The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

One bomb was defused by cops, says passenger
Train blast victims in city hospitals
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — A deafening sound, breaking of glass, atmosphere being engulfed by a dark smoke and screaming of people. Then there was a deadly silence and an uneasy calm. This is how the survivors of the Bathinda-Rewari passenger train bomb blast, who are admitted in two local hospitals here, described the incident.

A few of the survivors admitted in Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) here say that what followed this uneasy calm was the cries of excruciating pain, joy of seeing the loved ones alive or sorrow of losing the near and dear ones in this incident.

According to the information available, the bomb blast occurred around 2.30 p.m. yesterday, when the train was just two km away from Rama Mandi, near Bathinda. Two persons had lost their lives and more than 30 were injured. The police had ruled out any possibility of sabotage and claimed that the blast could have been caused by some explosives used for crackers being transported in the train.

However, one of the survivors of the blast, Manwinder Kaur, who got away with minor bruises on her body, claimed that she had seen a youth of average height placing a polythene bag on the top berth of the train. She said that it was most likely at this place that the explosion occurred.

Talking to TNS here today, Manwinder Kaur said, " I saw the youth placing the bag almost half an hour before the incident. After the explosion, this man could not be found anywhere. I think that he had alighted form the train one station before the explosion occurred."

Manwinder Kaur had boarded the train from Bathinda for Sirsa along with her parents Balbir Singh and Jagbir Kaur and brother Jagwinder Singh. Their family was going to Sirsa to celebrate Divali along with Manwinder's maternal family. While both the mother and daughter got away with minor bruises, Balbir Singh and Jagwinder Singh have been seriously injured and are undergoing treatment at CMCH here.

Interestingly, most of the survivors of the accident while talking to TNS also claimed that a major tragedy had been averted as only one of the 'bombs' had blasted. Revealed a patient, admitted to DMCH here, on condition of anonymity, "After the blast had occurred, I saw security personnel defusing a 'bomb'. They had also taken a few pieces of the explosive material in their possession," he claimed.

Those admitted in DMCH are Rinku Kumar, 18, Baldev Singh, 22, and Kuldeep Singh, 22. All these are stated to be in serious but stable condition.

1 dead, 100 injured on Divali
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — While Divali is a festival of joy for many of us, it proved to be a nightmare for more than 100 children and residents of the city, as an 11-year-old boy Anshu fell victim to crackers in the Sham Nagar locality, near general bus stand, last evening. It is learnt that a rocket fired by Anshu changed direction and hit him in the chest, causing severe burn injuries. The victim was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, according to a survey conducted by the Sewa International Directorate of Social and Health Services, a wing of the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, in collaboration with Lord Mahavira Homoeopathic Medical College, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital received nearly 25 cases of burns, respiratory problems and injury and burns to the eyes, while Christian Medical College and Hospital received 16 cases and Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital 5 cases.

According to Dr Deepinder Singh, enquiries from about 20 private practitioners specialising in eyes, skin and chest, have revealed that at least 12-15 cases related with mishandling of crackers. It is worth while to mention that in most of the cases the victims were in the age group of 10-30. While most of the victims were male, there was a case of 30-year-old woman at Satluj Hospital, who received minor burns.

Chest specialists namely Dr Rajinder Singh Bhatia, Dr Jagdeep Whig and Dr M.S. Pruthi say that cases of patient related to chest problems may continue to pour during the ensuing week.

The Sewa International had given a call to join anti-fire crackers campaign in different schools which evoked good response and reportedly a large number of students stayed away from the crackers. Dr Deepinder Singh said in the coming years this campaign would be further boosted up to celebrate environmental friendly Divali. This survey was conducted by Dr Devinder Raheja, Dr Amandeep Kaur and Dr Anjana of Lord Mahavira College.

Divali celebrated with traditional fervour
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — The festival of lights was celebrated with traditional fervour by the city residents. The slump in business and the paddy fiasco failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the Ludhianvis. Divali is the festival that is celebrated by all the people irrespective of their religious affiliations. During Divali, people get together and celebrate the victory of good over evil.

