Youth charred to death in car
Mahesh Sharma

Two killed in accident Two youths, aged around 19 years, were killed when a private bus tried to overtake their motorcycle on the Alamgir road here today. According to information, the deceased have been identified as Harshdeep Singh and Bikramjit Singh, residents of a village near Jodhan. The victims were on their bike and the bus tried to overtake them, leading to the accident. The bus is owned by Libra Bus Service and the driver is absconding. A case has been registered.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 22
A youth was charred to death when his car caught fire on the Kaind-Bool road, near here, this afternoon. The police has not ruled out the possibility of a suicide or the youth being burnt alive by someone.

The chassis and engine numbers of the vehicle are the only clues on which the Dehlon police has started working to identify the deceased.

Forensic experts and the mechanical department are yet to establish the cause of the fire.

Passersby were shocked to see the car up in flames. Before they could do anything, the youth had been charred beyond recognition.

Investigations revealed that the car was heading towards Bool village on a link road along the western bank of the Abohar branch of Sirhind Canal. Though it was not possible to know the age and sex of the victim, the long bones scattered in the car suggested that he was a man.

The route is normally not taken by long-distance travellers and it is being believed that the victim was either a resident of a villages in Ludhiana district or was related to a family in the area.

Investigation also suggested that the victim had tried to open doors of the car. It is suspected that all doors were locked at the time of the incident. He seemed to have tried to open the rear doors as his head and thorax were lying behind the driver’s seat. The police could not ascertain the registration number of the vehicle as the number plates and documents had been destroyed in the fire.

According to the SSP, Ludhiana (rural), Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, a police team had initiated the process to identify the victim and establish the sequence of events leading to the tragedy. Though it was premature to comment on the cause of the fire, the police was working on various theories, including suicide and blind murder.

“Only after identifying the deceased can we proceed further. At present, the sequence of events cannot be established,” he said.

Pulse Polio
No way to go about a campaign
Anshu Seth
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
With scarcity of staff in the health department, the district health authorities has engaged school students and “inexperienced” Asha (Accredited Social Health Activists) workers for administering polio drops, thereby jeopardising the drive.

Following the turnout of almost 43 per cent children at booths in the first phase of the drive yesterday, the teams were mobilised for door-to-door administration of polio drops today.

Students of a government school who were carrying the vaccine were not even aware of the temperature required to store the vaccine.

To top it, an Asha worker did not know about VVM (vaccine vial monitoring) when asked by a doctor at a rural dispensary. On the condition of anonymity, the doctor said: “Pulse polio should be taken very seriously as every aspect of this drive is important, even the angle with which the drops are administered is crucial. Lack of commitment defeats the purpose of these drives.”

Out of a total of 5,67,000 children between the 0-5 years of age, only 2,54,080 turned out at the booths yesterday, which is much less than the prescribed percentage of 70 per cent.

Members of a team visiting a suburban area blamed it on the government’s casual attitude towards the programme. They said the drives should be held only on holidays. “It is difficult for parents to leave work and bring kids to booths and door-to-door campaign is rendered ineffective as a majority of children are in school,” a worker stated.

Fewer doses of polio drops do not kill the virus and overdose results in wastage of vaccine. Senior medical fraternity feels that NGOs can play a vital role in community participation for carrying out the pulse polio drive more effectively.

District immunisation officer Manorama Awasthi said every worker involved in the drive was given training, adding that “Even if they are not trained, we brief them in the morning on how the vaccine has to be carried and administered.”

Market meltdown overshadows realty
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, October 22
The ongoing slump in the capital market in which investors have lost thousands of crores of rupees in stock prices has a created a lull in the real estate sector, which had been so far been booming.

Though land prices, both for residential and commercial properties, have not dropped significantly since no deals have taken place in the past fortnight or so, at the same time there are no buyers in the market.

According to sources in the real estate, land prices in the industrial hub of the state had been on an upswing since early this year and a correction was due.

However, in the wake of serious liquidity crisis with investors and speculators, the prices look to drop to the other extreme in next couple of days when people start recovering from the shock of dwindling stock prices.

