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Tension prevails at Aligarh village
Patch-up effort by administration comes a cropper
Aligarh (Jagraon), June 12
Barely a few hours after leaders of different political parties agreed with officials of the district administration on a fresh compromise over the issue of changing names of donors on a stone commemorating the work of filling up a pond in the village, Akali-BSP supporters, especially women, refused to honour the agreement and stalled a move to lay a stone of the rival party.

Women activists of the SAD-BSP combine stand near the controversial stone at Aligarh village on Thursday. —  Photo Pradeep Tewari

New water rate structure spells trouble for MC
Ludhiana, June 12
The revised structure of water and sewerage rates, decided by the state government and put into effect by all urban local bodies in accordance with a notification dated May 2, 2003, would create more problems than it would solve and the government is learnt to be under immense pressure to review the matter threadbare on the basis of ground realities.

Dalits clash at religious place
Dehliz Khurd (Ludhiana), June 12
While it is Jats versus Dalits at some places in the state causing communal tension, it is Dalits versus Dalits at a religious place in this nondescript village, about 35 km from Ludhiana, near Ahemdgarh. Politics for votes is allegedly playing an ugly role in the controversy, courtesy the impending panchayat elections.

TRIBUNE SPECIAL
Two years, still fighting for justice
Ludhiana, June 12
Bimla Rani, who had lost her husband two years ago due to "wrong medication", has been fighting a lone battle to bring the culprits to book, but to no avail. The authorities have virtually turned a deaf ear to her appeal.

Congress committed to providing clean admn
Ludhiana, June 12
Mr Tej Parkash Singh, Transport Minister, Punjab, is all set to witness fast integrated development, and Rs 1500 crore is being spent through Infrastructure Development Board to undertake various development projects, including construction of link roads, railways overbridges, strengthening of major roads and construction of the buildings of hospitals and schools etc in all parts of the state.

Cong promises fair poll
Amloh, June 12
The misrule and corruption of the last government in Punjab has distanced voters from the Shiromani Akali Dal, which was evident from the recently held civic elections in which the Congress candidates won with thumping majorities. 

105 booths set up for gram panchayat poll
Amloh, June 12
All arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of gram panchayat elections of 97 villages of Amloh subdivision. This was stated by Mr Amarjit Singh Shahi, SDM, while talking to mediapersons here today.

COMMUNITY

Punjab Govt to develop infrastructure
Ludhiana, June 12
The Punjab Government is observing 2003 as the year of development and grants will be released to rural and urban areas on a priority basis for the creation of infrastructure such as roads, pavements drains and construction of schools and hospitals.

‘Political Jathedars causing irreparable harm to Panth’
Ludhiana, June 12
Various panthic organisations are veering around to the viewpoint of the Khalsa Panchayat that the practice of installing “political” Jathedars of Akal Takht had done irreparable harm to the ‘panth’ and that this must be countered by the masses for the larger interests of the community.

‘Follow path shown by Vivekananda’
Ludhiana, June 12
The Swami Vivekananda Study Circle celebrated its foundation day at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, here today. The ceremonies started with gurbani followed by a bhajan by Prof Nimita Sharma. 

CPI opposes troops to Iraq
Ludhiana, June 12
The CPI has warned the NDA government against its reported move to send troops to Iraq, saying that it will have serious political repercussions and will also affect the image of the country.

Marginal farmer buried alive
Ahmedgarh, June 12
A marginal farmer died when the brick wall of the well he was deepening collapsed. His body was dug out on Wednesday morning. Mr Malkiat Singh, of Ramgarh Sardaran village in Ludhiana district said his brother Neela (40) was buried under earth while deepening the well. 

PSEB staff flay Power Reform Bill
Ludhiana, June 12
Employees of the PSEB today condemned the passage of the Power Reforms Bill, 2003, which would put an additional burden on people of the state. The board is proposed to be trifurcated into the distribution, transmission and generation corporations.

