Ludhiana, May 14
There is a good news for city shooting aspirants as the stage is set for the first private shooting range, which will be functional at S.D. Government College for boys from tomorrow.

Shooting that is considered to be “the men's domain” is actually a brain-child of college-going girl.

Swapanpreet Kaur, who is doing a diploma in physical education (DPEd) will open the shooting academy.

"Everyone encouraged me to start this academy. I found the place apt to open such academy as it is situated in the middle of the city and quite accessible to shooters," said Swapanpreet Kaur.

However, there is a shooting range in PAU, which is nonfunctional for many years. With the launch of a shooting range, the city shooters will not have to travel down to Phillaur Shooting Academy to give went to their passion.

Talking about the shooting range, she said, "We are introducing the concept with 10 metre range for pistol shooting. We hope to expand it further as we are looking for a place to start a long-range shooting event."

Currently, there are five shooting alley's in the shooting hall.

Balwinder Kaur, a promoter of this academy, said, "With Indian shooters performing at the international circuit, it provides a good scope for the shooting aspirants to try their luck in this field, but it was quite disappointing that the city as big as Ludhiana has no exclusive shooting range and a person have to skip the whole day in order to practise at Phillaur, which is 20 km away from the city."

S.D.Government College for Boys, which has started providing land on lease for the encouragement of sports, has proved to be a boon for such private sports academies.

Swapanpreet said, "I saw the tennis academy being run at the same venue and that encouraged me to start a shooting academy in Government College."

She further said the academy would provide training to shooting aspirants, "We will provide pistol and cartridges to the aspirants for training."

However, these facilities will come free and the shooters wll have to shell money from their pocket to avail these facilities.

Ludhiana, May 14
The police is on high alert in the city following the series of blasts in Jaipur even as cops are in a fix on how to check such sabotage activities. Those planting the bombs have outsmarted security agencies by using bicycles in the Jaipur blasts.

With over 5 lakh cycles in the city, the cops do not have any idea on keeping an eye on this mode of transport.

Bomb hoax in temple Panic gripped people in Sarabha Nagar this morning when an abandoned bag was found near a temple’s gate. The temple management called the cops. The anti-sabotage squad termed it a hoax call as only clothes were found in the bag. Sources said some devotee might have forgotten it

Moreover, the police will have to keep an eye on carts and rehris also, a senior official disclosed while sharing worries over the new modus operandi.

The police increased the vigil last night only after the Jaipur blast rocked the nation. Special teams of cops, along with the anti-sabotage squad and sniffer dogs, were deployed at sensitive places.

Senior officials led by SSP R K Jaiswal inspected the security arrangements at about midnight. They inspected the security arrangements at temples and other religious places, especially.

Special vigil is also being kept at crowded places, including bus station, railway stations, bazaars and multiplexes. Personal security teams of the different business houses or religious places have also given special briefing to prevent untoward incidents.

Shortage of force was plaguing the security arrangements. SSP Jaiswal said with counting of votes for zila parishad elections and panchayat elections to be held shortly, the police was under pressure.

He has appealed to the public to help the police in maintaining vigil at sensitive places.

Ludhiana, May 14
The going got tough for candidates contesting for block samiti and zila parishad elections in the district and their supporters today as there was no arrangement for water at the counting venues.

They had to pay Rs 10 for a mineral water bottle waiting outside the counting venues in Government College for Women and BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar.

Rakhbagh in Civil Lines provided solace to hundreds of people, including the SAD, the BJP, the Congress, the LBP and independent candidates from Alamgir, Dhandra, Threekay, Lalton Kalan, Daad, Ayali Kalan and their polling agents.

However, there was no arrangement of drinking water inside or outside the counting venues that added to the resentment of the candidates.

Ironically, even the taps supplying corporation water went dry for the day, adding to their woes.

"It’s just 12 noon and I have bought 28 water bottles and 44 cups of tea from the garden cafe that cost me Rs 940. The amount is going to double by the end of the day in absence of unavailability of drinking water," rued a candidate.

Piqued over the apathetic attitude of the administration, Jeet Kaur, an independent candidate from Zone 20, said women had to knock at the doors of residents living in the vicinity in absence of a provision to meet the nature's call.