Says Ajit Singh Bagga, a realtor in Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar here: “Till now, there is no significant change in land prices but all transactions in property have been put off. It seems that both buyers and sellers have adopted a wait and watch policy to assess the market trends and a clear picture will emerge in a month of so.”

Sharanjit Singh Kalra, another property dealer operating in Model Gram, and Jaswant Singh, a booking agent for a major realtor, echo similar views, saying the entire real estate sector was in a state of shock.

The downward trend in land prices is not visible only because no major deals have been struck since the stock market hit the rock bottom. A clear picture will emerge only after buyers come out in the market and sellers quote prices for properties held by them, he added.

A number of property developers and dealers were almost unanimous about the fact that the unrealistic hike witnessed in land and property prices, particularly in prime residential and commercial areas, including those of Ferozepur Road, Sarabha Nagar, Pakhowal Road and Model Town Extension, is set for reversal once the activities resume in the realty market.

Of one thing, all major operators in the real estate sector are sure that for quite some time to come, the property market in the city will only have genuine buyers as a majority of speculators who are often charged with abnormally pushing up the prices have already burnt their fingers badly in the stock market and will keep away from land deals.

Consumer Courts
Rs 25,000 fine slapped on Maaza makers
Our Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 22
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has penalised a leading manufacturing company of soft drinks, Ludhiana Beverages Pvt Ltd, for selling adulterated soft drinks unfit for human consumption under brand name “Maaza” to a consumer. The expiry date of the drink had also lapsed.

The forum has ordered the company to pay Rs 25,000 to aggrieved consumer N.K. Singla of Kitchlu Nagar. The company has also been ordered to pay Rs 2,000 as litigation expenses.

The complainant had submitted that he had purchased a crate of Maaza.

He claimed to have found some foreign element therein, appearing to be an insect in a sealed bottle. He served a legal notice on the company but to no avail.

The company refuted the allegations. It was averred that the bottles were bottled by a franchise of Coca Cola Company having a sophisticated plant that ensured high standard of hygiene and cleanliness.

It was alleged that the complainant had filed the complaint by procuring spurious drinks readily available in the market or the alleged bottle was tampered with as the cork could be easily removed and refitted. The complaint was filed just to injure the reputation of the company, it alleged.

But after appreciating the evidence, the forum took note of the report of Punjab analyst, which had reported that the best for use was before six months from manufacturing date. In this case, the soft drink was stated to be sold beyond the expiry date. The analyst had also reported that the same was adulterated and unfit for human consumption.

Taking into consideration the facts, the company was ordered to compensate the consumer.

Diwali Bonanza
14,000 BEd teachers may get job letters
Shivani Bhakoo
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
If a statement issued by Dr Upinderjit Kaur, state education minister, today is any indication, the state government plans to give a Diwali gift to B.Ed teachers. About 14,000 teachers are expected to get their appointment letter before Diwali, but for the first few years, they would have to serve in border and Bet areas.

Dr Upinderjit Kaur said B.Ed teachers would get the posting of their choice after serving in these areas. She also made it clear that Class V examinations would now be conducted by the respective district education officers (DEOs) at the local level.

The minister was in city today as chief guest on the concluding day of Panjab University’s youth and heritage festival conducted by the GMT College of Education. Talking to mediapersons, she said the state government was preparing a proposal to provide higher education to the handicapped and needy students in Punjab.

In her address to students, she said youth festivals were a requisite for holistic development of personality. Co-curricular activities should be given importance so that the talent of students was nurtured at an early stage.

Public park that is now a junkyard
Jyotika Sood
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
There was a time when this place use to be a public park, but today it is a junkyard. The park at Pratap Chowk is being used as a workshop by the municipal corporation and reflects that the authorities are not really interested in maintaining public parks.

The boundary wall of the park is broken and the area is being used to put tiles and set up a bus stand. A swing reveals that once kids used to play in this park.

