Ludhiana November 22
Exhilaration to make his cousin’s wedding an unforgettable event for the family and friends became a death trap for Varinder, who was burnt to ashes as he banged his speeding Mercedes into a tree near Khamano village.

Having booked a caterer for the wedding at Chandigarh Varinder was on his way back to Ludhiana when the incident occurred.

“He wanted his brother’s wedding to be the best in the town. He was running around day and night for the preparation of the marriage ceremony to be a grand affair. We had no idea that our happiness would disappear and my child would be burnt alive,” rued the wailing father Bhupinder Singh during the cremation ceremony.

Varinder was preparing for a big fat wedding for his brother.

Ratanjit Singh, younger brother of the victim was still in a state of shock. He could not believe that the cruel fate would snatch his elder brother. The victim’s seven-year-old son is still in a state of shock.

“He has not taken food since morning and told me that he would have food with his father. How do I tell him that his father would never come home,” said, Jaspreet Singh, cousin brother of the victim, who was travelling in the same car and escaped with minor injuries.

“He wanted everything to be just perfect for the wedding of his brother. He was not satisfied with the caterers of the town. Yesterday, someone told him about a Chandigarh -based caterer. Without wasting time, he headed towards Chandigarh and struck the deal. But who knew that the man who was running to and fro for the preparation would not witness the wedding,” said Harvinder Singh, uncle of the victim, whose son Jasjeet was also travelling in the same car that caught fire and resulted in the death of Varinder.

“I am thankful to the man, who saved my child and even tried to pull out Varinder. But destiny had some other plans. Have you ever heard that a car like Mercedes can catch fire,” said Harvinder.

The condition of Inderpreet Kaur, wife of the victim was pitiable. She looked devastated by the tragedy. The tragedy has left the marriage plans in a limbo. It is learnt that the family has called off the wedding for the time being.

Ludhiana, November 22
An unemployed drug addict gagged his wife to death following a domestic quarrel near Noorwala Road here today morning. According to area residents, Rajesh Kumar, 45, and Sunita, 41, began exchanging blows after a heated argument and, during the fight, the former got hold of his wife’s neck and choked her.

Rajesh’s elder son, Shyam, 21, who was at home when the incident occurred, reportedly witnessed the murder and ran out of the house in a state of shock. After killing his wife the suspect tried to flee the scene but was soon nabbed and handed over to the police.

Neighbours said the couple used to quarrel frequently over petty matters.

ACP Bhupinder Singh stated Rajesh was a chronic drug addict and had recently been sacked by his employer. “As he was sitting idle at home he began picking up fights with his wife and used to raise doubts about her character. Today the couple again had a big fight after which Sunita refused to give money to Rajesh for buying drugs. Shyam was also in the house but had no inkling the fight would lead to his mother’s death”, he said.

The Jodhewal police has filed a case of murder against Rajesh and has begun investigations.

Ludhiana, November 22
Owners of many industrial units in the city claim they have been facing “harassment” by anonymous people lodging false complaints against them, which some said could be a consequence of family feuds and cutthroat competition. The departments concerned initiate action on the receipt of anonymous complaints. If the complaint is found false the complainant goes scot-free whereas the industrial unit may have to incur financial loss as the latter gets bad publicity, which is bad for any business.

"State government departments do not entertain anonymous complaints if they are made against any of them or any government official. But the departments initiate prompt action on the basis of anonymous complaints when made against industrial units. This practice leads to corruption and unnecessary harassment to their owners," said PD Sharma, president of the Apex Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Only recently Punjab State Power Com Ltd initiated action against three industrial units in Ludhiana after receiving complaint. The units were found innocent but not before suffering harassment.

"Government departments should have firm policy of not initiating action of the basis of anonymous complaints. However, if complaints come from the complainant giving identity and it is found false departments should not hesitate to initiate action under the law," said Gurpargat Singh Kahlon, president of the Ludhiana Motor Parts Association.

