Ludhiana, April 21
In a move viewed as a relaxation from conventional dress norms, teachers at the city’s Guru Nanak Girls College have been given freedom to wear “western” outfits twice a week.Explaining that the the initiative has been taken in keeping with the times, college officials feel “professionalism and efficiency must be visible to the students as well”.

Talking to the Ludhiana Tribune, college principal Charanjit Kaur Mahal said the change was necessary in view of the rapid changes in cultural and social mores. "The instructions (on easing the dress code) have been issued after discussions with faculty members and the trust that runs the college. However, there’s no compulsion for anyone to wear decent western outfits for two days a week", she said.

According to the new dress norms teachers will have to wear the traditional ‘salwar-kameez’ or saris from Monday to Thursday while on Fridays and Saturdays they can opt for “western” dresses, which include jeans and tops or slacks.

However, the move has not gone well with some senior faculty members, many of whom had raised objections over the new "dress code".

"Throughout my life I’ve worn ‘salwar-kameez’ or saris to college and now they’ve given us the choice of wearing western outfits. We must feel comfortable wearing our own traditional dresses. The college administration had earlier asked all of us to wear western dresses for two-days but this was relaxed after many teachers objected. There shouldn’t be any compulsion. If the younger lot wants to present a modern look they should be allowed to do so, but we certainly aren’t interested in this change", said a faculty member on condition of anonymity.

Mahal on the other hand observed several teachers had of late started coming to college dressed in “casual” outfits like capris to which she said the administration had objected.

"We held a meeting and decided that they could wear western dresses for two days. We’re certainly not backward. The college offers professional courses and the faculty has to be smart enough to teach students in an efficient manner. There are about 165 teachers and many of them want to wear western outfits but, due to family constraints, we haven’t made it compulsory for anyone to do", said Mahal.

Ludhiana, April 21
It was just another day for Parveen Kanta, the mother of Nitin Garg, when news broke that a 16-year-old boy had reportedly confessed before an Australian court to killing her son in Melbourne in January 2009. “The confession can’t bring back my son who was murdered for no fault of his. After his tragic death, life will never be the same for me again. The boy’s senseless act has devastated a happy family and created a void than will never be filled,” she said.

“The murder reflects the deteriorating social environment and the erosion of moral values among the younger generation. No one can understand the pain I’m going through ever since my child was killed in Australia. I haven’t been able to sleep properly since then. The court should punish the murderer so that no mother would lose her child like me," said Kanta.

She asserted the parents of the boy who had reportedly confessed to the murder should also be held accountable for “neglecting their son who went on to kill an innocent man”. On being asked whether she would ever visit Australia, she replied: “No I’ll never ever go to that country. Nitin used to request me to visit Australia and enjoy the sight of its beautiful beaches and landscapes. But after the tragedy I have no inclination to visit the land that consumed my son.”

Nitin’s elder brother Honey, who was pursuing the murder case and had even traveled to Australia to ensure the suspects were caught and punished, was sitting relaxed at his home in Jagraon. He said he had thanked the Australian police for their investigations that led to the confession of a juvenile who reportedly pleaded guilty before a court.

“It was Aman, a close friend of Nitin, who had helped in sending the latter’s body to India from Melbourne, who first broke the news to the deceased’s family members, who later watched it on TV”, said Varinder Kumar, Nitin’s uncle.

Nitin, 21, was fatally stabbed in he abdomen by assailants as he walked through a Melbourne park in January 2010. An accounting graduate in Australia on a student visa, Nitin staggered to a nearby Hungry Jack's restaurant where his friends tried to help him. He later died in the hospital.

The incident led to strained ties between Australia and India and resulted in a significant decline in the number of Indians applying for a student visa to study Down Under.

The family said it appreciated the efforts made by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and Congress party MP Manish Tiwari in pursuing the homicide case and putting pressure on the Australian government nab the suspect.

Ludhiana, April 21
If you thought sexual harassment at the workplace was only confined to offices of private firms, well, then think again. According to Punjab State Women’s Commission chairperson Gurdev Kaur Sangha, such instances in government offices are on the rise.

In 2010 alone nearly 49 cases of sexual harassment cases were reported in offices of government organisations. However, of the 49 complaints filed ten were resolved while 39 are still pending with the government departments concerned.

