 |
|
|
Farmers taken for a
ride LUDHIANA The situation was precipitated with the private millers and commission agents not making any purchases today in protest against the delay by the government in announcing the levy for rice. The millers maintained that they were bound to
suffer losses if they purchased paddy without the government announcing the levy. The millers also announced that they would not accept any paddy from the government unless the levy was announced for
rice. A random survey by The Tribune of different mandis revealed that the attitude of the government agencies was lackadaisical as they were raising petty objections. Amarjit Singh apprehended that the agencies might have directions from the top not to purchase much paddy from the farmers. This was the general belief among farmers as they find indifferent or hostile officials of various government procurement
agencies. If the figures supplied by the officials involved with the procurement of paddy are an indication the farmers appear to be justified in their assertion that the government has let them down. This has been done particularly at a time, when their has been a bumper production this year.
Notwithstanding the ground reality in the mandis Punjab minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, claimed that the government agencies were quite forthcoming in purchasing the paddy from the farmers. He blamed the Congress for “spreading a false propaganda about the paddy procurement for taking advantage in the Sunam Assembly byelection”.
Most of the government agencies had been maintaining that the level of moisture and discolouration was above the specified degrees. Mr Mittal admitted that there was the problem of moisture. However, he maintained that each grain of paddy which fulfilled the specified norms would be procured by the government agencies. He disclosed that strict instructions had been issued to the officials involved in procurement that they should ensure that farmers did not face any
problem. Mr Mittal claimed that it was in the interest of the farmers that the permissible level of moisture in paddy had been raised from 16 to 18 per cent. He said instructions had been issued to all authorities concerned that the level of discolouration was checked accurately as it had severe repercussion for the
farmers. On the fifth day today in Khanna mandi, only 3,000 quintals of paddy was purchased by various government agencies. On the other hand there was no purchase of paddy by the private commission agents and millers. They have been boycotting the purchase as, so far the government has not announced the levy on
rice. The Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, Mr S K Sandhu, sought to downplay the panic among farmers over the accumulating stocks and limited buyers. He observed that the purchase by various government agencies was picking up. At the same time, he pointed out, the bulk purchases were done only by the private agencies, including the millers and the commission agents. |
|
‘Make cops aware about child abuse’ LUDHIANA This was the message given by Mr D.J. Singh, Deputy Director, Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, and a lead trainer of an Indo-British project on ‘Child rights and child protection in Punjab’, at a seminar which was organised jointly by the British Council, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission and the Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, at Kundan Vidya Mandir, here
today. More than 25 parents, who are doctors, chartered accountants, advocates and other professionals, were invited to take part. The participants also included 52 students from Kundan Vidya Mandir, BCM School, St Thomas School and GRD Academy.
Parents were given a workbook in which they were to write the common forms of child abuse and also give suggestions to combat this problem. The parents were divided into four groups and a representative from each group spoke on the major problems stated by the parents in the workbooks. Mr Vipin Dawar, representing one group, said most of the parents suggested that all political leaders must construct shelters for needy children at tehsil levels.
Meanwhile, the students were made to play games like relay race with banners on child abuse and musical race. This was followed by group discussions and group presentations. Later parents, teachers and students assembled to watch a movie on gender inequality. Then in his speech, Mukul, a student of KVM, spoke on how some children as domestic servants were being exploited and Dipika of St Thomas School pledged that she would endeavour to do her utmost to end the menace of child labour. This was followed by a skit, Chakma, presented by students of middle section and a song Itni shakti hamein dena data, man ka vishwas kum ho na. Mr A.P.Bhatnagar, Additional Director-General, Police, and coordinator of the project, said the programme was made interactive with a variety of exercises, games and videos so that all participants get sensitised to work for the cause. Active involvement of parents, teachers and students is necessary to curb the menace of child abuse. He urged the NGOs to come forward and work for the
cause. Mr D.J.Singh informed that at Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and Bathinda were four districts for which the PPA, Phillaur, would organise public education programmes. He said that 24 such programmes would be held in the schools of the city. |
|
Farmers’ protest a conspiracy:
Aulakh LUDHIANA Addressing a press conference here today, he said a committee was constituted to look into the alleged sale of the infected wheat seed on the eve of kisan mela and for checking the store of director farms. The committee included Dr J.S. Kolar, Director, Extension Education, Dr M.S. Tiwana, Additional Director of Research, and Dr G.S. Nanda, Head, Department of Plant Breeding. He informed that this committee met today and physically verified the leftover seed stock lying in the stores, received from different seed production farms. It found that the seeds met the seed certification standards.