Most of the people finished their preparations for the Divali Puja in the afternoon itself. The Grihlakshmis were ready with the entire puja samagri which included the idols of Shri Ganesha, Maha Lakshmi, gold and silver coins (symbols of wealth), sweets, candles, diyas, phullian’, cheeni ke khilone and hatris.

Like every year, the city residents gathered together and started with Ganesha and Lakshmi pujan. It is believed that the puja is incomplete if it is not started with Ganesh Puja.

The entire city was shimmering with lights. There was no corner of the city that had not been lit up with bright colourful diyas, candles, electric bulbs and lights.

Divali signifies the victory of good over evil. On this day, Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana in Lanka. The people of Ayodhya decorated their houses with lights to welcome their king who had returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of banwaas.

Mrs Rakhi Khullar, a housewife who is quite modern yet traditional and religious at heart, informed that her family worshipped om, shri Ganesh and shri. “Since the festival is celebrated on a moonless night, the womenfolk put candles and diyas at chowks, chuarahas and streets to show the path to Lord Ram — the Avtaar of Vishnu and goddess Sita — the griha lakshmi,” informed Pandit Mohanand Ji of Tapovan Ashram, Dandi Swami.

Divali is the festival that signifies the sharing and coming together of people from different walks of life. It spreads the light of love.

Sandeep Rai, a local businessman,was of the opinion that on the Divali night if one prayed fervently for anything, one was bound to get it. Sandeep’s prayer was that the Divali night might brighten the dark phase of business recession.

The lull after Divali
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — For the past few days, shopkeepers had been busy stocking and selling the latest stuff, and decorating their shops to attract customers. Some of them even kept their shops open till late in the night.

Buying spree by the people reached a feverish pitch. People bought in abundance gifts, clothes and household goods. The week before Divali was spent in getting houses white washed, exchanging gifts and preparing delicacies. The celebrations culminated in lighting candles, doing pooja and bursting crackers. Some tried their luck at cards and attended parties.

The aftermath of Divali presents a sharp contrast. The shopkeepers are tired, but they will keep their shops open. The city that shimmered with lights the night before now looks drab in comparison. Remains of burnt crackers and gift wrappers litter the roads. It is like Cinderella who turns into an ordinary girl after the ball. The sparkle, the excitement of the previous night is over. On Vishwakarma Day, the factories, mills and all mechanical workshops are closed. One can see groups, mostly factory workers, in the streets and markets.

Most of the people welcome a holiday after Divali on account of Vishwakarma Day. “For the past few days, we have been busy with Divali celebrations. My budget has gone haywire. I wish I had exercised some restraint,” said Mr Hitesh Marwari. A shopkeeper says: “We made money, though not as much as last year. The festival has told heavily on my health. I will not be able to attend my shop for the next two days.”

A 21 years old college student said, “I have been gambling heavily for the past 10 days. I must have lost at least Rs 10,000. I had borrowed most of this money from my friends, I do not know how I am going to return it.” Balbir a factory owner, says, Divali is like bubbly champagne, light, frothy and it spells a lot of fun. The next day is dull and heavy.”

Residents fear break out of diseases
By Kuldip Bhatia

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — The claims of the civic body to have improved the sanitation level in the city through sanitation committees with active public participation and partial privatisation, notwithstanding, residents of many localities continue to live in pathetic conditions.

In many city colonies, little or no civic amenities worth the name exist and repeated pleas by the hapless residents, more often than not, fail to evoke any response from the MC officials.

Apprehending break out of epidemics like dengue and malaria as a result of worst insanitary and unhygienic conditions prevailing in the colony, the residents of Model Town extension area, have sent a signed memorandum to the MC administration calling for immediate remedial measures.

According to Mr Jagdish Mahajan, an office-bearer of the Atam Nagar Cooperative House Building Society, in Model Town Extension Block - D, a large number of vacant plots in the area had virtually become dumping grounds for domestic waste and garbage, which added to stagnating water, providing perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes and house flies.

