L U D H I A N A

PAU biotech centre faces closure 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The Centre of Biotechnology which had been created with so much zeal and aplomb by the authorities of Punjab Agricultural University in 1992, for the path breaking research in agricultural sciences, seems to be heading towards total oblivion.

Daughter remembers father’s anguish, struggle
WE were not a witness to the most gruesome event of the 1940s i.e. the horrendous partition, but I have experienced the anguish many times when my father relates the pain and suffering he underwent on leaving Rawalpindi. 

Battlelines drawn for LSE poll 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The election for the post of two directors of the Ludhiana Stock Exchange, to be held tomorrow, is going to witness a fierce competition not among groups but between the personalities of the candidates. 

Non-bailable warrants against publisher 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The court of Mr R.K. Sharma, Judicial Magistrate, here has issued non-bailable warrants against a prominent book publisher of Jalandhar Mr Ashok Kumar, partner of Malhotra Book Depot, who is facing charges under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act and Section 420, IPC, in a suit filed by a local firm Varinder Agro Chemicals Limited.

YC activists to gherao MC officials 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 The district Youth Congress has reacted to the recent MC general house decision to slash the timings of water supply in the city and the DYC president, Mr Parminder Mehta, has threatened that party activisits will gherao the Mayor and the MC commissioner if the civic body went ahead with the anti-people decision.

Consumer forum penalises bank 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The District Consumer Redressal Forum today directed the State Bank of India, Civil Lines, here to make the payment of Rs 3,070 along with 12 per cent interest per annum to a consumer whose cheque had been lost in transit by the bank.

• Gang of robbers busted 

COMMUNITY

Setting winter ablaze with colours 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — Wipe that bewildered look off your face when you see those short woollen skirts and pullovers for men in all the fiery colours of the imagination hanging in the showrooms. And don’t even ask the salesman if anyone buys them. Chances are that he will give you that ‘are-you-crazy-look’ before explaining that all the guys and damsels are going to make a fashion statement in these very skirts and pullovers.

A season of exhibitions 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — Gifts are given to someone you love, pamper or adore. Where love is involved money does not matter. But for the people in the megacity, gifts do not necessarily mean love alone, but are sometimes given to score over others. Presenting gifts seems to be a race for upmanship.

Navratras mark return of festive season 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — Navratras — the pious nine days mark the return of festive season throughout the country. Durga puja — the greatest festival of India is celebrated with great enthusiasm in every corner of the country. The nine incarnations of Maa Durga are worshipped with devotion by the devotees of Maa Bhagwati. The nine incarnations of Maa Durga include Shailputri, Brahamcharini, Chandraghanta, Kusumanda, Sikandmata, Katyayni, Kaalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri.

NHRC asks UP Govt to submit report 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The National Human Rights Commission has asked the Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh, to submit, within two weeks, the requisite report on the violence and innocent killings executed by the kale kachhewale gangs in Udham Singh Nagar district, now included in Uttaranchal Pradesh.

Talwandi visits mandis to review paddy procurement 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The paddy procurement operations in Khanna town in this district went at a slow pace, with total purchases during the day at just 20,000 bags and the Food Corporation of India accounting for only around 2000 bags. The procurement, it was learnt, could not gain momentum due to some communication gap on the fate of a large number of rice shellers, facing departmental action for various irregularities.

• One hurt in accident 
• Peon suspended 
• Cassette released 

CRIME

Petrol station looted 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — A petrol station near the Texla factory in Sahnewal is alleged to have been looted by five unknown persons last night. It is learnt that five gun-toting persons converged on the petrol station on foot and made good their escape after looting Rs 10,000. At that time, four employees of the station as well as a truck driver and his two aides were present.

• Rape bid: one held

• Case registered

BUSINESS

Dealers optimistic about Alto 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — Innumerable phone calls, hundreds of visitors and a couple of buyers on the very first day of exhibition of Alto, the new model of Maruti were enough to make the Maruti dealers here optimistic.

‘Knitwear industry yet to prepare for WTO’ 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The bell is ringing continuously and sound is very clear but only for those who are ready to hear. The days are not far when the provisions of WTO will come into force especially for the knitwear industry which have been doing good business in recent years. The extra quota for garments lately released by the European Union worth Rs 300 crore may give it a momentary boost but it is going to face a difficult phase in the next year once the quota system is done away under the WTO provisions.

EDUCATION

CBSE examiners attend workshop 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — With an aim to bring uniformity in evaluation of answer sheets of the CBSE examination, a day-long training workshop for examiners of English core and economics for class XII was held at BCM Arya Model School here today.

SPORT

BVM School win badminton tourney 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — Bhartiya Vidya Mandir School won the Inter-School Badminton Tournament of the Ludhiana zone I in the under-19 boys' and under-17 girls' categories by defeating Sanatan Vidya Mandir School, held here recently.

Teams announced 
LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — Teams of volleyball, basketball, gymnastics and athletics have been announced, here today for Punjab State Women Games by the District Sports Department. The members of the volleyball team are as follows: Rajmeet Kaur, Jasvir Kaur, Pawandeep Kaur, Amandeep Kaur, Jagdeep Kaur, Joginder Kaur, Babaljeet Kaur, Kiranjeet Kaur, Jagdeep Kaur, Harbant Kaur, Amrinder Kaur and Amandeep Kaur.

ADMINISTRATION

DC holds meeting on public issues 
KHANNA, Sept 29 — The Deputy Commissioner today hold his first meeting with citizens of the city in the tehsil complex to listen to their problems. Municipal councillors, representatives of political parties and other prominent citizens were present at the meeting. Most of the speakers urged to the DC to solve the traffic problem, check encroachments and improve the condition of the main bus stand.