L U D H I A N A

With PSEB firm on meters, cops struggle for power
Ludhiana, June 11
After the past year’s disclosure of a huge power theft and non-payment of bills by a number of residents of the Punjab Police colonies, over 150 newly built police flats at two places here have not received power connections for the past three months.

This newly built colony in Police Lines, Ludhiana, has not received power connection for the past three months. — Photo Inderjit Verma

Factory owner shoots self in office
Ludhiana, June 11
A man, who was about 50, allegedly committed suicide yesterday night by shooting himself in the head in his factory office near Lohara village. A family dispute is said to have made him end his life.

Musical tribute to cassette king Ludhiana, June 11 “Yeh Sham Mastani”, as the title suggests, was an evening filled with songs and dances. The musical night was organised at Nehru Sidhant Kendra last evening. The programme was dedicated to Gulshan Kumar, founder of T- Series company. Late Gulshan Kumar being garlanded by organisers of “Yeh Sham Mastani” at Nehru Sidhant Kendra in Ludhiana. — RB

A novel experiment to help farmers
Ludhiana, June 11
Farmers of 10 villages in the district are presently busy in a novel experiment of green manuring which may provide an answer to perplexing problems of paddy glut, water-table depletion, environmental degradation and above all improve the quality of produce.

Ghalib honoured
Ludhiana, June 11
Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, Congress MP, was honoured at a function by Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir Committee here yesterday.

COMMUNITY

‘50 p.c. population denied basic needs’
Ludhiana, June 11
The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has taken cognizance of denial of basic amenities like water supply and sewerage to a majority of the city population here, and notices, returnable within four weeks, have been served upon the Principal Secretary, Home, Principal Secretary, Local Government and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation. The case will next come up before the commission on September 5.

SAD always for Panthic unity: Badal
Ludhiana, June 11
The district Akali Jatha (Urban) of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Badal, which has been without a president for quite some time now, is not among the priorities of the party president and the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal.

501 prominent persons join SAD

Ludhiana, June 11 The Shiromani Akali Dal got a shot in the arm when a strong group of 501 influential businessmen, lawyers, doctors and other professionals joined the party at a function organised by the Ludhiana Aggarwal Cooperative Society at Aggar Nagar here last night. Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, presided over the function and welcomed the new entrants into the party by presenting siropas to them.

The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, along with his Cabinet colleagues, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg and Mr Jagdish Singh Garcha, presents siropas to the new entrants to the SAD in Ludhiana.  — Photo Rajesh Bhambi

Shiv Sena to launch stir against beef products
Ludhiana, June 11
The Punjab unit of the Hindu Shiv Sena will launch a stir from June 20 in the state against the sale of food products having beef content if the administration does not ban the sale of such products. Presenting a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Sandhu, and SSP, Mr Kuldeep Singh, here today, a delegation of the Hindu Shiv Sena asked the administration to strictly ban the sale of such products in the city.

Army detains Star Plus crew
Ludhiana, June 11
A team of reporters and cameramen of Star Plus was detained by the Army officers of the Baddowal 17 Field Ammunition Depot here today for allegedly trespassing the defence area without permission. The team was handed over to the police and later released after Mr Rajat Sharma of the ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ fame got the Ministry of Defence to intervene.

Youth wing to highlight govt’s achievements
Fatehgarh Sahib, June 11
Complete unity was witnessed among various warring factions of the SAD in the district, when leaders of all factions of the party attended a meeting of youth workers at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib today.

CRIME

2 scooterists killed in mishaps
Sahnewal, June 11
The Sahnewal police has registered a case against a person for causing death due to negligent driving. He is said to have knocked off a scooterist with his Tata Indica. Raghbir Singh of Maksoodra village, on whose statement an FIR has been registered, has said that his father, Bhajan Singh, and he were going from Nandpur to their village on scooters when the mishap occurred. 

Murder mystery solved
Jagraon, June 11
The mystery surrounding the murder of an old woman has been solved with the arrest of Parminder Singh. Chand Kaur (80) was murdered in her house at Kaonke Kalan village, 7 km from here, a few days back. 

BUSINESS

Knitwear exhibition from June 15
Ludhiana, June 11
An exhibition of knitwear and shawl designs will be held from June 15 to 17 in the Wool Club office here.

EDUCATION

PCCTU flays delay in disbursement of arrears
Ludhiana, June 11
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) has flayed the Punjab Government for delaying the disbursement of arrears of grade revision, the grant for which it received from the Central Government three months ago. Stating this in a press note, Prof K.B.S. Sodhi, president of the union, said that college lecturers had yet not been disbursed a grant of Rs 30.17 crore received by the Punjab Government since March 29 for payment of arrears from January 1, 1996, to January 1, 1997.

CULTURE

‘Ludhianvis have taste for art’ Ludhiana, June 11 “The work of art here promises to shun the negative influences in life and people who think Ludhianvis are ‘dead’ at heart are absolutely wrong. Visitors appreciate the work of art at an exhibition at Lakshmi Ladies Club in Ludhiana on Monday.  — Photo Inderjit Verma

Dental care at your doorsteps
Ludhiana, June 11
The mobile dental van of Christian Dental College (CDC) is doing a yeomans’ service to thousands of people who find it difficult to take the help of the dentists either due to economic restraints or lack of easy accessibility.

SPORTS

A.S. Club, KVM clinch top honours
Ludhiana, June 11
A.S. Swimming Club, Khanna (94 points) and Kundan Vidya Mandir, Ludhiana (62 points) bagged the team championships in boys and girls categories respectively in the District Swimming Sub-Junior and Junior Championship, which concluded at the MC Swimming Pool here on Sunday. Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar, Ludhiana and Sacred Heart Convent School, Ludhiana were the runners-up in the two categories.

ADMINISTRATION

IT Dept to start on-line refunding service 
Ludhiana, June 11
The Income Tax Department, Ludhiana, has been upgraded with the creation of new posts of a Chief Income Tax Commissioner, and two commissioners at Ludhiana and a new post of DIG at Chandigarh to expedite the cases of assessment and investigation.

Promotions for 26 retired inspectors