L U D H I A N A

Government must intervene to save farmers from WTO
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — Indian farmers were unable to give a befitting reply to the farming lobbies of the West, who were being highly subsidised by their governments, unless the centre and state governments came forward to help them.

Octroi evasion unearthed
Ludhiana, Dec 27 — The Municipal Corporation has detected octroi evasion on a consignment of electronic goods, including TV sets, and a composition fee of Rs 1,36,512 was recovered from the defaulting firm, as against unpaid octroi of Rs 8532.

Flowers at PAU nursery in full bloom beckon nature lovers. — Photo by Rajesh Bhambi

AIDS spreading its tentacles in villages
Ludhiana, Dec 27 — About 10 cases of HIV-infected patients received in a civil hospital in this village (name not revealed due to obvious reasons) that caters to the need of a number of villages in the Bet area of the Sutlej river, bear testimony to the fear of the growing incidence of the dreadful disease and its penetration in rural areas.

Youth alleges torture, police denies 
ludhiana, dec 27 — A 30-year-old youth of Jamalpur village has levelled an allegation of torture against two constables of the Salem Tabri police station. He was admitted to the local civil hospital last night with a broken leg and injuries on other parts of his body.

Id-ul-Fitr to be celebrated today
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — Id-ul-Fitr, the festival of prayers, love, peace and brotherhood, would be celebrated here tomorrow at Jama Masjid.

Do they suffer because of karma?
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — When God made man, He made him in His own image. It is mankind who created differences of class, caste and religion. During Christmas time, when sharing with other and loving should have been of paramount importance, thousands of migrants from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and UP are living in abject poverty, abandoned and uncared for by society. 
A nullah dumped with plastic bags and other rubbish, a potential source of illness in a migrant colony.— Photo by Inderjit Verma

COMMUNITY

Strike affects working of SBI branches
Transfer of chargesheeted employees a routine matter, says manager
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — With the State Bank of India Staff Association claiming that work in 144 branches of the bank in Ludhiana module, comprising nine districts, was paralysed on the second day of the two-day strike by the employees, the SBI management refuted the claim, asserting that 32 per cent of the clerical staff had reported on duty and functioning of all the branches was near normal, with bankers clearing house working at all places.

• CICU flays strike

Speaking out
Residents live in mortal fear of robberies
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — A few days ago, Ludhiana Tribune, carried an article titled ‘A robbery a day, keeps Ludhiana awake’, which highlighted the increasing robberies, murders, kidnapping and increasing crimes in Ludhiana. Residents feel unsafe even during day time, for many incidents of broad daylight robberies have been reported in the recent past.

WOMAN POWER
‘Make a difference with your efforts’
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — Ms Sarah Johnson is a woman who has brone the vicissitudes of life with the unruffled calmness of a nishkam karmayogi. Years ago, when she came from Kanyakumari to this industrial city, she was not sure of the course her life would take.

Army man injured in brawl
LUDHIANA, Dec 27—An Army personnel was injured in a brawl, involving two Army personnel and railway employees, at the local railway station in the afternoon here today. The brawl took place when Lance Naik Yulpa, along with another colleague, entered into a dispute with a railway supervisor over the absence of railway staff at a booking counter.

Suresh Oberoi visits city
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — “I believe that nothing belongs to you and you belong to nothing. I want to enjoy, smile and be happy in my life and I want to convey the same message to my fans through media.” These were the views of Bollywood star, Suresh Oberoi, who inaugurated the first Berkowitz clinic at Malhar Road, here today.

CII fair a big draw
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — Christmas celebrations added to the lively atmosphere of the evening on the closing day of the CII fair. People, from all walks of life, had turned up in huge numbers. One of the organisers said that they had spent 44 lakh on the infrastructure. According to newspaper reports, the fair generated a business of Rs 7 crore. A good bargain. A good opportunity for the business community and for the people to have fun and frolic.

CRIME

Man found murdered
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — A dead body of an unidentified migrant labourer was found lying in the fields of Bilga village near Sahnewal here today.

Man accused of kidnapping minor girl
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — A man, father of four children, has allegedly been accused of abducting his sister-in-law. The police has registered a case of abduction against the man on the complaint of the girl’s father.

Shop burgled 
LUDHIANA Dec 27 — A karyana shop in the Model Gram area was reportedly burgled last night.

Ganja seized
KHANNA, Dec 27 — The Khanna police claimed to have seized 1.2 kg of ganja (cannabis) and arrested one person here today.

Woman burnt to death
DORAHA, Dec 27 — A woman was allegedly burnt to death by her husband and in-laws According to the FIR registered at the Payal police station under Sections 504 and 15 of the IPC by Harchand Singh of Sohian village, his daughter, Pritpal Kaur, was burnt alive by his son-in-law, Pritpal Singh and his mother, Charanjit Kaur, for bringing insufficient dowry.

Bid to occupy school land
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — The city police today booked Murrari Lal besides others on allegation of trying to illegally occupy a portion of the land of government school at Mullan near Kesar Gunj Chowk here yesterday.

BUSINESS

Exporters asked to adopt e-commerce
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — The engineering exports from Ludhiana is about Rs 500 crore and it is necessary that manufacturers take advantage of the information technology, especially the e-commerce, to expand their market.

HEALTH

Rise in typhoid cases
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — Even as typhoid cases continue to be reported from various city hospitals, the district administration appears to have hardly taken any note of the reports of contaminated water supply to various areas in the city.

HERBS & HEALTH
The great Indian kachnar
Kachnar (Bahunia variegata) is found throughout the Indian subcontinent up to a height of 5,000 feet. This evergreen medium-sized tree is favoured by planners to be planted in parks and on roadsides. Kachnar tree can be easily identified from its leaves, which have a peculiar upper margin groove. It has three varieties – red, white and yellow, depending upon the colour of its flowers. The leaves, bark and fruit of the tree have medicinal properties.

SPORT

Cricket tourney
LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — The Government Model Senior Secondary School, PAU, defeated Kundan Vidya Mandir School by four wickets in the Parle-G Inter-School Cricket Tournament her today.