Ludhiana, May 21
Girls have yet again outplayed boys by securing top positions in all four streams in the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) Class XII results.

Navita Puri, principal, Kundan Vidya Mandir (KVM) School, said, "It was expected that girls would do well. The girls have shown more dedication and hard work, which has yielded good results. They are also perceived to be more serious in their studies than boys and this is what works in their favour.”

This year's proud toppers, including Garima Aneja (with 98 per cent marks in commerce), Gursimran Kaur (97.4 per cent in non-medical), Nilita Sood and Mehraj Kaur (97 per cent in medical), Shivangi Sood (97.4), have thrown their male counterparts out of the competition. “Look at the irony, while the girls doing well in every field, people still crave for a male child, We may have brought changes in society, but there are people who still consider girls as burden,” Sunil Vinayak, a designer.

Ludhiana, May 23
The dream team of Garima Aneja and Gursimran Kaur of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, came out triumph in Class XII Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) results by securing top positions in the district in commerce and non-medical streams here today.

The duo of Garima and Gursimran Kaur scored 98 per cent and 97.4 per cent marks, respectively in commerce and non-medical streams, respectively, while it was a double delight for DAV Public School as Mehnaz Kaur and Nilita Sood became the bracketed toppers with 97 per cent in medical stream.

Shiwangi Sood held the fort for BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, as he topped in humanities with 97.4 per cent marks.

The Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, today declared the results of Class XII. The schools were humming with jubilant achievers, who were sharing their achievement with their teachers, friends and parents.

Holding sweet meat boxes in the hands, they were seen offering sweets to teachers, while the other students of the school were also feeling equally enthusiastic after hearing the announcements of their school results.

Garima while sharing her success with Sister Chantal, principal of the school, said, “The school played a big role in guiding me.”

Talking to the Tribune RS Patial Principal of DAV Public School said, “I am happy that hard work of students, parents and teachers has been rewarded.”

While Shiwangi Sood of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, topped in humanities with 97.4 per cent marks. Bubbling with joy, this achiever said, “I am thankful to my school principal Paramjeet Kaur and all teachers for always inspiring me and guiding me.”

Ludhiana, May 23
She is an achiever, but with a difference. Shiwangi Sood, a student of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, who has topped in humanities group in the district with 97.4 per cent, believes in learning by doing.

Perhaps this is why she became a teacher of her soft toys and then her classmates, whom she helped to pass in first division.

Talking to The Tribune, Shiwangi said, “I used to learn by acting as teacher to my soft toys. I used to keep those in my room and consider those as my students. Whenever I had to learn something, I acted as teacher and could memorise my subject during teaching practice.”

Wishing to be an IPS officer, she said, “After some time, I started teaching 13 weak students of my class on nominal charges. They were finding it tough to pass when I started teaching them. But today, I am very happy that some of them have passed in first division, with a few scoring 70 per cent.”

She is aspiring to do BSc in psychology from Panjab University in Chandigarh or Delhi University. “I lost about 5 kg during examinations as I used to dance a lot whenever was under stress. Dancing and listening to music relaxes me a lot.”

Ludhiana, May 23
He turned his stumbling blocks into stepping stones, but not without overcoming pain. Goormeet Singh, a student of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School here, who scored 90.4 per cent in humanities, has an inspirational tale for all.

Suffering from juvenile reactive arthritis for the past more than four years and complex regional pain syndrome, Goormeet Singh once again has come up with flying colours.

Talking to The Tribune, he said, “I was not keeping well and used to exercise for at least four hours a day. Once I warm up my body through yoga, physiotherapy and stretching, I find myself more for than a normal person. I worked hard under the guidance of my teachers and parents and scored.”

Goormeet, who wanted to be a doctor, had to change his aim. He said, “When I was in class IX, my right arm went into contracture. Later after a lot of exercise, it opened. The doctor advised that six hours of study at school and four hours of tuition for studying medical would be difficult for me. This became as a turning point in my life and I decided to study humanities. But I enjoy it. Only yesterday, I went to Chandigarh with my father for appearing in the law entrance exam.”

