L U D H I A N A

Postal staff hold preparatory rally
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — More than six lakh postal and RMS employees all over the country will go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow in response to a call given by the central Joint Council of Action (JCA) of postal employees to press implementation of an agreement signed in December, 1998. 

Banks face piquant situation on VRS
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Most of the bank managements are faced with a piquant situation over the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) introduced recently for pruning down of the staff. The number of persons applying for the VRS is phenomenal making it tough for the banks to relieve all those applying for this scheme. 

CFC school students display science models
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Nearly 74 science models were displayed at the annual exhibition put up at CFC Public School, BRS Nagar, here today.

A model of biogas plant made by the students of Class XI on display at the science exhibition at CFC Public School, BRS Nagar, Ludhiana on Monday.

Tussle of leaders activates DYC
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — The battle for 'one-upmanship' in the city's Youth Congress is literally being fought in the streets. The fierce rivalry has led to processions and rallies by the two warring factions.

Scheme for settlement of NPA accounts
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Under guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India, all branches under the administrative control of Ludhiana module have been instructed to settle NPA accounts in doubtful, loss and substandard categories as on March 31, 1997, on a priority basis, said Mr D.S. Bengali, Deputy General Manager, State Bank of India, zonal office, Ludhiana.

Talwandi’s election hailed
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Nearly 12 village panchayats of the Mangat block in this district have hailed the election of Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi as president of the SGPC.

SPEAKING OUT
Rail accident blamed on govt apathy
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — The frequency of train accidents has put saftey of rail pasengers under a shadow. Two serious train accidents in Punjab and over two dozen countrywide this year have cost the nation hundreds of lives. 

COMMUNITY

Phones ring at rail enquiry, but many get engaged tone
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Railway enquiry services continuously remain paralysed, with the telephone numbers either remaining consistently engaged or nobody responding. If someone picks up the phone, there is no one to respond to the enquires. If one is lucky enough to find a voice at the other end, it asks the caller to come to the railway station, as all details cannot be narrated on telephone.

Another monument in a state of neglect
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Islamia High School is one of the oldest schools in the city. While before Partition it was run on religious lines, after Partition the government started a high school for girls in the building. 

Residents install own street lights
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — The Ludhiana Mayor Mr Apinder Singh Grewal inaugurated street lights in the B block of the Model Town Extension here last night. The street lights were installed with the voluntary contributions by the residents and the Municipal Corporation.

Computer art won’t appreciate
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — A recent advertisement in newspapers asked readers to buy works of art of relatively less known artists. In good time these works of art procured cheap can become prize possessions as the artist climbs up the ladder of success. But the price of art created with the help of a computer will never escalate.

Ludhianvis wary of working women
Ludhiana has seen a marked increase in the number of women who prefer to pursue an independent career, rather than sit at home.

Beggars’ haven
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Lakkar bridge continues to attract beggars and babas from all over the country. Whenever a well-to-do businessman arrives at the bridgeway with a couple of men in tow carrying buckets and baskets containing food, the beggars form a cluster around him. 

Nauseating side of Bhadaur House market
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — The city’s first upbeat market, the Bhadaur House, built in the early seventies with great aplomb has over the years become a paradox of sorts.

FOR THE FORCES
Deprivation of rank hurts ex-servicemen
There is a feeling among ex-soldiers and former officers that their respect is fading and their social and political rights are under threat. This is despite the Army keeping the country’s honour and integrity intact over the past half a century. 

HEALTH

ADC’s plea to charitable institutions
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Mr S.R. Kaler, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, has called upon the charitable institutions to come forward to provide better medical facilities at affordable rates to the weaker sections of society, as the treatment for various diseases was becoming unaffordable in private hospitals.

Librarians to focus on information-sharing
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — The national convention of Medical Library Association of India was inaugurated at Dumra Auditorium of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital today. The three-day convention will focus on ‘New approaches for sharing information among the health science libraries: prospects and retrospect’.

SPORT

Kamal, Jaswinder get titles at Mr Ludhiana 2000
LUDHIANA, Dec 4 — Kamal Bains and Jaswinder Singh were crowned as 4th Junior Mr Ludhiana and 7th Senior Mr Ludhiana in the Mr Ludhiana 2000 Competition organised by the Ludhiana Amateur Body-Building Association here on Sunday. Nearly 175 youths participated in the competition.

• Handball championship

• Basketball meet

• Athletics tourney

• City cagers win

• Football tournament
  

ADMINISTRATION

Census rehearsal
KHAMANO, Dec 4 — The first rehearsal of census for 2001 was held at Government Senior Secondary School here today, in which officers of Khamano tehsil were present.