Dr Aulakh also informed that Dr Gurkirpal Singh, Director, Farms, was called to provide information regarding the quantity of the seeds lying in the stores and about the seeds that has been received from various places. The committee found that the seeds of the Ropar farm, which were declared doubtful, got verified by drawing large number of the random samples. According to the committee reports, the seed was found treated with malathion dust, recommended for treatment of wheat seed. It further alleged that out of the 1300 grains which were taken for physical counting of the damaged seed due to weevil, only 10 grains were found insect
damaged. He claimed that out of the random samples taken, only five dead weevils were found, which might be because of the treatment of malathion. He claimed that the overall seed lot from the Ropar farm was of good quality and met the minimum seed certification standard specified for the crop, as prescribed by the Central Seed Certification Board, Government of India.
When his attention was drawn towards the trucks loaded with infected seeds being sent back to Ropar, Dr Aulakh refuted the charge. He said if any seeds had been sent back without his knowledge, he would take strict action against those employees. He informed that the seed samples from the seed farms at Naraiangarh, Faridkot, Usmaan and Kapurthala were physically verified and all the samples were found to be of excellent quality. |
|
Last remnant of an Afghan king
lost LUDHIANA In fact, the King had actually spent more than 20 years in the city. In what may come as a surprise to most of the modern residents, the Afghan King resided in a building in Bhadaur House, (then the Bhadaur Fort) where Central Post office is located these days.
Though, historians have recorded in detail the Afghan King’s connection to the city, the Ludhianvis have turned their backs to his last remnants -his residence and a stone inscription found just couple of years ago in the present day post office
building. The remnants, according to a few senior citizens and postal
employees could be seen just few years ago in the building but in recent renovation the residence of the king was razed to the ground. The stone had also vanished and no one knows about its where abouts
today. It is history now that the king had gifted the diamond to Maharaja Ranjit Singh as part of presentations to him for allowing the Afghan King and his army to stay in the city. It has also been suggested by some historians that the presentation ceremony actually took place here though there is no concrete evidence for
it. On the decline and fall of the Durrani kingdom in Afghanisatan, its ruler Shah Shuja-ul- Mulk fled to India. After years of wandering, sordid intrigues and misfortunes, he finally escaped from Lahore to Ludhiana in September 1816. He was later joined by his relative ex-king Zaman
Shah. Incidentally the two families did not enter into a matrimonial alliance in Afghanistan. However, at the pursuance of a renowned saint, Maulana Shah Abdul Qadir both families resolved their differences in
Ludhiana. Soon, circumstances changed in favour of Shah Shuja. With the support of the British and Sikh forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh he managed to raise an army at his residence in Bhadaur House
here. With the combined help of his friends he succeeded in conquering Afghanistan on August 7,1839, where he ultimately died in
1842. For more than a century his house and an inscription on a stone could be seen at the present day Central Post Office. Pictures of the two remnants have even been published in the Ludhiana Gazetteer but the
remnants have now
vanished. According to Dr R Vatsyan, a keen history watcher , there used to be even hamams and gardens at the
residence. He said earlier visitors to the city used to visit the place to see the residence of the king who had donated Kohinoor to Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
However, with the passage of time and due to lack of government’s desire to preserve the monument, the remnants were abandoned. Things came to such a pass that the Postal Department demolished the residence and constructed a new building in its
place. Mr M.K. Khan Senior Superintendent Post Offices here expressed ignorance about the historical aspect of the building. He said the construction had not taken place during his tenure. |
|