His father Jasmeet Singh, an investor, and mother Navneet Kaur, a home-maker, said, “We have only one son, but we feel very proud of him. We do not have words to express thanks to God and school principal Paramjit Kaur for awarding him and Dr Aman Sharma, assistant professor of internal medicine at the PGI, who is treating him.”

The time when all students love to watch TV or chat with each other, this achiever has to play in the ground. About this, Goormeet said, “To keep my body warm, I have to play football or any other game daily. When I get up in the morning, my whole body gets spastic. So I heat it up through yoga for 45 minutes and start my daily chores. In a way , exercise is lifeline.”

Ludhiana, May 23
Students and schools tried to get the class XII CBSE result, which was declared today, at the earliest, but due to glitches in the CBSE website, www.cbse.nic.in, many had to face problems.

Harmeet Kaur Waraich, principal of Nankana Sahib Public School, said, “We tried to see the school result at 10:30 am, but it did not open through the code. So we started downloading the result candidate-wise and got it. It was a very time-consuming process.

It was around 12:15 pm when the website started functioning properly and we could download the school result in one go.”

A similar problem was mentioned by Dr Vandana Shahi, principal of BCM School, Dugri.

She said, “Due to overloading on the website, we faced initial glitches in downloading the result. It took us a long time to find out even as our students continued to have anxious moments,” she said. Students of various schools were eager to know the result. “I tried the website on my computer. It did not work.

Then I went to a cyber cafe, but to no avail. Students were calling each other up to know if the website was working at their place,” said Ranvir Singh, a student.

Ludhiana, May 23
Punjab's MSME sector is in deep crisis due to rising prices. Ever since the process of economic reforms started in 1991,the cost of capital has become too high to absorb in these competitive times.

"Earlier, this sector was getting bank loan at a very low interest. The sector is being charged a new rate at about 7 per cent or even more against the base rate. Logic and precedent exists to cap the lending rate to this sector at + 2 per cent of the base rate," said PD Sharma, president of the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In addition to the interest rate, the processing charges are very exorbitant. Banks world over charge nominal interest rate but they make up with the fee-based services. Here the leading private banks are making best of both the worlds.

HDFC, Axis and IndusInd Banks have fee-based income, which compares very favorably with the interest incomes.

"The high processing charges has rendered the existence of MSME sector shaky in the competitive times. Due to acute shortage of labour and demand for adopting new technologies, things have turned from bad to worse for the sector," added Sharma.

Upkar Singh, Joint Secretary of Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings, apart from highlighting the high-bank processing charges said the MSME sector of industry was going through a bad phase.

Though the chamber (CICU) has been repeatedly acquainting the government of the critical position of the industry in Punjab especially MSMEs which were under stress, no respite has been provided by the present government.

Avtar Singh, general secretary of CICU, said the unwarranted hike and demand of additional security would prove fatal for the industry, which was already going through financial crisis and blockade of refundable VAT amounts. 

Ludhiana, May 23
Majority of toppers who topped in different streams are aspiring to have a career in civil services. The district topper in all streams, Garima Aneja, said, “I want to join the civil services because through this, one can bring corruption to an end. I personally feel that corruption is the main cause of all problems in India, so it should be tackled strictly. I aim to be a strict officer so that I can curb this menace."

While Shiwangi Sood who topped in humanities stream said she wanted to become an IPS officer. She said, “Dr Kiran Bedi is my role model. According to me salary and position does not matter, one should do what one believes in.''

While Arshdeep Kaur of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, who scored 95.6 per cent marks and stood second in humanities in the district, said, “I am also interested in becoming an IAS officer. I want to help the masses and that too through a respectable post. So after completing my economics (honours) I will sit for civil services examinations."

Ludhiana, May 23
Two students who bunked school were feared to have drowned in Sidhwan Canal here today. The victims, identified as Gagandeep Singh, a resident of Dhandra road, and Sidharth of Model Town, both students of class X of Green Land Senior Secondary School, Dugri road, bunked school, along with their classmates Sunny, Ishan Monga and Nipundeep Singh and went to Gurdwara Karamsar, Rara Sahib to pay obeisance.