The menace of pigs, the residents point out, adds fuel to the fire. Hordes of pigs roaming all around, particularly during early morning hours, play havoc with the health and hygiene. Feasting on waste, garbage and domestic effluents, the pigs litter the garbage all over, thereby posing grave health hazards to the residents.

Many pockets in the colony have such insanitary conditions that life has become an ordeal for those living around. Another residents of the locality rued that pig rearing around the locality had become a thriving business just because the insanitary conditions suited the pigs. At many places, the pigs were slaughtered by their owners and the leftovers were thrown in the open and the decomposition, which ensued, forced the people to live in horrible conditions.

However, Joint Commissioner of the MC J. S. Heer claimed that situation was not that bad as it was made out to be. Talking to Ludhiana Tribune he said a little more than 150 sanitation committees were functional in the city and 2450 persons were deployed for cleanliness, in addition to 1850 safai workers regularly employed by the civic body. With the active involvement of the residents, most of the sanitation committees were doing reasonably good work to the satisfaction of people living in those colonies.

He admitted that the sanitary level in the city needed some sprucing up .Steps in this direction were already being taken, he maintained. "Apart from engaging daily wagers for cleanliness work, the garbage containers had been handed over to private contractors for clearing and operation night sweeping has been launched in problematic areas like Chaura Bazar, Field Ganj, Chowk Division No. 3, Old Sabzi Mandi and Brown Road."

The civic body, he informed had arranged for mechanical cleaning on many roads and posh colonies, which had yielded encouraging results. Recently, cycle-rickshaw-type barrows were introduced for garbage collection in thickly populated and congested areas of the city which had shown a marked improvement in sanitary levels, besides making the work easier and quicker. All said and done, it is an established fact that the sanitary conditions in the megapolis leave much to be desired, even while the civic body also claimed to be trying its best to make the city reasonably clean and hygienic. The lack of civic sense, alarmingly high pollution levels, domestic and industrial effluents and mushrooming slums, all add up to make the task of cleanliness a herculean effort.

Industrialists honoured on Vishwakarma Day
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — Rich tributes were paid to Lord Vishvakarma on his birthday, which was observed with gaiety and fervour in the city today. Presiding over a ‘Vishwakarma Day’ function organised by Vishwakarma Dayawan Society at Janata Nagar Chowk on Gill Road here, former Union Minister and MP Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, focussed on the enterprenurial skills of Punjabi industrialists.

He lauded the enterprising members of the industrial community in the city, particularly the small and tiny sector, who, he said, had made valuable contribution to the states economy and had earned a name, not only for the city, but the entire country, all over the world.

Describing Lord Vishvakarma as the father of modern architecture, Mr Ramoowalia stressed the need for setting up specialised training institutes for different professions so that Indians could come up well in global competition in all fields. He rued that successive governments, both in Punjab and at Centre, had been neglecting the trade and industry. The main reason for increasing gap between the government and the industry was the failure of the politicians to understand the real needs of different sectors of industry well in time and to take corrective steps.

Prominent city industrialists, among them, Mr K.K.Seth, Mr Chanan Singh Matharoo, Mr Nevneet Jairath, Mr Sant Singh Birdi, Mr G.S.Lotey, Mr Manjit Singh Khalsa, Mr Manjit Singh Ubhi, were honoured.

Among others Mr Kuldip Singh Lehra, president of the society, Mr Pritpal Singh, president, Gurudwara Dukh Niwaran, Mr. Darshan Arora, chairman, Ludhiana Citizen Council, Mr Ajit Singh Kular, Mr M.S. Bhogal and Mr Gurdial Singh Gemco attended the function.

“Common walls between two houses should
be preferred”
By A.S. Prashar

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — The construction of separate walls between two houses is a sheer wastage of space and money. Studies show that separate walls are constructed at an average width of 30 feet. Often, the separate walls become a source of trouble due to the ‘unequal settlement’ of their foundation that is caused by unequal load on both the walls. Usually, in such cases when a crack occurs, the rain water penetrates through the walls. Repair hardly makes much of a difference. No doubt, separate walls are a source of dampness and leakage.