The scene was no different at BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, another venue for counting of votes, wherein candidates, polling agents and their supporters were either sitting in their vehicles or standing on the road.

Mutely protesting against the chaos caused by vehicles and respective party workers outside their residences, the area residents in Shastri Nagar were at the receiving end.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, May 14
Celebrations at some places and gloom at others described the mood of the people following results of the zila parishad and block samiti elections in this part of the area, falling under Ludhiana and Sangrur districts.

As soon as the results were announced, supporters of the victorious candidates broke into festivities while the losers quickly slipped away from the scene.

Amidst beating of drums and slogans of “Jo bole so nihal”, the winners were flanked by their supporters at the counting centres at Dehlon, Raekot, Sudhar and Payal, near here. The supporters of the winning candidates were seen braving scorching heat and dancing in every village of the area. Winners were being garlanded and offered siropas.

SAD leaders and activists led by Jagdish Singh Garcha, former minister, and Mann Singh Garcha marched through Dehlon, Pohir, Khera, Ghungrana, Jartoli, Jhammat, Kalarh, Hargobindpura, Gopal Pur, Lehra, Rangian, Latala, Barundi and Rangoowal villages to express gratitude to the voters. The clean sweep in a majority of the zones came as political resurrection for Garcha brothers after they lost assembly election to Jasbir Singh Khangura.

Former minister Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal was the centre of attention today as candidates launched by him had won by big margins. Similar was the situation in the case of Talwandi brothers in the Raekot area subdivision.

A festival-like atmosphere prevailed at houses of victorious candidates.

Beggars of the area focused their attention on villages. Besides receiving cash from members of families associated with victorious candidates, they succeeded in collecting wheat and rice also from these families.

Ludhiana, May 14
The department of health education and family welfare at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) is organising a workshop on "female foeticide and trafficking among women" here on May 16. The overall objective of this workshop is to re-establish the balance in male and female sex ratio in Punjab and throw light on the demographic and sociological consequences in the states of Punjab and Haryana.

Stating this here today, Dr S.C. Gupta, professor and head of the department of health education and family welfare at CMCH, who is also the organising secretary of the workshop, said according to 2001 census figures in Punjab, an average number of girls in the age group 0-6 years per 1,000 male children was 793, which further declined to 774 as per figures given out by the Registrar General, Government of India, in October 2003.

"As per IUHPE Base-Line study (2003-04) on "Current Status of Pre-Birth Elimination of Female in Ludhiana District", the female to male sex ratio in the age group (0-3 years) is 739. This has led to an alarming decline in the number of girl child in the state of Punjab followed by Haryana. Due to alleged increase of female foeticide in Punjab, there has been high incidence rate in cross-border and inter-state trafficking and sexual abuse among women and adolescent girls," says the study.

According to Dr Gupta, nearly 200 participants, including social scientists, women activists, owners of different diagnostic centers, lawyers, teachers, doctors, journalists, police officers, representatives of the NGOs, social reformers and academicians will take part in the deliberations and exchange their views, experiences and workout strategies collectively to save the girl child.

Dr Baljit Singh Dahiya, former director-general health services, Haryana, and a renowned gender activist, will address the participants on the implementation of PNDT Act (1994/2003) in India. Sandhya Bajaj, member, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, will speak on violation of the rights of girl children in northern India while Kal Singh, director, PNDT, the union ministry of health and family welfare, will share the government view point on the difficulties and hurdles in the enforcement of the PNDT Act.

Former director of health and family welfare, Punjab, Dr P.S. Jassi and a pioneer in save the girl child campaign in Punjab will deliver the key note address. Harjit Singh, secretary in the department of women and child development, Punjab and Dr S.P.S. Sohal, director, health and family welfare, Punjab will be the guests of honour while Dr Abraham G. Thomas, director of CMCH, will preside over the inaugural session.

Payal, May 14
The police has tightened the noose around members of a notorious gang that had been involved in stealing copper wire from electric motors and transformers installed in the fields of farmers of the area.

The gang was identified on the basis of information provided by one of the members of the gang who had been caught by residents of Bhamadi village, after he along with his five accomplices had opened fire on villagers yesterday.

A special investigation team ( SIT) led by Dharam Pal, SHO, Sadar Khanna, and Buland Singh, in charge, CIA, was constituted to nab Deepak and Kapil Bhagat of Madhuban district in Bihar and their accomplice, who had allegedly shot at Gursewak Singh of Bhamadi village and his associates yesterday.

