L U D H I A N A

Attempt to rob three families: fifth strike
Ludhiana, April 21
Some unidentified persons tried to rob three families of the Vardhman factory complex at the Focal Point Urban Estate here early today. After this, panic has spread in the area as this is the fifth such incident in the colony in the past six months.

Restoration work at Sarabha memorial completed
Ludhiana, April 21
The hopes of the residents of Sarabha village, of seeing a memorial constructed in the name of Kartar Singh Sarabha, have finally been realised as the district administration has completed the restoration work on the first storey of the martyr’s house.

Excise Dept blames govt for loss
Ludhiana, April 21
The Excise Department has blamed the state government for the loss incurred in the sale of liquor vends in Ludhiana. Senior excise officials also sought to play down the loss, arguing that after various calculations the loss came down to Rs 6.5 crore only.

SSI for protection against unfair competition
Ludhiana, April 21
The government should ensure level playing field for the small-scale industry (SSI) in the domestic and international market. As the SSI was the backbone of India’s economy, the government should leave it in the hands of market forces.

Liquor war may hot up: administration officials
Ludhiana, April 21
Though the Excise and Taxation Department looks jubilant after the auction of liquor vends in this district, residents are not happy.

Gang of robbers busted Ludhiana, April 21 The Jagraon police today said it had busted an inter-state gang that was involved in several cases of robbery, smuggling of arms and contract killing. Fake currency gang active Director arrested

COMMUNITY

Badal to hold sangat darshan today
Ludhiana, April 21
The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, will interact with people in nine meetings in the Ludhiana East constituency here on Sunday in the course of his first ward-level sangat darshan programme. In addition, he would lay the foundation stone of buildings for Government Girls High School at Lakkar Bazaar and Kamran Road in the city.

• Cong pooh poohs CM’s sangat darshan

When Punjabi nostalgia overwhelmed Lahore
Ludhiana, April 21
It was nostalgia for something that had been lost. It was a longing for something unknown yet so near to heart. It was a new generation of Punjabis, absolutely unmindful of the scars of the Partition, which had converged on the venue of the first ever Punjabi Conference organised by the World Punjabiyat Foundation at Lahore from April 13 to 16.

NRI adopts village
Khamano, April 21
Mr Daljit Singh Rana, an NRI, has adopted Sanghol village to make it a Model Gram. This was stated by Mr Arun Bhatnagar, Secretary, Rural Development of the Government of India, during a programme at Sanghol village.

Chowk structure a traffic hazard
Ludhiana, April 21
The park like structure at Shaheed Bhan Singh Middha Chowk near bus stand that was built about two years ago, has become a traffic hazard.

VRTC employees’ resentment
Ludhiana, April 21
The visually and physically challenged and other employees of the Vocational Rehabilitation Training Centre (VRTC) criticised the “biased attitude” of the centre’s director E.M.Johnson during a meeting of the employees here today.

Caring for old parents
Ludhiana, April 21
The Himachal Pradesh government had to make a law to safeguard the interest of the old persons and passed a Bill making it mandatory on sons and daughters to look after their old parents and family dependants.

FENG SHUI TIPS AN INTRODUCTION A science that goes back at least 4000 years to the days of the emperors and has so brilliantly survived the centuries bears testimony to its potency. In recent years there has been extensive revival of interest in the practice of Feng Shui and it has now attracted mainstream attention.

CITY SCAN
Soods have a rich tradition
The Soods of Ludhiana make a fascinating study. Remember cine-queen Madhuri Dixit and try to recollect who designed the best of her dresses. She is a daughter of Ludhiana and a member of the Sood clan. Ritu Beri has her contribution to fashion acknowledged from Bollywood to Paris and suitably rewarded. 

CRIME

70 kg of poppy husk seized
Jagraon, April 21
In a special drive under instructions from Mr Jasdev Singh Sidhu, DSP, Mr Swinder Singh SI, In charge of the police post, Chowkiman, arrested Mukhtiar Singh of Dera Lambardar Kulgehna village and recovered 70 kg of poppy husk.

BUSINESS

Limited mobility ‘not to affect’ cellular services
Ludhiana, April 21
The limited mobility services offered by Connect are unlikely to affect the cellular phone services and may not prove to be a cheap alternative either. Besides, the decision to allow limited mobility has reportedly been referred to the Cabinet sub-committee for a review as it may adversely hit the business of the cellular phone services.

AGRICULTURE

Wheat crop destroyed by fire
Machhiwara, April 21
Three acres of standing wheat crop in Bhupana village near here was reportedly burnt last evening when a fire broke out due to some sparking in electricity wires passing over the field.

EDUCATION

Bakery workshop 
Ludhiana, April 21
The Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), is organising a two-day workshop on the preparation of bakery products on April 26 and 27.

DEO denies charges
Ludhiana, April 21
The District Education Officer (Primary), Fatehgarh Sahib, has refuted the charges of harassment of the primary teachers appointed under the Sikhya Karmi Scheme.

School without teacher
Samrala, April 21
Government Primary School, Bomb, near here, which was opened in memory of Goa martyr Master Karnail Singh Isru, is on the verge of closure because the school does not have a teacher at the moment, according Mr Harminder Kaur, sarpanch of the village, here.

COURTS

State commission enhances compensation
Ludhiana, April 21
In a significant judgement the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has enhanced the compensation for deficiency in services, which was to be paid by the Telecom Department for mental agony and harassment, from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000.

CULTURE

Chitra Sukumaran enchants Ludhiana, April 21 Renowned dancer Chithra Sukumaran, who is an exponent of Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi and Kathakali, from Kerala gave a scintillating performance in Bhartiya Vidya Mandir last evening. Her maiden show in the city was organised by Swami Vivekanand Study Circle.   Hariharan to perform in city

HEALTH

Artery diseases rising among women
Ludhiana, April 21
“More and more Indian women are being inflicted with coronary artery diseases (CAD) due to sedentary habits and rich diets. There has been a steady increase in the number of Indian women suffering from CAD.

ADMINISTRATION

Record collection of small savings
Ludhiana, April 21
Ludhiana district has created a record in the state by making a gross collection of Rs 707.14 crore under different small savings schemes during the year 2000-01, thus improving upon its own record of gross collections of Rs 408 crore for 1999-2000.