 |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Six held for stealing vehicles, valuables
Ludhiana, January 6 DSP Satvir Singh Atwal and SHO Salem Tabri Arvind Puri said the members of the first gang were identified as RamaNand alias Kala, Birbal alias Billu and Shamsher Singh alias Bittu. They were found involved in six cases of theft and burglary. These were a theft of Rs 30,000 from a shop in Mour Mandi besides a burgalry of Rs 1.20 lakh from a cloth shop in the
neighbourhood and similar thefts in Patiala, Mansa and at some shops in Shiv Puri here. They had also committed a theft in Mundian Kalan village and at a Kiryana merchants shop in Sherpur here. Mr R.K. Jaiswal, SP, City-I said the second gang was busted by the Haibowal police. The gang members were identified as Jasdeep Singh alias Mintu, Jaspal Singh alias Palli and Jaswinder Singh, all residents of Meharbaan village. The police has recovered goods worth several lakh.
|
|
Cops occupy classrooms
Ludhiana, January 6 Though the schools opened on Monday , the policemen continue staying in the rooms . The requests for vacating the rooms by the school authorities have not borne any fruit. The policemen were not moved even by the plight of students, including those of first and second standards whose classes had to be organised in the school ground. It is anybody’s guess that how difficult the condition of the students or the teachers must be in the open grounds when the region remains engulfed in thick fog even in the afternoon. The school authorities were peeved that they were suffering for the problem faced by the DMC. After failing to evoke a positive response from the policemen, the school authorities have shot off letters to the District Education Officer here requesting him to intervente in solving the problem. The authorities have requested that the matter be taken up with the SSP for speedy disposal. The school staff were quite scared when a Ludhiana Tribune team went to the school this morning. They were not willing to be quoted on the issue. The students were seen bringing tables and other furniture to the ground from the lobby of the school where these were kept after three rooms were occupied by the policemen. A large number of policemen from other police districts and reserve battalions were doing duty at DMC to maintain law and order. The force was now camping there for more than two weeks. They were supposed to vacate the rooms when the schools opened after the winter holidays. However, the policemen did not oblige. Police sources said as the number of cops on duty at the DMC was quite high, the city police was facing problems regarding their accommodation. The schools were used as they were closed, hoping that the need for keeping the policemen on duty would end by the time the schools opened. A senior official informed Ludhiana Tribune that the
policemen would leave soon as now reserve battalions had been called for duty at the DMC. However, the school authorities were not optimistic arguing that the reserve battalion force can take the rooms before they were vacated by the policemen staying there. Interestingly, no police official had exact information on why the policemen were put up in the school. While all police officials said SP-Headquarters Mandeep Singh was looking after the accommodation of the policemen of outside districts, the latter denied that he was arranging the accommodation. He said it was unfortunate that the students were suffering and he would look into the matter.
|
|
Lohri celebrations to focus on declining sex ratio
Ludhiana, January 6 The president of the Manch, Mr Pawan Dewan, said here today that the two-day celebrations will be marked by a seminar on the first day and the cultural programme on the second day. Students from schools and colleges will participate in the seminar which will highlight the urgency to rectify the sex ratio in the state. The seminar will be presided over by noted economist Prof S.S. Johal, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Punjabi University, Patiala. Mr Dewan pointed out, the sex ratio in the state was deteriorating in an alarming rate. He blamed some traditions like “the way we celebrate Lohri only after the birth of a male child”. He observed that there was a need to create social awareness and the Lohri festival itself was the best occasion to do that as the Lohri is considered to be a purely Punjabi festival. The cultural programme on the second day will also mark some special programmes aimed at creating awareness about the equality of boys and the girls. Some leading Punjabi singers like Paramjit Singh Pammi, Sarbjit Singh Cheema and others will perform in open theatre at the Punjabi Bhavan on January 11. Besides some leading Punjabi personalities will also be honoured.
|
|
One held for cheating finance companies
Ludhiana, January 6 Addressing a press conference here today, Mr R K Jaiswal, SP-City-I said that DSP Simratpal Singh Dhindsa and SHO Haibowal Gurpreet Singh have arrested Rohit Jain, a resident of Kitchlu Nagar who was a key member of the gang and recovered a Tata Safari car from his possession. The accused had duped Kotak Mohindra Finance Company by submitting a fake PAN card and other The finance company got suspicious when the man did not pay the instalments. They informed the police which found that the documents to be fake. DSP Dhindsa and SI Gurpreet Singh said they had got significant leads about the activities of the gang which was arranging fake documents and financing cars on false papers.
