Ludhiana, June 20
She has a keen eye and chooses a perfect colour and cut that will reflect your true style. She loves to explore the impossibilities and work in an inspired mode. Every day starts with a new idea and a new design. Pooja Mago has her own style and design sensibilities and is today busy turning ordinary looking lasses into style divas at her designer studio.

Prior to marriage, she helped her father in his hosiery business. But after marriage, she wanted to start afresh, as she was not so keen on joining her in-law’s bakery business. She came up with “Visions”, where she tries to make everyone look special with her sense of styling.

So how does she view the Indian fashion industry? It has undergone a tremendous metamorphosis.

Earlier, fashion was only a diversion for a small section of the elite and it was more to do with dressing on occasions such as weddings, festivals, etc. However, now it is more about making a style statement and being well dressed all the time. “Today, people are more conscious about fashion. Even when they wake up in the morning, they want to look good, which is fantastic,” chuckles Pooja.

The countless fashion shows held every year in India is a testimony to the fact that fashion in India is a growing industry. Today, Indian designers like Ritu Kumar, Ritu Beri, Satya Paul, Tarun Tahiliani, JJ Valaya and Manish Malhotra have made their presence felt on the international ramp shows.

The Indian apparel industry has since seen remarkable changes in the past few years and it is also one of the India’s largest foreign exchange earners. “Embroidery being the traditional art form of the country, has contributed significantly to the apparel industry. Indian embroidery market stands out as being extraordinary in the international market. Our Lucknow embroidery, chikankari and Kashmiri embroidery are famous worldwide among the style connoisseurs,” says the styling queen.

Societies progress with its sense of style and fashion, believes Pooja, whose majority clientele are NRIs who either visit her regularly or place orders through e-mails.

“India is witnessing a rapid growth in many sectors, which includes the Indian fashion industry. Owing to cheap labour and excellent craftsmanship, Indian fashion is gaining popularity overseas and many Indian designers are now catering to this demand.”

There is a lot of economics associated with the fashion business, says Pooja. The steadily increasing disposable income among the Indian middleclass, greater exposure to fashion trends and the desire to always look good is driving the demand for fashion, says Pooja, who has an all-male staff.

Expressing concern over women performing odd jobs in the fashion industry, Pooja says, “It is very disheartening to see that women are involved in doing small works related to stitching. Even those living in remote areas and apt in traditional embroideries and art work, shy away from entering the retail market. They have middle-men who sell their work in the market. We have a lot of female designers in the industry, but I would like to see those working behind the scene to come forward and get their share of well deserved limelight.”

Pooja, who will soon be launching her bridal line, says that youngsters prefer “fusion”. Today, youngsters choose the best of the orient and the west. Indian fashion designers are inspired by both Indian and western styles.

“This fusion of fashion is evident on the streets and ramps of the fashionable cities of India. Fashion in India is also beginning to make its mark on the international scene, as accessories such as bindis, mehendi and bangles, have gained international popularity, after being worn by fashion icons like pop singers Madonna and Gwen Stephani,” she observes.

Featuring tomorrow: Picky Bindra, proprietor of Picky Bindra's Designs Studio

Ludhiana, June 20
One-and-a-half year-old Khushboo has begun speaking only a few days back. And, unlike tiny tots her age, the first words coming from her mouth were not "mama" or "papa". For the toddler does not know what a mama or a papa is! All she is able to say is "didi" to address her nanny, who looks after her at her home - an orphanage in the city.

While children the world over showered their fathers with gifts, affection and special attention today on the occasion of Father's Day, it was just another fatherless day for kids like Khushboo who have been orphaned by fate or circumstances.

For the 120 inmates of Mother Teresa's Home and millions of others like them, today was just another day, no different from the rest of their parentless lives. Oblivious of the occasion’s significance, children went about their daily routines, some crying, others laughing - just as on any normal day.

On hindsight, one feels even if these children had known about today being Father's Day, the knowledge would perhaps have made no difference. For, most of the kids have never known what a father means.

