L U D H I A N A

Spate of robberies force ‘thikri pehras’
Ludhiana, June 19
Learning from the past experiences of spate in robberies during this month every year, people in several villages of the district have begun thikri pehras in their respective areas to prevent any strike by robbers.

Villagers organise a ‘thikri pehra’ in Pakhowal near Ludhiana.  — Photo Inderjeet Verma

Seven charge-sheeted in hostel renovation case
Ludhiana, June 19
The Punjab Agricultural University has issued charge-sheets against seven persons, including a former executive engineer, two subdivisional engineers and four junior engineers, in the infamous hostel renovation scandal.

CMC fires consultant, union takes up issue
Ludhiana, June 19
A controversy has again arisen between the management of CMC & H and the Brown Memorial Hospital Employees Union over the termination of services of a US-based international healthcare consultant appointed to mobilise funds from the USA.

Judicial probe sought into Baddowal issue
Ludhiana, June 19
The Baddowal controversy continues to generate heat with many eyebrows being raised over the Chief Minister’s meeting with the Union Defence Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, on April 17, much after the High Court judgment, seeking the shifting of the 17 field ammunition depot, Baddowal, about 7 km from here.

The boats meant for flood relief are lying in a dilapidated condition at the Mini Secretariat in Ludhiana though the monsoon is not far away.

Scarcity of funds affects flood control measures 
Ludhiana, June 19
Though the monsoon is just a week away, no adequate measures have been taken by the district administration to save the flood-prone areas from the fury of the Sutlej so far. According to Mr S.K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, the administration had received only Rs 2.20 crore to undertake flood-control measures especially to strengthen the left banks of about 92 km of the Dhusi bandh that falls under the district. 

LUDHIANA CALLING Sorry scribes Those journalists, who think themselves to be influential and able to poll the right strings, are doubly cursed in one case. Can they get their cars financed, which non-journalist can easily get done at zero per cent interest? Cricket craze Hospitable colleges Dateline PAU Village directory Guzzlers paradise Long vacations Funny stickers

COMMUNITY

City needs comprehensive traffic plan: study
Ludhiana, June 19
The industrial hub of Punjab, which awaits the status of a metro city, has several gigantic growth-related problems - the chaotic and almost unmanageable traffic conditions in the city being the biggest one which needs to be tackled urgently and at various levels.

Stagnant sewage in a street of Hargobindpura near Samrala Chowk in Ludhiana.

Hargobindpura a mohalla with a difference
Ludhiana, June 19
Hargobindpura, a mohalla situated to the right of the Chandigarh road, is like any other typical mohalla of the city but with a difference.

Company fails to deposit workers’ PF
Sahnewal, June 19
The woes of about 300 workers of Arihant Cotysen company do not seem to be over. They have not been provided salary amounting to Rs 15 lakh for the past three months, though they had presented their cases in the ‘sangat darshan’, but no action was taken.

Man alleges police detention
Ludhiana, June 19
Mr Puran Parkash Singh, a resident of Talwandi Kalan village near here, yesterday alleged that he was detained from June 10 to 16 at the police chowki of Ladhowal in a bid to favour the party opposed to him in a case of land dispute.

‘SAD ready for SGPC poll’
Ludhiana, June 19
Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, president, SGPC, said the SAD (B) was ready for timely elections of the SGPC. He said the SGPC had passed a resolution regarding this and sent it to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. He said these while speaking to mediapersons after a meeting of Akali workers here today.

BSNL services inadequate 
Machhiwara, June 19
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited seems to have failed in providing better communication services. The local telephone exchange, which has 1,400 lines, has not been able to fully meet the needs of its subscribers.

