His employer pays him Rs 400 a month. Shakir gives Rs 300 to his father who is a rickshawpuller. Shakir has no regrets or grievances. He says that he is "only learning" the job and getting paid as well. He says that he is only helping his father feed his big family. Shakir has two sisters and one brother and he is the eldest. His family has come all the way from Bihar to earn livelihood here.

Shakir's family is among the few who earn to support the family willingly. However, some of the parents also spend their children's earnings on liquor. Ramesh is paid Rs 600 a month by the owner of a dhaba near the Ludhiana railway station. However, the owner does not give a single penny to Ramesh. At the end of every month, Ramesh's father comes to the dhaba to collect his son's salary. Ramesh says that his father does not do any work and needs money for liquor. Ramesh's mother does domestic chores to feed her family.

Ramesh's employer neither has any inhibitions in employing minors, nor does he mind handing over Ramesh's salary to his father. He said he made sure the boys (his servants) were properly treated and given good food. There were six boys of about Ramesh's age working in the dhaba. The boys get some rest only when there are no customers. The dhaba owner admits that they have to work till late in the night.

"Why don't you ask ministers and other officials why they employ children for working all day in their homes?" he says.

From a home to a commercial establishment, child workers are everywhere. Despite stringent laws against child labour, it goes on unchecked. "What is bad if my son begins working early in his life?" says one father who pulls a rickshaw. He also says, "I cannot afford to send him to school, so, it is better that he earns his livelihood in a respectable manner than take to crime or begging."

COMMUNITY

Rising pollution and falling public health

Ludhiana, June 27 — From the angle of environment and lifestyle, Ludhiana can be divided into three parts. First, the posh and accomplished Ludhiana of Civil Lines, Sarabha Nagar, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar and some other adjoining new colonies. Second, the old industrial and commercial city of crowded bazars, narrow lanes and bylanes with its vast middle class population.

And finally, in and around this big metro-city, there is another Ludhiana, which is inhabited by lakhs of low-income group or labour class denizens who live in hundreds of approved or unapproved colonies that are bereft of any basic amenities.

With the confluence of all these sections of society, a peculiar type of work culture has crept in Ludhiana. In the daily hub of hard work that predominantly includes a rat race competition and aggressive enterprise, one subject which is either ignored or has come under pressure is the public health.

For the past two decades, there has not been a single year when some epidemic has not struck Ludhiana. Malaria, typhoid, dengue, jaundice, gastroenteritis and viral fever are some of the diseases which continue to appear with a regular and cyclic schedule in one or other part of the city. The government machinery to deal with regular health problems of its citizens is inadequate. For the population of nearly three million people, there is a 100-bedded civil hospital, which has not been upgraded ever since its inception. The city has a couple of government-run allopathic and ayurvedic dispensaries, which are devoid of a regular supply of medicines. Healthcare offered by the hospitals affiliated with two medicinal colleges, private nursing homes, ultra-modern clinics and hi-tech laboratories have earned the reputation of putting the patients through cumbersome procedures and high cost of treatment. No wonder, the qualified physicians in and around city are many times outnumbered by quacks and compounders.

In this scenario, Ludhiana is fast becoming a place that is affiliated with both contagious and non-contagious diseases. The poor labourers coming from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal though have contributed a lot to the industrial progress of the city, but it is an established fact that they also bring with them a lot of respiratory and skin diseases. Most of the residential colonies of these workers do not have facilities of sewerage and clean drinking water and open garbage dumps in these areas are a perennial source of all types of infection. Moreover, a number of these migratory labourers who come from poor social and economical background are active carriers of tuberculosis and many other disease to their new place of habitation.

The famous Buddha Darya with its clean and clear water, which only half-a-century ago was a famous bathing spot on religious occasions has today become a sullen rivulet, thanks to the apathy of citizens and lack of planning and short-sightedness by the administration. It now carries the sewage of half of the city, besides industrial and chemical waste from hundreds of factories which have come up near its banks.

This poisonous flow of the extremely polluted Buddha Darya has rendered the groundwater of a large area of the city pale, smelly and dangerous for human consumption. One also has to be made of a stronger stuff to be able to tolerate the foul smell emanating from this rivulet.

The haphazard growth of the small-scale industry has become a major source of air pollution. Scores of dying factories and hundreds of auto-rickshaws that emit black smoke all day are yet to be reined in by any controlling authority. A majority of population residing in Focal Point, Industrial Area and Gill Road is suffering from bronchitis and other respiratory ailments. If one happens to come to the city from the Chandigarh side, it looks as if he has entered into a tunnel of smoke and dust. Chest physicians are discovering more and more cases of asthma even among school going children.