Mention of the word ‘papa’ or ‘daddy’ fails to even register with these kids, who have never seen their fathers, perhaps not even in their first conscious moments in this world.

Orphaned or abandoned at a very early age - many of them at the time when they were just a few days' old - these children perhaps have never seen and might not ever know what it feels like to hold a father's hand, hug him, sleep in his arms or find solace on his shoulder.

Just like Khushboo, Father’s Day has no meaning at all for six-year-old Bagga, who does not have the faintest idea who or where his parents are. All he knows about a father is he is the one who drives a fancy car, picks up his kids from school and takes them out for an ice-cream in the evenings. A stranger to the special bond of love and care between a father and his child, yet Bagga yearns to hold that hand which provides a sense of security to a child, a feeling of belongingness.

A rag picker, the child survives on rotten food and leftovers collected from garbage dumps across the city and lives with his grandmother in a slum.

Among the fatherless are also those children separated from their dads because of various reasons. “One should learn a lesson from such children’s lives and acknowledge one’s father and his presence, making every day Father’s Day for him,” remarks MK Sharma, who enjoys a very special bond with his father as well as his two children.

Ludhiana, June 20
"Come on in..." Sadhu Ram Goel greets us with a quick smile and offers a seat on his cot in his room at the Old Citizen's Home. After we settle down we ask the usual questions that lead to a dead end. "How was your day?" "How’re you feeling?"

Goel appears to care nothing for himself. His answers are short and his body language is spastic and cumbered by the anxiety of social rejection. Between his transitions of crossed arms and hyperactive arm movements a sense of discomfort fills the room with every prying question.

"So...do you have any kids?" "Do you know today is Father's Day?" This is where the story really begins.

Goel, much like many who are ostracized, has been abandoned - by his own children. And the mere mention of Father's Day brings an array of emotions to the old man. "I’m the most unfortunate father," is all he can say.

Hailing from Bathinda, Goel, 76, was a successful businessman in his prime. However, as the years passed by, his importance diminished for his three children - a son and three daughters. The ageing father eventually landed up at an old age home.

Fortunately, Goel has for company his 71-year-old wife, Raj Kumari. However, not all abandoned parents at the old age home are lucky enough to have their soulmates’ company in the dusk of their lives. Living in solitude, these old people have each other's company but that special familial bond is missing.

Like Goel, 97-year-old Jeevan Singh, too, longs for reconciliation. His family (children) abandoned him and left him at a senior citizens' home

to live a life of solitude. They have pursued their own dreams and created their own lives independent of him. The pain that he shows when describing his family members seeps through his words and paints a portrait of parental denial. His children have chosen to disassociate themselves from their father. He lost his wife several years back.

Among others is Uday Singh, 81, who was abandoned at a time when he should have been spending his ‘golden years’ with his family. His two sons are perhaps too busy to take care of their ageing father. Today, one of his sons was in town to take him home for a short break since he had not been keeping well for the past many days.

While a majority of the forsaken parents at the old age home crave for their children’s love, Munishwar Chander, 83, has conditioned his heart to feel otherwise. “Whatever I am is all because of my own ‘karma’ (fate),” he says.

There is yet another ageing man who has no longings like the other abandoned parents. For 75-year-old Dara Singh has no children. “Father’s Day must be really a special occasion. But looking at these people I feel I’m lucky to have no kids to abandon me. As a childless man I was destined to be alone. But these people deserved better in their last years,” says Dara, whose wife died six years back. With no immediate family member to take care of him the old man decided to stay at the old age home during his remaining years.

Surprisingly, in spite of the unfair treatment meted out to them by their own blood, none of the parents spoke a word against their children. For them a phone call from their children or a quick visit is not enough. They desire their children’s committed communion.

Not only for the children abandoned by their parents, but also for the parents abandoned by their children, occasions like Father’s Day have no meaning.

Ludhiana, June 20
The rainy season has always been a cause of concern for the city residents due to the threat of various deadly diseases that loom large during the period.