These are the views of Mr Ved Parkash Takyar, a retired building engineer based on his life-long experience of dealing with the construction of buildings.

He points out that the desire to construct separate walls “clearly shows that we do not have faith in each other and the proverb of our elders, ‘Kudam kapatta howe taan jeena aena aukha nahin hunda jinna ki je guwandi kapatta howe taan hoa janda hai’ hardly holds good for us. Nowadays, we do not realise the importance of our neighbours. That is why thefts and crimes are increasing. The thieves and criminals know it well that neighbours are hardly bothered about what is going on in the other house. Earlier, in villages and towns people used to construct common walls between two houses and they also used to keep a vigil over their neighbours’ houses”.

Many persons refrain from constructing a common wall as they are not sure how their prospective neighbours would react to it. As per the law, no one can object to the construction of a common wall between two houses when the plots are marked with ‘centre-to-centre line dimensions’ on the layout plan. The 9-inch thick wall can easily take the ‘load’ of rooms on either side up to three storeys. If a uniform design is adopted for the construction of the common wall, the neighbour who is to construct his house later, should not have a cause for raising any objection as that wall would also support his own house. Moreover, if the practice of common wall is adopted, no one would take the risk of constructing a common wall that has a weak foundation.

In most of the places where common wall is not constructed between two houses, one can notice the dampness on entering the houses. Often, the dampness is visible even in the compound walls on either side of each house. This is due to the crack on the top portion between the two walls. As a rule, water supply pipes and sanitation pipes should not be laid in the common wall. Even if the common wall is not constructed, then also one should avoid laying pipes along the adjoining wall of the other house because these pipes can give trouble at any stage. In case of separate walls, it must be kept in mind that if dampness appears on one wall, it would appear on the other wall, too, due to the capillary action .

A new trend is emerging these days. A separate 9-inch thick wall is constructed in one’s own space along the side of the other plot. In such a case, the owner of the other side prefers to construct 4.1/2” thick wall on the side of the already constructed 9” thick wall. In many cases, these 4.1/2” walls are meant to sustain the ‘load’ of three storeys. People should realise that in case of earthquake, these 4.1/2” walls can crumble like a house of cards.

It would be a step in the right direction if the concerned authorities made the construction of common walls between houses mandatory.

COMMUNITY

Air pollution and respiratory diseases

With the ever prevalent high intensity air pollution in Ludhiana, its population is now falling victim to a variety of respiratory problems. Sinusitis, bronchitis and asthma are some of these common manifestations which make the health scenario of the city gloomier. One can see the equally increasing number of both children and adults visiting doctors to get rid of the various diseases concerning the respiratory tract. As if this was not enough the massive and large-scale burning and blasting of crackers on the Divali night only added to the problem.

A majority of workers in the city are suffering from bronchitis. Minute particles of wool or dust gradually start accumulating in the chest, producing an allergic reaction before giving way to inflammation of the bronchi. This condition known as acute bronchitis, is accompanied by dry or productive cough and moderate fever. Usually the symptoms subside within a few days of treatment, but as the aetiology of the disease remains present in the working conditions, people continue to suffer from such recurrent attacks and end up making this problem chronic .

Similarly, dust and smoke also cause sinus allergies. A large number of people who live in susceptible city areas feel irritation in the nose with sneezing episodes. This attack leads to watery nasal discharge or thick posterior nasal exudate, which later infects the whole respiratory tract. Contact with emissions of vehicular traffic, roadside dust, kitchen smoke, insect and plant allergy are the various other factors which contribute to asthmatic conditions. Sensitive persons frequently experience such acute attacks when they feel chest spasm and difficulty in breathing. Studies have shown that asthma is also on rise among school going children.