Sunny, who was accompanying the students said the incident took place at around 11am while they were returning home after paying obeisance at Gurudwara Karamsar, Rara Sahib and halted at Flahi Sahib Gurdwara. Gagandeep and Sidharth entered into canal in order to swim but they drowned.

Mandi Ahmedgarh/ Raekot/Mullanpur Dakha, May 23
Compliance of the rules under the Municipal Solid Waste (management and handling) Act seems to be beyond the control of a majority of the civic bodies of the area.

What to talk of ensuring efficient modes of collection and processing of the solid wastes generated in localities governed by them, a majority of officials and office-bearers of the civic bodies are not conversant with the terms associated with the Act.

Office-bearers of the boards and committees constituted to monitor the maintenance of the standards regarding ground water, ambient air, leach quality and the compost quality also seem to be unconcerned about degradation of environment due to alleged rampant violation of the rules.

The authorities and elected representatives, on the other hand, have maintained that they had been exploiting all their resources to undertake management and handling of solid wastes being generated in their localities.

Investigation revealed that the management and handling of solid waste had emerged as the gravest problem for the office-bearers of the civic bodies of the area falling under the jurisdiction of Ludhiana and Sangrur districts.

While it was mandatory for the civic bodies to ensure that the solid waste should be collected, stored, segregated, transported, processed and disposed without causing threat to the health of residents of the area, ideal management and handling was conspicuous by absence.

Dumps of unsorted solid wastes in thickly populated localities, open trolleys carrying decomposing litter and burning of solid waste narrate telltale stories of the unconcern of the authorities towards implementation of the provisions of the Act. Foul smell emanating from decaying litter and smoke proves injurious to vegetation, besides proving harmful to human health.

Ludhiana: Away from the fiction of reality music competitions on television, Kundan Vidya Mandir organised a real singing competition-Sur Sangam. It was for students of classes LKG to XII. Five hundred students from Civil Lines and City Campus gave the audition, out of which 54 were selected for this mega event. MP Gupta, president, Kundan Lal Trust, was the chief guest.

Sarabha village (Ludhiana), May 23
Residents of Sarabha have demanded that freedom fighter and martyr Kartar Singh Sarabha's ancestral house in the village should be declared a national monument. "If the government wants to it can declare this tomorrow (Tuesday) itself, which also happens to be his birth anniversary, as Sarabha laid down his life for the freedom of our country. Besides his death anniversary on November 16 should also be declared a holiday," averred Jaswinder Singh, joint secretary of the Shaheed Kartar Singh Sports Club, Sarabha.

Sarabha’s ancestral house, situated in a narrow street of the village, was declared a protected monument by the Punjab archaeological department in 1998. Two years later then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal announced the house would be declared a national monument.

The house, where a watchman has been posted by the state government, has four rooms on the ground floor and some rooms on the first floor. The house now also has bust of the martyr and contains some things owned by the martyr's family.

Ludhiana, May 23
Months before the state assembly elections, the BJP seems to be a divided house. Health minister and senior BJP leader Satpal Gosain was to lay the foundation stones of two development projects in the city, but Senior Deputy Mayor Parveen Bansal gave a miss to both the functions.

Interestingly, one of the functions was organised in Bansal's constituency, from where he had been elected a municipal councilor thrice. Gosain laid the foundation stone of a childrens’ park coming up behind the civil hospital and a storm sewer project for the Janakpuri area residents.

Bansal rued that he was not intimated about the function. "I have been elected thrice the municipal councilor from that area and people know me personally. I had thought that my seniors would discuss the matter with me before organising such a function because it was a dream project for me. But it is sad that I was not even intimated about the function," he rued.

Amit Gosain, special secretary to the health minister informed that Bansal was duly informed by the BJP office about the function. "He should have been present at the function but maybe he was having some other priorities," he said.

When told that Bansal had stated that he was not intimated by any person about this function, Gosain was to quick to react, "You can confirm about it from the BJP office," Amit Gosain informed.

Further taking a dig at Senior Deputy Mayor Parveen Bansal, Amit Gosain stated that only he (Bansal) was having a problem with development works initiated in the city. "People from all political parties have welcomed this project of storm sewer as it will benefit people living in Janakpuri and adjoining areas, but Parveen Bansal is having some problem with it. Maybe he wants to play politics over this issue," Amit Gosain stated. To discuss the storm sewer project, Bansal had visited the Janakpuri area along with senior officials of the Sewerage Board and Municipal Corporation few days back. 