Taking precautionary measures to avoid diseases, including cholera, dengue, gastroenteritis etc, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (LMC) has started desilting Buddha Nullah, cleaning drains/sewer systems. The medicine for fogging machines and hand-pump spray have also been stocked by the LMC and the activity will start within the next few days, claim officials.

The desilting of Buddha Nullah is on at the Tajpur road, Chander Nagar and Bajwa Nagar these days where machines clean the surface during the daytime. The work of desilting is being conducted by the drainage department and the LMC has already released an amount of about Rs 25 lakh for the job.

Admitting the fact that drains and sewers were not "properly cleaned" by the authorities for the past eight-10 years, Commissioner Municipal Corporation AK Sinha said there would be much relief this time. The sewers/drainage pipes were badly jammed and it will take some time to clean the choked pipes, especially the main 56" and 72" lines, which are attached with hundreds of branches (pipes).

"We cannot change the system in one day. Since cleaning process is going on at several places, there will be comparatively less water-logging this season. The roads which used to overflow due to water-logging for several hours, will now be cleared within an hour or so. We expect less trouble to residents during this monsoon," said Sinha, adding that department had recently stocked the medicine to be used for fogging purpose.

He said, "This time, we will be using hand pumps too, which will more effective in cleaning open drains/stagnant water. These pumps can be used anywhere. Besides, fogging will be started within 10-15 days to curb the mosquito menace. Rather than blaming each other for any disease outbreak, the departments concerned need to share the responsibility to provide relief to the residents."

Congress Councillor Parminder Mehta, however, said the MC had to speed up the work and sewer machines need to run for at least six-eight hours continuously to properly clean one area. "Working for two hours will not serve the purpose, as lines in interior are fully choked. During daytime, while machines clean the sewers, passerby raise objections. The work has to be done when traffic movement in city is slow," said Mehta.

Ludhiana, June 20
The industrial capital of the state will soon have a passport office of its own. The office is likely to be inaugurated in the city early next month.

This was stated by local MP and the national spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee Manish Tewari here today. He said the building and other infrastructure of the passport office was almost complete and it would be inaugurated next month.

The MP said he was trying to ensure that some senior central minister inaugurates the office here. The passport office would be located in Rarewala Market near the General Bus Stand.

Tewari said the mega city had the disadvantage of being close to Chandigarh and Jalandhar, as both places had their own passport offices. He said this had been made possible only after persistent efforts with the External Affairs Ministry, particularly External Affairs Minister SM Krishna. "In the last 13 months, I met the minister at least 15 times and wrote to him one dozen times to pursue the project," he added.

The MP pointed out that the office would not only provide immense relief to the people of Ludhiana who had to rush to Chandigarh for getting their passports, but also to people of the surrounding areas like Moga, Ferozepur and Faridkot for whom Ludhiana would always be a better option.

Tewari expressed his gratitude to the External Affairs Ministry for conceding the long-pending demand of the people of Ludhiana, as they would now be saved of the problem of making rounds to Chandigarh for getting their passports issued.

Ludhiana, June 20
A collection of Hindi ghazals-"Tadapti tanhai", authored by Bindu Badnaseeb was released at a literary function organised by the Unesco Club of Punjab at Punjabi Bhawan here today.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Harish Rai Dhanda released the book. Dhanda appreciated the author for her lucid and lyrical style. He encouraged youth to create a healthy and peaceful atmosphere in the society through positive and productive writing. 

Mandi Ahmedgarh, June 20
Terming the Father’s Day and Mother’s Day as borrowed events from the western culture, office-bearers of the social and religious organisations have urged the teaching community to inculcate moral values among students.

Fatherhood, paternal bond and influence of parents in society would dilute if the situation deteriorated further, apprehended social leaders.

“Instead of following the western culture, which appreciates paying attention to one’s father or mother on a particular day, youth should be persuaded to follow Lord Rama and Shravan Kumar as their role models,” says Dr Harjinder Pal Sing Walia, chairman the Global Punjab Foundation, adding that a majority of youths had stopped paying due respect to their parents.