Genuine industrialists are falling prey to mischief mongers. As per trend there are floods of anonymous complaints in different departments against the particular industrialists. "The complaints go to almost every concerned department. This in itself is convincing that the motive behind may be either the family dispute or business rivalry in general which is ever on the rise," Sharma added.

There is a provision for punishing a person filing a false complaint under section 182 of the Indian Penal Code. Elucidating on the provision, the Punjab & Haryana High Court has said: "Whenever any information is given to the authorities and when the said authority found the averments made in the complaints were false it is for the said authority to initiate action under section 182 of the IPC. The offence under this section is punishable with imprisonment for a period of six months and a fine or both. The authority should file the complaint under this section within one year from the date when that authority finds the allegations made in the complaints are false”.

Ludhiana, November 22
Uncertainty over timely execution of sewerage projects in the city continues with the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) not having been able to find any contractors to undertake the work due to which the delay has been incurred.

The Rs 248 crore project, part of the JNNURM scheme, to provide an efficient sewage system in the city was launched in December 2009. Under the scheme new pipelines are to be laid to ensure proper waste water disposal. However, work has been stalled after a key contractor involved in the project withdrew saying he had some other engagements. PWSSB, which is executing the project, had earlier floated tenders.

Sources said two major firms had got the project for the ambitious work to start the work but even after the passing of more the 6 months the work has not been kicked off in proper manner. The sources added one of the firms had backed out from the project while another was dragging its feet, due to which PWSSB was facing problems in executing the work.

Though PWSSB has forfeited the earnest money deposited by the firm that pulled out, the project has been hanging fire for the past several months.

According to the sources, due to the tremendous pressure on politicians PWSSB is considering the idea of dividing the work into parts and then allocating them to smaller contractors to ensure the work is completed in time. However, board officials are finding it difficult to get small contractors with a credible work record, the sources added.

When contacted PWSSB superintendent engineer RP Gupta admitted work on the project had been delayed. However he asserted the work would be completed in the stipulated time.

Ludhiana, November 22
In the wake of acute scarcity of railway wagons at the peak of the woollen hosiery season, the outward clearance of parcels at the railway station here is moving at a snail's pace.

This has resulted in the accumulation of parcels with each passing day.

The failure on part of the railways authorities to arrange for extra parcel vans to cope with the seasonal spurt in booking of hosiery goods, which is a routine every year, has caused sleepless nights to manufacturers and traders of woollen garments as they are committed to make time-bound delivery.

"Even a slight delay in the delivery of woollen hosiery at the desired destination is not acceptable to our customers because once the peak winter season is over, the hosiery goods become redundant. In such circumstances, our payments are delayed for months together and the goods have to be sold at discounted prices in off season," says Kamal Jain, a hosiery trader.

The inability of the railways to clear the backlog of parcels, mostly containing hosiery goods bound for Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, North-Eastern states and other far-off places, has virtually forced the desperate hosiery and knitwear sector to seek the help of touts, railway loaders and lease holders of railway wagons, who undertake to load their parcels and despatch the goods speedily, albeit for a hefty consideration. Even the notorious "peti mafia" operators have also, once again, become active to make hay while the sun shines, say sources at the railway station.

While railway officials claim that extra wagons are being arranged to clear the accumulated goods at the parcel office and various railway platforms, the hosiery and knitwear manufacturers and traders refute the claim, saying little is being done in this regard. "More than 3,000 outward-bound packages of hosiery goods are still awaiting clearance at the railway station for lack of adequate number of wagons and few hundred fresh parcels being booked every day, says a handling agent.

RK Sharma, station superintendent said the loading of parcels had picked up during the last couple of days. Some 1,400 parcels were loaded in the last two days and we hope to clear as many more in a day or two.

Ludhiana, November 22
In the absence of any check from the department of health and family welfare and the police department on the kingpins of the "drug mafia", the most commonly used cough syrups like Rescof, Corex, Mits linctus, Pensydyl are selling like hot cakes.

The use of cough syrups is more prevalent among young girls as has been established by a study conducted by the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, an NGO, working against drug addiction.