It seems people themselves have lost all sensitivity regarding hygiene and cleanliness. Shops are broomed after the municipal corporation staff has cleaned the roads and all waste material is unabashedly thrown outside in the morning itself. Parks and other walking places are littered to be made grazing place for pigs and every possible corner and vacant piece of land becomes the garbage dump. The biggest such dump in a plot adores the very entrance of the famous Rose Garden and yet people buy and enjoy eatables from the open rehris parked near it. Like their fellow countrymen, Ludhianvis also lack both proper health awareness and the resolve to have a clean environment and good surroundings.

But finally, it is the government, Pollution control board, municipal corporation and department of public health, which should come out of their deep slumber to make an effort for a lasting solution to the problem of rising pollution and falling public health. It is good to gear up the machinery to fight any epidemic, but it is definitely better if man power and other resources are fully utilised at the preventive stage. For example, monsoons are only a couple of weeks away, so there is an immediate need to do a regular cleansing operation of slums and removal of garbage dumps in the city. The next task, on a long-term planning, should be to provide and maintain basic civic amenities to a vast number of population who lives in the under developed colonies.

The responsibility and remedy to control the air and water pollution basically lies with the government. For many years, one has been coming across sporadic news that a master plan to check pollution is in the offing, but nothing tangible has happened so far. Ludhiana is a vibrant city of hard working people. It deserves a better handling of the situation by the authorities. Since no such efforts can be successful without the help of public, its citizens should also be motivated and involved to keep the city clean, healthy and worth living. — Dr R. Vatsyayan

Chaos at Mata Rani Chowk
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, June 27 — Mata Rani Chowk is one of the busiest squares in the old city because of its proximity to Chowk Ghanta Ghar and the Municipal Corporation office. Generally, a square has four lanes but Mata Rani Chowk has an extra lane leading to the Municipal Corporation offices.

Whenever the traffic lights are not in working order due to a power breakdown or some other technical snag, it becomes difficult for the pedestrians to cross the road where a melee of sorts results with rickshaws, cars, three-wheelers, cyclists, scooterists, mobike riders and rehrawallahs vying with one other for space. The mega-decibel din produced in the struggle to inch forward can, infact, be too much for a sound-sensitive citizen.

Only the other day, one of our correspondents, who was witness to such a scene for about half an hour, was amazed to see a couple of burly cops standing in a corner and watching the chaotic proceedings as if it were a game of soccer. Their faces showed no signs of worry or concern, whatsoever. Just one of them would have been enough to direct the traffic manually but obviously none of them thought it was their business or duty to do so.

Society gets new committee
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, June 27 — A new managing committee of the Ludhiana Aggarwala Cooperative House Building Society (Aggar Nagar), the biggest housing cooperative of its kind in the region, assumed office with Mr Surinder Kumar Gupta as its President.

Tagore Public School, a premier educational institution affiliated to the CBSE, run by the society, has a new executive committee with Mr D.J. Jain and Mr. Amrit Lal Aggarwal as its President and Manager, respectively. Mr Jinder Pal Gupta has been elected vice-president of the society and the school.

Mr Surinder Gupta, who had taken over as interim President last month after the then President, Mr Deepak Singal, resigned from his post, was formally elected the new President of the society on Sunday.

Mr Gupta said that the new manging committee had pledged to speed up the road repair work in Aggar Nagar which would be completed before the onset of the rains.

He said the entire repair and strengthening of roads in part A of the locality was over and work was going on at a war footing in part B. All the damaged roads in Aggar Nagar were to be repaired under a comprehensive plan estimated to cost around Rs 20 lakh.

According to Mr Gupta, Tagore Public School achieved 100 per cent result in the class X CBSE examination. He said the new team of the society and the school would do its best to come up to the expectations and aspirations of the residents.

Joginder elected society chief
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, June 27 — Dr Joginder Singh has been elected President of the Indian Society for Agricultural Development and Policy.

Dr P.S. Rangi, Dr S.K. Aggarwal, Dr H.S. Shergill (PU, Chandigarh) and Dr P.S. Raikhy (GNDU, Amritsar) have been elected as Vice-Presidents of the society.