Several municipal corporation vehicles that are not in good condition are parked there. A truck filled with garbage is also parked in the open. A room in the park is being used as a store by the MC. A driver was seen repairing a vehicle and when asked why he was doing so here, he said officials had told him to do so.

A tea stall has also come up in the park. Heaps of garbage and iron scrap also tell the story of neglect.

A resident, Ramesh, said there used to be a small street adjacent to the park, which was around 8 ft feet. “But today the street has become so wide that there is no place for the park,” he said, adding that the tiled area had become a place for drunkards to sit in the evening.

Another resident Harbans Lal said being an industrial area, there is lot of pollution all around. The MC should at least try to provide green belt by maintaining public parks, he said.

MC commissioner G.S. Ghuman was not available for comment despite repeated attempts.

COMMUNITY

Authorities confirm 1,399 dengue cases
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
The district health authorities have confirmed 1,399 positive dengue cases followed by 327 suspected cases. Similarly, the number of patients from other districts undergoing treatment at city hospitals too has increased to 630.

Under their ongoing campaign against dengue, the district health department today mobilised teams in various parts of the city.

Health workers under the guidance of district epidemiologist Dr G.P. Mangla, mass media officer Satish Sachdeva and other senior officials visited areas adjoining Bharat Nagar Chowk, Gill Road and Dashmesh Nagar.

A special awareness lecture was also organised in Government Elementary School, Dashmesh Nagar.

A team of doctors from Sood Hospital in Mandi Ahmedgarh conducted a special lecture on dengue and malaria in Victoria Public School. The doctors informed the students about the symptoms of the diseases and the preventive measures for the same.

Meanwhile, a team of doctors and health officials from the district health department under their ongoing campaign against dengue visited residential areas and schools yesterday.

Residents of Basti Jodhewal, Puneet Nagar, Subhash Nagar, Inderpuri, Tibba Road, New Shivpuri and Sant Kartar Nagar, along with the students of K.K. Memorial Public School and Moonlight Public School, were asked to take preventive measures against dengue.

Tough time for officials as procurement peaks
Shivani Bhakoo
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
From the expected 16.70 lakh metric tonne, Ludhiana district has procured 4.82 lakh metric tonne paddy through its various mandis to date.

Though it is just 30 per cent of the total expected produce, it will be testing time for officials in the coming days when the procurement process reaches its peak.

Farmers feel that if enforcement agencies catch hold of combine agents, the procurement process will stay on the track. However, if the agents continued to “exploit” farmers by cutting the produce in the wee hours or late at night, moisture content will not be controlled and problem of lifting will arise.

At least 383 lakh metric tonne paddy has been lifted from the district and 90,000 metric tonne is yet to be lifted.

Maximum produce is expected to arrive in most mandis till November 15.

District mandi officer Rajpal Singh said the city had procured 39 per cent paddy so far.

The procurement process was further gaining momentum at places like Khanna (39 per cent), Jagraon (29 per cent), Mullanpur Dakha (28 per cent), Macchiwara (33 per cent), Raikot (27 per cent), Doraha (23 per cent), Sahnewal (26 per cent),Samrala (25 per cent) and Sidhwan Bet (40 per cent), etc.

“Review meetings are daily being organised by officials so that farmers or arhtiyas face no problems. The district administration has arranged purchase centres/mandis within 5 km of their (farmers’) radius. There are 13 principal mandis and 101 purchase centres in the district. The procurement process, including unloading, cleanliness making heaps with the help of cranes, involves a lot of attention and officials are working round the clock for smooth procurement,” said Rajpal adding that payment was also being made within 48 hours as directed by the government.

Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal said the coming days were crucial as the procurement process would reach its peak. He said farmers were already under stress due to moisture content of 17 per cent and agencies were reluctant to lift paddy with high moisture content.

Rajewal added that combine agents were exploiting farmers by not providing machines on time and were charging around Rs 900 per acre for the machine.