Officials’ view Ishwar Singh, Police Commissioner, Ludhiana, said that the seizure of psychotropic drugs had been more than double ever since the coming up of commissionerate system. He said that the department was being very strict with all those involved in illegal sale of drugs adding that the campaign would be fortified in the future. Balram Luthra, drug inspector, Ludhiana, said that the department of health and family welfare had raided a large number of wholesale outlets in Pindi Street and had cancelled licenses also. "We act on every piece of information given against illegal sale of habit-forming drugs."

The wide gap between the prescriptions by doctors and the number of cough syrups sold is evident from the fact that 50,000 bottles of the cough syrups are sold every day in the city while 3,500 retail chemists do not get more than one prescription per day.

Thousands of empty bottles can be seen every morning in and around Rose Garden, Rakhbagh, Leisure Valley, Guru Nanak Stadium, Chattar Singh Park and beneath the flyover at the Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar, inter-state bus stand.

A senior physician while pointing at the role of the wholesale chemists said that they were selling these syrups to the drug mafia adding, "the consignments of these cough syrups are brought to the city in the wee hours without sale/purchase records and are sold without bills."

He also said that the police department's drives to seize unbilled drugs were ineffective till the time they caught the "kingpins" operating in the business of drugs.

Dr Pushpinder Singh, in charge, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, stated that the surveys conducted in girls colleges/hostels clearly pointed towards the growing addiction for cough syrups among the fair sex. Psychiatrist and member of the state committee on de-addiction, Dr Rajiv Gupta stated the girls were using these cough syrups, as they were inexpensive, odourless with high intoxicating effect followed by no suspicion from the families.

Ludhiana, November 22
With the sole agenda of deciding the fate of vice-chancellor VK Taneja, the board of management of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) will meet on November 25 in Chandigarh. The meeting, chaired by Punjab chief secretary SC, Aggarwal, will resolve whether to grant an extension to Taneja, whose term expires on December 19.

However, the idea of holding a "special" meeting for this purpose has certainly not gone down well with some board officials and senior faculty members, who feel extensions for key administrative and teaching positions must be stopped for the "betterment" of the varsity.

According to sources, several top posts in the university have been lying vacant and officials were in no mood to make permanent appointments. A senior faculty member said on condition of anonymity: "About six or seven key posts are lying vacant. Additional charges have been given to certain blue-eyed faculty members. Deserving candidates are being given a step-motherly treatment in varsity. Sore over this arbitrary attitude, the varsity’s faculty members had gone on strike in February. But we have been given an assurance that the posts would be filled soon".

According to reports, there was a "makeshift arrangement” for the key post of university registrar for about three years before PD Juial was appointed in May. A director of extension education has not been appointed since June 1, 2010. For the past five months there has not been a permanent appointment of a research director. Besides, an extension has been given to the varsity librarian.

Other important posts like director of students’ welfare and dean of the College of Veterinary Sciences will become vacant in December, but no advertisements inviting candidates' biodata have been given in any section of the media. Besides, “ad hoc arrangements” have been made for another two key posts including dean of the College of Dairy Technology and dean of the College of Fisheries.

Kanwarjit Singh Sidhu, a member of the board of management, said: "We’re certainly not in favour of giving extensions as it was decided in the first budgetary meeting of GADVASU that nobody would be given them".

When asked whether the present vice chancellor would be given an extension in his term, he replied it was too early to say anything as the final decision would be taken at the meeting next Thursday.

Despite repeated attempts, neither the vice chancellor’s office nor the registrar could be contacted on the phone.

Ludhiana, November 22
The Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology (MAIT), along with the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertaking (CICU), United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA), Ludhiana Hand Tool Association (LHTA), Punjab State Industries Development Corporation (PSIDC) and Federation of Punjab Small Industries Associations (FOPSIA) recently organised a seminar on “Technology opportunities for emerging enterprises”.

