Ludhiana, March 19
The Railways has decided to run special trains ahead of Holi to cope with heavy rush. Many long route trains have exhausted the permitted waiting list for advance reservation.

Officials say a weekly AC express train will run between Jammu Tawi and Ahmedabad. An express train will run between Amritsar and Barauni in Bihar while another train with sleeper and general coaches will run between Delhi and Udhampur. Besides, special trains will run on the Ferozepur-Saharsa and Ludhiana-Saharsa routes.

The AC Express will depart from Jammu on March 21 and 28 and from Ahmedabad on March 22 and 29. It will leave Jammu Tawi at 9.30 am, arrive in Ludhiana at 2.05 pm and reach Ahmedabad at 1.35 pm. On its return journey, the train will leave Ahmedabad at 3 pm, arrive in Ludhiana at 2.05 pm and reach Jammu Tawi at 8 pm.

The special train between Amritsar and Barauni with 16 unreserved coaches will depart from Amritsar at 12.35 pm, arrive in Ludhiana at 3 pm and reach Barauni at 5.50 pm.

From Barauni, the train will leave at 7.15 pm, arrive in Ludhiana at 12.15 am and reach Amritsar at 2.55 am. It will make two trips leaving Amritsar on March 24 and 25 and Barauni on March 31 and April 1.

The train between Delhi and Udhampur will run from Delhi on March 22, 24 and 27 and from Udhampur on March 23, 25 and 28, 2013. The train with 14 sleeper and two general coaches will leave Delhi at 11.45 pm, reach Ludhiana at 5.10 am and reach Udhampur at 12.10 pm. From Udhampur, it will depart at 8.50 pm, arrive in Ludhiana at 3.40 am and reach Delhi at 10.30 am.

A pair of trains will run between Ferozepur and Saharsa via Ludhiana. The trains will run from Ferozepur on April 1, 2, 5 and 6 and from Saharsa on March 30, 31 and April 3, 4. Leaving Ferozepur at 7.10 am, the train will arrive in Ludhiana at 9.55 am and reach Saharsa at 4 pm. It will leave from Saharsa at 8.05 pm, arrive in Ludhiana at 2.25 am and reach Ferozepur at 5 am.

Another train will leave Ludhiana on March 21 at 10.15 am to reach Saharsa the next day at 4.10 pm. On its return journey on March 24, it will run only up to Ambala Cantt leaving Saharsa at 10 am.

Railway officials said a weekly super fast express train will run between Jammu Tawi and Bandra Terminus (Mumbai) from April 1 to June 26 to cater to the summer rush of passengers. 

Ludhiana, March 19
The upcoming festival of Holi has led to a labour crunch in the industry. Lakhs of migrant workers here have taken leaves to visit their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the festival.

With such a huge migration of skilled workers, the industry is facing difficulty in terms of production. Fearing losses, the industry is announcing lucrative packages to the migrants.

A sea of migrant labourers can be seen scurrying for tickets at the Ludhiana railway station. As the workers will return after 15 to 20 days, traders and industrialists have hung boards of ‘workers wanted’ outside their premises.

"Last year, a majority of workers did not return after Holi. I apprehend that they got employment under Central government's employment scheme. In order to make them stay, I am giving them cellphones on Holi. Leaving a couple of workers, everybody else has agreed to stay back," said Brijesh Puri, owner of a garment factory at Focal Point.

Gurcharan Singh, owner of a unit on Tajpur Road, said he had booked return tickets for his workers. "It is to ensure that they return to work," he said.

Ludhiana, March 19
The latest incident, where a 28-year-old woman along with her paramour stage-managed a robbery at her house and helped the latter in fleeing with the cash, has yet again brought to the fore the deteriorating social fabric of society.

It was not a stray case where a daughter went against her family. The gory double murder incident at Punjab Mata Nagar in July, last year, where a woman brutally killed her stepdaughter and father-in-law and projected it as a robbery killing to hoodwink the police, still haunts residents.

Eight kidnapping cases, five rape cases, a case of burglary, robbery and snatching turned out to be fake.

In rape cases, it was found during the course of investigation that physical relations were established with mutual consent.

The police had to eat a humble pie in cases where minor girls were kidnapped. In eight cases, it was found that the girls were above 18 and willingly eloped with their lovers.

The increasing incident of concocted stories has sent the police officers in a tizzy.

"We are already hard pressed and such cases add to our pressure. The incident of crime spreads panic among residents. Later, claims fizzle out and crime incidents turn out be a concocted story," said ADCP-II Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, spokesperson for the Ludhiana Police.