“Thousands of ailing septuagenarians and octogenarians, who have sacrificed their comfort and choices for securing bright future for their children, are lying ignored in remote corners of their houses. They are not even shifted to old-age homes, as their wards consider it an insult,” continued Walia.

Balwinder Verma Happy, another social activist of ward No 11, said even poets, writers and folk singers ignored their fathers too.

Dr Ravinder Sharma, president, local unit of Rotary Club, said teachers needed to inculcate good habits among students.

Referring to reports appearing in media, Sharma said whenever he learnt about an incident of sons killing their father over money or land, a chill ran through his spine.

Investigations further revealed that old-age homes in the area were packed to capacity. It’s not surprising to know that most of the elderly persons staying at these old-age homes belong to affluent families.

The Father’s Day is observed to celebrate fatherhood, paternal bond and the influence of fathers in society. It is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in more than 50 countries of the world. Other nations observe it on different days.

Khanna, June 20
With an increase in area under maize cultivation, the crop has witnessed an upsurge in its quantity as compared to the previous year in Machhiwara area.

A number of farmers in the area were seen drying their crop at the grain market.

As per officials of the market committee, the total arrival of maize crop has witnessed an increase this year. About 14,000 quintals of maize has already been sold so far, whereas only 10,000 quintals of crop was sold last year.

Agriculture experts said the introduction of some new varieties of maize had increased its yield last year.

Ajaib Singh, a maize grower in Machhiwara, said an increase in the temperature up to 44 degrees had led to the low yield of maize in some other areas.

He added that farmers got 25 to 30 quintals yield last year, however, it reduced to 15 to 20 quintals this time. The arthiyas said last year nearly 45,000 quintals of crop was sold and this year they were expecting to sell around 60,000 quintals of maize.

Farmers said maize was fetching a good price at the Machhiwara grain market. It is being sold at a price of Rs 900 per quintal and last year it was sold for Rs 800 per quintal. In view of good prices of maize, farmers from Doaba region have also started selling their crop at the Machhiwara grain market.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, June 20
The five-day yoga camp organised by the Patanjali Yog Samiti and the Bharat Swabhiman, Ludhiana, concluded today at Pohir village, near here.

Krishan Lal Gupta, state president of the organisation, presided over the concluding ceremony.

According to Darshan Singh Shankar, coordinator of the event, around 200 persons, including men, women and children, took part in the event.

Speakers including, Gupta, Shankar, Davinder Dhanda and Balbir Singh, said yoga helped cure fatal diseases like cancer, heart ailments, asthma, migraine and renal problems.

A few social and educational organisations came forward to collaborate with the samiti.

Participants learnt various asanas, including pranayam. Organisers emphasised on physical, mental and spiritual aspects of yoga.

Krishan Kumar Bawa, former chairman, Punjab State Cooperative Board, Ravinder Kumar, Baldev Raj Bawa principal, Bhupinder Kaur and Bibi Paramjit Kaur were present on the occasion.

Ludhiana, June 20
Raids were conducted on nearly 10 optical shops across the city. Two teams, headed by assistant excise and taxation commissioner HPS Ghotra and HL Bansal, conducted raids in the city. Raids were conducted at stores located on the Ferozepur road, Feroze Gandhi market, Pakhowal road, Malhar road, Sarabha Nagar, Chaura Bazaar and Chauri Sadak.

According to department officials, 12.50 VAT is applied on opticals with a surcharge of 10 per cent. "It has been found that most of the opticians are paying only 5.50 per cent VAT.”

Sale and purchase bill books were checked by the raiding parties, which collected information pertaining to actual turnover and VAT returns submitted with the department.

Ludhiana, June 20
There will be sufficient availability of power by 2013 and Punjab will be exporting power to other states in 2014, stated KD Chaudhary, Chairman and Managing Director of Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. (Powercom) during a seminar held to solve the problems being faced by all industries. An industrial interaction was held at CICU Complex.