Rape case filed against doctor LUDHIANA According to an FIR registered under Section 376 of the IPC at the Focal Point police station, the victim, a middle-aged housewife, has alleged that she was raped by the accused on September 18 when she had gone there to get treatment for her ailment. She has stated that she was accompanied by her
child. The victim has alleged that the accused, Dr Jayant Chauhan, a registered medical practitioner, first injected the sedative and later on raped
her. The complainant approached the police yesterday and a case was registered. It is, however, also learnt that the husband of the victim had borrowed a lot of money from the accused but was unable to repay the loan. The victim and her husband had also not paid the bills of the doctor amounting to a few
thousands. The Superintendent of Police, City II, Mr Pramod Ban, when contacted said that the police was also exploring this angle. He added that the police had not arrested the accused so far. |
|
Bail for YC leader in murder case LUDHIANA He had been arrested on September 10, more than three months after the murder of Sanjay Kumar, alias Daboo. He had earlier not been named in the murder case, but it was only a fortnight after the other accused were arrested on June 3, that the police found the involvement of the YC
leader. He was booked on charges of illegally disposing of the body of the deceased and for conspiring with Aman Goel, Karamjit Neelu, Davinder Singh Kaki, Om Dutt Raja and Darshan Singla. Two other petty criminals — Kuldip Singh and Sukhi — who doubled as police informers, had also been
arrested. The police had earlier obtained the arrest warrants of the accused YC leader, but he was not arrested. An inquiry was marked into the case, but later the involvement of Prashar was ascertained and he was subsequently arrested. |
City
Scan ONE of the wisest as well as the wittiest educationists, Principal A.S. Bukhari, in a general assembly at Government College, Lahore, differentiated between ilm (learning) and taleem (education). He said that ilm was the lifelong pursuit of knowledge — studying, discovering, verifying, learning as well as living, whereas taleem is an institutionalised process of educating others to obtain a certain degree in an academic discipline. He tersely concluded: "With the spread of taleem we are losing the essence of ilm". As a student as well as a professional college teacher, I have critically applied my mind to discover a teacher who has the gift of taleem and the quality of ilm. Here in this city of ours some people have these twin qualities. Ms A. Kuriyan ranks among the toppers.
She was a seeker of self as well as that of the non-self at once and perhaps always. Such was Madam Kuriyan who earned her bread as a college teacher, she never buttered it. "The butter to her was out of requirement, she converted the butter thus saved into the bread of the needy," explained a colleague of hers from Government College for Women, Mrs M.Kartar Singh. Ms Kuriyan spent money to meet her needs. She intuitively discovered the difference between need and desire. She had mastery over her subject (History). It is the discovery of her own self through this mastery which looks almost a thing of the past in the noble profession of teaching. Profession is still noble. Only the tribe of the order of Ms Kuriyan is becoming rare. She gave her best to all her students, including those who were not in her class, section or group. This neatly-dressed and soft-spoken lady walked into a classroom where the teacher was absent or on leave. She never counted her weekly work load of periods. Such an attitude is unthinkable these days. In her time several of her colleagues imbibed this virtue. Madam Kuriyan never persuaded others, her example itself was persuasive — rather persuasion itself. She never quoted from any religious text as the professional preachers do. She learnt the spiritual essence. Hers was a digested knowledge. Hers were the natural fruits she bore forth to feed her wards. It is said that anger quickly reveals one's ego. Hers was not an ego to be revealed through anger. She knew that a teacher should be master of his or her moods. Anger is the worst of human emotions, worst in case of a teacher. Psychologists understand that at times it is an expression of sincerity. Madam Kuriyan maintained her sincerity without falling victim to anger. She never lost temper and never terrified her wards. She never painted the dark side of examinations. She glorified life. She was least of an alarmist.
