Jugiana, October 30
The crash of King Air C-90 Beechcraft at the abandoned land industrial unit of Thapar Agro has spelled doom for drug addicts and anti-social elements of Jugiana village and surrounding areas.

Due to the plane crash, heavy police security was deployed at the mill, which has discouraged the drug addicts from entering the mill.

The Thapar Agro mill, spread over an area of 29 acres, has been left vacant for last 17 years. With only one caretaker to man this huge piece of land, the place has, over the years, become a perfect destination for the drugs addicts and anti-social elements of the surrounding areas.

A visit to the mill and one can easily spot the medicines, drugs and injections, empty liquor bottles and cigarette packs littered everywhere.

Yashpal, a resident Jugiana village said, "The villagers recently reinstated the shrine situated in the mill to discourage drug addicts from entering the mill but that did not prove significant. The presence of cops at the mill has discouraged them from entering the premises. We will request the police to permanently deploy some policemen in this area to shoo away the addicts."

The residents said that addicts, after getting high on drugs, create a ruckus in the village and even indulge in eve-teasing. The residents have complained about the matter to the police but no action has been taken so far to curb the menace.

Sanjay Kumar, who has been appointed as caretaker by the Delhi High Court at Thapar Agro Mill, said, "The addicts and anti-social elements make full use of this vacant mill. I am the lone employee deputed to look after the huge premises and it gets tough to discourage the miscreants from entering the mill as they threaten me with dire consequences."

The presence of cops in the mill has proved a boon for the family of Sanjay Kumar, who has been living under then constant intrusion of drug addicts all these years.

Ludhiana, October 30
The Stroke Unit of CMCH observed the World Stroke Day in the hospital premises.

The college of nursing, college of physiotherapy and department of dietetics and neurology organised an educational programme on the occasion.

Dr Abraham G Thomas, Director CMCH lauded the effort of the Stroke Unit and the Stroke team in organising the educational programme. He said that stroke is the second leading cause of death in the world. Globally, about 15 million new acute stroke events occur every year but "stroke is a preventable and a treatable catastrophe".

Dr Jeyaraj D Pandian further stated that stroke or brain attack occurs either as a result of a blood clot that blocks an artery in the brain or it because of the rupturing of a brain artery. Most common causes of a stroke are hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, stress, lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumption. Pandian added that for the past two years the World Stroke Organisation has been celebrating 'World Stroke Day' with specific themes with "Small Strokes: Big trouble" being the theme of the year. It emphasises on 'silent strokes' which are the most common type of strokes that affect thinking, mood and personality" of a person. If they are not treated early it can lead to a major stroke and cognitive impairment.

Nursing students displayed posters on the various aspects of stroke risk factors, signs and symptoms, treatment and prevention. The skit put up by the nursing students was educative and helped people in recognising symptoms of a stroke early. The skit also stressed the importance of bringing the patient to the hospital urgently. The public keenly asked questions about the brain specimen kept for display as part of stroke education by the nursing students.

Rashmi, dietician in the Stroke Unit spoke about the diet and its relationship to a stroke. She emphasised the well-balanced diet that includes whole-grains, pulses, fruits and vegetables, foods low in saturated fats and cholesterol and foods with moderate amounts of salt and sugar . She also mentioned that one should avoid alcoholic drinks, desi ghee, butter, mithai and refined foods .

Dr Rajni Arora, highlighted the role of physiotherapists in preventing and rehabilitating the people who have had a stroke. Early treatment of a stroke by a physiotherapist assists in optimal recovery. Ongoing physiotherapy helps to retrain the use of arms and legs and to improve important activities such as walking, balance and feeding. Dr Santosh, Rehabilitation Physician mentioned that besides physiotherapy, patients also need comprehensive rehabilitation, which includes speech therapy and occupational therapy. Dr Dheeraj, Vice-Principal, College of Physiotherapy, mentioned about the low-cost rehabilitation packages that are available for stroke patients after the completion of treatment. 

Ludhiana, October 30
The caller tune depicts the personality of a person. One gets a peep into the persona of a person by listening to the caller tune he or she has subscribed to. While some infuse their Sikh identity with “Singh is King”, others are hooked to the music of “Rock On”. We check the popular caller tunes that buzz on the campus these days.

"I have never subscribed to the caller tune, but when I heard the song “Aasma hai neela kyun”, I could not resist from making it my caller tune. The song exactly narrates the philosophy of my life. At times, I also question the way singer does in the song," says Harpreet, a student of Government College for Boys.