Addressing the seminar, Chaudhary said that the importance of industrial sector constituting an important segment of the Punjab economy in terms of their contribution to State's industrial production, exports, employment and creation of entrepreneurial base is well recognised.

" Powercom is committed to work as a facilitator to the industry rather than like a regulatory authority”, he said. He announced that various suggestions raised during the interaction would be considered and agreed upon to introduce new measures, modify procedures and revise norms to resolve all logical and technical issues.

He said a new action plan was being designed to ensure constant and regular power supply for the industrial sector.

Powercom is aggressively pursuing power generation," he said.

He further said advance power schedule would be intimated through SMS. As much as 1.92 crore CFLs will be installed by December 2010, which will save 500-MV power. Powercom will be spending 2,000 crore for augmentation of power in 47 towns in Punjab. Customer care and call centres will be upgraded within a period of 12-18 months.

Inderjit Singh Pardhan, president, CICU, and chairman, Small-Scale Industry Development Board, Punjab, welcomed Chaudhary, other dignitaries and leading industrialists for this interaction.

Avtar Singh, general secretary, CICU, presented a memorandum to the CMD, which highlighted that due to power cuts the industrial sector, was facing production losses.

The power supply position in the areas of the Focal Point and other industrial pockets in the city was more pathetic due to minor or major faults in the distribution system.

Upkar Singh, joint secretary, CICU, said that adequate and uninterrupted power supply to the industrial sector was the need of hour. He said power saved is power conserved. He further said that power distribution losses in Punjab are about 28 per cent as compared to14 per cent at the national level.

Effective measures should be adopted to minimise these losses. Power theft should be made punishable offence, he said.

Jagraon, June 20
A youth who entered a house in Dalla village, near here, after scaling the boundary wall around midnight on Friday with the intention of meeting meet a girl residing there was reportedly shot at by her father.

After receiving a complaint by Gurmit Singh, the girl’s father, the Jagraon Sadar police booked the young man, identified as Gurkirat Singh, and Parvinder Singh of Roomi village under sections 450, 451, 294, 506, 148, 149 of the IPC, along with two unidentified accomplices.

Gurkirat was said to be bothering the girl for quite some time. Last week she had complained to her parents following which Gurmit along with some other villagers went to meet the youth’s parents in Roomi and told them about the matter. Gurmit also warned them in case Gurkirat did not “mend his ways” and stop bothering his daughter he would have to face the consequences.

Sources said Gurkirat’s parents sternly instructed their son not to meet the girl again and also not to visit Dalla village any more. However, on Friday night at about 11 pm in the night Gurkirat, equipped with a sharp-edged weapon, accompanied by three friends entered the girl’s house and headed for her room.

After Gurmeet somehow came to know their presence, he along with his son barged into the girl's room and caught hold of him Gurkirat. They exchanged heated words and suddenly Gurkirat attacked the girl’s brother with the sharp-edged weapon he was carrying. The attack missed its mark but in the meanwhile Gurmeet took out his .12 bore licensed gun for self-protection.

When Gurkirat tried to attack him the latter aimed his gun at the youth. On seeing the gun Gurkirat then ran out of the house but by then the girl’s father had already fired a shot at him. His friends took him first to Jagraon civil hospital from where he was referred to Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana. His condition is stated to be stable now.

Mullanpur Dakha, June 20
Thieves at Humbran village had a field day as they decamped with goods and cash worth more than Rs 8 lakh from 7 shops after breaking open the shutters last night. The thieves targeted only mobile shops and electrical goods’ shops and decamped with new and scrap copper wire.

Eknoor Electrical shop suffered the maximum loss of Rs. 2.5 lakh, as thieves stole copper scrap worth Rs 40,000, new copper wire worth Rs1.10 lakh, and other goods. Bhanohar Electrical suffered a loss of Rs 2 lakh, Vicky mobile suffered a loss of Rs 79,000 cash and an equivalent amount of recharge coupons, mobile phones and other goods. Saini Electrical, GS Electronics, National Electrical also suffered huge losses in t]he theft.