Joint secretary Upkar Singh in his presentation on the use of IT among industry updated participants on technologies, which help SME for continuous improvement like ERP for inventory and purchase control, whereas how design software helps MSME to develop new products efficiently and also help to save raw material, which contributes to 50-80 per cent of product cost.

Ludhiana, November 22
Dr Harpreet Gill, senior consultant and head, department of orthopaedics, SPS Apollo Hospital, Ludhiana, was recently invited as guest faculty at the advance technology symposiums on hip and wrist fractures held at Delhi.

Gill shared the stage with the faculty from Australia, Japan, Medanta Hospital and AIIMS, New Delhi.

The symposium provided an insight into the latest developments in the treatment of hip and wrist fractures and was attended by 125 orthopaedic surgeons from North India.

Gill, said that the hip fractures were a major health problem in a developing country like India. The Indian population appears particularly vulnerable to the problem of osteoporosis and hip fractures. Risk factors for osteoporosis that have been described include female sex, low body mass index, old age, positive family history, early menopause, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, poor calcium intake and Vitamin D.

Most hip fractures occur as a result of low-energy falls in elderly patients. Hip fractures are very dangerous episodes especially for elderly and frail patients. The risk of dying from the stress of the surgery and the injury in the first few days is about 10 per cent. If the condition is untreated, patient can have pressure sores and chest infections.

Preventive measures against fractures:

• Exercise to strengthen your bones
• Take adequate calcium and vitamin D in your diet or as advised by your doctor
• Preserve your bone density by avoiding excessive alcohol and to stop smoking
• Lower your risk of falls, especially in bathrooms. Hence have handrails in bathrooms and the floor tiles should not be slippery
• Keep away the slippery rugs, mats, electrical cords or anything else that can trip you.

Ludhiana, November 21
Out of the total 2,907 dengue cases reported in city hospitals from various parts of Punjab, 1,826 cases have surfaced in Ludhiana district this year. The health authorities have confirmed 10 deaths from dengue in the state, whereas city hospitals have the confirmation of more than a dozen deaths from Ludhiana alone.

More than the number of increased cases, it is the changing trend in the dengue fever this year that has become a matter of concern for the health experts.

The emergence of cases of dengue fever is not just restricted to urban areas this season as more than 40 per cent of the dengue patients were from rural areas of Ludhiana district.

Villages adjoining Sudhar, Sidhwan Bet, Sahnewal, Sherpur, Malaud, Hambran and various other rural areas, too, were under the impact of dengue fever, making the department of health and family welfare to organise awareness campaigns in all the above areas.

District Epidemiologist Dr GP Mangla stated that this "change" points towards the urbanisation of villages. "People in villages have coolers, modern utility items and garbage accumulation, too, is on the rise, which has made conditions appropriate for the larvae of Aedes mosquito to grow and develop into adult mosquito, the carrier of infection," said the epidemiologist.

However, the number of cases has declined in the last one week.

Said Dr Mangla, "We were getting almost 100 patients in a week till November 10, but now the number of cases in a week has gone down to 30 per week."

The weather conditions, at present, are not favourable for the larvae of Aedes mosquito, as the temperature is between 14 degrees Celsius to 26 degrees Celsius.

More than 40 per cent of the dengue patients have been from rural areas of Ludhiana district this season. District Epidemiologist Dr GP Mangla stated that this "change" points towards the urbanisation of villages. "People in villages have coolers, modern utility items and garbage accumulation, too, is on the rise, which has made conditions appropriate for the larvae of Aedes mosquito, the carrier of infection."

Ludhiana, November 22
Widespread encroachments, poor disposal of sewerage water and the poor condition of electricity wires has made life of residents and shopkeepers of Talaab Mandir Bazaar miserable. Despite several complaints, nothing has changed in the area.

The congested bazaar is among the most fire-prone areas of the city. The poor condition of electricity wires in the area could lead to fire accidents. But despite repeated complaints by the shopkeepers the Powercom authorities have never bothered to get them replaced.

