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Robbers loot cash, jewellery in 3 villages
Khamano, September 24
Armed robbers struck in three houses in different villages, situated close to each other, last night. Going by the modus operandi of the robbers in the three incidents as well as in the number of people involved, the police claimed that the robberies were the handiwork of members of one gang.

Schools fleecing students
Charge high fee for Class VIII exam
Ludhiana, September 24
In utter violation of the norms laid by the Punjab School Education Board, several unaided schools of the city are charging exorbitant fee for Class VIII examination.

SPEAKING OUT Plan on encroachment regularisation draws flak Ludhiana, September 24 The government’s plan to regularise encroachment on government land and to allot the land on concessional rates to the occupants has been condemned by local residents. They are of the view that this is not a right step and will lead to chaos as it will encourage encroachment on government land.

Cop pushes man in boiling oil Ludhiana, September 24 In a bizzare incident, a traffic policeman allegedly pushed a motor cycle driver and threw him into a large pan containing boiling oil outside a sweets shop near Kailash Chowki here this evening. The victim suffered burn injuries on his face and upper parts of his body. A scene of the traffic jam near Kailash Cinema in Ludhiana on Monday. — Photo Inderjeet Verma

PAU students to resume stir
Ludhiana, September 24
Annoyed at the apathetic attitude of the state government, the students of the College of Agriculture, Punjab Agricultural University, today announced the resumption of their agitation for their long-pending demands.

3 industrialists booked for fraud
Ludhiana, September 24
In an unusual case, a case of fraud and cheating has been registered against three industrialists two years after a complaint was submitted to the police. According to an FIR registered at the Focal Point police station recently, Charan Kaur, Kulwant Singh and Sharan Singh, partners in a rolling mill and residents of Industrial Estate Extension, have been booked on the charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery and cheating their partner Basant Singh.

COMMUNITY

Of selflessness and backlash
Ludhiana, September 24
The story of a Sikh doctor who served the injured within minutes of the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York and how he had to face obscenities and discrimination because was a Sikh with a turban and a beard has been put on the Internet.

Cong flays govt for ‘anti-trade’ policies
Ludhiana, September 24
Congress activists charged the Punjab Government with pursuing such economic policies that had virtually annihilated trade and throttled the industry, particularly the small and tiny units, which were finding it difficult to survive.

DYC to launch stir against MC
Ludhiana, September 24
The District Youth Congress today decided to launch a stir against serious irregularities in civic administration, denial of free water and sewerage facilities to the city residents and total collapse of public distribution system in the city.

Pareira shares latest beauty techniques
Ludhiana, September 24
“Punjabi women are beautiful, yet there is a lot of scope for further improving their looks by using available beauty aids”, Mr Oscar Pareira, Director, Cheryl’s International School of Beauty, Hairdressing and Cosmetology, Mumbai, expressed these views on the inaugural session of a two-day seminar on beauty and skin treatments, organised by a beauty clinic and institute here today.

Beauticians from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh attend the two-day seminar on beauty and skin treatment organised in Ludhiana on Monday; and (right): Oscar Pareira demonstrates the latest trends in facials and skin treatment. — Photos Rajesh Bhambi

Bus stand, a picture of neglect
Ludhiana, September 24
The Ludhiana bus stand is in a bad shape as no one is doing anything to repair its roads and stinking buildings. As one enters the bus stand from either of the two ways, one steps on broken roads with potholes and dust all around. The puffs of dust created by every passing vehicle suffocate passersby. When a bus moves on this surface, it’s a bumpy ride for passengers.

Valmiki convention to be held on Oct 14

Ludhiana, September 24 Activists of the Bhartiya Valmiki Dharam Samaj from all over the state will participate in the National Valmiki Convention to be held at Nehru Park in Chandigarh on October 14. The Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, will be the chief guest. Members of the state executive of the Bhartiya Valmiki Dharam Samaj (BVDS) attend a meeting in Ludhiana on Sunday.

