L U D H I A N A

Councillor booked for beating up residents
Ludhiana, March 16
The Ludhiana police has registered an FIR against a local councillor and three others for beating up and threatening residents of an adjoining ward over an attempted land grab incident.

Punjab page: Bank robbery in Ludhiana village

Forum fines bread firm
Ludhiana, March 16
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Cremica Industries to pay Rs 5,000 along with the cost of litigation as compensation for unfair trade practices to Mr Jagpal Singh Dara. The forum further directed the company to stop the disputed sales promotion scheme ‘Scratch and Win’.

Mr Justice A.S. Gill

City needs more courts: Judge
Ludhiana, March 16
Ludhiana is having the maximum litigation in Punjab and at present one presiding officer of a court is having workload of more than two to three courts. This was stated by Mr Justice A.S. Gill, Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He has been in Ludhiana since March 12 in connection with the annual inspection of judicial work.

Another opportunity for city cops
Ludhiana, March 16
The city cops, it seems, do not like to miss any opportunity to make a fast buck. 

• 7-year-old girl missing

BOTTOMLINE
Anger, disgust among ex-defence officers
Ludhiana, March 16
Most of the people, particularly those with the defence background feel that the resignation of the Defence Minister George Fernandes in the backdrop of website exposure, was “too little and too late”, as the Prime Minister should have accepted it much earlier. The anger was more prevalent among the retired defence personnel, who termed in as “shameful and shocking”.

COMMUNITY

Sukhbir Badal to be honoured tomorrow
Ludhiana, March 16
The newly elected member of the Rajya Sabha and general secretary of ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, would be honoured at a function, being organised jointly by different wings of the party and several trade, industry, religious and social organisations here on March 18.

Dismiss NDA govt: Cong, MCPI
Ludhiana, March 16
Activists of the Congress and the Youth Congress today burnt the effigy of the NDA government headed by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee for involvement of its senior leaders in the defence deal exposed by a website.

Pensioners pin hope on Punjab Budget
Ludhiana, March 16
Pensioners of the Punjab Government are up in arms against what is being termed as a callous and non-sympathetic attitude of the state government.

Make mentally challenged kids independent, say experts
Ludhiana, March 16
Serious concern was expressed at the growing insensibility in society towards the mentally challenged at a one-day workshop that concluded here on Friday. The workshop was organised by the Inner Wheel Club and Nirdosh School, an institute for children with mental problems.

Roadways staff’s stir from March 20
Ludhiana, March 16
The five employees unions of Punjab Roadways have announced an action plan of protest to press upon the roadways management to accept 14-point charter of demands.

Flavour of the week
Ludhiana, March 16
After the Holi Mela, Kisan Mela is drawing huge crowds. No doubt, the farmers frequent it in large numbers, but Ludhianvis, too, visit the mela to shop for plant, honey, and other authentic stuff sold at reasonable rates. Moreover, eatables of different varieties and a change of atmosphere make the people flock to PAU grounds.

CRIME

Two injured in mishaps
Ludhiana, March 16
The city police has registered two cases of accidents during the past 24 hours. The Jodhewal police has registered a hit-and-run case against the driver of a Santro car (PB-10AL 9800) under Sections 269 and 338 of the IPC.

Father, son beaten up
Doraha, March 16
A father and a son are reported to have been beaten up by some youth, today, at their shop and were seriously injured and had been hospitalised.

Lawyer booked
Ludhiana, March 16
A case under Sections 324,323,148 and 149 of the IPC has been registered against a city lawyer at the police station Division Number 5 on the complaint of a resident of Civil Lines for beating and injuring him.

BUSINESS

‘Steel rerolling industry in crisis’
Mandi Gobindgarh, March 16
The steel rerolling industry all over the country is passing through severe crisis for the past couple of years and recession and dull economy are the main reasons. This was stated by Mr Anil Suraj, honorary general secretary, All India Steel Rerollers Association, New Delhi, here today.

Mobile banking facility
Ludhiana, March 16
The IDBI Bank has launched Mobile Banking facility in the city from yesterday. With the launch, the service now extends across 25 cities in the country.

AGRICULTURE

Kisan Mela concludes Ludhiana, March 16 The two-day Kisan Mela, thronged by thousands of farmers from the state, concluded at PAU here today. The lighter side of Kisan Mela Award for two farmers

Farmers show keen interest in various stalls and (right): some of the handicraft items on display at the concluding day of Kisan Mela on PAU campus in Ludhiana on Friday.

Announce MSP of crops, BKU asks govt
Ludhiana, March 16
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) has called upon the government to announce minimum support prices (MSP) of rabi crops on the basis of price index without any further delay. A meeting of the state executive of the BKU, held here today, demanded MSP of Rs 912 per quintal for wheat, Rs 3300 per quintal for cotton and oilseeds and Rs 132 per quintal for sugarcane.

Farm experts recommend cost management methods
Ludhiana, March 16
Farm experts of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) have recommended cost management methods to the farmers among other things at the two-day Kisan Mela which concluded here today..

EDUCATION

Farewell functions at colleges
Ludhiana, March 16
The final year B.Com students of Khalsa College for Women and MA II students of Sanatan Dharam Pracharak College for Women, bid adieu at farewell functions held in the respective colleges here today. At Khalsa College for Women, the second year students of the college presented a colourful cultural programme.

• Gurukul admissions
  

CULTURE

Inter-varsity cultural fest
Ludhiana, March 16
More than 150 students from 16 management and technology colleges in Punjab participated in Ehsaas 2001, an inter-varsity cultural festival, organised at Punjab College of Technical Education here today.

HEALTH

Oesophageal stenting introduced
Doraha, March 16
A new procedure for treatment of cancer of food pipe (oesophagus) has been introduced at Sidhu Hospital, Doraha. Dr (Ms) Gursaran Sidhu, informed this correspondent that a 17 cm long oesophageal stent was placed in the cancer ridden food pipe with the help of a video endoscope without surgery. This new generation of stents “Ultra Flex” are flexible.

Workshop on breast feeding concludes
Ludhiana, March 16
The two-day workshop on breast feeding, organised by the Department of Paediatrics, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in collaboration with the Society to Voluntary Agencies (North), concluded here today at the Dumra Auditorium with the valedictory function.

• Centre opened

• DMCH to hold conference