Though the shopkeepers conduct business worth crores of rupees daily yet they are helpless before the authorities. Poor civic amenities are being provided to them and despite several complaints nobody has ever bothered to redress their grievances. One of the biggest problem faced by the area residents is the choking of sewerage line for which to some extent they too are responsible. The encroachments on the nullah have resulted in frequent choking. Similarly, the plastic and other waste material thrown by the shopkeepers in the sewerage lines also 
block them.

Many times the MC staff has also expressed their helplessness to clear the sewerage due to encroachments and throwing of the waste by the shopkeepers regularly. But the shopkeepers blame the apathy of the civic body for the mess.

Another major problem faced by the area residents is that of traffic congestion, which is largely due to the widespread of illegal encroachments in the area. Though the MC staff had conducted a massive drive a few months back to clear these encroachments but due to lack of proper monitoring by the civic body they have resurfaced again.

In order to attract customers, the shopkeepers have started putting their goods in front of their shops due to which the traffic gets blocked in the bazaar.

Problems of the area are grave since the area has gradually transformed from residential into commercial so the magnitude of problems has increased and efforts are on to solve tthem.

We are living in sheer mess but nobody has ever bothered to listen to our grievances. Before elections, the top brass of the ruling alliance had been visiting our shops and made tall promises at that time but all proved to be vain. We are living under constant threat due to poor condition of electric wires but the Powercom officials claim that they do not have the new one to replace them.

— Dhiren Aggrawal

The traffic nuisance in the area along with the choked sewerage lines has made our lives miserable. It seems that the authorities are hardly bothered about providing the civic amenities to us. Traders are the biggest taxpayers but nobody bothers to provide facilities to them.

— Raman Ahuja

The major problem of the area is that of illegal encroachments but it seems that nobody is bothered about that. Every shopkeeper has displayed goods outside their shop, which leads to frequent traffic jams.

— Ved Prakash

The problem of the choked sewerage is increasing day by day but there is no solution to it. As the lines of sewerage are very old and small due to which it gets choked. Similarly, the vehicles are parked in such a haphazard manner that the traffic gets blocked.

— Ashwani Vohra

The major problem of the area is that of traffic, which is largely due to illegal encroachments. We have requested the shopkeepers many times to refrain from it but nobody is ready to listen. Similarly, another major problem is that of the old wires but despite several requests nobody has bothered to replace them.

— Yash Ahuja

The major threat is that of old wires, which have almost formed a web around the market. A slight sparking in these wires can result in accidents. But the irony is that despite several requests nobody is ready to listen to us sowe feel harassed.

— Vijay Singhania

Ludhiana, November 22
It is not yet Christmas, but the intoxicating aroma of the "cake-mixing ceremony" at Hotel Fortune Klassik brought alive the rich tradition, heralding in the spirit of the festival.

Christmas is no fun without the traditional Christmas cake; and making this cake is not a quick, easy simple step. Preparations begin months in advance. The first step towards making the cake is the mixing process, formally called the "Cake Mixing Ceremony", a ritual religiously followed the world over and said to be a harbinger of good tidings and happiness.

It was all rums and raisins at Fortune Klassik. Armed with gloves and chef hats the hotel staff rolled up their sleeves to mix mounds and mounds of brown dates, black currants, red cherries, figs, dry apricot, candid ginger, orange peels, almonds, prunes, raisins, cashew nuts, walnut, spices of ground cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and other secret spices. The ceremony reached the spirited level when the staff poured bottles of whisky, white and dark rum, vodka, gin, wine, beer and honey syrup.

These were mixed till the dry fruits fattened on the liquor, wielding the magic on the invigorating mixture days before Christmas.

"The cake-mixing ceremony is done days ahead of the season. Dry fruits, nuts are soaked in wine and liquor, mixed thoroughly and kept for maturation for a few weeks," said Vishal, executive chef of the hotel.

After kneading, the mixture was emptied in large containers and stored away till just a couple of days before Christmas, with occasional stirring, to ensure the nuts soaked till they are swollen.

"The mixture is now going to be placed in a secure place to soak in all liquid and mature beautifully in time for Christmas, and will then be used by the in-house bakery to make plum cakes, puddings," added the chef.