With the demanding living conditions nobody wants to spoil his working days due to ill health. Gone are the days when people used to cure their ailments with home remedies. From poor factory worker to the rich industrialist, now everybody wants a quick cure to return to his work. On any given time, doctors in the city are swarmed by patients who are suffering from various respiratory diseases. The majority of poor people are trapped by quacks who indiscriminately use steroids to suppress respiratory allergies thus making the patients dependent on medication. Chest specialists and the family physicians are worried over the speed by which these diseases are increasing in the city. No wonder, inhalers, bronchodialators and anti-allergic tablets and syrups are now more in demand than ever before.

Air pollution has reached alarming levels in most areas of the city. Suffering from one episode of the respiratory disease to the another one, a big section of the population of the city helplessly wonders whom should it blame for this plight — city planners, the municipal corporation, the pollution control board or somebody else. Is their any government or private agency in the city which can tell people how to fight with respiratory diseases ?
— Dr R Vatsyayan

A woman of enterprise and talent
By Asha Ahuja

OCT 27 — Shui Nuii Chiu or Sue a qualified Chinese hair dresser married into a local Chinese family, took over the reins of the first beauty parlour in the city from her in-laws after her marriage in 1987 and has been running it very efficiently and successfully ever since then.

She trained in Mumbai and worked in her Changs’ Chinese parlour in Mumbai. “I took training in Canada and America on nail capping. Nail capping means attaching artificial nails and the nails appear to be very natural,” says She “I did a hair cut and hair styling training from Hong Kong from a very famous hair dresser. After my marriage when I came to Ludhiana from Mumbai, I found a vast change, but I adjusted very easily as the clients were very helpful and they appreciated my knowledge of the latest hair cuts and new techniques of make-up.”

Now-a-days, women from Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Moga and Patiala are coming for consultation regarding their hair styling. Sue says, “My motto is to keep my clients happy and also give personalised service. So my clients keep coming back to me. I am a specialists in perming of hair. Generally, the hair become brittle after a perm, but the technique used by me makes the hair soft even after perming. So the ladies prefer to get their perming done at my parlour. I feel proud when I am able to make ladies look attractive as good looks gives them a great deal of confidence.”

With her gentle touch and new make-up techniques, she has the ability to transform an ordinary looking girl into a stunning looking bride. During this season of marriages she is booked for bridal make-ups.

When she had her first child she did not take any maternity leave. She came to work after twenty days, for the work in the parlour was suffering. Her clients could not believe that she had delivered a child, for throughout the nine months of pregnancy she never took a day off. She brought the baby to the parlour, fed him, looked after him and at the same time looked after her clients who had specially come to her from far off places. Her clients were simply amazed at her energy levels and her capacity to cope both with the work and rearing of the baby.

“I never felt tired. Infact, when I am busy I feel more energetic. Our job requires us to be very attentive to our customers. We have to satisfy them and it needs hundred per cent concentration. My husband and my in-laws do not expect me to cook, but when I have time I love to try new recipes. I teach my child in the parlour when I am free. My clients thought that I was taking tuitions when they saw me teaching.”

I do feel we owe a duty to society. I have made it a point to give professional courses of six months duration to destitute girls . These days many women, after broken marriages, are coming to me to get training so that they can become financially independent. I am a very strict task master. I do not let them practice on my clients till they have become proficient. I am glad to say many of my trainees have gone abroad and found jobs in various beauty parlours.”

One of her clients Simmi Jain says, “I come to Sue’ parlour all the way from Kitchlu Nagar. She is very efficient and very professional and knows her business well. Moreover, she is a very lovable person, always smiling and helpful. She says, “I have to be on my toes all the time for the concept of beauty is not static and forever changing. I keep on learning new techniques, both in make up and hair styling. These days I go and give a free hair cut to the poor girls of an institute. I feel the happiest when I am helping others.”

She attributes her success to God, well wishes of her clients and the solid support of her family members.