“Due to heavy demand of combines, the agents were providing machines to farmers either late at night or in the wee hours, when moisture content is maximum. The procurement procedure will be disturbed if produce is not lifted due to higher moisture. There will be no place to keep the produce in mandis. Farmers are advised to cut produce after 10 in the morning and enforcing agencies must keep a check on combine agents for smooth procurement,” added Rajewal.

Farmers, arhtiyas allege raw deal
Rice millers using ‘tampered’ moisture meters
Our Correspondent

Mullanpur Dakha, October 22
Farmers and arhtiyas have accused rice sheller owners of handing out a raw deal by using tempered moisture meters (to check moisture content in produce).

They allege that the meters used by rice millers show moisture content 2-3 per cent higher than 17 per cent prescribed by the Punjab government. Consequently, truckloads of paddy procured by arhtiyas is being rejected by them.

Even as arhtiyas have to incur input costs in terms of downloading paddy and then repacking it after it gets dry to acceptable moisture limits, rice sheller owners charge at least three to five quintal extra paddy to cover the extra moisture.

There are even reports of rice millers charging Rs 2,000-3,000 extra to cover the loss. This amount is in turn deducted by arhtiyas from the payment of farmers.

Inspectors of various purchasing agencies like Markfed, Punsup, Pungrain, Punjab Agro, etc purchase paddy from farmers after checking the moisture and quality of paddy. But gatekeepers of the rice shellers often refuse to accept the paddy purchased by arhtiyas.

The issue was taken up with Punjab mandi board chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal during his visit to the local grain market on September 14. He had claimed that the shellers owners who refused to accept loaded trucks would be blacklisted and no more paddy would be stacked on their premises. Their allocation would also be cancelled on the spot.

Farmers and arhtiyas have also accused sheller owners of being hand in glove with officials of the department concerned.

Tax Evasion
Railways adamant as excise dept cries foul
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, October 22
With winter round the corner and the hosiery season peaking, the Northern Railway authorities are worried at the significant drop in parcel booking in the city, with transactions falling down by nearly 30 per cent.

If railway officials are to be believed, parcel booking here has declined due to tightening of noose by the excise and taxation department around the necks of “peti mafia” and stern enforcement against tax evasion by manufacturers and traders of hosiery goods and other items.

In the recent past, enforcement wing of the department had intercepted huge consignments on their way to the railway parcel office without proper documents and large quantities of goods were seized for alleged tax evasion.

Admitting that parcel booking at the Ludhiana railway station had shown a downward trend during the past couple of months, senior divisional commercial manager, Northern Railway, Dharmendra Kumar said even though parcel booking had gone down by around 30 per cent, revenue earnings from freight and lease holders during the past six months was higher as compared to the previous financial year.

Kumar said the state excise and taxation department could inspect goods to ascertain payment of taxes outside the railway station to check evasion but the department would have to confine its activities to outside of the railway premises.

“The railways will not permit any checking or seizure of goods at the parcel office,” he said, while adding that the railway authorities were not, in any manner, standing in the way of tax compliance.

A senior official of the excise and taxation department, however, took umbrage to the stand of railway authorities, which was seen as indirect support to the “peti mafia” and tax evaders.

Requesting not to be identified, the official said railway staff and employees at parcel office were making the task of tax compliance difficult under the garb of prevailing rules governing parcel booking through railway.

“The railway officials had, in the past, created unnecessary fuss when the excise and taxation department wanted to set up a check post on the entry to railway station and later a comprehensive plan to install CCTVs all around the parcel office to monitor the activities of the “peti mafia” had to be shelved due to uncooperative attitude of railway officials,” the excise official stated.

Dyeing assn for agro fuel banks in state
K.S. Chawla

Ludhiana, October 22
The Dyeing Factories Association, Ludhiana, has suggested to the Punjab Chief Minister to set up agro fuel banks to save the burning of paddy straw and wheat stubble in fields.

It will help provide income to farmers worth over Rs 1,200 crore per annum and enable the state government to generate electricity.

In a memorandum to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the association president Brahamdutt Sharda said 40 million tonne of paddy straw, paddy stubble and wheat stubble was left in fields after harvest of two crops.