It obviously required objective observation with a matching degree of courage of conviction to phrase : Physician heal thyself. Folk wisdom, like folklore, is believed to be a product of application of common sense of the common people. By the same logic an average student attending the class of an incompetent teacher would capsule his reaction : 'Teacher, teach thyself.' A more intelligent would add 'to teach'. As a student, destined to be a teacher herself, Ms Kuriyan discovered the nature of learning as well as that of teaching. She was an excellent student gifted with mental curiosity, intellectual keenness and dynamic pursuit for students. She had an inherent element in her person which remained in her focus as young Andamma. She is better remembered as A. Kuriyan. Though A.S. Bukhari never had Ms Kuriyan in his mind as he was differentiating between ilm and taleem, she definitely had both the virtues. She was one up because her total life was devoted to her students and thereby to society and
mankind. She was born in 1905 in a family of Syrian Christians in a princely state now part of Kerala. Her family was respectable as well as educated. She obtained an M.A. degree in history. She was in love with teaching. To the good luck of Government College for Women, she joined it in December 1946. She inspired her students and cultivated lasting relationships with all her colleagues. There are many true stories of her kindness, consideration, compassion and generosity. She took many orphans under her care and provided motherly affection. She looked after scores of needy students. She would watch the needy ones and gently provided books, clothes, medicines, etc. People still recall her selfless service to the refugees at the time of the Partition of the country. In a few cases she did almost the impossible. She would find a really suitable match for her adopted daughters. She attended the important ceremonies. In one such marriage she persuaded Padmashri Harparkash Kaur to perform the sacred ceremony of shagun. Though she was a Christian by faith, she never converted anybody to her religion. She respected all religions and believed in universal brotherhood. After her retirement in 1960, she worked at Khalsa Girls College, Sidhwan Khurd, for seven years. In 1968, she got an attack of paralysis. She was living in a rented house. Her brother came from Kerala and took her there, where she died in 1969. |
|
Woes of working couples Besides the pressures of work, the compulsions of proving a good son a good husband and a good father, always haunt him. She has to balance her duties as a mother, as a wife and a daughter-in-law with the demands of her job. This is the plight of today’s working couple trying to live in some degree of comfort in the high-cost urban set-up. No wonder, stress related diseases are on the
rise. Shanti, age 26, is mother of a two-year-old girl and lives in a suburb. Her place of work is 20 km away. Her husband. Ashutosh, works in a bank, equally
distant. There are a hundred questions facing them. How to look after the child? The grand parents cannot take the responsibility as they are rheumatic. Can Shanti afford to give up her job? Their total income is Rs 10,000. Shanti pools in Rs 35,00 and Ashutosh Rs 6500. They spend Rs 1000 on conveyance, and Rs 2000 on rent. They have to limit their wants. So how can Shanti leave her job? They hardly have any money or time for entertainment. Their life has become mechanical and devoid of fun or
laughter. Theirs is not an isolated case. It is story of millions of working couples in this
country. Simmi Soni, who works in a bank gets up at 4 o’clock, cooks breakfast and lunch, and wakes up her two children, Shruti (4) and Alok (6). Giving them bath, and breakfast is a nerve-wrecking task. Her husband, in the meanwhile, packs the tiffins and gets ready for his bank where he is a manager. They all leave at 8 o’clock. He drops the children at the school and his wife at the office, on his way to his own office. In his office, Atul is trying his best to befriend a new clerk. Life has become too monotonous and a little flirtation will bring some
excitement. The affair blossoms. Soon Simmi comes to know about. They have a big fight. Since he was drunk, he slapped her. She did not speak to him for two weeks. Atul made no efforts to make up. They drifted apart and finally separated. Now as a single mother, her woes have
increased. Such incidents are on the rise and add to the woes of working couples.