People resent new office timings
Ludhiana, June 19
The change in office timing is not being favoured by the people saying it has only reduced the working hours. Most of the people visiting the Mini Secretariat here said that most of the officials were not available before 8 a.m. and hardly anyone could be found on duty at 7 a.m. As per the new timings the government offices will remain open between 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Valmikis burn copies of Hindi weekly
Ludhiana, June 19
Hundreds of the activists of Bhartiya Valmiki Dharam Samaj, led by its national joint secretary and state convener, held a rally at Clock Tower Chowk here and lit a bonfire of a Hindi weekly to express resentment against a ‘sacrilegious’ article, published in its issue dated June 13.

Separate directorate for BCs sought
Ludhiana, June 19
The All-India Vishawkarma/ Ramgarhia Federation has demanded the implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations in letter and spirit and to provide 27.5 per cent reservations in all government and public sector appointments, academic admissions and in the elected bodies like panchayats, municipal corporations, municipal councils and state assembly, as ruled by the Supreme Court of India.

Youth drowned in canal
Ludhiana, June 19
Tragedy struck the family of a telephone department employee today morning when his son was reported to have drowned in the Sidhwan Canal in mysterious circumstances. The body could not be retrieved till the evening.

New award instituted
Ludhiana, June 19
The Bairagi Maha Mandal has instituted an award to perpetuate the memory of Pandit Shardha Ram Phillauri, the author of the most popular ‘aarti’ (prayer), ‘Om Jai Jagdish Hare’. The award would be presented annually to a prominent religious personality.

Federation to hold arms training camps
Ludhiana, June 19
In a significant move, the Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) has decided to impart arms training to its workers in specially organised district-level camps.

Conductors hold dharna
Ludhiana, June 19
Protesting against the non-fulfilment of demands, the Punjab Roadways Conductors Union staged a dharna at the bus stand here today.

Cookery skills demonstrated
Ludhiana, June 19
A cooking demonstration was held by the members of Gayatri Ladies Club here yesterday.

CRIME

Three commit suicide
Ludhiana, June 19
Three persons died under mysterious circumstances last night after they were reportedly crushed under different trains at the Ludhiana-Ambala railway line. Two of the victims have been identified as Kartar Singh (85) and Mohinder Singh (30). Both belonged to the local Islam Gunj Colony.

Man beaten up, hospitalised
Sahnewal, June 19
A man, who allegedly used to make obscene phone calls to women, was beaten up, kidnapped and dropped on the roadside. According to an FIR lodged by Beant Singh of Koom Kalan village with the Sahnewal police, his cousin, Parminder Singh of the same village, was allegedly making a phone call from Dashmesh Medical Store on June 15 when he was allegedly attacked by Kuldeep Singh, Daljit Singh, Amrik Singh, Sarabjit Singh and Satwinder Singh.

EDUCATION

PU team inspects city colleges
Ludhiana, June 19
With Panjab University having sent its team for guiding three city colleges in setting up adequate infrastructure for MSc in Information Technology, the university seems to be gearing up for starting the course in this session.

20 scientists attend workshop
Ludhiana, June 19
The Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Punjab Agricultural University, which organised a four-week summer school on “Advances in seeding and harvesting machinery”, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, concluded today.

CULTURE

YOUNG ACHIEVERS
Singing their way to the top
Ludhiana, June 19
“After my song was over at the function, ‘Yeh Sham Mastani’, I was mobbed by the audience. Young boys and girls wanted my autographs. I felt very elated and thought to myself that this is the way that I want my life to be,” says, Mickey.

HEALTH

Health care facilities, City emerges leader
Ludhiana, June 19
To the North of Delhi, Ludhiana has emerged as one of the leading health care centres. Given the extent of the private hospital network in the city, it has even relegated the City Beautiful (Chandigarh) to a second place in this sector. In the recent past, there has been a phenomenal growth of charitable hospitals and private nursing homes with superspeciality facilities, albiet at a phenomenal cost.

ADMINISTRATION

Ghalib distributes development grants
Ludhiana, June 19
The Congress MP, Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, today undertook a tour of more than 12 villages under the Ludhiana rural assembly segment in the district, where he distributed grants worth over Rs 10 lakh from the MP Local Area Development Scheme for various development works.