Dr K.K. Jain has been elected General Secretary, Dr A.S. Bhullar Joint Secretary and Dr M.S. Sidhu Treasurer. The counsellors include Dr Prakash Mehta, Dr J.P. Dhaka, Dr Y.S. Negi, Dr D.K. Bharti, Dr G.S. Mann, Dr. Balbir Kumar, Dr. B.R. Jindal, Dr M.S. Toor, Dr Manjit Kaur and Dr Sukhpal Singh. Dr Racchpal Singh has been elected as Chairman of the Editorial Board.

National symposium in Coimbatore
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, June 27 — The International Extension Forum will organise a national symposium on “Challenges and issues for modernising agriculture in the context of globalisation” at Coimbatore in November, 2000.

The symposium will be organised in collaboration with the ICAR and will be attended by more than 100 agricultural experts, progressive farmers and representatives of NGOs. This was disclosed by Dr G.P. Perumal, General Secretary of the International Extension Forum and former Director of Extension Education, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

Dr S.S. Gill, Additional Director of Extension Education, Punjab Agricultural University disclosed that the details of the symposium had been worked out. Dr Gill told that the main topics for dis cussion during the symposium would be technology generation, technology dissemination, technology utilisation and policies.

The International Extension Forum organises a national meet of agricultural experts on latest issues every year. Last year the national workshop on farmers led participatory extension was held on the Punjab Agricultural University Campus, Ludhiana, during November.

IOWA varsity scholarship for PAU student
From Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 27 — Poonamjot Deol, an MSc student in the College of Agriculture, will join the MS programme in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, in August. She has been awarded a half-time Iowa State University assistantship and a graduates College scholarship.

Poonamjot completed BSc (Agri-Hons) degree in 1999. She captained the PAU basketball (women) team and was also a member of the PAU handball (women) team.

L U D H I A N A   C A L L I N G

Members of the Nehru Rose Garden Senior Citizens Association are beginning to feel cheated by the local Municipal Corporation.

This after the Municipal Commissioner, Dr. S.S.Sandhu, agreed to some of the suggestions and demands of the association to bring about an improvement in the Rose Garden in the beginning of December last year.

Mr Surjit Singh, General Secretary of the association, laments that even after three reminders to the officials concerned who were directed by Dr Sandhu to carry out some small projects, things stand where they were to begin with. There were nine items on the agenda of the meeting held at the Municipal Commissioner's camp office on December 7 last.

One, the association had demanded a provision of sitting/seating capacity for holding birthday parties and other festival functions.

Two, the association pointed out that existing urinals were inadequate, keeping in view the number of men, women and children thronging the garden. It was decided to add three more urinals. The stench from the existing urinals repels visitors and forces them to alter the course of a nice leisure walk.

Three, the association had pointed out that there was no provision of drinking water in the garden and it was suggested that two or three water coolers be installed at various places.

Four, the association had asked for the renovation of the mini-library, including a facelift, for its immediate vicinity.

Five, there was total absence of playing equipment like merry-go-rounds for the kids. Women who bring their little ones to the garden are disappointed a lot.

Six, the association had requested for the restoration of boating facilities in the water sports pool. Boats are not being put to any use.

Item number seven on the agenda related to the cleaning of the water canal at regular intervals to avoid any foul smell and the repair of foot paths.

Eight, the association deplored that work on the new foot paths was abandoned half-way. To enhance the beauty of the garden, these footpaths should be provided with footlights, it was suggested.

Lastly, the association had also asked for the renovation of the entry gate from the Udham Singh Nagar side and provision of a parking.

Photo mania

Getting oneself photographed with ministers and other VIPs is a worldwide phenomenon. Ludhiana is no exception. This was much in evidence when the Minister for Local Bodies, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, landed in Ludhiana last Sunday to inaugurate a few projects of the Municipal Corporation.

Local municipal councillors turned up in strength to attend the inaugural ceremony of the multilevel parking lot near the MC offices. Comments on the inaugural stone which was to be unveiled by the minister were aplenty. One councillor was quick to notice that while the black granite slabs affixed to a pillar recorded the fact that the foundation stone of the complex was laid by the then Chief Minister, Mr Beant Singh, constructed by a battery of engineers and a construction company and inaugurated by Mr Balramji Dass Tandon in the presence of the MC Commissioner, it failed to record the presence of Mayor, Mr A.S. Grewal or that of any councillor.