The problems are endless, the wife generally has to take leave when a child is sick, She has to do all the house work when the maid does not come. She has to look after her in-laws, the education of the children, face the teachers at the parents teachers and meet. Some husbands have started helping in the shopping and looking after ailing children. But that has not reduced the woes of the
couples. Veena Narang quit her job as a manager in a private firm as she found that she was finding it difficult to manage her high profile job and her son who was asthematic. The doctors advised her to pay him more attention. She discovered later that the maid whom she was paying well was a frusted spinster who used to vent her anger on the child. She has no regrets however. “I am at peace now. I can see a smile on my son’s face and that is compensation
enough.” The struggle will continue. — AA |
|
Saris only for special
occasions LUDHIANA The sale of saris has decreased by 20 to 30 per cent in recent years, with a corresponding increase in the sale of salwar-kamiz suits. More and more women, particularly the working women, now prefer salwar- kamiz as they find it more
comfortable. According to Mr Aman Arora of a leading clothes store saris sell in good number in the marriage season. The season starts in October and lasts till February. Saris are available in a wide range of fabric and finish. The fabric includes crape, net, tissue, silk, organza, katan and chiffon. However, during the marriage season, it is the embroidered material which sells most, says Mr Arora. The cost of an embroidered sari ranges between Rs 2,000 and Rs 20,000, depending upon the fabric and the embroidery done on it. Saris with a pure zari border do not cost less than Rs
10,000. The Calcutta or Lucknow embroidery more delicate and attractive and costs more than the local varieties. However, these saris find buyers in the marriage season
only. Mr Vipin Gupta, a clothes trader, agrees that the sale of saris has fallen. However, he attributes the decline in sales to a nationwide trend. With more and more middle class women, the main buyers of saris, opting for jobs, the demand for saris has come down. A sari may be attractive, but it is not as comfortable as a salwar-kamiz combination and costs much
more. Currently there is a great demand for embroidered crape and net saris. Women prefer to wear these saris at marriages and other ceremonies. These saris are more expensive than casual saris like printed crape and printed chiffon. The traders here purchase saris mostly from Bangalore, Chennai and
Kanchipuram. |
|
DYC flays proposed oil price hike LUDHIANA The DYC president, Mr Parminder Mehta, while addressing a party meeting in the Shivpuri locality last evening, observed that consumers were yet to recover and adjust to the earlier increase in the prices of petrol and cooking gas and indication of yet another hike had come as a bolt from the blue. The economically weaker sections, he added, would be the worst sufferers of the price increase and their family budgets would go topsy-turvy as a result of direct and indirect impact of the upward revision in
prices. Mr Mehta lamented that while the people were being crushed under unbearable burden of price rise and high rates of taxes, the government, both in the Centre and in the states, had failed to curb wasteful expenditure by way of jumbo size Cabinets and more and more perks for the
ministers. Making the SAD(B)-BJP government in Punjab, the target of his attack, the DYC chief said the ruling combine had repeatedly jacked up various taxes, which had adversely affected the trade and industrial activity in the
state. The state economy was in shambles while the Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues were getting richer through 'underhand means'.
Among others, Mr Surinder Dhiman, Mr Babli Sidhu, Mr Pankaj Sood, Mr Sarbjit Bunty, Mr Jasbir Gill and Mr Surjit Kaushal also addressed the
meeting. |
|
SAD(B)-BJP govt on last legs: Babbu LUDHIANA Mr Babbu, who is camping in Sunam and carrying out intensive canvassing in favour of Congress nominee, told Ludhiana Tribune that the Badal government had distanced itself from people by following anti-people and anti-poor policies. All sections of society, were frustrated with the
government. The PYC chief charged that the state government had ruined the economy of the state. The industry and agriculture were in dire straits, corruption was rampant and exchequer was empty. As a result the development works had come to a halt and all welfare schemes like the old-age pension, scholarships and free books for the poor students had been dumped. So much so that the government found it difficult to pay salaries to its employees. About the law and order situation, the less said the better. Murders, rapes, dacoities and economic offences had become a
routine. Mr Babbu further observed that the ruling combine had no issue to woo the electorate of Sunam and faced with the total lack of response from the voters, the chief minister and his Cabinet colleagues were levelling baseless charges against the