With fake cases on the rise, the police has started looking each case with an eye of suspicion.

"Whenever a theft, rape or kidnapping case takes place. The first thing that comes on our mind is that whether the case is fake. While fake thefts and robberies are aimed at pocketing money of others, rape cases are meant to settle scores," said the police officials.

Ludhiana, March 19
The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation officials are still not sure of the demolition drive at the Talaab Bazaar area of old city on March 21.

As per the action plan prepared by the MC, a total of 22 shops are to be demolished in the Talaab Bazaar area. But after the failed demolition drive at Gur Mandi on March 13, the MC officials are in a dilemma.

It is learnt that the building branch staff has also urged the senior officials to take up the matter with the police officers, who would be assisting the MC during the drive.

The MC has prepared the action plan after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed it to demolish all illegal constructions in Ludhiana.

After the successful demolition drive at Jawahar Nagar Camp from February 26 to 28, the MC was to demolish 30 shops in the Gur Mandi area on March 13. But the MC officials had to return empty handed after the area shopkeepers claimed that the 30 shops were a part of the temple and it was given a religious colour.

Now, the 22 shops in Talaab Bazaar are also termed illegal by the MC. But the area shopkeepers claim that they are also a part of a temple in the area.

"Both the situations are similar as the shopkeepers are misguiding everybody by claiming that shops in Gur Mandi as well as Talaab Bazaar are part of two different temples, which is wrong. We have urged senior officials to provide us with adequate security so that the demolition drive could be carried out in Talaab Bazaar. We have also asked our officers to sort out the Gur Mandi issue so that the drive could be carried there also," informed an official, who did not wish to be named.

Another official said if the MC team returns empty handed from Talaab Bazaar also, it would be difficult for the staff to carry out other demolitions which are part of the action plan.

Ludhiana, March 19
The controversy surrounding the vulgarity in Punjabi songs refuses to die down. Leaving the authorities of the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology (GGNIMT) red-faced, boys were heard shouting 'pappi-pappi', the latest song of Miss Pooja, who was there to promote her new flick 'Pooja kiwein aa'.

Miss Pooja sang 'pappi' and 'peepni', another double meaning song from her latest film. The college authorities later condemned the vulgar songs sung by Miss Pooja.

Her latest song 'meri eh pappi mere ashiquan de naaa' for her upcoming movie has raised many an eyebrow. Rakhi Sawant has performed on this song in her movie.

Miss Pooja, however, justified her song saying: "Pappi (kiss) is common in our society. We use this word in routine. Sab chalda hai. Moreover, Rakhi Sawant cannot perform on a devotional song."

Coordinator of the institute GS said: "Such interactions rejuvenate students and help them break the monotony of academics. We are not aware of the indecent songs. We don't endorse such song. It's the singer's personal choice."

Lead actors of the movie Tarun Kapoor, Sahil and Geeta Bains and director Nidhi Sharma said the movie was a romantic comedy.

Ludhiana, March 19
The delivery of nine low-floor buses that were to reach the city by Tuesday evening has been delayed.

It is learnt that that the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) in Patiala, which was to clear the delivery of these buses, has raised some objections, thus delaying the delivery of the buses by a few days.

Although Ludhiana City Bus Service Limited officials claim that the new buses are diesel-run whereas as per rules these should be CNG-based.

However, the 10 low-floor buses that reached city on March 3 have not started plying on city roads as yet, even though the MC officials in a press release, issued on March 4, had claimed that the buses would start plying in a week. The new drivers and conductors have not left for their training in Delhi.

Ever since the city bus service started in the city, it has been running successfully as a large number of city residents have been using this facility. The service is also giving a tough competition to auto-rickshaw drivers.

Isha Kalia, MC Additional Commissioner, who heads Ludhiana City Bus Service Limited, said the buses were all set to reach the city. “I spoke to the officer concerned over phone and we will get the delivery of buses shortly,” she said.

Special bus service for Alamgir
Ludhiana City Bus Service Limited has started a special service for Alamgir. Baljit Singh, general manager, Ludhiana City Bus Service Limited, said: “The bus service for Gurdwara Manji Sahib, Alamgir, operates from 6 am to 7 pm every Sunday. A total of six buses have been devoted to the service. These will start from the main bus stand. If one catches a bus from the bus stand, the fare is Rs 15 per passenger , Rs 10 from Gill Chowk and Rs 5 from Sidhwan Canal bridge on Gill Road.”