|
|
MC to clear dues of PMCs
Ludhiana, January 6 This was claimed here today by Mr S.S. Chana, president of the Federation of PMCs who said that he was conveyed by the MC officials that the payment would be made by cheques at the office of Executive Engineer, (Horticulture), Guru Nanak Stadium at 11 a.m. tomorrow. All representatives of PMCs have been asked to collect the payments. The PMCs and LMC have been at the loggerheads for the inability of the latter to make the payments to the former for the last two Expressing happiness at the development, Mr Chana said that this was a victory of the PMCs that the MC was forced to clear the dues. He said that the MC would be making some payment tomorrow while the rest would be paid later. The issue of payment was passed by the general house of MC recently. At a recent meeting of PMCs, the federation had threatened to launch an agitation if the payment was not made soon. The local bodies department had also directed the local MC to clear dues of the PMCs.
|
|
CMCH project to provide relief to tsunami victims
Ludhiana, January 6 Estimated to cost Rs 1 crore during the first phase to last for one month, the project has been launched in active association with the National Lutheran Health and Medical Board, Bethesda Hospital, Ambur, and Josephs Eye Hospital, Trichy, in Tamil Nadu. A 12-member team of medical and nursing staff with supplies and equipment had already left for Tamil Nadu on January 5. Giving this information to Ludhiana Tribune, the CMCH acting Director, Dr John Pramod, said according to information received from Dr John Abraham, Medical Superintendent of the CMCH, who was camping in Chennai, the coordination committee of the participating institutions had visited a number of affected villages on January 2 and had found the regions between Cudallore and Tranqubar along the east coast to be worst affected after Nagapattinam. The site for the first base camp having already been selected, the camp would become operational by January 7. A second camp is being planned to be set up about a 100 km south of the main camp within five days of establishment of the first camp at Tranqubar. Dr Pramod remarked that the massive tsunami that had struck the east coast of India had caused widespread death and destruction all along the 600 km coastline between the coast of Chennai and Kanyakumari. According to information received from the advance team of the CMCH, stationed in Chennai, the loss of life, destruction of property and livelihood of the coastal residents, mainly fishermen were running into tens of thousands. The misery of the surviving population was being compounded by several problems like lack of drinking water, lack of shelter, minor and major injuries, shortage of food, shortage of clothes, risk of water-borne diseases, respiratory infections, loss of livelihood. Till now there had been no major outbreak of water-borne diseases but it was bound to happen any time as the living conditions of the victims were appalling. Fortunately, the medical relief camp would be operational in time for any such eventuality. The CMCH acting Director said the targeted number of people to be served during the first week would be nearly 25,000 and this could go up to 2 lakh as the programme advanced. The board objectives of the project would be providing medical relief involving both curative and preventive measures, including community-based outreach programmes, counselling and psycho-social support, physical and occupational rehabilitation. The specialist team of medical and nursing personnel had been drawn from the CMCH while the supporting staff would be drawn from Bethesda Hospital, Ambur, and Joseph’s Eye Hospital, Trichy. To make the operation comprehensive, volunteers would be taken from the Arcot Lutheran Church, with its headquarters at Cuddalore, and from other Lutheran Churches and organisations involved in the relief work.
|
|
Republic Day functions to be low key
Ludhiana, January 6 Presiding over a meeting of the district heads of various departments at the Circuit House here today, Deputy Commissioner Anurag Verma directed them to make arrangements for the Republic Day function to be held at Government College for Boys. The Deputy Commissioner asked the SP (H) to arrange for the contingents for the parade and to hold rehearsals. The Senior Engineer, Municipal Corporation, was told to take care of the school ground and all roads leading to the school. Keeping in view the tsunami disaster, it was decided that only patriotic songs and traditional folk items would be presented at the function. To select suitable patriotic items, a there-member committee headed by Mr Kuldeep Singh, DTP, has been formed. Mr Yash Pal Mehta, DEO (S), and Mr Darshan Singh, District Public Relations Officer, are its members. Mr Verma said apart from the march past, students from different schools would present a mass PT show.
|
|
|
Admin guidelines on R-Day function
Mandi Ahmedgarh, January 6 Addressing a meeting of the heads of various educational and social organisations at Town Hall, Malerkotla, today, Dr Indu, SDM, said the Republic Day celebration was meant to pay tributes to the martyrs and freedom fighters and should not be made a mode of entertainment. She asked them to send lists of those students who had excelled at the subdivision and state level in various fields so that they could be honoured.
|
|
|
Sale & flying of kites to be banned
Mandi Ahmedgarh, January 6 Observations revealed hat some children in this area had got hurt due after fall from roofs while flying kites. Referring to a decision taken by panchayat of Pharwali village Mr Jaspal Singh a social activists and Mr Ranjit Singh, a panchayat members said that flying of kites had been banned in their village permanently. They further told that panchayat had decided impose of fine of Rs 500 inc case somebody was found flying or selling kites in the vicinity of the village. Appreciating the action of the panchayat Mr Inderjit Sharma President local unit of the Brahmin Sabha said that the festival should be celebrated with traditional sanctity only. The Lohri festival was originally meant to provide more protection to the new born children but the practice of kite flying had claimed many a lives in the past. He called upon the social and religious organisations to join hands Showing concern over the adverse effects of the modern methods of the celebrations of the festivals Mr Dilbagh Rai a former member of panchayat alleged that the business community has overpowered the rites and rituals for their own interests. He apprehended that the present trend if not checked would lead to a chaos in the society.