According to DSP, Khanna, residents of Bhamadi village had identified a gang that had been causing massive losses to farmers of the area by stealing copper wire from electric motors and transformers installed in their fields. Some scrap dealers were also suspected to be involved in the case.

The villagers had reacted when Gursewak Singh came to know that some suspicious persons were sitting in his fields yesterday afternoon. On reaching there, he found six persons burning copper wire inside the tube well room. He immediately called more villagers and they tried to catch hold of the thieves. Though one of the suspects, later identified as Surinder Kumar of Simra village, was overpowered by the villagers, others succeeded in fleeing, after one of them, with an intention to kill them, shot fires at the complainant and his associates.

On receiving information about the incident, Dharam Pal, SHO, reached the spot and arrested Surinder Kumar.

Referring to information extracted from Surinder Kumar, Bedi disclosed that the gang had been actively involved in stealing copper wire from electric motors and transformers from fields of farmers of the area. Deepak and Kapil Bhagat were kingpins of the gang. On being confronted, the gangsters used to scare farmers and their employees with weapons, including a pistol.

"We have received information that they are hiding in godowns of some scrap dealers," said Dharam Pal claiming that suspected hideouts had been placed under surveillance.

Raekot, May 14
Failing to draw attention of the State Election Commissioner towards the alleged posting of certain government officials in their home districts, office- bearers of a few political organisations have sought the intervention of the Election Commissioner of India to get these officials shifted, at least before the ensuing panchayat elections. They have also demanded a probe into the alleged harassment of aspirants for election to the civic body on various pretexts. Office-bearers of a few political organisations have urged the Election Commissioner of India to probe the manner in which the officials had been deputed on election duties in violation of the code of conduct of elections.

The opposition leaders alleged that officials at the Raekot block development office had allegedly felicitated SAD leaders by disclosing the schedule of reservations for various villages before it was issued on May 9.

"While the SAD leaders were provided lists much earlier, no list was displayed for the common public even after the commencement of the process for panchayat elections. However, they have now put up a list today," alleged one of the leaders maintaining that the list was displayed after they (leaders) threatened to stage a protest. In a communiqué addressed to higher authorities including the Election Commissioner of India, the leaders alleged that the state government officials in general and block development officers in particular were allegedly using illegal methods to support candidates owing allegiance to the SAD. The complainants alleged that Amarjit Singh of Buraz Littan (BDO, Sidhwan Bet), Jaswant Singh Waraich (BDO, Raekot) and Harmandeep Singh of Roomy village (BDO, Ludhiana 1) were among others who had been interfering in the election process at the instance of SAD leaders. 

Khamano, May 14
The counting for two zila prishad seats of block Khamano was held at the local Government Senior Secondary School under the returning officer, tehsildar Gurjinder Singh Benipal.

Out of the two seats, one seat was won by Akali Dal candidate Kulwinder Singh from Dhanaula zone by a big margin and the Congress candidate won from the Hawara Kalan zone.

According to results, a total of 18,104 votes were polled in the Dhanaula zone out of which the Akali Dal candidate Kulwinder Singh, ex-sarpanch Bilaspur, secured 10,294 votes and Congress candidate Sher Singh Chari secured 6,023 votes and 552 votes were cancelled.

Thus Kulwinder Singh won by 4,271 votes.

In Zone Hawara Kalan, Congress candidate Varinderpal Singh Vinki secured 8,890 votes and Akali Dal candidate Kirpal Singh could secure 8,169 votes. Vinki won by 721 votes. A big crowd had gathered outside the polling centre and they cheered their candidates when they came out and raised slogans in their favour. 

Ludhiana, May 14
CPI deputy general secretary and Member Parliament Sudhakar Reddy criticised the UPA government's stand on the nuclear deal terming it ineffective in the longer run and pronounced hydel projects as the viable solution to deal with the power crisis in India.

Reddy was addressing a press conference in here today.

The Communist Party of India organised a function in Pandher Kheri village to commemorate 19th martyrdom day of Gumiail Singli Hunjai and Joginder Singh. The duo fought against the separatist designs of terrorists.