Congress. Mr Pawan Diwan, chairman of the urban planning and development cell of the Indian Youth Congress, who was accompanying Mr Babbu, also criticised the state government, for what he described as, wrong policies and poor planning, which had turned Punjab into a bankrupt state, from a surplus one. The poor had become poorer and were finding it difficult to make both ends meet. |
|
Sena protests against
postal delay LUDHIANA The Shiv Sena workers marched through Gur Mandi, Sarafa Bazar, Meena Bazar, Sabun Bazar, Girja Ghar Chowk and Clock Tower Chowk where they burnt an effigy of Senior Superintendent of Post Offices M. Khan, whom they held responsible for gross irregularities in postal deliveries, particularly those of the money orders, sent by migrant workers to their families back home in Uttar Pradesh and
Bihar. Mr Tangri alleged that money orders booked at the local post offices were not delivered for months together and the funds sent by migrant workers were used for money lending at high rates of interest by certain high officials of the department, both in the city and at the
destination. Cotton pests on the rise LUDHIANA The surveillance was carried out on September 13 in the villages of Katar Singh Wala, Jiwan Singh Wala, Talwandi Sabo, Jaurkian, Jhunir, Khiali Chahlan Wali, Dulowal, Mansa, Jaggaram Tirath, Ghuman Kalan and Maur. The incidence of American bollworm varied from 11 to 35 per cent in shed fruiting bodies of cotton. Heavy larval and egg population of American bollworm was noticed at most locations. Incidence of these pests might increase if suitable measures are not taken
immediately. The farmers are advised not to spray synthetic pyrethroids on the crop at this stage. They should also avoid the mixing of insecticides and spray. Farmers are advised to check stickness on cotton leaves due to honeydew production by whitefly. |
Kidnapping scare in city LUDHIANA It is learnt that the local police received a complaint around 8:45 am that two siblings — Shanty and Tinku had been kidnapped from outside their house on Tajpur Road this morning. The police set into action by sealing all entry points to the city and began combing
operations. The father of the children, Buta Singh, when asked by the local police said he had been told by his neighbours that the children had been picked up by an autorickshaw driver. The police intensified its search operations and found the two children playing in the vicinity of the
house. The SP City II Pramod Ban said this was the fifth time during this week that a kidnapping hoax had been created by over anxious parents, when their children ventured elsewhere while
playing. He recalled that only recently a young boy in the Tagore Nagar area near Gill Road had feigned that he had been kidnapped by making a story that two men and a women in a car had picked him up and taken him to a room. There he had found a mobile telephone and called up his parents and informed them of his kidnapping. The child had also reassured his parents that he would return soon.
Living upto his promise, the child claimed to have had a’ miraculous escape,’ but later, during the police interrogation, the child confessed that he was on a rendezvous.
|
WTO: experts warn
against complacency LUDHIANA Mr Kaushik suggested that small and medium industries needed to form strategic alliance to survive and compete in the global economy. He said, horizontal alliance between different industrial groups could be the best answer against the onslaught of globalisation and multinational
companies. He said, it was time when pre-emptive measures were taken. Otherwise, the corrective measures might prove to be too difficult, he
cautioned. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Khan clarified various aspects about patent laws. He said, most people were not clear about the patent laws. Quoting the example of neem, he disclosed that it was not the entire neem plant that had been patented to some American company, but one of its formations after different
processes. He suggested that Indian enterprises should create a separate cell in their organisation to maximize registration under I.P.P. and trade mark. It was a paying proposition and a hidden treasure.
Mr. S.K. Rai, president, LMA, said there was unnerving collection of symptoms, a big public sector deficit, widening trade gaps, failing sensex, slumping currency which had lost 7 per cent since January and eminent increase in petroleum prices. The increase in petroleum prices was going to hurt emerging economics. The rich world was likely to get it lightly because of earlier oil shocks and developed fuel efficient technologies. He stressed that next six months were going to be crucial to watch for success of globalisation process.
Dr M.A. Zaheer proposed a vote of thanks after the meeting. |
|
Watch outlet inaugurated LUDHIANA The main attraction was a watch worth Rs 32 lakh. Lisa Ray, a supermodel, was also present on the occasion.
|
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