During the past three months the commission has received ten complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace where the female victim alleged their bosses made sexual advances at them. “Only seven of these complaints have been resolved amicably”, said Sangha.

Accompanied by commission members Parveen Sharma and Ranjit Kaur, Sangha visited the city’s Circuit House on Thursday to address complaints of sexual violence by women from Faridkot, Moga, Ferozepore, Muktsar as well as Ludhiana. They took up 41 complaints pertaining to domestic violence and sexual harassment in government offices.

“In complaints relating to sexual exploitation the commission gives a deadline of 30 to 45 days to file a reply, while in some cases the inquiry is extended for further investigations”, said Sangha.

After arriving to a conclusion the woman commission file its submission in the department concerned for taking action against the erring employees. “Some government officials including cops have been suspended following the action of women commission,” said Sangha, adding in 2010 the commission received 1,341 complaints of which 683 were resolved.

“In some cases women are also to blame. In 5 per cent of sexual harassment complaints women levelled false agitation against their bosses after being asked by the latter to reach office on time. Tough the percentage looks small, but false allegation cases are on the rise. Many women level false allegations in order to settle scores with their bosses,” said Sangha.

Ludhiana, April 21
If a car stops next to you and two smartly dressed women compel you to hitch a ride in their vehicle, beware and raise the alarm as these women are not philanthropists, but part of a gang of snatchers on the prowl in posh areas of the city.

In the latest incident, an elderly woman identified as Harbhajan Kaur of Model Town was robbed near a gurdwara after she was “forcibly” made to sit in a car. She was returning from the gurdwara when three persons, including a man, in a car offered her a lift.

The victim refused to acknowledge them, but the women alighted from the car and said they were her neighbours and forced her to sit in the car.

After driving some distance, they let her get off. However, relatives of the victim refused to divulge any details. But onlookers claimed that the snatchers fled with her gold ornaments.

The SHO of Model Town Manjinder Singh said: “The method adopted by the snatchers is not conventional. We have not witnessed such a case. Since the gang involves women, it will not be difficult to nab them. We are in the process of preparing a sketch of the women snatchers,” he said.

Ludhiana, April 21
Whether it is the purported aim to ensure “optimum” use of public land or the insatiable hunger to make money, politicians and bureaucrats at the helm of affairs in the state appear bent on ruthlessly destroying the city’s glorious heritage.

The latest historic structure to go is the 174-year-old Kotwali police station. Arguably the oldest structure built in the city during the British Raj, it has been demolished to give way for construction of an “ultramodern” building.

The Kotwali is the second historic building after the Sessions Courts that dates back to British rule to have fallen prey to soaring real estate prices.

While the local police earned laurels for building the modern Sadar police station, which incidentally ranked first in Asia in the Altis visitor week competition, the men in khakhi have failed to restore their own heritage.

According to sources close to the police department, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) will soon auction about four acres of land on which the Kotwali police station stands after flattening the structure.

Declared unsafe in 1994, the department did not take any initiative to restore the building. Neither did the ‘babus’ (clerical staff) and officials of the Archeological Survey of India take the pain to protect the structure, which took over 20 labourers to demolish.

"Who said this building was crumbling? The quality of the bricks used is better than the ones available these days. Though the basic construction materials consist of mud and limestone the structure was rock solid. And there was no sign the building was going to fall apart soon," said a labourer.

Said Kotwali police station house officer Nirmal Singh: "A major portion of the old building had already crumbled. I have come to know that GLADA would soon construct a market on this land."

Though civic officials have maintained the Kotwali police station was in a shambles, the structure technically qualified for being preserved as a protected monument. Any building of historical importance has to be preserved as a heritage monument if it is over a hundred years old.

Every now and then shopkeepers in the area as well as politicians had called for demolishing the historic building citing worsening traffic problems, even though none of the several encroachments on the road were removed.

An inscription - ‘1834’ - on the Kotwali police station’s huge entrance door is the only indication the structure was built in that year. The Ludhiana Gazetteer states the first police office set up in the city was a "branch thugee office" in 1848, which was probably housed in this building.

Over the years the dilapidated structure often drew criticism for being neglected with the greater part of the premises overrun by wild vegetation. However, the building was never on the priority list of the state government or civic officials for repairs and renovation.

Ludhiana, April 21
The youth of Lalton Kalan village won its battle against quackery and drug addiction as the department of health and family welfare today closed down Gill Clinic which was being run by a quack, Jasmel Singh Gill.