|
|
Taxpayer-friendly regime planned
Ludhiana, January 6 This was stated by Mr V.K. Garg, Commissioner of Central Excise, while addressing a meeting of the Regional Advisory Committee (Central Excise) here today. Making a fervent plea for paying service tax and excise duty, he said the department desired that there should be voluntary compliance of the tax regime without any kind of fear of the department. Discussing the interpretations of certain latest notifications on excise and service tax with the members of the committee, the Commissioner said the department was always open to positive suggestions and changes which could lead to closer bonds between the officials and the assessees. Mr Ashok Juneja and Mr V.P. Chopra, both members of the committee, suggested that the multiple tax system prevailing in India be curtailed down to two or three kind of taxes. The industry and trade had to deal with about 15 to 20 government departments, which was a time-consuming job and most of the time and energy of the business community were wasted in complying with the direction and legal provisions of different departments. Several members of the committee wanted that the Kelkar report on this issue be given preference in the forthcoming Union Budget. Mr S.C. Ralhan and Mr Balwant Rai pleaded for bringing in more persuasive and transparent policies so that the industrialists could do their business throughout the world. Mr Ralhan sought clarification regarding clubbing of clearances of units availing exemption under SSI notification and taking of cenvat credit of service tax paid on input services for payment of excise duty on final products. Responding to the queries of the members, Mr Garg said any kind of complaint of harassment and non-cooperation by excise officials should be brought to his knowledge so that immediate action could be taken on such complaints. Among others, Mr Jatinder Khurana, Mr Paramjit Singh Shad and Mr Rajiv Jain also expressed
their views.
|
|
Pay bills or face action, says MC
Ludhiana, January 6 Joint Commissioner Jaswant Singh said no exemption would be given in the bills or tax. A number of residents had stopped paying their bills after a local MLA had announced that he would take up the issue of exemption on the interest or the bills with the government.
|
|
Paramjit Sibia is new LIT Chairman
Ludhiana, January6 Wing Commander Sibia, a Congress leader had contested and won Assembly election from Jagraon constituency.
|
|
Two killed in road mishap
Jagraon, January 6 The driver of the Bolero, Harjinder Singh, esaped unhurt. The injured were referred by Mehatpur Hospital to CMC, Ludhiana. The bodies of the deceased were brought to the Civil Hospital Jagraon today for post-mortem. A case under Sections 304-A, 279, 427, IPC, has been registered. The driver of the tractor-trailor along with his vehicle is alleged to have fled from the site of the accident.
|
|
PNB launches new fixed deposit scheme
Ludhiana, January 6 He said the new product offers an in-built overdraft facility which can be enjoyed 24 x 7 x 365 basis via cheque as well as debit cum ATM card. The bank also offers auto renewal facility and part withdrawal without loss of interest on remaining funds under FDR etc. The Spectrum FD account can be opened by a customer with a minimum deposit of Rs 1000
as initial deposit and thereafter in multiples of Re 10 only. All these FDRs are collectable at par at all branches of the Bank, said
Mr Kohli.
|
|
Auto part manufacturers decry steel price hike
Ludhiana, January 6 The association alleged that steel producers have been increasing steel prices frequently one or the other pretext. “This hike has the worst impact on Punjab due to its geographical location as industrialists here have to incur more expenses on freight to procure raw material from other states,” the members said. They alleged that the government was not taking any concrete measures to check steel price hike. Service Tax flayed: The Chamber of Industrial and Commercial undertakings today flayed the implementation of service tax notification regarding payment of service tax by consignor or consignee of goods. The chamber said in a press note that industry, which incurs freight expenditure, will also have to pay service tax which will result in an additional burden and increase costs. The chamber urged the government to withdraw this notification.
|
|
Spice to have 13 new sites in city
Ludhiana, January 6 The company today awarded winners of its ‘sawaal ek lakh ka’ contest. Sahil Chaddha, a resident of Chandigarh, won Rs 1 lakh, other winners were given microwave ovens, washing machines, colour TVs and cash vouchers worth Rs 33,000.
|
|
New edition of Optra launched
Ludhiana, January 6 The GM had geared up to meet the growing demand of its cars by hiking its annual production capacity to 60,000 units to meet sales target 9000 Optras, 21,000 Taveras and 8,000 Opel Corsas in 2005.
|
|
|
DEALERS’ MEETING: Markfed is a well-known institution in the domestic and international market with a turnover of Rs 11,000 crore with more than 3,020 cooperative societies as its members that provide direct employment to 3,108 persons. This was stated by Mr S.S. Channy, Managing Director, Markfed, while welcoming and addressing dealers from different parts of the country at a dealers meeting held at Khanna on Thursday. Mr Channy also felicitated the dealers by giving certificates of excellence for their outstanding performance in promoting the sale of Sohna vanaspati and refined oils for the year 2003-2004. — TNS
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