Sharanjit Kaur, widow of Shaheed Gurmail Singh Flunjan, presided over the function.

Reddy, who was present on the occasion, condemned the terrorist attacks at Jaipur, which resulted in the death of a large number of innocent people and injured many others. He appreciated the people of Jaipur for their courage and prompt help to victims in the hour of need.

The party leaders demanded immediate steps by both central and state governments to arrest the culprits, punish them and create confidence among the people.

The leader expressed dissatisfaction at the failure of the Union Government to curb the price rise of food grains, edible oils and essential commodities.

Prominent among those who addressed the function included Dr Joginder Dyal, Kartar Singh Bowani, Dr Arun Mitra, Bharat Prakash, O.P. Mehta and Gurnam Knwar.

Ludhiana, May 14
Cross subsidy on account of power tariff is increasing each year, said the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today. President of the chamber P.D. Sharma said as per tariff regulation 2005 announced by the electricity regulatory commission, the cross subsidy element has to be eliminated by 2015. "However, cross subsidy level is increasing year after year. In 2002-03, it was 31 paisa per unit, but rose to 43 paise between 2005 and 2007."

Alleging that the Punjab State Electricity Board was not implementing the directions of the regulatory commission, Sharma said metering should have been completed by March 31, 2007, but the board was still far from the target.

"Financial restructuring of the board by the state government is still pending and steps to reduce transmission and distribution losses also have not been taken."

Ludhiana, May 14
The taxation department's notification allowing brick-kiln owners to make lump sum payment of tax will result in double taxation, said members of the Taxation Advisers Association at a meeting to discuss VAT-related issues here today.

The contractor who purchases bricks will not be able to claim input tax credit in this case due to which he will have to pay tax on purchase of bricks and also while selling them, said chairman of the association Inderjit Sachdeva.

Asserting that the department should notify any changes made in the VAT Act publically, vice-president of the association Vijay Vohra said arbitrary changes caused undue confusion among tax payers.

The association also said that staff shortage was causing delays in refunds, amendments and other works pertaining to the excise and taxation department. 

Ludhiana, May 14
Dyeing units here have decided to increase their charges citing rise in raw material prices and input costs as the reason.

Addressing a press conference today, T.R. Mishra, president of the Dyeing Factories Association, Ludhiana, said dyeing units were suffering due to a hike in various input costs like electricity, fuels used in dyeing and raw material. "As we are unable to bear the burden of increased costs, we have decided to increase the rates for dyeing of cotton and PC fabrics by Rs 7-10 per kg, for polyester fabrics by Rs 3-5 per kg, printing of fabrics by Rs 5 per kg and stentaring and compaction rates by Rs 2-3 per kg."

Members of the association also said they were facing problems due to delay in clearance of payments from buyers. They said a large amount of overdue payments was affecting the smooth functioning of their businesses due to which they 
would not give credit to any party for more than 45 days.

"The normal period for which we used to extend credit was 30 days to 45 days. However, many people caused delays and took 90 days to 150 days, which is affecting our operations. From now on, we will extend credit only for 45 days and in case of delay will charge interest."

Among others present at the conference were Brahm Dutt Sharda, Rajat Sood, Lalit Jain, Kesho Ram Vij and Rohit Rampal.

Ludhiana, May 14
Panjab University, Chandigarh, has extended the last date for the receipt of application forms of Masters in Business Administration, Commerce and Information Technology (MBACIT) to May 20 from May 7 (the previous date). Those, who could not apply for the entrance test due to some reasons, have heaved a sigh of relief with this decision.

Master Tara Singh College for Women principal Madanjit Kaur Sahota welcomed this decision as a large number of students, unaware of this degree course, came to college for enquires after the last date (May 7). They had to return disappointed.

“With late fee of Rs 2,500, they can submit the forms to the CET cell of Panjab University, Chandigarh, now. The university will hold another combined entrance test on the campus premises on June 3”, informed Dr Sahota adding that forms for the same were available with the State Bank of India’s branch at the Fountain Chowk.

The Masters in Business Administration, Commerce and Information Technology is a masters degree programme sponsored by the University Grants Commission (UGC). A graduate from any stream can pursue this two-year degree course. Master Tara Singh College for Women is the only college here, where the course was started last year.