Harpreet’s classmate Karanbir has “Singh is King” as his caller tune. "I am proud to be a Sikh. So this caller tune seems to be perfect for me. The song truly depicts my Sikh identity to the callers," Karanbir said.

For girls, the romantic numbers tops the lists. Jasmine, a BA first year student has 'Teri Or” as her caller tune. "This song is an ode to my beloved", she said with a smile. She has assigned three caller tunes on her number, one for her beloved, the other-'Teri meri baatein yuhi chalti rahein'-for her best friend, while the third-'Tinka-Tinka”-for others.

But there are others also, who can confuse you with the caller tune they are subscribed to. "I was really surprised to hear devotional number as caller tune of one of my friends. He said this was his new style statement so that callers kept guessing about his behaviour. He is not at all religious, but has assigned devotional number as his caller tune so that at least others can hear God's name whenever anybody calls him," added Harsimran, a student of PCTE.

The popular caller tunes around the campus include “Kabhi-kabhi Aditi”, “Tandoori nights,” “Teri or”, “Pappu can’t dance”, “Pehli nazar mein”, “Jane tu jane naa”, just to name a few.

Ludhiana, October 30
The Punjab government has failed to implement its decision of free institutional deliveries in civil hospitals across the state, thereby burdening the economically weaker sections of the society.

The decision of free institutional deliveries was taken in the meeting of the state cabinet on September 24.

People are paying Rs 375 for normal delivery and Rs 500 for a caesarean along with other expenses incurred on vital and essential drugs, which are not available in the primary health centres (PHC), community health centres (CHC) and civil hospitals. The present day cost of childbirth varies from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 in all the civil hospitals across the state as compared to the inexpensive services in institutional deliveries for the economically weaker sections provided a decade back.

Talking to The Tribune, Prabha Sharma (name changed) said that her husband had spent almost Rs 6,000 on her caesarean last week. "As asked by the attending doctors, we had to procure almost everything right from bandages to injections and tablets throughout my stay in the hospital," lamented Prabha.

Civil surgeon, Ludhiana, Dr S.P. Sharma said that nothing concrete had been done for free institutional deliveries in the health institutions in the district in the absence of a notification from the government.

Citing the example of Haryana government, a senior doctor said: “Haryana government has taken a lead in improving its public health sector as it commenced free institutional deliveries in 2004 and is successfully providing people the best healthcare facilities. On the contrary, the Punjab government has failed to implement its decision in this regard."

The doctor also expressed concern over the rampant corruption amongst doctors working in the government hospitals, saying that it is more important to curb the practice of asking for money from the patients.

Moreover, provision of free institutional deliveries is the only way to achieve the targets given to the government hospitals in order to bring down the infant and maternal mortality rates in the state. The Ludhiana civil hospital has a target of 80 institutional deliveries. 

Mandi Gobindgarh, October 30
Panic gripped the people of various localities in Mandi Gobindgarh after outbreak of diarrhoea wherein a large number of people suddenly fell ill due to unhygienic conditions that were prevailing in the town.

More than two dozen cases were reported in the area over the past few days. Many of the patients were referred to private hospitals due to lack of facilities in the government hospital.

Confirming diarrhea outbreak in the area, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Jagpal Singh said that as many as 23 cases of the disease were reported during the past around one week. "We have taken all the preventive steps by sending team of doctors in various localities where diarrhea was reported", said the DHO. He said that water samples have been taken by the special teams of doctors and they have also written to the MC authorities to take effective steps in this regard.

He said that diarrhea cases were reported from Shanti Nagar, Dilip Nagar, Iqbal Nagar and Prem Nagar.

The residents rued that this was for the first time that a large number of such cases are being reported in the area. "Besides impure water the industrial pollution is unbearable here. People fell ill due to unberable stench and filth in different localities of the town", said Tarsem, a resident of Shanti Nagar.

The MC officials claimed that they have initiated sanitation drives in the area however the locals alleged that despite having huge incomes the MC do not take effective steps to improve the existing situation, especially in the slum areas where industrial pollution has taken its toll on human life.

The residents said that apart from diarrhea many people are suffering from dengue and viral as well. Some prominent people of the area are also suffering from dengue including a doctor and an MC official.

The district health authorities revealed that the number of diarrhea cases are reducing for the past few days as people are going back after getting well however sources revealed that these patients are being shifted to various private hospitals due to lack of 'proper facilities' in government hospitals. 

Ludhiana, October 30
Adorned with heavy jewellery, shimmering sarees and dazzling make-up, most of the television artistes today are shown dressed in their best even while working in the kitchen.

