L U D H I A N A

MC to face contempt, damages suit for demolition?
Ludhiana, April 2
In its bid to preempt any further litigation over a two-storey building in front of the General Bus Stand here from which a liquor vend was being operated, the Municipal Corporation authorities carried out demolition on the intervening night of March 31 and April 1, but in the process, the administration apparently overstepped its limits, and might have to face contempt proceedings, besides being slapped with a law suit for damages.

A double-storeyed building opposite the General Bus Stand, Ludhiana, that was razed to the ground by the Municipal Corporation staff in a late-night operation on Saturday.  — Photo Rajesh Bhambi

Pay bills before you receive these
Ludhiana, April 2
Strange are the ways of the Municipal Corporation here, which require residents to pay their water-supply bills even before they receive these. This is what has happened to a large number of residents of Sarabha Nagar and many other areas here.

Land acquisition orders lead to resentment
Ludhiana, April 2
Resentment is brewing among thousands of farmers of about a dozen villages of Jagraon tehsil in Ludhiana district and a few in Moga over the recently issued orders by the Defence Ministry asking them to vacate the land which comes under the test-firing range (TFR) of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Youths attack GNE hostel
Ludhiana, April 2
About 10 youths attacked a boys hostel at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College here today late morning and injured an inmate. The attackers also smashed certain vehicles.

SPEAKING OUT
‘Keep sport out of politics’
Ludhiana, April 2
People have divergent views over the decision of the government banning the national cricket team from participation in the forthcoming three-nation Sharjah tournament commencing from April 8, 2001.

COMMUNITY

Nullah of nuisance Ludhiana, April 2 The old nullah that flows through the Bhadaur House market has become a health hazard for residents of the area. The backlanes of hotels near it are huge garbage dumps. Residents of Kucha Attar Singh, Kucha Des Raj and Kucha Sant Ram — streets between Ghanta Ghar Chowk and Society Cinema — are not happy with the civic authorities for ignoring their problems. The turning of the nullah into a garbage dump, particularly by the hotels, is the source of all their problems. The blocked nullah near the Bhadaur House market, Ludhiana, which has become a health hazard for those who live nearby.

Demolition of old jail complex halted
Ludhiana, April 2
The demolition of the old jail complex near the CMC, which was started after some bodies of minor boys had been found there about three months ago, has been stopped.

Ban on cattle fairs ineffective
Ludhiana, April 2
The State Animal Husbandry Department, which is presently facing flak for its “failure” to stop the spread of the FMD and the holding of cattle fairs, has said that handling these issues is the responsibility of the district administrations, the police and the Department of Rural Development.

Durga Ashtami celebrated
Ludhiana, April 2
Durga Ashtmi was celebrated with religious fervour in the city yesterday marking the end of the Navratras. Beautifully dressed little girls in various residential colonies of the city flitted from house to house with plates in their hand since early morning as they were in great demand everywhere for worshipping.

Don’t kill time lest time kills you
Ludhiana, April 2
“I am simply killing time till I get married. So sometimes I join painting classes, and at other times I join short duration fashion designing courses. Most of the time, I’m not really doing much,” said Rita Mehra, whose marriage will take place after two months. 

Pensioners for implementation of pay commission report
Ludhiana April 2
The district executive committee meeting of the Retired Cooperators Association Ludhiana was held here under the chairmanship of Mr Ranjit Singh Grewal. The general secretary, Mr Sardara Singh Kolal, and finance secretary, Mr Des Raj Garg, in a press note demanded immediate implementation of the Fourth Pay Commission Report for the pensioners.

CRIME

19 cows rescued, five arrested Ludhiana, April 2 Nineteen cows, including three calves which were being transported to Bihar for slaughtering have been rescued by the city police. Five persons have been arrested in this connection. The truck transporting the cows has also been impounded. Five persons accused of transporting cows for slaughter purpose being produced in court in Ludhiana on Monday. — Photo Inderjit Verma

• Illegal digging

Stock brokers keep their fingers crossed
Ludhiana, April 2
Stock-brokers and investors at the Ludhiana Stock Exchange (LSE) are in a depressive mood. The reason is not just the crash of stock markets at the national level after the arrest of Ketan Parekh by the CBI. 

‘Exim policy not beneficial’
Ludhiana, April 2
Mr Inderjit Singh Pardhan, president, and Mr Avtar Singh, general-secretary of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings, Ludhiana, have described the recent Exim policy for 2001-2002 announced by the Government of India to be unfavourable to the northern region of the country.

AGRICULTURE

‘Grant money has not reached farmers’
Khamano, April 2
Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, MP, Ropar, in his address to people during a cultural mela held by the Development Operational Youth Society Punjab at Dana Mandi here said the grant of Rs 100 crore announced by the Centre had not reached farmers yet.

EDUCATION

Protest against fee hike
Ludhiana, April 2
Protesting against the recent fee hike, students of Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology, Gujarkhan Campus, held a rally here today.

LSS takes up school fee issue
Ludhiana, April 2
The Ludhiana Seva Sangh, which is spearheading a campaign against overcharging of admission and other fees by government-aided schools, is organising an awareness camp at Sanglanwala Shivala for the benefit of parents.

500 students awarded degrees
Ludhiana, April 2
Nearly 500 students of the Government College for Women were awarded degrees at an annual convocation held here today.

Protest by lecturers
Ludhiana, April 2
The part-time lecturers of Goverment College, Rara Sahib, held a protest rally against the college authorities alleging discrimination against them on the campus.

HEALTH

Preventive care must to avoid heart  attack: Dr Chisti
Ludhiana, April 2
Ludhiana city and its surrounding areas have witnessed an alarming increase in the number of heart-related diseases. Not surprisingly, most of these cases are reported only at the advanced stage or at least not before there is some problem like chest pain or even a mild heart attack.

HERBS & HEALTH
Vacha, the brain tonic
Vacha is one of the most renowned herbs used for the rejuvenation of the brain and the nervous system. In Sanskrit, vacha, literally means speaking. Vacha (Botanical – Acorus calamus, Hindi – Bach) grows all over India in areas elevated upto 5.000 feet, in marshes and is also cultivated. It is a strongly aromatic, semi-aquatic perennial herb with a ginger-like stem, which spreads in the ground. This rhizome part of vacha is of medicinal use.

SPORT

Sport meet concludes
Doraha, April 2
The annual sports meet and Kartar Singh Memorial Gold Cup Kabbadi Tournament, concluded here yesterday. The meet was jointly inaugurated by Baba Surjit Singh, Mr Dharampal Singh and Mr Amninder Singh. Mr Sukhdev Singh Mangat, president of the Mangat Sports Welfare Club, Katani Kalan, said the meet was dedicated to the sacred memory of the Kargil martyrs, Mr Prem Singh and Mr Gurdial Singh Katani.

Jail games to be organised after four years
Ludhiana, April 2
After a gap of four years, the Prisons Department, Punjab, has finally received a nod from the state government to hold the Annual Inter-Jail Games, had been denied to the convicts ever since the SAD-BJP government came into power in the state.