“There is 100 per cent job placement after this degree course. We have 80 seats and last year too, the response was excellent. Due to the lack of information, many students failed to apply this time. The willing students have ample time to apply for the course now”, said Dr Sahota.

Ludhiana, May 14
Dairying was coming up as a more economical alternative to traditional crop farming system not only in the state but in other states as well. The need of the hour was to improve the profitability of dairying, developing quality milk products to meet the domestic and export requirements was the need of the hour.

In spite of the fact that the Punjab was the leading state in milk production, the milk processing sector was mostly confined to the liquid milk marketing business in the absence of appropriate technologies of different milk products and the lack of trained manpower in the field of dairy technology.

At present, out of about 9 million tones of milk produced in the state, about 55 per cent was retained for domestic consumption, 31 per cent was marketed through unorganised sector and only 14 per cent was consumed through 62 organised milk plants in the co-operative and private sector in state.

In order to meet the demand of qualified human resource in dairy technology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) is all set to start B.Tech. dairy technology programme from the ensuing academic session to meet the requirement of dairy technology graduates as there was no dairy science college in the state. Even the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), the only institute in the North, was not producing adequate number of graduates to meet the requirement of the state.

A preliminary survey, conducted recently by the university indicated that there was requirement of about 500 dairy technology graduates and postgraduates for managing different milk plants and other activities of teaching, research and extension in dairy technology. Keeping in view the limitation of facilities, the university will be initially admitting 20 students in B.Tech. dairy technology after holding an entrance test. In view of the existing shortage of dairy technology graduates, it is expected that there will be great demand for B.Tech dairy technology graduates.

GADVASU vice-chancellor Dr V.K.Taneja said in addition to new B.Tech programme for the production of quality human resource, the university would also strengthen its research and extension programmes for the development and transfer of new technologies of milk products to the industry and dairy farmers. Application forms could be procured from the office of dean College of Veterinary Science, he added.

Ludhiana, May 14
The Nehru Sidhant Kender Trust observed the 44th death anniversary of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru at a function organised at Panday auditorium of the kender here today.

Students from about 35 schools attended the ceremony.

Ashish Choudhary, IPS, City-I, Ludhiana, was the chief guest. The function started with floral tributes being paid to Pandit Nehru by the chief guest.

President of the trust Rakesh Bharti Mittal welcomed the chief guest and the students present on the occasion. He asked the students to follow the footsteps of Pandit Nehru and work towards building stronger India. He also shared the activities of the trust and informed that it had distributed scholarships worth Rs 10.50 lakh among 607 students. The trust was also planning to open 500 primary schools across the country. Team of Kundan Vidya Mandir School won the Championship Nehru Trophy in the declamation contest.

The trust had also organised 15th inter-school declamation contest on May. About 29 schools from the city took part in it.Inter-school declamation contest results: English:

Lokesh Anand of KVM School,Ist; Gaurav Jhamb of BCM Arya Model School, Ist; Jaisal Brar of SPM School, Dugri,2nd; Sanchita Arora of Sacred Heart, BRS Nagar, 2nd; Sapanpreet Kaur of MGM School, Dugri; 3rd.

Hindi: Sahibpreet Kaur of KVM School, Civil Lines, Ist; Satyam Kalia of SPMS, Dugri, 2nd and Vanishka Vijh of SHC School, Sarabaha Nagar, 3rd prize.

Ludhiana, May 14
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered the owner of Ahuja Electronics, Mata Rani road, Ludhiana, to replace the defective mobile handset of a consumer.

Apart from this, the dealer was also directed to pay Rs 3,000 as compensation and Rs 1,000 as costs for thrusting litigation on him.

T N Vaidya, president of the forum, and its member Daljit Singh Bakshi announced the orders while deciding the complaint filed by Parkash Chand of Durgapuri, Haibowal Kalan, Ludhiana.

The complainant had submitted before the forum that he had purchased one mobile handset of Panasonic company from the dealer Ahuja Electronics vide bill dated November 5, 2004 for Rs 12,400. At the time of sale, it was assured that the set was of the best quality, which carried warranty of one year.

When the mobile set was used, it came to the notice that it was difficult to hear the voice as there was no clarity in hearing calls. He approached the dealer and handed over the set to him. A few days later, it was returned with the assurace that the defect had been rectified.