Farmers hold dharna
Khanna, June 12
Irate farmers and workers of the Bharti Kisan Union staged a dharna in front of the office of the Superintendent Engineer Punjab State Electricity Board Circle Khanna in protest against the irregular supply of power for the past three days in the villages of the surrounding area.

Tribune employee bereaved

CRIME

Man held with poppy husk
Ludhiana, June 12
The Salem Tabri police arrested Inder Singh alias Shinda, of Lalton Khurd village yesterday and seized 25 kg of poppy husk from his possession. The accused was booked under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act.

BUSINESS

Ludhiana bicycle parts’ industry in doldrums

MADAN LAL is a labourer working in a bicycle handle-making unit. He knows that handles, sold for Rs 60 to Rs 63 per piece a year ago, should ordinarily be sold for Rs 67 to Rs 70 now. But he is wondering why they are selling for just Rs 60 this year. He worries about his employer paying him his full salary.   A cycle store owner waits for a customer in Ludhiana. A Tribune photograph

Shopping scheme winners Ludhiana, June 12 As part of its ongoing summer shopping bonanza, Ebony, one of the largest retail store chains in India, today announced the name of the lucky couples who had won two free return tickets to Australia. Noted model Mandeep Walia along with Mr Rakesh Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer, Ebony Retail Holdings Limited, made the announcement at Ebony’s local store here. Model Mandeep Walia (right) hands over an air ticket to Australia to a relative of a “lucky couple” in Ludhiana on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Principals’ Association holds meeting
Ludhiana, June 12
A meeting of the executive committee of the Principals’ Association and Principals Fellows of Punjab University, Chandigarh, was held at the Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Gujjarkhan campus, yesterday.

Students exhibit creativity
Ludhiana, June 12
Students of diploma courses of designing, merchandising and fashion designing organised an exhibition, “Grandeur 2003”, at Sat Guru Ram Singh Government Polytechnic for Women, Rishi Nagar, here today. The exhibition is also open tomorrow from 10 am.

S.C. Ahuja resumes duty
Ludhiana, April 12
Dr S.C. Ahuja, Principal, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, has resumed his duty contrary to the earlier reports that he has submitted his resignation. Mr Amrit Nagpal, secretary, Managing Society, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, claimed today that Dr Ahuja was on leave without pay and had not resigned from the post of Principal. 

City lad is 12th in Reliance test
Ludhiana, June 12
Deven Kalra, who has passed class XII from DAV Public School, has attained 12th rank in the all-India test conducted by the Reliance Group of Companies. He was among the 50,000 students who appeared in the entrance test for admission to the Dhirubhai Ambani Institute at Ahmedabad on May 18. 

CULTURE

‘K’ serials are in bad taste
Ludhiana, June 12
“Mummy, does my papa have another woman in some other country? Will you leave him if you find that there is another woman in papa’s life?’ asked Jeetu, a teenager from his mother after watching a serial on a TV channel. Sudha, his mother was so stunned at these questions that she lost her voice for some time. It slowly dawned on her that her son’s insecurities were the result of watching serials wherein they glamourise adultery.

Kirana Gharana in his blood
Ludhiana, June 12
“The knowledge of music is not gained by learning and hard work alone, one needs to have blessings of gurus and gods,” says Pt Mani Prasad. Music is in his blood as his family has maintained the golden tradition of the Kirana Gharana for generations.

New cartoon serial for kids
Ludhiana, June 12
With nothing much to do in the holidays, the city children can now look forward to a new domesticated cartoon serial. Starting this coming Saturday, Cartoon Network would air The Adventures of Tenali Raman that would allow the kids to travel back in history to the 16th century.

SPORTS

Sahil’s knock goes in vain
Ludhiana, June 12
An unbeaten knock of 85 not out by Sahil went in vain as Park Lane Club lost by 21 runs against Charanjit Singh Ahluwalia XI in the seventh Chaman Lal Malhotra Cricket Cup Tournament being organised by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association at the Arya College for Boys ground here today.