This could be purchased from farmers at the rate of Rs 250 per tonne and the same could fetch Rs 1,000 crore to them. The amount thus realised could be added to the account of farmers.

Sharda maintained that by purchase of stubble through a nodal agency like Markfed, the same could be utilised in generation of power.

A task force setup by the Punjab government under the aegis of the Punjab state council for science and technology and Punjab pollution control board has also accepted this proposal in principle.

As many as 3,840 MW power can be generated from the stubble of the two crops.

Sharda said dyeing units could also purchase processed stubble for use in boilers of dyeing factories.

Sharda suggested the setting up of agro fuel banks at Sirhind, Kartarpur, Jagraon, Patiala, Samrala, Jandiala, Sangrur, Nawahshahr, Tarn Taran and Malerkotla.

Lecture on blood donation at PAU
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
“The main reason people don’t donate blood is because no one has asked them to do so. If you motivate people, they will come forward. Don’t hesitate. Tell them that through this noble act, they could potentially save precious lives,” social worker Satpal Bansal said.

While delivering a lecture to the participants of an ongoing training course for NSS programme officers at the PAU campus today, he remarked that any healthy individual could donate blood.

Dr KS Verma, programme officer of NSS at PAU, said Bansal was a retired manager of State Bank of Patiala and was involved in motivating people for blood donation to save human lives. He added Bansal had donated blood 143 times for which he had been honoured on a number of occasions.

The training course for NSS programme officers is being organised by the training and orientation centre (NSS), ministry of youth affairs and sports, Punjabi University, Patiala.

Moga college wins group dance contest
Our Correspondent

Jagraon, October 22
The Punjab University Zonal Youth and Heritage festival is being hosted by Sri Ram College, Dalla, near Jagraon. The festival that commenced from September 20 will conclude on 23 October here.

The second day of the festival was presided by SSP Ludhiana Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, SP(D) Jagraon Pritam Singh and former MLA Bhag Singh Malla. Various events, including Still Life, Collage making, Rangoli etc. were conducted.

The chief guest, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, said participation in the competition was important than winning it.

The prizes were given away by guest of honour Bhag Singh Malla, Chand Singh Dalla and principal Dr Kuldeep Kaur.

The details as per the respective positions are as follows:

Group dance: DM College, Moga, BKM College, Muhar, Sri Ram College, Dalla.

Individual performance: Tanveer Dhaliwal of DM College, Moga, Mandeep Kaur of BKM College, Muhar, Neelam Jain of Sri Ram College, Dalla.

Short stories: Baljinder Kaur of Guru Nanak College, Moga, Sandeep Kumari of RSD College, Ferozepur, Ravneet Kaur of BKM College, Muhar.

Essay writing: Kulveer Singh of DM College, Moga, Parambir Kaur of Guru Nanak College, Moga, Amritpal Kaur of Govt. Science College, Jagraon.

Poem writing: Gurpreet Singh of DM College, Moga, Barjinder Kaur of Gurunanak College, Moga, Ravneet Singh of DM College, Moga, and Karamjit Kaur of Guru Nanak College, Moga.

On the spot painting: Vipul Mittal of DM College, Moga, Amit Monga of RSD College, Ferozepur, and Navneet Bawa of BKS College, Muhar.

Quiz: GTB National College, Dakha, GHG Khalsa College, Gurusar Sudhar, RSD College, Ferozepur Still life: Bikram of DM College, Moga, Sharanjit Bawa of BKS College, Muhar, Shilpi Gupta of DM College, Moga.

Contest fails to draw talent
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 22
The talent promotion programme, undertaken by the authorities at various colleges of the area, has failed to yield the desired results during the ensuing Punjab University Diamond Jubilee Youth and Heritage Festival.

Apart from some private colleges, most of the government and private institutes had failed to mark their presence by sending the talented students mainly in literary contests, including debate, elocution and poetry recitation during the youth festival.