Ludhiana, November 22
Deepak Builders NRI Hunters, Ludhiana, recorded three consecutive wins to secure a berth in the semi-final in the ongoing inaugural edition of the Punjab Premier League being held at Guru Nanak Stadium and Satish Chander Dhawan Government College grounds here today.

In the match played at Government College campus ground, Deepak Builders NRI Hunters, Ludhiana, beat Jalandhar Spartans by 34 runs.

Batting first, Deepak Builders NRI Hunters scored 130 runs after losing 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs in which the main contributions came through Harikishan Kalli and Amrit Singla, who made 46 and 20 runs, respectively.

In reply, Jalandhar Spartan's innings folded at 96 runs in 18.4 overs. For the winners, Amit Verma and Rajiv were the pick of bowlers who scalped four and three victims, respectively.

Earlier, in the match played between Deepak Builders NRI Hunters and Chandigarh Ninjas, the former came out triumphant with ease. They scripted a 155-run victory.

Deepak Builders NRI Hunters made a mammoth total of 291 runs for 7 in the allotted 20 overs. The main scorers were Harikishan Kalli (80) and Anil Singla who chipped in with 61 runs, while Gaurav Marwaha made 20 runs and Shakun Jindal, too, scored 20 runs. Then they restricted their opponents to 136 runs after 18.1 overs. For Deepak Builders, Gurbaksh captured three wickets and Ravi Verma claimed two wickets. Sunny and Amit Verma grabbed one wicket each.

In the third match, played last night, Deepak Builders NRI Hunters defeated Malwai Kings by 77 runs.

In reply to Deepak Builders NRI Hunters' total of 217 runs (Anil Singla-74, Amit Verma-30 and Rinku-22), Malwai Kings were shot out for a meagre total of 140 runs .

For the winners, Amit Verma sent down four overs and took four wickets, followed by Harikishan Kalli, who captured two wickets in his quota of four overs.

Ludhiana, November 21
The state local bodies department has ordered the Punjab Water Supply Sewerage Board (PWSSB) to complete the pending projects to set up 19 tubewells in various areas of the city by the end of this year.

Municipal corporation officials had raised the issue at a recent meeting with local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia after residents complained to them as well as politicians about water supply problems leaders. The officials had informed the minister work on 15 tubewell projects had been stalled while power connections for four others were awaited.

According to the list of tubewell projects submitted to Kalia by the MC work was pending in Sector 39 Urban Estate, Phase 8 of Industrial Focal Point near the treatment pant, Gurmail Nagar, Sunder Nagar, New Samrat Colony, Mahan Laxmi Nagar, Makker Colony, Pushap Vihar Colony, Guru Nanak Nagar, Guru Amardass Nagar, Sham Nagar Kande Wala, LIG/MIG Danga Peerat Colony, Preet Nagar Station No 3, Kashmir Nagar and Mini Rose Garden.

Similarly power connections for four tubewells at Haibowal (New Atam Nagar), Nalli Mohalla, LIG Danga Peerat Colony and Gau Ghat gurdwara are yet to be provided despite the fact that work of setting up the tubewells were completed a long time ago.

The MC officials had requested Kakia to get the work completed at the earliest else the residents would be facing acute shortage of water in the coming summers. Sources said the minister ordered PWSSB officials to complete work on the tubewells by December end or latest by the first week of the new year. PWSSB officials have swung into action to complete the stalled projects, the sources added. PWSSB SE RP Gupta confirmed the local bodies minister had asked the board to expedite work.

Ludhiana, November 22
Doraha Public School registered victories in the girls as well as boys sections on the first day in the Sahodaya Schools Complex (East) Basketball Tournament being organised at Mehta Gurkul Public School, Doraha, near here today.

In the boy's U-14 section, Doraha Public School scored an emphatic 18-7 win over hosts Mehta Gurukul Public School while Tagore International School overwhelmed Saffron City School, Fatehgarh Sahib, 20-2.