Morning walkers informed the shopkeepers about the theft who later informed the police.

The shopkeepers visited the scrap dealers of Mullanpur, Raikot, Jagraon and Ludhiana to warn them not to purchase the stolen goods.

Kulwant Singh, Additional SHO, Ladhowal police station, said they had some clues regarding the theft and he said the case would be solved soon. Sources revealed that the police has rounded up about 12 persons on the basis of doubt. A case under Sections 457, and 380 of the IPC against unidentified thieves on the statement of Ashwani Kumar who has lost goods worth more than Rs1.2 lakh in the theft.

Mullanpur Dakha, June 20
The Dakha police has booked seven persons, including the Numberdar and witnesses of the agreement to the sale deed of a land.

The case pertains to 1997 when Jagtar Singh of Ayali village entered into an agreement to purchase a peace of land measuring 19 kanal 12 marle situated at Detwal village near here on 10 December 1997 with Jagdev Singh of Gahour village who originally hailed from Jaspal Wangar village near Ludhiana.

Jagdev Singh took Rs1 lakh as earnest money to sell the land in question. Soon after that Jagdev Singh refused to get the sale deed executed in the name of complainant Jagtar Singh. He even refused to return the earnest money taken from him.

Left with no other option, he filed a suit for specific performance at Ludhiana courts against Jagdev Singh. Last year, when Jagdev Singh felt that he would be losing the case, in order to deceit the court and Jagtar Singh, Jagdev Singh transferred the disputed land in the name of his wife Gurmeet Kaur on 21 October. In doing this he went to the extent of concealing the real identity of his wife and showed her as an unrelated person by entering her name as Gurmeet Kaur , daughter of Gurbax Singh.

Recently when Jagtar Singh came to know the facts, he complained to the SSP, Ludhiana, Rural, Harinder Singh Chahal, on June 10.

In his complaint he accused Jagdev Singh, his wife Gurmeet Kaur, her father Gurbax Singh, Jaspal Wanger, witnesses of the sale deed and agreement to sale, including Gurmail Singh of Gahour, Lakhvir Singh of Jaspal Wanger, Bhawanjit Kaur of Rattan village and Baldev Singh, Numberdar of Gahour village for assisting Jagdev Singh in committing fraud.

SSP entrusted Kishan Dev, In charge of EO wing, to enquire into the matter, who found the allegations to be true and on the basis of the inquiry report, and due legal consultation with DA Legal, SSP, ordered a case to be registered against all seven accused at the Dakha police station. The Dakha police booked all accused under Sections 420, 467, 468, 506 and120B of the IPC. No arrest has been made so far.

Jagraon, June 20
The Jodhan police has booked 4 members of a family on the charge of dowry harassment. Victim Baljinder Kaur made a statement to the Jodhan police that she was a resident of Phallewal village and was married to Kuldeep Singh of SBS Nagar on December 7, 2008. After three months of her marriage, her husband went to Portugal on a work permit. Thereafter, her in-laws started harassing her for bringing in inadequate dowry.

Early this year, they started asking her to bring more cash from her parents or leave the house. She said her parents were not in a position to pay them any cash. She said though her husband was away to Portugal, her in-laws were ill-treating her with his consent and he knew each and every incident happening at the house.

On February 6, her in-laws, including father in-law Amar Singh, mother in-law Gurcharan Kaur and sister in-law Baljit Kaur thrashed her for not bringing cash from her parents and turned her out of the house.

Her family and the village panchayat tried their best to convince her in-laws to take her back and treat her well to which they flatly refused. She then lodged a complaint regarding the matter with the SSP, Ludhiana (Rural) Harinder Singh Chahal, who entrusted Balwinder Singh, in-charge of the Women Cell, Jagraon, to probe into the matter.

On the basis of the inquiry report the SSP ordered that a case to be registered at the Jodhan police station who booked all four accused under Sections 498A and 406 of the IPC. No arrest has been made so far.