Mandi Ahmedgarh/Payal,May 23
Residents of the region seem to have lost hopes of seeing railway overpasses at certain crucial level crossings on the Ludhiana-Dhuri and Ludhiana-Khanna lines.

While the Punjab government is yet to send request to the railway ministry, the union government has maintained that work can be considered only after the receipt of proposals from the state government. Some railway overbridges (ROBs) demanded by the residents can be constructed on cost-sharing basis, while others qualify for deposit term condition.

The railway ministry has, however, taken more than one year to respond to letters written by Fatehgarh Sahib Member of Parliament Sukhdev Singh Libra, it is learnt.

“No proposal has been received from the state government in this regard. Proposals for all level crossings having train vehicle units (TVUs) of over one lakh, including LC No. B-164/A (near Doraha), have already been sent to the Punjab government for taking up the construction of overbridges on cost-sharing basis. The work can be considered after receiving the proposal from the state government,” reads a letter written by minister of state for railway KH Muniyappa in response to Libra’s letter on May 12, 2010.

Libra has been advised to take up the matter with the state government to expedite the process.

The minister has clarified that the level crossing No. B 25 on the Ludhiana-Dhuri line at Ahmedgarh did not qualify for the construction of an ROB on cost-sharing basis as it only had 81,710 TVUs, while the one near Doraha had TVUs over 6,02,988.

Ludhiana, May 23
About two years ago, 46-year-old Sarabjeet Kaur, a resident of Gurdaspur, used to experience headache, sometimes continuously and sometimes after regular intervals. Like everyone else, she took pain-killers. Some doctors said she had migraine while others said it was due to blood pressure. She kept running from pillar to post for relief.

Talking to The Tribune, Sarabjeet Kaur said, “We went to Amritsar and then to Delhi for treatment. At last, my husband Sucha Singh, a police sub-inspector, brought me to Sobti Neuro and Super Speciality Hospital. Dr Manoj Sobti told me that I had a tumour in the brain. I was operated upon. Now I am fine and have neither headache, nor pain in the eyes.”

Giving details, Dr Sobti said, “Her tumour was deep, under the pituitary gland. We had to operate upon her through open surgery as the tumour was jelly like and showed a mass lesion.” He said Rathke’s cleft cyst was a very rare benign tumour. Its incidence was less than 1 per cent of all brain tumours and only 62 such cases had been reported so far. He added that there was no specific reason behind it and it was not congenital.

Ludhiana, May 23
A local court has convicted Avtar Singh of Janakpuri (son of an ex-councillor Malkiat Kaur) and his two accomplices Inder Singh and Satwinder Singh of Janakpuri, Ludhiana, in a murder case.

Delivering the verdict, court of Additional Sessions Judge Karamjit Singh Kang ordered them to undergo rigorous life imprisonment. Besides, a fine of Rs 5,000 each was also imposed on them.

They were facing accusations of killing a cloth merchant, Ashok of Janakpuri, on December 31, 2003.

However, the court acquitted co-accused Kulbir Singh of EWS colony near Vardhman colony with the observation that the case against him to be doubtful.

According to prosecution, the motive behind the occurrence was that Avtar Singh was suspecting that his mother was having illicit relations with Ashok Kumar, a shopkeeper of Janakpuri, Ludhiana.

The police had recovered the dead body near Jainpur village. The body was having injuries on head and neck with sharp-edged weapon. Acid was also poured on head, face, chest and private parts of the dead body, which was lying naked except for one vest which was also burnt with the acid.

A case under Section 302, 34 of IPC was registered at the Sadar police station on January 1, 2004, on the complaint of Ramesh Kumar, brother of victim.

The complainant had stated to the police that last night his brother had gone to market, but he never returned. They tried to look for him with the help of other shopkeepers and friends, but all in vain. When the dead body was found, he disclosed to the police that Ashok was having illicit relations with Malkiat Kaur. The police examined 13 witnesses to prove the guilt of the accused.