A senior health official today shut the clinic in front of the panchayat, asking it to keep a vigil on the activities of the quack who has been accused of selling habit-forming drugs to the village youth under the garb of dispensing medicines. The village residents had accused that he was openly selling cough syrups, tablets and injections, including corex, lomotil, parvon spas, diazepam, fortwin and morphine.

Jasmel Singh does not have a pharmacy certificate, a must for dispensing medicines. But he has stocked medicines in his house-cum-clinic. Also, he is not authorised to call himself a doctor since he does not possess a valid degree in any of the recognised systems of medicines.

The action was initiated after news reports appeared in Ludhiana Tribune. Determined to carry on with their fight against quackery and drug addiction, Harkomal Singh, Parminder Singh, Narwinder Singh and Aman Brar have pledged to make their village drug-free. 

Ludhiana, April 21
Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura has directed employees of the civic body to defy orders of his party colleague and President of the Youth Akali Dal Simerjeet Singh Bains following the Municipal Corporation Zonal Commissioner’s arrest.

Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura usually asserts that he is “cordial” with all councilors irrespective of their party. But on Thursday he spitted venom against councillors of his own party better known as the Bains group. Giaspura along with Senior Deputy Mayor Praveen Bansal, Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) member Pal Singh Grewal, Congress councillors Parminder Mehta and Bharat Bhushan Ashu supported civic staff protest against the arrest of the Zonal Commissioner and staged a dharna.

He even criticised Bains and his supporters and assured agitating municipal employees of all support. He even directed officials to defy orders issued by the Bains group. “I order officers of the house tax, building and the tehbazaari branch to defy orders of those who call them in a room at C zone,” he added.

Councillors and union leaders of the municipal corporation, including Lachman Dravid and Vijay Danav, others also trained their guns against the Vigilance Bureau and the Bains group for plotting to trap an officer. However, Hakam Singh from the Engineers’ Association and Hans Raj Gaggat of the Sanitary Workers’ Union criticised officers and employees for not co-operating them when a few officers of the engineering branch were suspended and terminated from the services. But, both of them assured the staff they would support them in all circumstances. Later. Agitating staff resumed their duty after an assurance by the Mayor.

The groups led by the Mayor and Bains had been at loggerheads with each other ever since the 2007 municipal elections. Both groups had been trying to sideline each other in local politics. 

Ludhiana, April 21
The Congress today came out in support of Zonal Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation AS Sekhon. Both the District Congress Committee (Urban) and the District Youth Congress condemned the vigilance action, terming it as an “organised attack” against honest government officials.

Addressing a news conference here today, DCC president Jagmohan Sharma said Sekhon was known to be honest. “His honesty has been rewarded by his public humiliation and arrest.” He claimed that certain corrupt officials and a section of SAD leaders, including a few councillors, were behind it. Sekhon has been punished for refusing to toe the line of these Akali leaders, Sharma alleged.

DYC president Dimple Rana, addressing party workers, alleged that the government was out to demoralise honest and upright officials, who were being implicated in false cases. He said the situation created by “anti-people” policies of the government in Punjab had come to such a pass that even legislators and ministers were holding protests against their own government.

Ludhiana, April 21
Meat eaters can finally heave a sigh of relief. Danger of contracting dreaded diseases will no longer haunt them as animals will be hygienically butchered in the city. The health wing of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation is all set to enact bylaws for the meat shops on the pattern of the one introduced by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation.

The municipal corporation will enact bylaws in this regard by the end of this month. Newcomers in this business will have to complete several formalities like shop locations, customers health and proper hygiene, before getting their respective licenses. The workers as well as meat cutting tools in all shops would be examined by the department at regular intervals.

While talking to The Tribune, Dr Charanjeet Uppal, Health Officer, Municipal Corporation’s health wing, said: "With the implementation of the guidelines, the meet shop owners will have to include geysers, safe cutting tools and utensils at the shops. We will also raid these shops at regular intervals.”

As per the guidelines, the shops would have to be larger in size with concrete floors and wall tiles would have to be pasted up to 6 to 8 foot in height. The garbage containers will have to be cleaned at regular intervals.

Uppal further said: "Those working in the4 meat shops should be medically examined regularly by doctors to ensure that they do not spread any communicable disease like tuberculosis. Also they should not have any wound on their hands or any other part of the body."