Ludhiana, March 19
Despite stepping up vigil to curb copying during the board examination, certain teachers, private schools and students are unheeding the directions of the Director General, Secondary Education (DGSE).

It is learnt that they are adopting unfair means to get better results.

The superintendents and flying squad on duty fail to check the menace at centres where students are appearing for their 'golden-chance' examination.

At one of the centres on the city's periphery, mass copying was reported.

A centre supervisor said students had kept slips and guides, wherever they could, for copying.

"With the help of hair-pins, girls had tucked small slips in their hair. As there was no female member in the flying squad, we had to call a helper to frisk the girls and a plenty of slips were found. But no action was taken against the students and they were let off after issuing a warning because it was their golden chance", said the supervisor.

A senior teacher at Government Senior Secondary School, Jawahar Nagar Camp, said generally a 'lenient' approach was adopted by the supervisors and school managements towards students appearing for golden-chance examination.

District Education Officer (Secondary) Paramjit Kaur Chahal said the department had adopted strict measures to curb copying. "We want that people should come forward with the complaints so that we crack a whip against those adopting unfair means," said Chahal.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, March 19
Although the state education department has initiated the process of merging the government-aided privately managed schools with government schools, peripheral schools are still awaiting its implementation.

Activists and office-bearers of the Punjab State Government Aided Privately Managed School Teachers and Other Employees Union have urged the authorities to implement the merger without further delay.

The ban on recruitment, irregularity in the payment of salaries and disparity with their counterparts in the government schools were cited as the major reasons behind the demand for merger.

Union activists led by Subash Chander Sharma and Amrit Lal Gupta said, "Despite the directions of the Deputy Director (Private Aided Schools), the authorities concerned have not yet asked our members for their preference."

All the district education officers had been directed to seek preference of the staff as to whether they wanted their schools to remain independent or merge with government schools.

The DEOs were then supposed to submit consolidated reports on the number of aided and unaided qualified staff and the projected burden on the state exchequer after the merger.

Principals of private aided schools in the town and surrounding localities confirmed the initiation of the process, but said no official communication was received for seeking option from the staff.

"Though we have downloaded the performa from the official website of the education department, we are yet to receive official orders for seeking opinion of the staff," said Pardeep Sharda, principal of MGMN Senior Secondary School.

Over 400 delegates of the union from the state had earlier threatened to launch a stir against the delay in implementation of the merger policy.

Ludhiana, March 19
The Khalsa College for Women campus dazzled with colours amid farewell celebrations of the humanities group today. An entertaining cultural extravaganza comprising of elegant dances and melodious songs was presented by students.

Ludhiana, March 19
Six traffic police personnel got a rap from senior police officers for not doing their duties properly during the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.

The incident took place this afternoon when Badal's cavalcade was moving to Mini-Secretariat from Punjab Agricultural University.

According to sources, the traffic police personnel did not switch off the traffic lights before the arrival of the cavalcade. Seeing the approaching cavalcade, they realised the goof up and cleared the road.

Ludhiana, March 19
The teaching and non-teaching staff, including the Class IV employees, of Punjab Agricultural University continued with their stir against the Punjab government’s failure to release the grant-in-aid meant for the payment of their salaries last month.

Today, undergraduate and postgraduate classes remained suspended for the first two hours.

A protest rally was organised by the coordination committee consisting of various employees’ bodies. Thousands of employees, including scientists, participated in the rally. — TNS

Sahnewal, March 19
Irked by the callousness of the panchayat towards the deplorable condition of streets and sanitation facilities in some parts of Kanech village, residents protested today.

Protestors said the streets were flooded with sewage water, an issue raised before the sarpanch many times.

“The village panchayat, especially the sarpanch, has never paid any heed to our pleas. Sewage water keeps stagnating outside our houses. It stinks, making our lives miserable,” said Rekhi Singh, an affected villager.

Villagers have themselves constructed temporary blockages to stop the sewage water from flooding streets, he said.

Rekhi Singh, who is also a panchayat member, alleged the sarpanch was only concerned about his own side of the village while rest of the village had been ignored.

Other protesting villagers said years had passed with no one bothering to improve the sanitation facilities. They feared it could lead to an epidemic if not rectified soon.

“Sewage remains stagnant in open drains along the streets, and overflows on to the streets,” said Jaswinder Kaur and Manjit Kaur.