Implement report, say PSEB staff
Ludhiana, September 24
The Punjab State Electricity Employees Federation at a meeting held here today urged the state government to implement the recommendations of the Fifth Central Pay Commission, especially regarding the payment of dearness allowance to employed family pensioners and re-employed pensioners on their pension.

Ghuman denies remarks
Ludhiana, September 24
The reported remarks of a senior Akali leader and Chairman of the Punjab Mandi Board, Mr Mal Singh Ghuman, suggesting that the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, should appear before Akal Takht if it could lead to unity among the Akali groups have created a stir in political circles. 

Demonstration by bank employees
Ludhiana, September 24
The Punjab Bank Employees Federation, Ludhiana, held a demonstration in front of the Bank of India’s Model Town branch here today in protest against the ‘vindictive’ attitude of the management of the bank.

• Protest march held

• Cheques given to panchayats
  
  

CRIME

Poppy husk seized
Jagraon, September 24
The police has arrested Gurcharan Singh alias Sonu and Kuldip Singh both residents of Dolewal village, and seized 10 kg of poppy husk from each of them. Two Bajaj Chetak scooter, both without number plates, were also seized from their possession. A case has been registered.

Octroi contractor murdered
Sahnewal, September 24
An octroi post agent was found murdered in an agricultural field behind an octroi post near Pawa Khagat last evening. The police, claiming that it had found enough evidence about the murderer(s), registered a case against a tea-shop owner. The police was also suspecting the involvement of some other persons in the murder.

3 robberies reported
Phillaur, September 24
More than six dozens robbers struck at different places around Goraya in this subdivision and looted cash and gold ornaments worth thousands of rupees late last night.

BUSINESS

Industrialists sore over govt apathy
Ludhiana, September 24
Cycle parts, sewing machines, hosiery, hand and machine tools units in Ludhiana are fighting a losing battle for their revival in the wake of the WTO treaty and indifferent attitude of the state government. The industry representatives say that the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has failed to keep the promises made at the time of last election.

Are tailors going to be out of business? Ludhiana, September 24 People buying clothes off the shelves in the big multinational department stores have made the much-in-demand tailors not so busy. Readymade clothes are available in a wide variety and tempt people to buy these instead of getting a suit stitched by a tailor. Customers generally complain that tailors do not give proper fitting and a customer has to visit his tailor a couple of times before he is satisfied.

Tough times ahead: A tailor with his creation.

AGRICULTURE

Procurement agencies wait for farmers

Ludhiana, September 24 The paddy procurement scene in the state has been turned upside down if the arrival of paddy in small mandis is any indication. While in the past farmers had to wait for many days for the procurement agencies in small mandis, this year it is the turn of procurement agencies towait for the farmers. Farmers with their paddy crop in the mandis.

Lower cultivation cost, farmers told
Ludhiana, September 24
“Indian agriculture today is at the crossroads. The entire agricultural scenario in the country has changed in the wake of WTO. Lowering the cost of cultivation is the need of the hour.” These remarks were made by Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, while inaugurating a two-day annual workshop on “Conservation tillage in rice-wheat cropping system”, here today.

EDUCATION

UP minister visits PAU
Ludhiana, September 24
Mr Diwakar Vikram Singh, Minister for Agriculture, Uttar Pradesh, visited Punjab Agricultural University and held a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh, and senior officials of PAU here today. Dr Aulakh told the minister that earlier emphasis was on increasing production, but now, in addition to production, emphasis was being given to bringing down the cost of cultivation and improving the quality so that farmers could compete in the international market.

• Seniority list demanded
  

Healthy lifestyle for healthy heart
Ludhiana, September 24
Cases of heart diseases are increasing all over the world. Although some of the Western countries have been able to control these by using various Indian means like yoga and ayurveda, not much has been done in this regard in India.

Causes of jaundice discussed
Ludhiana, September 24
The Young Physician Forum of Ludhiana organised the 111th Annual Continuing Medical Education Programme here last evening. Doctors discussed the recent trends in viral hepatitis and portal hypertension which were related to liver disorders.