Even these artistes themselves feel that the heavy look and stereotype roles should be done away with, but it’s the viewers’ demand that keeps them going. That's why the “saas-bahu” saga is still a hit with the audience.

During a recent visit to Mumbai, we caught up with different television artistes on the sets to know their outlook towards the so-called heavy look.

Ashwini Kaleskar playing Jigyasa in the popular serial “Kasamh Se” feels that the audience wants to see everything larger than life, which is fantasised by everybody. "As an artiste, I want a change, but the audience, it seems, is not ready for it. They want to see everything splendid and grand as they visualise for their own lives,” she added. People love watching “saas-bahu” stories that is the prime reason why these serials are on air from the past several years, she sums up.

Shweta Gautam, playing the role of Shanoo in the newly launched serial “Ranbir Rano” is dressed up in bright green-coloured suit and loaded with gold from head to toe. She says that in reality, she is far away from the character she is playing. "I feel that in the present scenario, people will lose the charm of watching the serials if the characters are shown in simple and plain clothes and without make-up. Viewers today want to see everything decked up, that's why the serials are a hit with the audience,” feels Shweta.

Shilpa Shinde, playing Mahi in “Maayaka” does not fully agree to the look she adores in the serial, but she does not argue, as it is the demand of the audience. "Audience is the supreme authority.

The TRPs are in their hands, so we will show only what they like,” she adds.

When asked whether the TV artistes are too decked up and are far away from reality, Rani, a homemaker and resident of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, Ludhiana, immediately reacted and said that gone are the days of “Hum Log” and “Buniyaad”.

Today, everybody wants to see characters that are sophisticated and classy. “It’s only through these serials that we come to know about the latest trends and styles. Moreover, as far as the ‘saas-bahu’ storyline is concerned, I think these are inspired from daily life itself,” she says.

Ludhiana, October 30
Bhaiyya Dooj, an occasion to strengthen the bond between brothers and sisters, was celebrated in all sections of the society.

It was the day of proud brothers from all age groups, who were beaming with big 'kumkum' and 'kesar' tikkas on their foreheads.

The day was an excuse even for the hardcore professionals to reach late to their workplace as they were delayed at their homes waiting for their married sisters to come and perform the ritual.

City schools, having reopened today after the Diwali break, excused the students for reaching late following the ritual of Bhaiyya Dooj. "The teacher allowed me to wear bangles after learning that they were a gift from my brother," said a Class-V student of Government Senior Secondary School.

For Aditya everything became less important, when his 33-year-old sister came to celebrate the special occasion. "I wait for this day as it is one of the rare occasions when one feels the sanctity of relationships, especially the bond between a brother and a sister," said Aditya.

Overstepping the communal and religious barriers, some people hailing from Sikh and Hindu families were at their harmonious best as they observed the occasion with sanctity.

Hardeep, a city resident narrated: "My neighbour has been applying tikka on my forehead for the past eight years. My real sisters started observing the ritual of Bhaiyya Dooj long after as it is not customary in Sikh families," said Hardeep.

Gifts being a part and parcel of the occasion, shops were buzzing with activity as they sold the whole range of expensive and inexpensive gifts for the occasion

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 30
Being least bothered about the ban on the burning of paddy stubs, the farmers of this area falling under Ludhiana and Sangrur districts compounded problem of air pollution with reckless bursting of crackers on Diwali. The patients suffering from cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases were worst sufferers.

The trend caused substantial damage to trees growing near the fields. Electric poles standing in the fields and conductors that had felicitated irrigation of paddy fields were no exception to thermal aggression caused by the fires.

Farmers, on the other hand, justified their action as according to them it saved lot of money that was spent on cutting and disposal of the material.

Observation by The Tribune revealed that ban on burning of paddy stubbles, imposed by the administration, had literally waned in the area, with a large number of farmers flouting the orders by setting remains of paddy plants on fire. With environment having been polluted with poisonous gases and smoke produced by bursting of crackers on Diwali, a thick layer of smog enveloped the town and the surrounding villages last evening. The residents had to shut their doors and windows to save themselves from obnoxious smell and suffocating smoke.

According to Dr Puneet Hind, patients of cardiovascular and lung diseases were worst affected by the steep rise in concentration of pollutants in the air. "Though it was a trend to receive more heart and asthmatic patients during Diwali days, their number was unusually high yesterday. A large number of healthy persons, besides chronic patients, were also hospitalised soon after the smog enveloped the area," said Dr Hind.