When the minister arrived for the unveiling ceremony accompanied among others by Mr Madan Mohan Vyas, Chairman, Improvement Trust, the Mayor, Mr Grewal and Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr Jagdish Loomba, he was profusely garlanded by jostling the councillor. As soon as Mr Tandon unveiled the granite slab to commemorate the occasion, there was such a scramble among the councillors for a photo with the minister that the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Chairman, Improvement Trust, got pushed away along with many others.

The volatile Mr Amarjit Singh Bhatia, an Akali Dal (Badal) leader, got so annoyed that he refused to have himself photographed with the minister. A sheepish looking Mayor muttered: "Just look at them. Where are their manners? And only God knows why I always get pushed aside at such functions..."

House journal

The Municipal Corporation of the city has finally acknowledged the power of the Press . It has launched its first ever house journal. The monthly four-page leaflet will not only boast about the development activities undertaken by the corporation but also act as a platform for its employees to express their grievance as well as discover their hidden talent.

The first issue was launched by the Local Bodies Minister, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, here on Sunday. The Mayor said the people will know about the development works undertaken by the corporation. He also promised that he would redress grievances of areas of the MC expressed by the councillors in the columns.

The inaugural issue carries a brief history of the corporation, birthdays of the employees falling in the current month and special columns on talent search of the employees. There are some entertainment columns like riddle solving and some educative ones like the adage or quotations columns.

A surprising addition is the space given to the employees called 'Karamcharian di awaaz'. The critical insertions about the MC in this column reflect the openness of the corporation about its shortcomings. One of the amazing claims in this column was that no employee of the MC has got a promotion in the past 15 years.

Stand and Stare

Too many "should do's" and "must do's" have taken over Ludhianvis. Too many people and tasks are competing for our attention and making perpetual demands on our time. Ludhianvis really don't have any time to stand and stare.

Hassled, hysterical, frenetic, stretched and glued in a corner is how we can describe their hectic life. Relationships are full of noise and brinkmanship and there are more acquaintances than treasured friends. The albatross around the neck is the social "shoulds" and "musts" that take up so of our time with virtually nothing to show for it — we must go to Mehta's daughter's wedding, we should go to see fufaji or must spend an evening with Grewals and so on.

Social interaction is essential but not to the point where it cuts into your family life, or personal life. The cruncher comes when you discover that there is not just enough time to do everything that everyone wants.

So Ludhianvis, be self-conscious, as the whole process starts with "you". Pay more attention to yourself. For that you need to set aside time for yourself, some space to sort out your priorities and this will help you feel good about yourself and therefore, about others.

Driving blues

Driving is a not a pleasure. Not at least in Ludhiana. You can drive here at your "own risk and responsibility". With rapidly increasing traffic in the city, probably only second to Delhi, driving here is a frightening experience. Over the past few years, the number of vehicles in Ludhiana is said to have increased manifold, while the length and breadth of the roads continues to remain same.

Traffic rules are given a go-by and violated with impunity. It is virtually "free for all" on the roads here. The sporadic presence of tired looking, blue and white uniform clad cops are mute witnesses, except for spotting the helmetless heads to search their pockets. However, there is a solitary consolation. The traffic light signals are usually followed.

While driving, you may take all precautions, but they are no guarantee of your safety. You never know, who comes from where and hits you or your vehicle. Escapes are always providential. More so, on Ludhiana roads. Because a 'hit' is only a hairline away.

Old timers are amazed. They recall the times, not more than a decade ago, when roads were not so congested in Ludhiana not to the extent, not to let you any room. But the city is in transition. Having already graduated to the status of a megacity from an average city, it is already on way to becoming a metro. So never mind, if you have been let off with only a dented vehicle and not a broken rib.

Keeping cool

With the summer in full fury, keeping cool can become a quite a trying task. While those fortunate enough to afford desert coolers and air-conditioners to not worry about the vagaries of weather, the poor have to depend on the traditional methods of beating the heat, including storing water in earthen pitchers for a constant supply of cool water. The photograph on the top of the page shows a earthen pot-maker at his job to meet the increased demand for pitchers in Ludhiana.

Tailpiece

Seen written on the back of a truck on the G.T.Road:

"Amiron ki zindagi hai biscuit or cake par,

Garibon ki zindagi hai steering or brake par".

— Sentinel

CRIME

Two daylight robberies
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 27 — A sum of around Rs 90,000 along with 3 tolas of gold ornaments were stolen at around 11.30 a.m. today from a house of a commission agent, barely half-a-kilometer away from the police station division no 3.