The guidelines would also take care of the religious sentiments of the people, and sufficient distance from the religious places would have to be maintained.

Jagraon, April 21
Traffic congestion on the Lajpat Rai Road has persistently been a sore point for those residing in the city for the past several years. Except for Sundays, there is hardly any day when commuters and locals are confronted with long traffic jams. The situation is worst in localities surrounding the Lajpat Rai Road.

Most of the visitors mainly outsides park their vehicles haphazardly thus blocking the traffic. Besides this, a few pick-up and heavy vehicles also remain unevenly parked on this road. This has worsened the situation further.

Ludhiana, April 21
A local businessman claims to be receiving threatening phone calls after the arrest of a Zonal Commissioner by sleuths of the Vigilance Bureau.

With the Mayor’s camp targeting young councillor Simerjeet Singh Bains for the arrest of Zonal Commissioner Amarjeet Singh Sekhon, people have totally forgotten Ravinder Singh, who had lodged a complaint against the officer with the Vigilance Bureau for allegedly accepting the bribe.

But, Ravinder Singh allege that he has been receiving threatening calls to take back his complaint or face dire consequences. “I have been receiving threatening calls from a few unknown numbers for taking my complaint back,” Ravinder Singh said.

Not only this, he alleged that a few unidentified persons came to his house yesterday and abused him after he refused to open the door. Ravinder Singh, a businessman, who owns a factory at the Suha Road, is so frightened that he refused to get his photograph clicked for the newspaper.

“Despite keeping a low profile I am receiving threatening calls. They will kidnap me if my photograph is published,” he added.

Justifying the Vigilance Bureau’s action against Sekhon, Ravinder Singh asserted that the officer had demanded Rs 15, 000 as bribe for settling the house tax assessment case worth Rs 38, 000 of his factory. He alleged that the Zonal Commissioner had assured him that the house tax levied on his factory was of previous years and once he pay the bribe they would project the factory as closed so that no new tax gets levied on it. Ravinder Singh also refuted the allegations levelled by municipal employees and councillors that turban of Sekhon was removed and vigilance officials had used force. “I am a true Sikh, how can I tolerate the issue of Sekhon’s turban being removed,” he added.

Peeved about the open support of Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura and municipal employees to the officer, Ravinder Singh said the officials had been released under political pressure. He, however, said he would take legal advice regarding the matter to decide his future course of action. “I will continue my fight against corruption and nepotism in the civic body,” he added. 

Ludhiana, April 21
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) celebrated its 6th foundation day today. GS Sandhu, IAS, Financial Commissioner, animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries department was the chief guest.

Dr AK Srivastava, Director-cum-Vice Chancellor, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, was the guest of honour and Dr VK Taneja Vice-Chancellor, GADVASU, presided over the function.

While appreciating the commendable work that GADVASU had done in the past five years, Sandhu said the livestock sector, especially dairy and fisheries, was coming up fast but further focus should be given to feed and health management.

He further stressed on strengthening the extension wing so that the latest recommendations of the university should be reached to the farmers. Sandhu appreciated the GADVASU extension services for transferring the technology by various means, especially for publishing the monthly Punjabi magazine “Vigyanak Pashu Palan” and other publications in local languages.

Dr VK Taneja appreciated the whole faculty for their excellent performance during these five years. He said GADVASU aimed at motivating the faculty to work hard and bring more projects, name and fame. He explained how the university extension had brought the change in livestock enterprise in the Animal Welfare Centre, Gureh.

Dr AK Srivastava greeted GADVASU for successful completion of five years. He highlighted the role of livestock sector in Nation Economy. He said though globally India ranked first in milk production, but the productivity per animal was far below than the developed countries. Further he said now after 100 year of cross-breeding programmes in India, it was the time to reveal the positive and negative of this programme and advised the judicial use of cross-breeding programmes.

He emphasised on preservation of high yielder indigenous breeds like Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Gir, culling of unproductive animals, developing the designer food, nutraceuticals, probiotics, fortification of milk, strengthening of marketing channels, public private partnership and cooperative system etc.

Dr Simart Sagar Singh, Dean, College of Veterinary Science, proposed the vote of thanks. He appreciated the role of Dr MS Oberoi, the then Dean of Veterinary College, in the establishment of GADVASU.