WOMAN POWER
Divorce no more a taboo
By Minna Zutshi

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — Ludhiana is becoming the ‘divorce capital’ of Punjab. “When I started practising law 22 years ago, divorce cases were rare. I remember one of divorce case from Doraha that went on for 16 years and finally the husband and the wife had to reconcile to living together,” said a senior woman lawyer. “About two decades ago, there used to be about five divorce cases in a year. Today, we have as many in a month”, the same lawyer revealed.

The increasing number of divorce cases indicate that marriage is no longer considered sacred. It has become a contract that can be terminated at will. “Marriage is an important institution, but if it starts suffocating you, it is better to walk out of it”, said a young woman who is to get married in November.

In many cases, women initiate divorce proceedings. As the cost of litigation to the non-earning spouse falls on the earning partner, women often do not have to worry about the expenses. “Divorce is no longer a male prerogative. In today social set-up divorce is not a taboo for women,” comments a woman lawyer.

One of the most frequently cited reasons for divorce is ‘harassment on account of insufficient dowry’. However, ‘dowry harassment’ is an umbrella term that covers a host of trouble spots such as adjustment, incompatibility, husband-wife friction and conflict among women. “Only 10 per cent divorce cases can be traced to dowry demand,” said a lawyer who has more than 40 years’ standing in the profession.

Some blame economic independence of women for marital discord. “These days, girls frown at the word ‘adjustment’. For them, relationships have no sanctity,” complained a woman whose son had filed a divorce case against his wife. However, this woman’s daughter-in-law holds a different view. She blames the patriarchal system. “In our society, a woman is forced to live under the control of three P’s — Pita, Pati and Putra — all her life. Problems arise when she tries to assert herself.

It is difficult to pin down the exact cause of a divorce. Though one single reason is cited as the cause, a host of factors actually operate at different levels. “Our value-system has undergone a major shift. We have lost touch with our basic values. Look at the type of serials the television channels are showing. They legitimise extra-marital relatings. Adultery, which used to be a hush-hush affair, has been brought into the open. All this is bound to affect marital relations,” said a retired lecturer. And a wag commented that marriage had become an interlude between singlehood and divorce.

Cinema halls witness unusual rush
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — After celebrating Divali, watching the much-awaited movies, Mohabbatein and Mission Kashmir, seemed to be the favourite means of entertainment for several Ludhianvis as the theatres where these were released today were packed to their capacity in all four shows.

Advanced booking had been on for the past few days and much rush was anticipated by the theatre owners. The shopkeepers, factory owners, labourers worshipped Vishvakarma in the morning and shut down their shops and factories for the rest of the day.

Ramesh Soni, a gift shop owner, said, ‘‘For the past three weeks, I was working for more than 14 hours in my shop. I used to come early and go home late. Today I closed my shop for the whole day and promised my family members of taking them to theatre.’’

Hemani, a housewife, who just got out of one of the theatres with her husband said, ‘‘I needed a break as I was tired of hosting so many guests at home for the past few days because of Divali. So I told my husband to get the tickets booked in advance for today’s show.’’

Shivani Kapur, a collegiate while talking to Ludhiana Tribune outside one cinema hall, remarked, ‘‘Watching movie is the only means of recreation as there is no other site worth visiting in this so-called megacity. So I am here with my friend.’’

But there were several Ludhianvis who seemed to be a disappointed today as they failed to get tickets for watching the new releases. ‘‘I kept standing in queue for about one hour but to no avail as the window was closed and the board with the message house full was displayed when it was my turn,’’ lamented Rachna, another college student.

FLAVOUR OF THE WEEK

The city, looked like fairy land with lights covering houses, schools, gurdwaras, and temples on Divali sight. All its ugliness was cloaked by magical lamps. The noise of ‘ladees’ was deafening but that was to be expected. Sadly, diyas whose lights look most alluring have gone out of fashion and in its place have come electric lights.

Today the factories and all work involving machines will come to a standstill on account of Vishvakarma day. Vishvakarma was the supreme architect who had designed a palace for Pandavs. For workers Vishvakarma epitomises the best. So they will do ‘puja’ of the tools and enjoy a holiday.

