L U D H I A N A

School child sustains neck injury after being slapped by teacher
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — In a shocking incident, a class five student of BCM Arya Model School suffered internal injuries on her neck and had to wear a collar for more than a week after she was allegedly slapped hard by a teacher of the school early this month.

Containers pile up at local ICD
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — Hundreds of containers fully loaded with goods, for import and export purposes, worth hundreds of crores of rupees have piled up at the local Inland Container Depot (ICD), thanks to the disruption of the handling operations following a change of works contractor at the facility.

VIPs fail to show up
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — A conference of the women wing of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) convened at Gurudwara Chauthi Patshahi Sri Guru Ram Das Ji in New Shivaji Nagar to discuss the political situation of the state, in the context of status of women in Sikh community, though a much publicised event, turned out to be a tame affair.

Naveen Sood, father of Aman, in a pensive mood.

Aman murder case continues to baffle police KHANNA, Aug 17 — The mystery shrouding the kidnapping and subsequent murder of five-year-old Aman Sood appears to be getting complicated in reported rivalry between two senior police officers here, one of whom is alleged to have masterminded the ghastly act just in order to outsmart the other.

• Angry words and tearful homage

COMMUNITY

Road-widening may hit afforestation drive
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — The much-publicised projects of four-laning or widening of three important roads Chandigarh- Ludhiana, Ludhiana- Moga and Zirakpur- Bahadurgarh — may pave way for speedy , smooth movement of traffic but the development is threatening to cast its shadow on consistent efforts of afforestation carried out in the state.

HERBS & HEALTH
The goodness of giloy
In the Indian system of medicine, giloy (Sanskrit-gaduchi and amrita, Botanical-Tinospora Cordifolia) is a commonly used herb. Its climber plant is easily available throughout the countryside of tropical India. Clinging on to other big trees like neem and mango, it throws aerial roots, thus fully covering the host plant.

Who will give justice to consumer forum?
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — The District Consumer Redressal Forum which redresses grievances of the consumers is itself in need of help.

Tree plantation on I-Day
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — Residents of Shaheed Karnail Singh Nagar (Phase II) in the town celebrated Independence Day by planting saplings in the colony. The city Mayor, Mr Apinder Singh Grewal, chief guest of the function, inaugurated the Van Mahotsav.

Ministerial staff want more pay 
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — The ministerial staff of several government departments and employees of the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation and the Punjab Agricultural University today staged a dharna at the Mini Secretariat here to press their demands.

Telecom employees stage dharna
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — In response to a call given by the Telecom Engineering Services Association, employees of the Telecom Department today resumed their agitation, with a dharna and a demonstration in support of their demands.

Dairy farming camp concludes
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — The Dairy Development Department organised a one-month training camp on dairy farming at Milk Chilling Centre, Raikot, in which 75 youth from Jagraon and Raikot sub-divisions were imparted training on setting up dairy units under self-employment schemes.

Hike in power-tariff resented
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — The Ludhiana Machine Tool Makers Association (LMTMA) has strongly condemned the hike in power-supply tariff for all consumers.

The peerless babbugosha finds growers
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — Pear is one of the six main fruit crops of Punjab. Pear cultivation in the state dates back to the advent of Chinese travellers to India, who brought the fruit with them which was sown around Amritsar. The oldest plantation of sand pear around Amritsar city still exists and bears testimony to the popularity of pear cultivation.

BUSINESS

Reduction in sales tax rates hailed
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — The recent announcement of the Excise and Taxation Department, Punjab, to slash the sales tax rates on 24 items has come as a great relief to the trade and industry circles.

A bazaar for all seasons
The sprawling Sunday bazaar which starts from Ghanta Ghar Chowk and ends somewhere near the shop of Khushi Ram Halwai presents a colourful sight and offers a wide variety of goods.The colourful umbrellas lend a festive air to the whole scene.

EDUCATION

‘Uniform syllabus needed in schools’
CHANDIGARH, Aug 17 — The state needs to have a uniform education policy and subject content for all children at the school level, said Mr Tota Singh, Education Minister of Punjab, while inaugurating a two-day seminar on ‘teaching subjects at the school level in view of future needs’ organised by the Punjab School Education Board at the ICCSR Complex, Panjab University, here, yesterday.

HEALTH

2-day workshop at DMCH
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — Dayanand Medical College and Hospital will organise a two-day workshop on ‘Microsurgical repair of bracial plexus injuries’ on Friday and Saturday at the Dumra Auditorium.

SPORT

Basketball championships begin
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — All arrangements for the 51st Punjab Junior Basketball Championship scheduled to begin tomorrow at Badal in Muktsar district have been finalised.

ADMINISTRATION

Assi Kalan gets vet hospital, bridge 
LUDHIANA, Aug 17 — Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Rural Development and Panchayat Minister, Punjab, today said the state government had chalked out a comprehensive plan for the fast integrated development in all villages and Rs 435 crores was being spent for providing basic facilities, including paving of streets and peripheries, construction of the drainage system and streetlights during the current financial year.