L U D H I A N A

Maalkhana property for cops’ use, till claimed
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — There is blatant, misuse’’ of possessions of maalkhanas of various police stations by police personnel.It is alleged that certain police officers (Sub Inspectors, Inspectors and Deputy Superintendents of Police) are in the habit of ‘borrowing’ the seized or recovered possessions in the maalkhanas property till the owner of the same gets possession with the consent of the court.

Changing trends in the second-hand car market
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — The entry of various finance companies in the market, the easy availability of loans and increasing affluence in the region have resulted in a sharp decline in the sale of second hand cars while there has been a corresponding increase in the sale of new cars.

Where scaling standards of excellence is not new
This is the tribute eminent poet Sahir Ludhianavi paid to Government College, Ludhiana, on its golden jubilee celebrations in 1970. Sahir had come all the way from Bombay to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of the college he had studied at.

COMMUNITY

Creating funky ID names
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — Mere sapnon ki rani kab aayegi too, Ladka bada anjana hai, Tum ko dekha to yeh khayal aayaa, Dil cheez kya hai. These are not just the titles of popular Hindi songs. These are the ID names used by some Ludhianvis for their e-mail addresses.

Sant Ishar Singh remembered
DORAHA, Aug 28 — Sant Ishar Singh was remembered by thousands recently on his 25th death anniversary.In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh laid the foundation of the Khalsa Panth. Bhai Daya Singh was among the five purged piaras who had entrusted his holy throne to Baba Sobha Singh (Anandpur Sahib), who in turn gave it to Baba Sahib Singh Bedi (Una Sahib).

Bitta to mobilise public opinion against terrorism
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — Former All-India Youth Congress President and Chairman of the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front, Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, is all set to launch a campaign to create public awareness against terrorism in the country. Besides setting up the organisational base of the front, he intended taking out a ‘rath yatra’ across the nation, observe ‘Anti-Terrorism Day’ and hold a training camp for office-bearers of the front.

DYC to observe Beants’ anniversary
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — The District Youth Congress (Urban) is making hectic preparations to observe the fifth death anniversary of Beant Singh to be observed at Payal on August 31.

Heritage immaterial for materialistic city
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 - The wealth of Ludhiana's heritage continues to be squandered away and plundered with impunity by none other than its own citizens, who are definitely more interested in making money than in preserving "old buildings and monuments", which could otherwise be major tourist attractions and a source of distinct pride for the city.

New varieties of tomato, chilli okeyed
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — The state Variety Approval Committee in its meeting held here under the chairmanship of Dr Kuldip Singh Sandhu, Director Horticulture, Punjab, approved two tomato varieties: Punjab Upma and Castle Rock and one chilli hybrid, CH-3 evolved by the scientists of the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

Pensioners flay govt
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — In a meeting held at Arya Senior Secondary School yesterday, the pensioners of Punjab aided schools flayed the government over the non-implementation of the Fourth Pay Commission report. The meeting was attended by Mr K.K. Tandon, president of Pensioners’ Cell, and Mr Manohar Lal Chopra, General Secretary of the cell, and 40 members from all over the state. It was decided that a convention be held on November 5 at Jalandhar.

Saving schemes popular in city
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — With the recession-hit industry not attracting investment from the masses and people losing interest in saving through jewellery, a number of small saving schemes run by the Ministry of Finance are increasingly becoming popular these days.

PSEB assailed for hike in tariff
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — Mr P.D. Sharma, president, Punjab Chamber of Commerce and Industry, today accused the Punjab State Electricity Board of shifting the burden of its “inefficient functioning” and free electricity to the agricultural sector to industrial and commercial consumers.

SDM orders action against teachers
KHANNA, Aug 28 — The local SDM, Mr Sukhvinder Singh Gill, has recommended action against some teachers of Government Middle School, Model Town, Khanna, for being absent from the school.

• ICAR official visits farms

CRIME

5 of family die in accident
CHAHLO (LUDHIANA), Aug 28 — Five members of a Dalit Sikligar family were killed and eight were injured when a speeding car, allegedly being driven by a drunk driver, pulled off the road and ran into them.

Mystery shrouds disappearance
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — Mystery shrouds the disappearance of a woman from Ishwar Singh Colony here yesterday after a minor altercation with her husband. The clothes of the woman were found near the canal, near the Mirado police post, this morning.

• 7 MC employees booked for graft

Purse snatcher held
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — In an exercise in public confidence building, the police today publicly returned the cash and valuables stolen by a notorious purse snatcher to the owners, after the accused was nabbed by the focal point police here yesterday.

7-year-old thwarts kidnap bid
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — The alertness of a seven-year-old girl helped in thwarting an attempt to kidnap her from outside her house in HL Colony yesterday afternoon.

BUSINESS

Decision on FDI cap hailed
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — The Ludhiana Machine Tool Makers Association today hailed the decision of the government to retain FDI cap for small- scale industries at 24 per cent.

EDUCATION

Valmiki Sabha flays education policy
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — The District Valmiki Sabha has criticised the state government for its failure to check exploitation of poor and Dalit students by private educational institutions and to earnestly implement the reservation for the backward classes and the Scheduled Castes, particularly in technical and professional courses.

CULTURE

Spot painting in artist’s memory
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — In the memory of artist Sobha Singh, Ludhiana branch of Asian Club today organised a spot painting competition at Gupta Model High School.

HEALTH

Isabgul: home remedy for constipation
Famous for correcting constipation, isabgul (ashwagol, Plantago ovata ) is a commonly used medicine in Indian homes. Its soft hairy plant with a very weak stem is annually cultivated in Gujarat, parts of Haryana and also in Sind and Baluchistan. It has small long leaves with flowers in cylindrical spikes and smooth and shining yellowish brown boat-shaped seeds. These seeds of isabgul constitute the drug.

• Doctors threaten agitation

SPORT

Varun, Rakhi win
LUDHIANA, Aug 28 — Varun Vashist of Dental College, Faridkot, and Rakhi of Governement Medical College, Chandigarh, won the men’s and women’s singles titles, respectively, in Nozzit 2000, the North Zone Inter-College Table Tennis Tournament held at Dumra Auditorium, Dayanand Medical College here today.

For Fatehjeet sky is the limit
For Fatehjeet Grewal, sky is the limit. A budding youngster of Guru Nanak Public School, Ludhiana, Fatehjeet has achieved the superb honour of being the sole representative from Punjab to have participated in the Second Child of Asia International Sports and Games held in Yakusak, Russia.