The day after Vishvakarma, will be bhaiya dooj when sisters will apply tilak on the foreheads of their brothers and pray for their long lives. Almost similar to rakhi, but rakhi creates quite a hype with latest designer rakhis.

Factory workers may use the holiday to see Mission Kashmir, a movie which Mr. L. K. Advani, Home Minister, has already viewed. As the name suggests it is very pertinent to our times as Kashmir is always in news for the wrong reasons. Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the director has a home in Kashmir and says the movie is not about terrorism, but to revive Kashmiariyat.

The other movie Mohabbatein has a top heavy star cast. Amitabh Bachchan is pitied against Shahrukh Khan. Aishwarya provides the perfect foil. Again it is a copy of a movie Dead Poet’s Society and a TV serial Friends. A good way to spend your leisure hours as it is an entertainer.

Now the consumer hopes that prices of fruits and vegetables will come down as we leave Divali behind us. Things will be normal and the hype created by the festival will cool off.

Farmers’ problem should be solved and one wishes some fairy god mother has a magic wand and could make Ludhiana a clean city and take away its mounds of garbage and open its choked sewerage. So that one could live in beautiful green and clean surroundings. But only if wishes were horses!

Now for this week atleast, ‘silsila’ of tips will continue. People from telecom, post office, water, sewerage and sweepers will come to ask for tips which they think is their due. One has to oblige them to ensure the smooth services from these departments.

Students will be a happy lot. After the tension of first-term examinations and the results, Divali holidays would have provided a welcome relief. — AA

Liquor smuggling on rise
From Our Correspondent

MACHHIWARA, Oct 27 — The police party led by the local SHO, Mr Rajesh Hasthir, seized 14 cases of liquor from Balbir Singh alias Biri of Tanda Kalia village. The police has arrested the accused and a case has been registered.

According to sources, liquor is being smuggled through boats plying in Neelon (Sirhind) canal. The local wine contractors alleged that their business suffered as a result of liquor smuggling. Mr Hasthir, said stern action would be taken against those indulging in liquor smuggling.

BUSINESS

Sweatshirts in, sweaters out
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Oct 27 — Sweaters seem to be on the way out with people opting for sweatshirts and jackets. A random survey of the market by Ludhiana Tribune revealed that with the declining demand for sweaters manufacturers have been focussing more on jackets and sweatshirts.

According to Mr Adish Dhawan, a manufacturer of jackets, sweaters and sweatshirts, the demand for sweaters has come down massively. He pointed out that the trend, which started a few years back, had been picking up. Thus prompting the manufacturers to diversify their production.

Mr Dhawan attributed the reason for the decline in the sale of sweaters to the environmental changes. He said that the winters were shrinking and no longer as harsh and extreme as it used to be. So people opt for soft and modest stuff. The demand is fulfilled by sweatshirts and jackets.

The wholesale price of sweatshirts ranges between Rs 300 and Rs 700. This is much less than the cost of sweaters. The price of jackets ranges between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000. Although jackets are costlier, they serve the dual purpose of the coat as well as sweater.

Another leading manufacturer of sweatshirts revealed that sweater manufacturers used to work for nine months in a year. The demand for sweaters is tremendous and phenomenal. However, with the seasonal variations and change in fashion trends, sweaters seem to have been reduced to mere undergarments as people use them under coats or jackets only.

Mr Dhawan pointed out that most people drive scooters. This class in particular prefers to use jackets over sweaters. Moreover, jackets give both a formal as well as a casual look.

The manufacturers have come out with varied designs of jackets. The colours have also been given a varied look. While the navy blue and the black remain all-time favourites, yellow jackets are also in demand. Leading jacket manufacturers have been using the imported synthetic material.

Like the hosiery industry, a number of units have come up in the city. These small units supply jackets to big manufacturers, which use their own brand name after raising the cost.

On the other hand, leading T-shirt manufacturers have also ventured into this trade. This is obviously due to the fact that the infrastructure required is almost similar and the demand is also reasonably good.