Only four students reportedly participated in the elocution at Zonal festival for education colleges, being organised at Dalla, near here. Vinay Sofat, member of a panel of judges at Dalla village, regretted that none of the speakers could justify the topics given for debate, elocution and poetical recitation.

Participants, on the other hand, maintained the time given to them for preparation was not enough. “The authorities should understand if one hour is sufficient to focus your attention on subjects like ‘terrorism a threat to humanity and RTI- a boon,” a participant, who had been disqualified for speaking beyond the stipulated time, said.

Dr SK Uppal, another judge for creative writing, said the creativity element was almost lacking among students, who participated in on the spot essay, story and poem writing contests.

Quiz Contest
Khanna students bag 2nd prize
Tribune News Service

Khanna, October 22
Students of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School bagged second prize in the quiz competition ‘Vedanta’ held at Thapar University, Patiala.

More than 100 schools from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh participated in the competition.

The school team, including Neha-class XII, Harkirat Singh-class IX, Neelshiva Sharma-class X and Ishaan Batta of class IX bagged cash prizes of Rs 4,000.

The quiz was based on basic IQ, mental ability, aptitude and logical reasoning.

Eminent Educationist Award for Dr Balbir
Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 22
Recognising his outstanding contribution towards the field of education, the National and International Compendium, New Delhi, has selected Dr Balbir Singh Dhami of nearby Pakhawal village for the ‘Eminent Educationist Award’ for this year.

Presently working as director of the GHG College of Science and Technology and College of Pharmacy Raikot, Dr Dhammi was selected on the basis of information collected through a network of agencies engaged by the principle organisation.

Crediting his achievement to persistent cooperation and coordination received from his colleagues, Dr Dhammi said the selection had augmented his responsibilities and duties towards constituents of educational institutes he had been associated with.

“Though I may not be formally working with those institutes, I feel that the international organisation had selected me on the basis of experiences and results shown during my stay at these organisations,” said Dr Dhammi.

A doctorate and postgraduate in science, education and business administration, Dr Dhami has worked as principal of Guru Tegh Bahadur National College, Dakha and of Shanti Tara College, Ahmedgarh, besides being head of postgraduate department of mathematics at GHG Khalsa College, Gurusar Sadhar.

Annual function at Sacred Heart begins
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, started its annual function “Rhapsody 2008” at Ruby Jubilee auditorium here today. The annual functions for various classes will be held till October 25. The management, teachers and students looked busy preparing for the big day.

Dr A.B. Thomas, director, Christian Medical College and Hospital, was the chief guest on this occasion.

The function started with prayer dance. A drill was organised to keep the children active and healthy. An English skit was presented by the students of IIIrd standard. Students held “Mummy ki adalat” in which they lodged complaints against their mothers. Mothers, on the other hand presented their view point to the judge. The item was well appreciated by the parents and dignitaries.

BSNL staff walk out of meeting
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
Members of the Sanchar Nigam Association today staged a walkout from a meeting with general manager, telecom.

The meeting was held to discuss the general affairs when the security of the office and exchange became a matter of discord between general manger S.K. Aggarwal and association vice-president Inderjit Singh.

The general manager gave an abrupt answer to the security queries of the employees. After exchanging heated words, the association members staged a walkout and sat on a dharna outside the office, raising slogans against the official.

However, the matter was resolved after a meeting was held between both sides.

The general manager refused to comment on the issue citing ill-health 
as reason.

Pensioners’ bodies review demands
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
Representatives of various government pensioners associations met at the Pensioners Bhawan here yesterday to review the demands they had submitted to the Punjab Fifth Pay Commission in June.

Punjab Government Pensioners Joint Front chairman B.R. Kaushal said the Punjab Fifth Pay Commission had called the members of the front for a meeting to Chandigarh on October 30 to discuss their charter of demands.

The demands mainly consists of an interim relief at the rate of 5 per cent of the basic pension and release of dearness relief installment at the rate of 7 per cent.

Labour unions seek release of salary
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
The Safai Labour Union and Disposal Workers’ Union held a meeting to discuss various demands of the municipal workers.