But even thereafter, the defect persisted. He again approached the dealer and requested to remove the defect or change the set but he refused. A legal notice was served on the dealer but no reply was received from his side, he added.

On the other hand, the dealer had denied to have sold the set to the consumer in its written reply. But after appreciating the evidence on record, the forum found the version of dealer to be false.

The forum also took notice of the fact that the dealer failed to give any reply to the notice of the consumer. However, it gave right to the dealer to get reimbursement from the manufacturing company of the Panasonic mobile sets. 

Ludhiana, May 14
Millions of cellphone users across the globe ought to be aware of the potential risks that they face daily from electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which are, of course, electromagnetic radiation. The EMFs are unavoidable and certainly there has been an established relationship between, cancer, leukaemia, hormonal dysfunction and a full battery of negative effects on the central nervous system, the immune system and right down to the cellular membrane. The EMFs predominantly affect neurological tissue and the largest collection of this tissue is the brain.

This is where the cellphones and wireless technology wreaks havoc on the human beings because these are held at the thinnest part of the skull next to the brain.

Making these observations at a health awareness workshop here last evening, renowned health scientist and researcher Dr Howard W. Fisher said it was very well documented that cell phones, which emitted electromagnetic fields, could cause genetic damage, aberrant brain wave activity and even changes to the permeability of the blood brain barrier.

"Since those initial findings, the association and dose-relationships between cell phones and disease, place cell phone users into a high-risk health group. The effects of EMFs are on a cumulative basis, so awareness of the environment can help people make wise decisions. In this context, many cell phone users have claimed to have a solution to the problem by creating EMF blockers that attach to cell phones, but there are two fundamental issues which have to be looked into and properly dealt with before these products can be recommended for use."

Dr Fisher was of the view that first of all it has to be seen whether these products actually block the EMF from a cell phone in the wake of the fact that total blockage of EMF will render the cell phone out of use and not more than 20 per cent of the EMF can be blocked. Further, the companies marketing these products rarely, if any, provide data of biological testing.

He informed that Dr Igor Smirnov had invented a polymer that actually incorporated magnetic noise field technology to convert electromagnetic radiation into a wave form that was unperceivable to the body. Magnetic noise field technology involved the superimposition of a random noise field wave onto potentially damaging electromagnetic radiation waves making them invisible to the receptors on the cellular membrane that normally responded and were subsequently affected.

The Canada-based author of "The Invisible Threat: The Risks Associated With EMF", his ninth book on health safety, further observed that the MRET polymer had been laboratory tested involving standard acceptable physiological criteria such as EEG (electroencephalogram), MRA (magnetic resonance angiography), SAR (specific absorption rate), thermography, and live blood cell darkfield microscopic analysis to name a few. All of these physiological parameters demonstrated extremely positive results to the point that, in almost all cases, the resultant findings were equal to or superior to the controls.

The use of the MRET polymer on all cellular and cordless phones and on every EMR-emitting device offered protection from a potential threat. And would relieve moral responsibility and place the onus on the cell phone subscriber for any subsequent problems that might arise from not using the protective benefits of the MRET polymer, Dr Fisher remarked.

Ludhiana, May 14
Abhishek Talwar, a student of Kudnan Vidya Mandir School, Civil Lines, has been selected to lead Ludhiana in the Punjab State Inter-District Cricket Tournament (u-16) for the M.L. Markan Trophy to be organised by the Punjab Cricket Association in different cities from May 15 onwards.

As per the list issued by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association, besides Abhishek Talwar 13 other members of the Ludhiana squad are: Sunny Pandey, Abhinav Bhatia, Paras Mehndiratta, Sahil Sood, Sandeep Singh, Davinderjit Singh, Gaurav Sharma, Nitish Malhotra, Subhodh Mishra, Kunal Partap Singh, Lovish Saini, Arjun Adhikari and Yuvraj Singh.

In the inaugural match of this tournament, Ludhiana will clash with Amritsar on May 15 and 16 at the Gandhi ground, Amritsar. Ludhiana lads will play their second league fixture at Ropar on May 18 and 19 against hosts, Ropar Zone B XI. They will wind up their league engagements with match against Chandigarh to be played on May 21 and 22 at Chandigarh.

Charanjit Channi has been appointed coach-cum- manager of the Ludhiana team.