L U D H I A N A

Top stories | Community | Crime | Business

Agriculture | Education | Health | Sports

TOP STORIES

Vigilance arrests 2 docs for private practice
Ludhiana, April 10
The Ludhiana Vigilance Bureau today claimed to have nabbed two government doctors for doing private practice. Dr Kanwarjit Singh Kakkar, SMO, Koom Kalan, and Dr Rajinder Singh Chawla, Medical Officer, Dhanansu, have been charged with violating the ‘no private practice’ norms laid down for the doctors by the state government.

Hosiery traders call on Vajpayee
Ludhiana, April 10
The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, is learnt to have assured the hosiery manufacturers that he would ask the Finance Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, to look into their demand for withdrawing the Central excise duty on hosiery and textile products.

Potato glut keeps profits cut
Ludhiana, April 10
While potato farmers in the state are suffering huge losses due to potato glut, the ‘‘middlemen’’ are making hay and minting money. As the farmers are selling potatoes between 70 paise and Re 1 per kg, the consumers are purchasing these for Rs 4 per kg and even more in some areas of the city.

Rs 2,779 crore annual credit plan for city
Ludhiana, April 10
The Deputy Commissioner here, Mr Anurag Agarwal, launched the annual credit plan of Rs 2,779 crore for the district for 2003-04 at the Bachat Bhavan here today. Claiming that the plan has been tipped as the highest in the country, the Deputy Commissioner said none of the districts in the country had earmarked this much amount for the credit plan.

Kanwaljeet calls it ‘a year of taxes’
Amloh, April 10
“The Punjab Government has declared 2003 as the development year, but it should be termed as a year of taxes, because hidden taxes worth Rs 3,400 crore have been imposed in the state,” said Capt Kanwaljeet Singh, a former Finance Minister. He was here to address a meeting of Akali workers in the grain market on Wednesday evening.

Shobha yatra Ludhiana, April 10 To mark Ramnavmi celebrations, the Sanatan Dharam Mahotsava Committee took out a shobha yatra that started from Daresi Grounds here today. More than 200 tableaus were tastefully decorated for the yatra, which passed through Pratap Bazar, Girijaghar Chowk, Chaura Bazar, Chowk Vaishno Devi, Police Division Number 3 areas before reaching at Sanglawala Shivala Chowk.

Devotees participate in a Ramnavmi procession in Ludhiana on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

COMMUNITY

MLA inaugurates project
Ludhiana, April 10
The Congress MLA, Mr Surinder Davar, reiterated the commitment of the government to provide better civic amenities to the urban population in keeping with its poll promises. He said the agenda of development, chalked out by the government, was being put into effect by the local administration.

Girls in focus on ‘ashtmi’
Ludhiana, April 10
Young girls were delighted today as they were in great demand due to “ashtmi”. After seven days of navratras, the people celebrate “ashtmi” on which young girls are invited by a number of people who fast during “navratras”. With great reverence, they wash the feet of girls, offer them “puri, channa,” money, red duppatas and bangles.

Lowering rates of income tax sought
Ludhiana, April 10
The Taxation Bar Association President, Mr Ashok Juneja, has pleaded for lowering rates of income tax and simplification of the tax structure which would lead to more people filing income tax returns and a sizeable increase in the revenue.

Photographer who loves adventure Ludhiana, April 10 An intrepid young boy in twenties, Jessu Jaskamnwar, undertook a journey to Ladakh on a non-geared bicycle in 1996 to take photographs of the breath-taking beauty of Ladakh and make people aware of the fragile ecology of the region. Budding photographer Jessu Jaskamnwar points out the salient features of one of his photographs to viewers at an exhibition at BCM College of Education in Ludhiana on Thursday.

31 mass marriages solemnised
Ludhiana, April 10
The Minister for Jails, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Malkiat Singh Birmi, has called upon the social and voluntary organisations to make concerted efforts to help in providing vocational education to the girls belonging to the weaker sections of society.

Local youth killed in USA
Ludhiana, April 10
A pall of gloom engulfed the Civil Lines area here today when the news of the death of a local youth reached to the members of his family. Amit Garg (25) was killed in a car accident at Austin, USA, on April 5. His body will reach here tomorrow and the cremation will take place at Civil Lines Swarag Ashram.

PEDA organises camps

CRIME

• Nihang killed over dispute

• Duplicate CDs seized

Rs 419 cr loans disbursed
Ludhiana, April 10
Punjab National Bank disbursed loans to the tune of Rs 419 crore from April 1, 2002, to March 31, 2003, in the Punjab zone under the retail segment. Out of this amount, Rs 145 crore had been disbursed under the housing segment.

AGRICULTURE

Beekeepers Club at PAU
Ludhiana, April 10
A beekeepers’ club has been inaugurated on the pattern of the Farmer’s Club at Punjab Agricultural University. Dr J.S. Kolar, Director, Extension Education, said, all although Punjab leads in honey production, yet it requires a club to discuss ways and means to increase the yield and the quality of the product. The big export market needed to be tapped, he added.

EDUCATION

119 BCM students get prizes

Ludhiana, April 10 The annual prize distribution function of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School was held here today. Nupur Chhabra of class XII won the best student award. Jaspreet Kaur of the same class got the best singer award. Roop Khangura of class X was chosen the best artist. Students of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School wait for their turn for a dance performance on the occasion of the annual prize distribution function at Ludhiana on Thursday. — IV

119 students get degrees
Ludhiana, April 10
“The main problem before India is its exploding population resulting in economic backwardness of the masses”, said Mr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, Ludhiana, while addressing B.Ed students of the BCM College of Education on the fourth annual convocation and prize-distribution function held today. 

Workshop for pharmacy students
Ludhiana, April 10
An interactive workshop — Impetus 2003 — was organised for students of the GGN Khalsa College of Pharmacy here today. The workshop was aimed at acquainting the students with the expectations of their prospective employees.

CMCH to organise fete

Padma Bhushan for Punjab cardiologist
Ludhiana, April 10
Moga-born Punjab cardiologist Dr Purshotam Lal has been bestowed with the second highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, for outstanding contribution in the field of medicine. Born to a cycle repair worker of Pato Hira Singh village in Moga district, Dr Lal rose to be the Director, Metro Hospitals and Heart Institutes, showing that grit and determination can take a person places.

SPORTS

Cricket tourney
Samrala, April 10
The cricket tournament organised by the Youth Sports Club, Khattran, concluded here today. Eighteen teams participated in the tournament, said Mr Malvir Singh Khattran, president of the club. The team of Khanna was declared first.