General secretary Vijay Kumar alleged that after dissolution of sanitation committees, the Punjab government had not made any effort to recruit permanent employees. He said sewer men of all zone except those working in ward Nos. 57, 59 and 69 of zone D had received their salaries for the past two months.

They urged the municipal commissioner to release the salaries of these nine employees at the earliest.

Children given polio drops
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 22
Under the polio eradication programme, the district health department yesterday organised a pulse polio drive in the district.

Children under five years of age were administered polio drops at booths set up by the department officials to cater to the people in city and villages.

People belonging to economically weaker sections were the first ones to reach the booths.

However, authorities were unable to give the exact number of children covered under the drive till the filing of the report.

Letters

Unsafe roads

CRIME

2 killed in accident
Our Correspondent

Khamano, October 22
Two persons were killed and two others injured in three different road accidents that took place around Khamano last night.

Two motorcycle-borne persons died on the spot when their motorcycle was hit by a tractor-trailer laden with wood near Barwali village.

The two — Surjit Singh (50) and his worker Amrinder Singh (18) — were coming towards Khamano.

When they reached Barwali village, the tractor-trailer coming from the opposite side hit them. They received multiple injuries and died on the spot.

Both were residents of Manupur village and were coming to Khamano for some work.

The tractor driver fled the scene. The police has registered a case under Sections 279, 427 and 304-A, IPC, and impounded the tractor-trailer. The police handed over the bodies to their guardians after a post-mortem examination.

In the second accident, a car driver, Gurmeet Singh of Ludhiana, was injured after his Indica car hit a truck from behind on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road near Maheshpura village.

The car was badly damaged in the accident.

In yet another accident, a Tata Safari driver received minor injuries after his vehicle overturned near Ranwan village on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road.

SPORTS

Kundan Vidya Mandir overpowers GGN
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, October 22
Kundan Vidya Mandir lads struggled to overpower GGN Public School while Bharitya Vidya Mandir School eves faced a little challenge from their opponents, Shamrock School, on the opening day of the three-day Ludhiana Sahodaya Schools Complex Basketball Tournament (u-19) which began at the MGM Public School, Dugri, here today.

In the first match of the day (boys), Kundan Vidya Mandir survived some anxious moments against GGN Public School before romping home victors 27-22. In the girl’s section, Bhartiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School (Kitchlu Nagar branch) scored an easy 26-4 win over Shamrock School.

In another match (boys), Guru Nanak International Public School had to toil hard to down their spirited rivals from BCM Senior Secondary School, whom they just managed to prevail over by a whisker 25-24.

In the girl’s section, GGN Public School won over Tagore International Public School by scoring 30-25. While the last match of the day was played in the boy’s section between BCM Senior Secondary School (Chandigarh road branch) and BCM Senior Secondary School (Dugri branch), in which the former came out triumphant 24-2.

Earlier, honorary general secretary, Punjab Basketball Association, Teja Singh Dhaliwal, inaugurated the tournament in which forty teams from across the district are taking part.

Kho-Kho
Eastwood, Satluj emerge winners
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 22
Students of Eastwood International Public School, Mullanpur, and Satluj Public School emerged winners in the Ludhiana Sahodya CBSE Schools Kho-Kho Tournament that concluded at Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Public Secondary School, Sarabha, near here, yesterday.

Punjab State Electricity Board Ludhiana chief engineer K.K. Vohra presided over the prize distribution function.

According to school principal Kuldip Singh, boys of Eastwood International Public School, Mullanpur, beat DAV Public School, Phillaur, while eves of Satluj Public School defeated SKKS, Sarabha.

Satluj Public School, Ludhiana, boys bagged third position by defeating those of Kundan Vidya Mandir, Ludhiana.

DAV Public School, Phillaur, girls stood third by defeating those of Bhartya Vidya Mandir, Ludhiana.

Appreciating the role of school management committees, Vohra said the trend would help promote sports in their institutes. “No college or a university can inculcate spirit of sportsmanship among its students unless they had performed at the school level,” he pointed out after giving away prizes to the winners.