Ludhiana, October 30
The Indian Ex-services League, Punjab and Chandigarh (IEL), has reiterated its demand for one rank one pension while making a fervent appeal to the Union government to fulfil their other pending demands.

In a memorandum submitted to the PM, the IEL has pointed out that the government had accepted in principle the demand for one-rank one-pension, but the same had not been implemented till date. In several court cases, the verdict has been delivered in favour of the ex-servicemen but still they were denied of this benefit, the memorandum reads.

The IEL urged the government for immediate acceptance of demands made by all three chiefs of the Armed forces, de-linking of rank pay from basic pay and granting exemption to serving and retired members of armed forces from income tax. — OC

Ludhiana, October 30
Guru Nanak Girls College organised a cultural bonanza on the visit of Harvey L. Hall, mayor of Bakersfield, California (USA), John Hefner, director, international city relations, Bakersfield, California, and Brandon Smith, sister, city board, on the campus here today.

Talking to mediapersons, Hall said it was his first visit to the industrial city of Ludhiana. He further said there was a need to make the city more beautiful, clean and green, and the problem of traffic congestion also needed to be monitored, for which new technologies needed to be adopted. The mayor added that he felt good to celebrate Diwali with religious fervour in India. He said coming to Guru Nanak Girls College was a wonderful experience and interaction with students was great.

Principal of the college Dr Charanjit Mahal outlined the academic and other achievements of the college.

Other noteworthy guests, including Harish Rai Dhanda, chief parliamentary secretary, Punjab, G. S. Ghuman, commissioner, municipal corporation, and Hakam Singh Giaspura, city mayor, were present. The college students arranged a cultural programme in the honour of the guests.

Harvey also applauded the achievements of the college and admired the administration for the meteoric rise of the institution. He was overwhelmed by the warm hospitality that had been showered on him.

Ludhiana, October 30
An executive team of the World Mass Communication, a quarterly magazine brought out by the Institute of Communication and International Studies, New Delhi, visited the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here today.

The team comprising editor and director K.N. Singh, editor-in-chief Nirmal Rathore and press secretary Pravda Rathore held discussions with varsity V-C Dr Manjit Singh Kang shared the activities of the organisation in propagating art, culture, socio-economic issues, etc., through their quarterly magazine.

K.N. Singh said that involvement of electronic and print media to reach out to the masses had become crucial for any organisation. He added that they were impressed with the campus, museum of rural history of Punjab and the experimental fields that they visited today. He added that PAU, with its outstanding contribution in ushering in green revolution in the country and making it self-sufficient on food front, had a repute of being the torchbearer institute in the country.

Welcoming the team, the V-C said the recent developments in the area of print and electronic communication needs to be followed for effective dissemination of technology to the grassroots level. He invited the visiting team to join the PAU in this venture. The team was apprised about the mandate and programmes of PAU.

Earlier, the team visited the Centre for Communication and International Linkages and discussed various activities with regard to the mechanism of communication of technology to the farming community. 

Ludhiana, October 30
All the factions of non-teaching employees of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here seem to have joined hands against the vice-chancellor's "vindictive" attitude towards employees. They were agitated over VC Dr Kang's recent letters issued to certain heads of the departments of the office-bearers of non-teaching employees’ union. The employees said they would organise another protest rally on November 5, opposite Thapar Hall, to convey that they would not bow to such pressure tactics being resorted to by the authorities.

Talking to The Tribune, senior vice-president of PAU Non-Teaching Employees’ Union, Lakhwinder Singh Sandhu, said the VC had objected to the statements issued by the office-bearers of employees' union on the appointment of secretary to the VC. "He should have issued letters to the office-bearers of the union directly, but he addressed the letters to our respective heads of the departments. Departments have nothing to do with the statements as these were made by the union members, not by the varsity employees," he said, adding that all the factions had decided to organise a protest rally on November 5 against VC’s letters.

A meeting, held by the employees to discuss the action plan, was attended by two representatives from each faction at the union office today. The members have also appealed to the VC to withdraw the letters issue to avoid further confrontation.

The letters issued by the university registrar on behalf of VC recently about refraining non-teaching employees from sitting on dharnas, issuing statements against authorities and vitiating peaceful academics on the campus, had irked the employees. They said they had every right to raise objections if something went wrong at the farm varsity.

As per the letter issued to various heads of departments of non-teaching employees, efforts were being made by certain employees to tarnish the image of university in the eyes of general public. The document also said several statements were being made against the PAU authorities to vitiate the peaceful academic atmosphere of the university.