NCC celebrates Earth Day

“My Earth” campaign was launched by 3Pb Girls’ BN NCC, Ludhiana, here on Thursday with an initiative to create awareness on the burning issues like depleting forest cover, water and air pollution and climate change. The campaign aims at engaging cadets of various institutions like Khalsa Senior Secondary School, BVM, Udham Singh Nagar, Sacred Heart Convent School, Sarabha Nagar, BVM, Kitchlu Nagar, Tagore Public School and JGF, Sudhar. As many as 350 cadets of the above institutions participated with great zeal and enthusiasm by making posters, performing a street play and conducting a rally. Principals and ANOs motivated the cadets. The campaign is being drawn up as an innovative one from all conceivable aspects and is trying to reach a sizeable population effectively in Ludhiana. 

Ludhiana, April 21
The State Bank of Patiala has reduced its interest rate on domestic term deposits from April 21 for the period 181 days to less than 1 year from 9.75 per cent per annum to 8.25 per cent per annum.

However, rate of interest on the other slabs has remained unchanged. Senior citizens will get 10.25 per cent for deposits of one year and above. Interest on SBP Tax Saving Scheme is kept at 8.50 per cent per annum.

Ludhiana, April 21
In a daylight snatching incident, which reflects the growing audaciousness of snatchers, two motorcycle-borne youths entered a confectionery store and snatched a gold chain of the shop owner here today.

According to victim Satish Kumar, owner of Kannu confectionery, located on the Hambra road, near Gobind Goudham, two youths came on a motorcycle and snatched his gold chain.

“The youth sitting pillion alighted from the vehicle and walked into the shop. He asked for toffees worth Rs 10. After I had given him the toffees he handed over the sweets to his accomplice sitting on the motorcycle. The youth arrived again and asked for some more sweets. I again gave the toffees. On the third attempt the youth came again and asked for an ointment. The moment I turned to pick the ointment placed on a shelf, the youth snatched my 1.5 tola gold chain and fled from the scene on a motorcycle,” said Satish Kumar.

Shopkeepers of the area, who witnessed the snatchers fleeing from the scene, said the snatchers were in their 20s and were riding a black Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle.

The police reached the spot and recorded the statement of Satish Kumar.

Ludhiana, April 21
The local police claims to have busted a gang of snatchers, who had created panic in posh areas like Sarabha Nagar, BRS Nagar and Rajguru Nagar, with the arrest of three youths.

The trio identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Central Town, Narinder Kohli of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Saurav of Aman Nagar. They were nabbed from near a security checkpoint near Keys hotel located in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.

SHO Sarabha Nagar said they were school dropouts and were addicted to a cough syrup. Their modus operandi was simple. Only two persons used to travel on a bike, while the third one used to stay near a park in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.

Their primary target used to be women walking alone in a deserted street. Gopi was expert mobile snatching, while Narinder and Saurav used to ply motorcycle as per their turn. The SHO said they were signaled to stop, but they tried to flee. Policemen gave them a chase and intercepted their vehicle.

The police seized a laptop, which the accused had snatched near Rose Garden a few days ago, two ladies purse and 10 mobile phones from their possession.

Ludhiana, April 21
Bollywood actor Kumar Sahil, a one-film wonder, was robbed by three unknown persons at Gill Road area here this afternoon.

The suspects who were travelling in a car intercepted Sahil’s vehicle and snatched away Rs 2 lakh from him. The victim was heading towards his office at the time of the incident.

The robbers not only snatched a packet containing around Rs 2 lakh, but even thrashed Kumar Sahil in public view. He received minor injuries.

Sahil stated that he had gone to the Janata Nagar area of the city to collect a payment of Rs 7.5 lakh from someone, who had purchased a plot from his father, Gulshan Kumar, a city-based coloniser.

“The payment was being carried in two packets, one containing around Rs 5.5 lakh, which was lying on the rear seat of the car, and another having Rs 2 lakh that was lying on a front seat. The moment I reached the Gill Road, a white coloured Maruti Zen started following me. Three clean-shaven youth in their mid 20s were sitting in that car,” Sahil informed.

“They intercepted my car and started abusing me. One of them even picked up a brick and threatened that if I did not come out, he would attack me. The moment I stepped out of the car, all three of them started beating me up,” Sahil alleged. SHO Balwinder Singh stated that the police was looking into the matter and that a case would also be registered. He has not ignored road rage and personal enmity angle.