L U D H I A N A

Elevated road project mired in controversy
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — The vociferous opposition of many a councillor, particularly from the ruling SAD-BJP combine, several BJP activists, including its district president, Mr H.L. Sethi, and groups of traders and shopkeepers likely to be affected by the project notwithstanding, the Municipal Corporation is going ahead with its ambitious elevated road project, which would be constructed over the existing Old GT Road from Jagraon Bridge to Chand cinema in the city.

Gaushala handed over to voluntary organisation
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — After the death of eight cows in the its gaushala the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has handed over its management to the Gobind Gau Sadhan, a voluntary organisation that takes care of cows.

Gaushala deaths: YRJD, YC demand high-level probe
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — The Yuva Rashtriya Janata Dal (YRJD) and Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) have called upon the government to order a high level probe in the malfunctioning of the gaushala, maintained by the Municipal Corporation here, where eight cows had died recently due to pathetic living conditions.

Shootout victim dead
Case registered against cops
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — The city police today booked a Punjab police Inspector, his gunman and two others for the last evening’s shoot-out incident that took place near a nursing home in the New Prem Nagar area.

SPORTS Coach falls under the category of teacher
HC directs PAU to grant study leave
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — In a significant judgement, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to grant study leave to an employee of the Directorate of Students’ Welfare, who had been coaching the students of the university in hockey for the last several years.

Cable mafia active in city
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — Cable mafia, said to be active in metropolitan cities of the country like Mumbai, Calcutta and Delhi, has established deep roots in the city as well. In a typically filmy style, dadas of various colonies and even streets are forcing cable operators to pay mahina (monthly), if they wish to function peacefully in the area.

Gang of robbers busted
JAGRAON, Jan 8 —The Jagraon police today claimed to have busted a gang of robbers which was involved in various cases of extortion and dacoity in Jagraon and Ludhiana police district. Among the major solved cases include robberies committed at gas agencies in the two police districts.

Primary schools not utilising grants
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — Call it the callous apathy and inertia usually attached and attributed to the functioning of the government departments or the lackadaisical attitude of the people there, most of the primary schools in the Ludhiana district which were granted Rs 1 lakh each for construction or renovation purposes, have not utilised these funds even after seven months.

COMMUNITY

Homeless and houseless — in the open
THE mercury is dipping. But, there are hundreds of homeless and houseless people, with no roof over their heads, who have to sleep out on dirty, filthy pavements, and verandahs in front of shops, in almost all markets of the city, on Jagraon Bridge, outside bus stops , outside the Railway Stations and whereever they can find space.

Night life in Ludhiana. The homeless people brave the chill with bonfires, while staying and sleeping on roads during the night — RB photo

2 missing children brought home
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — The efforts made by the Ahmedabad police has united two families of the city with their missing children who had gone missing about one and a half months back.

Bank employee unions oppose VRS
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — The Central Government’s decision to disinvest its share in the public sector banks from 51 per cent to 33 per cent and the introduction of Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), have caused fear among bank employees’ unions.

Keeping human values alive LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — Keeping the human values alive, a good Samaritan, Mr Surinder Singh, is not only helping the elderly to get their pensions, but has also rescued a minor girl. He provided her shelter for some days and moved from pillar to post to reunite her with her parents.

Surinder Singh, who found 11-year-old ‘abandoned’ Champa, is trying to locate her parents.

Mass marriages performed
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — To mark its 34th annual function, the Shaheed Memorial Sewa Society solemnised the marriages of 11 orphan girls at the Sri Sanatan Dharam Mandir, New Model Town, here yesterday.

Congress rally on January 19
DORAHA, Jan 8 — The Congress will organise a protest rally and conference on January 19 as part of a state-wide protest programme against the Akali-BJP government in Punjab.

CRIME

Two held for gambling
KHANNA, Jan 8 — The Khanna police claims to have arrested two persons on charges of gambling here on January 6. Mr Rajesh Hastir, SHO, police station (City), said an accused, Devinder Kumar, son of Ramji Dass, was arrested from Lalheri Road and Rs 170 were recovered from him. 

Woman crushed to death
SAHNEWAL, Jan 8 — A woman was reportedly crushed to death by a car on GT Road, near Doraha yesterday. According to information available, a 58-year-old woman was crossing the Grand Trunk Road near Doraha, when a Tata Indica (No. PB10A M-9104), coming from Ludhiana, crushed the lady.

EDUCATION

PAU abuzz with activity
Second semester begins
LUDHIANA,  Jan 8 — The PAU campus has come back to life once again with the start of the second semester of the current academic year today. The hostels of the varsity, which had been lying deserted ever since the first semester came to an end in the third week of December, are again bustling with life and activity.

Students observe traffic week
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — To mark the traffic awareness week, the District Transport Department and the Traffic Police organised painting and poetry recitation competitions for school children on various themes pertaining to traffic rules here.

ENT surgeons’ conference ends
THE 53rd annual conference of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India concluded at the PGI recently. Experts dwelled on topics like rhinoplastic surgery of nose, facial paralysis caused by infections and trauma and various types of facial pains with causes, pathology and treatment.

Reconstitute PMC,  demands IMA
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought reconstitution of the Punjab Medical Council for facilitating better medical services in the state. About 350 doctors from Ludhiana, Raikot, Sahnewal, Doraha and Samrala attended the meeting.

HERBS AND HEALTH
Guggal — nature’s weapon against arthritis
Guggal (Comifora mukul), is a shrubby one to two meter high plant found in Rajasthan, parts of Gujarat and a few other arid places of southern India. It also grows in Sindh, Baluchistan and some of the Arabian and African countries.

SPORT

CBSE National Athletic Meet
LUDHIANA, Jan 8 — Gaurav Sehgal of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School has won gold medal in long jump at CBSE National Athletic Meet held in Chennai from December 26 to 29. For his brilliant performance at the national level, he has been selected for the International Athletic Meet to be held in Singapore in February this year.