Ludhiana, October 30
In the absence of checks, the school buses and auto-rickshaws ferrying kids to school are flouting rules with impunity. Moreover, some of the city schools have shirked their responsibility of ensuring kids’ safety and have not provided bus facility to them.

Parents are forced to send their wards to school by auto-rickshaws and other modes to transportation at their own risk. Most of the auto-rickshaws are overcrowded with their bags hanging outside.

When contacted, district transport officer (DTO) Chander Gaind said, “As per the rules, an auto-rickshaw cannot ferry more than five children.” When asked about overloading in autos, he said the vehicles were challaned for time to time for violating norms.

However, spokesperson of the Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, said the kids’ safety was the responsibility of the bus operators. They don't have their own buses. Private union is providing transportation to the students and the parents and the bus operators settle the charges. Executive of the Delhi Public School Deepak Sharma disclosed that they have their own 12 buses and they charge Rs 800 per month from each student. Besides, some private vans are also available for the students.

Director, Greenland Convent School, Rajesh Rudra said they had five branches in the city and own 13 buses. The monthly charges are between Rs 500 and Rs 700 depending upon the distance. There are 6,000 students in the five branches located at Dugri, Phase II, Haibowal, Subhash Nagar, Basti Jodhewal and Chandigarh road and Sector 32. “We have also hired 20 buses on contract and ensure the safety of children,” he said, denying the charges of overloading of buses.

The spokesperson of the BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, said that they have two buses and they charge Rs 1,200 quarterly. She claimed that they have the record of the auto-rickshaws used by parents to send their children to school.

Jagraon, October 30
About nine persons were injured in three different accidents in the area. Sukhwinder Singh (27), his wife Karamjit Kaur (25) and their daughter Jyoti (5) of village Dhandra were injured near village Chowkiman when their motorcycle (PB 10W 0575) was hit by a Tata Sumo (DL 8CB 0896). They were going to their village Dhandra from Jagraon. The occupants of the Sumo absconded, leaving the vehicle behind. The injured were admitted to the Ludhiana Medicity Hospital.

In another accident near village Aligarh on Ludhiana road, Naval Kishore Sabbarwal (40), his wife Pallavi Sabbarwal (35), Kamlesh Rani (32), and Chanu Sabbarwal (11) were injured when their Maruti Car (PB 25 C 7170) was hit by a Bolero jeep. The victims were going to Baba Badbagh Singh. The injured are admitted to the civil hospital Jagraon.

In yet another accident, DSP Bhulla Singh was injured seriously when his car was hit by a Punjab Roadways bus. He was going towards Ludhiana with his driver. Both the injured were admitted to Ludhiana Medicity Hospital. Bhulla Singh is stated to be in a critical state with back bone injuries. 

Ludhiana, October 30
Ludhiana is second home to Kashmiri migrants. While some of them have settled permanently in the industrial hub of the state, others spend six months in the city selling shawls, Kashmiri suits and jackets. According to sources, over 5,000 Kashmiris come to the city during winters. A majority of Kashmiris reside in Khaddi Mohalla. While some can be seen making shawls on their 'khaddi', others come to the city with their bags full of Kashmiri shawls.

Sixty-five-year-old Hazi Mohd Sultan comes here during winters from the last 45 years. Belonging to Gazrial village in Kashmir, Sultan in well acquainted to every part of the city.

Sitting on a Kashmiri carpet and munching walnuts and almonds which he had brought with him from Kashmir, he says that back home in Kashmir, he has an apple orchard but he likes coming to the city every season.

While every piece of shawl made in Kashmir is famous in itself, still ‘kani’ and ‘pashmina’ are the world-famous varieties. Seventy-year-old Ali Mohd Lone, said that the first reference to the ‘kani’ shawls go back to the Maurya period. "Soon, these beautiful pieces reached Europe where they became an instant hit with the royal families there. Even today, these antique pieces are purchased by well-of people," said Ali Mohd.

Abdul Qayam, another Kashmiri migrant, said that pashmina shawls are in great demand in Punjab. The shawls are adorned with exquisite embroidery and are very soft and warm.

Gulam Mahadin is living in the city from the last 18 years. Originally belonging to Upwara village in Kashmir, he settled in the city for better business prospects. However, he did not leave his traditional work and still weaves shawls at his home in Shivpuri area of the city.