According to the information available, a few persons broke into the house of Mr Chaman Lal Bhatia and Mr Ashok Bhatia when no one was at home and decamped with the money and gold.

It is learnt that while Mr Chaman Lal is away on a holiday with his family to Manikaran, his brother, Mr Ashok, was away to his shop, while his wife, Dimple, had gone to a doctor.

It is alleged that when the thieves came to the house, they switched on the television set at a very high volume and broke open the two safes that were lying there and stole the booty. This could be the reason that no one in the narrow lane where this house was located heard anything.

The robbery was detected only after another neighbour came to the house to return something that she had borrowed a little while ago.

In another case, a Nepali domestic help in the household of Mr Amrik Singh, a resident of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, is alleged to have decamped with Rs 1,25,000 and gold and electronic items worth Rs 1.45 lakh yesterday, while no one was at home.

Youth immolates himself
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 27 — Angry at being rebuked by his father, a 22-year-old youth is alleged to have immolated himself at his residence behind the Sangeet cinema this afternoon.

It is learnt that the deceased, Darpan Kumar, was rebuked by his father yesterday over a minor issue.

Agitated at this, he committed immolation when he was all alone in his house.

Man dies in road mishap
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 27 — A man named Raj Kumar was killed and another person, Jagdish Singh, was injured when their Tata-407 vehicle collided with a truck (PCF-9004) near Uchi Mangli village on the Chandigarh-Ludhiana road. The police has registered a case under Sections 279, 337, 338, 427 and 304-A of the IPC against the driver of the truck, Bhim Sain.

Car stolen

A red Maruti car (PB-10-AD-5155) was stolen on the night of June 20 from near Mata Rani Mandir. A case under Section 379 of the IPC has been registered at the Civil Lines police station.

Liquor seized

Fifteen bottles of illicit liquor were seized from a person named Bhupinder Singh past evening by a team led by ASI Bakshish Singh. A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the IPC has been registered.

Illegal withdrawal

About Rs 45,000 is alleged to have been withdrawn illegally from a joint account of a couple, Sudesh Kumar and Urmila Jain, in the Link-Road branch of the State Bank of India. It is alleged that the money has been withdrawn by an unidentified person in connivance with some bank employee. A case under Section 420, 465, 467, 468 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered at the police station.

Murderer behind the bars

SAHNEWAL(LUDHIANA), June 27 — The Sahnewal police has claimed to have nabbed 22-year-old Jatinder Singh, who allegedly murdered two persons and was on the prowl since the June 17.

-Lovleen Bains

HEALTH

Food that helps one stay fit
From Shivani Bhakoo

LUDHIANA, June 27 — Vandana Luthra's Curls and Curves, in collaboration with Samsung Microwaves, organised a "low-calorie show" at the VLCC centre yesterday. Food and nutrition expert, Veenu Rai Dhanda, demonstrated low-calorie cooking using a microwave oven. About 30 persons attended the seminar.

Veenu Dhanda said the purpose of the show was to make persons beauty and fitness freaks. She said, "Today's men and women are so health conscious that they avoid taking spicy food and such seminars prove helpful for them."

Ms Rohini Sood of the VLCC said, "More middle-aged persons than before are becoming fitness savvy and meticulous about the low-calorie diet," she said. There were plans to hold more such seminars in future, she said.

The four dishes prepared for the visitors included spinach and cheese (without butter), low-calorie karai paneer, carrot-and-spinach rice with chinese flavour and tandoori chicken, a favourite of Punjabis. Veenu Dhanda said nutrients like proteins and vitamins were kept intact and fat was destroyed while preparing these dishes.

She said, for a healthy body and mind, one should take a lot of fibres, water and carbohydrate-rich diet like wheat.

BUSINESS

Withdraw octroi on power: chamber
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, June 27 — The APEX chamber of Commerce and Industry (Punjab) has urged the state government to withdraw octroi on power, which is 2 per cent of the tariff, with immediate effect.

In a press note issued here today, the chamber President, Mr P.D. Sharma, said that the withdrawal of octroi on power would lessen the impact of the "unjustified power hike."

Mr Sharma deplored that the government had taken a unilateral decision, questioning the need to call a meeting of industrialists and to get the accounts of the PSEB checked.

Castigating the state government further, Mr Sharma stated that the Punjab Government's decision of not withdrawing the free power facility to the farming sector would go down as a black spot in the annals of the economic history of the state.