L U D H I A N A

Kisan Mela begins amidst students’ protest
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Angry students of the College of Agriculture in Punjab Agricultural University today stormed the main pandal of the annual kisan mela, forcing Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to inaugurate the mela from the stall of a private tractor manufacturer.

Policemen try to prevent students from storming the main pandal of the annual kisan mela in PAU on Thursday. — Photo by Rajesh Bhambi

Fewer seed varieties disappoint farmers
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Thousands of farmers today thronged the PAU Kisan Mela which began here today. Dressed in traditional attire, the farmers appeared enthusiastic about the mela. They had come from different parts of the state .

Punjab farmers go in for diversification
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Farmers of Punjab are increasingly adopting diversification of agricultural practices as conventional farming is not proving to be profitable. Most farmers attending the PAU Kisan Mela here today said practices like dairy farming, beekeeping and fish rearing were more profitable than conventional farming.

Bharatiya Kisan Union to stage dharna today
DORAHA, Sept 21 — Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, President, Bhartiya Kisan Union, told newspersons here yesterday that they would hold a dharna at Sahnewal on September 22 in protest against the policy adopted by the government regarding the purchase of paddy.

Police role comes under fire
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — The role of the local police in the Satluj Hospital case has come under fire from several quarters. The registration of a case of attempt to murder a DSP by the Security In charge of the hospital and the charging of two other directors of the Satluj Hospital as conspirators late last night is alleged to have been done at the behest of the estranged founder-director after a deal was struck with the police.

Wadali brothers enthral audience THE faulty sound system dampened the spirits of the otherwise vibrant Wadali brothers, famous Sufi singers, who presented a mesmerising show at the Kundan Vidya Mandir under the aegis of SPICMACAY’s ongoing series of cultural programmes in the city here today.

Wadali brothers present Sufiana Kalam in Kundan Vidya Mandir, Ludhiana, on Thursday. — IV

COMMUNITY

Phone services improve slightly
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Telephone services in the city remained affected for the third day today though there was partial improvement in the STD lines to Mumbai and Delhi.

‘Expand medical facilities in city’
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — The District Youth Congress (DYC) President, Mr Parminder Mehta, urged the state government to suitably expand the medical facilities in the city, in view of the tremendous increase in population during the last few years.

Trust member’s plea to SSP
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Dr G.S.Grewal, honorary president and secretary of the Guru Nanak Education Trust, has given an application to the Senior Superintendent of Police requesting him to add charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy against the seven accused office-bearers, management members and the college principal, who had earlier been booked on charges of cheating and fraud.

Daler’s effigy burnt 
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Punjabi pop king Daler Mehndi faced the wrath of the All India Sikh Students Federation (Bhoma group). Irked over his video album ik dana, the AISSF activists, led by senior vice-president, Mr Gurdeep Singh Leel and advisor Mr Pritam Singh Bharowal, burnt the effigy of the singer, along with the audio and video cassettes of the song.

Students to organise anti-addiction march
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, Ludhiana zone, will organise an anti-addiction march on September 23. More than 2000 students from 50 schools and colleges will participate in the march here.

Three injured
DORAHA, Sept 21 — Three persons were badly injured when a Gypsy coming from the opposite direction hit their scooter.

She aims for betterment of humanity
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — She is a woman who believes in change. Change not to suit her personal interests, but a change that would be good for society as a whole.

BUSINESS

‘Give company secretaries more control’
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — In the changed scenario of liberalisation and increasing global competition under the WTO system, only those companies will survive that will run their operations in a transparent, efficient and accountable manner. Company secretaries can play a crucial role in encouraging this process.

‘80 p.c. companies are corrupt’
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Mr J. Sridhar, President of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, works in Maharashtra Scooters, a Bajaj Group company at Pune, as the Controller of Finance and Company Secretary. He has been elected to the central council of the institute. At a seminar on Corporate Governance and the Role of Company Secretary, Ludhiana Tribune talked to him on matters concerning corporate governance and the role of company secretaries.

CICU flays power tariff hike
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Charging the Punjab State Electricity Board with rampant corruption, financial mismanagement and anti-industry bias, the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) today demanded that the board should be disbanded and power generation, transmission and distribution be handed over to private parties.

CULTURE

Raja and Radha Reddy impress
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Raja and Radha Reddy, exponents of Kuchipudi, gave a duet performance today, at Government College for Girls and displayed their mastery over the dance form. They are disciples of Guru Vedantam Prahlad Sarma.

SPORT

City chess players plan their moves 
LUDHIANA, Sept 21 — Three chess players of the city — Vikas Sharma, Arvinderpreet Singh and Harkamal Singh — who have been included in the four-member Punjab team for the National-B Championship to be held in October, are training hard for the meet.