He said that shahtoosh shawls are made from the hair of the Tibetan antelope. "Shahtoosh shawls are very light, soft and warm. These shawls are very expensive due to scarcity of the raw material. The shawls can be pure, made from shahtoosh yarn alone or mixed with pashmina. These shawls are rarely dyed and have little embroidery on them," he added.

When the season is at its peak, he also travels to the neighbouring cities of Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Patiala and Chandigarh. "I learnt the art of shawl making from my grandfather and now my son is following in my footsteps. Though we have sifted our base from Kashmir to Ludhiana, we are still carrying forward our heritage," adds Gulam Mahadin.

With warmth from the valley: Kashmiri traders, regular visitors to Ludhiana during winters, showcase shawls and woollens.

Ludhiana, October 30
Nokia N-Series, the premium multimedia sub-brand of Nokia, launched the Nokia N85, the device designed for ultimate gaming thrills, in India yesterday.

The dual-slider Nokia N85 boasts of a vivid 2.6" OLED screen with a super-sleek finish, which redefines the mobile experience and makes it an ideal backdrop for games, images and web-browsing. It comes pre-loaded with 15 try-and-buy made-for-mobile N-Gage games and a voucher for one full game license. Dedicated gaming keys of the device light up when it is in gaming mode to further enhance the action-packed experience. The Nokia N85 will be retailed at an MRP of Rs 27299.

“The Nokia N85 was created to be more than the sum of its parts, offering a complete mobile entertainment package,” said Devinder Kishore, director-marketing, Nokia India. Combined with landscape gaming and dedicated gaming keys for additional comfort, the Nokia N85 breaks the boundaries of mobile gameplay”.

The Nokia N85 offers an in-built FM transmitter, 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and location tagging capabilities, a three-month integrated license for turn-by-turn voice navigation and high-speed connectivity.

Ludhiana, October 30
Digging roads without obtaining permission from municipal corporation has landed BSNL and Reliance Telecom in police net with the latter booking the two agencies for damaging public property.

The police has registered a case under Section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act against BSNL and Reliance for illegally digging roads in Sarabha Nagar and Pakhowal road to lay cable network.

The action followed in the wake of a complaint by MC executive engineer that both the authorities had not taken permission for digging the roads. They were laying cables after digging newly recarpeted roads.

This is not for the first time that a telecom company has dug roads to lay cables. The practice is quite common, and residents keep on complaining about it.

Ludhiana, October 30
A local court has convicted three drug peddlers on the charges of recovery of huge quantity of narcotics from their possession. They used to bring narcotics from Himachal Pradesh for selling the same here.

Those convicted includes : Baljit Singh of Kot Isse Khan Moga, Surjit Singh of Mehatpur, Jallandhar district and Kuljit Singh of Parjian Kalan village, Shahkot, Jallandhar district.

They have been ordered to undergo rigorous imprisonment for ten years each. Fine of Rs One lakh was also imposed upon the convicts.

Pronouncing the verdict, Additonal Sessions Judge M S Virdi held that the prosecution had succeeded in bringing home the guilt of accused beyond any reasonable shadow of doubt.

An FIR was lodged against the accused persons at Salem Tabri Police Station on January 1, 2003 under section 15 of the NDPS Act.

According to prosecution, police officials had got information that the accused used to sell poppy husk in the area of Ludhiana, Jagraon, Nakodar. A secret informer had told that they had bought poppy husk from Himachal Pradesh and were making preparation to sell the poppy husk. Truck of accused loaded with poppy husk was stated to be standing on Bahardurke Road.

Following this the police party swung into action. 16 bags of poppy husk each weighing 40 kilogram poppy husk was recovered from their possession. They were arrested on the spot.

However, the accused persons had claimed false implication in the case. But after appreciating the evidence on record, the court found them guilty and sentenced accordingly.

Ludhiana, October 30
Amritsar eves registered a sizeable of lead of 127 runs at the end of the day’s play over the host Ludhiana in the Punjab State Inter-District cricket tournament played at GGN Khalsa College for women here today.

Winning the toss, Ludhiana eves elected to bat first and were bundled out for a paltry of 48 runs.

Nidhi was the top scorer with 22 runs, followed by Surinder Kaur, who scored six runs. Jaspreet Kaur clinched four wickets conceding nine runs.

In reply, the Amritsar eves scored 177 runs for the loss of three wickets till the end of the day’s play. Anita Thapar was still holding the crease and scored 101 runs followed by Simranjit, who scored 24 run.

Bhawana took one wicket, conceding 65 runs. Amritsar scored 177 runs for the loss of three wickets at the end of the day’s play.