Sarpanch Gurmeet Singh, when contacted, said, “There is no dearth of grants to the village. As far as the problem of sewerage is concerned, pipes have already been installed and will soon start functioning. A treatment plant has been made operational, and another is ready to function in the coming days.”

Jagraon, March 19
The annual budget of the Jagraon muncipal council was passed during a General House meeting of the councillors here today.

Jagraon municipal council executive officer Davinder Singh Toor presented the budget worth Rs 1,148.70 lakh, which was approved unanimously by the House. The annual budget during the concluding financial year was Rs 995 lakh, Rs 153.7 lakh lesser than the new budget.

Around 36 per cent of the new budget has been allocated to developmental works, while the remaining money will be spent on paying salaries to municipal council employees and officials.

Jagraon municipal council president Baldev Krishan Dhir said the civic body earned Rs 952.19 lakh and suffered a loss of Rs 42.81 lakh during the concluding year.

The council expects to earn Rs 840 lakh from the value added tax and octroi, Rs 100 lakh from house tax, Rs 30 lakh from water and sewerage supply connections, Rs 65 lakh from rented buildings and building applications and Rs 113.70 lakh from other resources during the coming financial year.

Mixed response

The municipal council budget invoked mixed reactions from the residents. While some termed it a balanced budget, others criticised it saying it would affect the developmental works.

"The municipal council has spared 61 per cent amount of the total budget for paying salaries, while only 36 per cent has been kept for development works. It would directly hit the development projects to be started in the town," said Madan Lal, a retired government employee.

Ludhiana, March 19
An extension lecture on stress management was organised by the postgraduation department of commerce and management of Kamla Lohtia SD College.

Dr RS Arora, professor, department of commerce, Punjabi University, Patiala, addressed around 100 students on the occasion. Dr Arora highlighted the importance of stress management, especially for the youth, in today’s busy life. — TNS

Ludhiana, March 19
The process of filing nomination papers for the annual elections of the District Bar Association (DBA) started today, with nine aspirants filing nomination for different posts.

Former DBA president Parupkar Singh Ghumman has again staked claim for the post. For the post of vice-president, Harinder Singh Narang, accompanied with supporters filed nomination papers. He has held the post earlier too. The second contender for the post, Rajesh Battish filed the nomination papers with the returning officer NPS Gahir.

For the post of finance secretary, Davinder Pal Singh filed the nomination papers, while Hardeep Kaur filed papers for the post of joint secretary. Nisha, Vinita Rani, Kushagar Kashyap and Gagandeep Lamba filed nominations for six posts of executive member.

The last day of filing the nomination papers has been fixed as March 21. Elections are scheduled for April 5.

Ludhiana, March 19
The North India Cerebral Palsy Association’s rehabilitation centre-cum-school for children with disability, Ashirwad, organised a one-day workshop for sensitising the NGO personnel and school principals on provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act at Nankana Sahib Public School, Gill Road here today.

The speakers pointed out that as per the convention persons with disabilities include those who have long-term, physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. The society should adapt to the needs of a disabled person, and not vice-versa, they said.

Provisions of the RTE Act including the improvement of the school infrastructure and teacher-student ratio were also discussed. According to the RTE Act, a child with disabilities will be provided free special learning and support material, the speakers said.

Nearly 10 per cent of the world population lives with a disability according to a United Nations report. In India alone, there are nearly 100 million people with disabilities, which is almost a sixth of the population of disabled people in the world. 

Ludhiana, March 19
During their five-day visit to the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the eight-member delegation from Ohio State University, USA, and Egerton University, Kenya, explored the opportunities and discussed the strategies for the development of a trilateral partnership.

The delegation was led by Professor David O Hansen, head, international programmes, Ohio State University; and Dr Bockline Omedo Bebe, associate professor, livestock production systems, Egerton University.

The members held a meeting with the PAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Registrar Dr PK Khanna, Dean of Postgraduate Studies Dr Gursharan Singh and deans of the constituent colleges and heads of the departments concerned of the university.

The PAU experts emphasised on the need to cooperate in order to address the global challenges faced by agriculture. They briefed the delegates about the organizational set-up of the PAU with the key focus on the three major components including research, teaching and transfer of technology.

The experts also highlighted achievements of the university, and apprised the delegation of the vital role played by the varsity in Green Revolution in the country.

Ludhiana, March 19
The police arrested a drug peddler with 450 gm of charas last evening.

Ludhiana, March 19
The city police has rescued two minor girls who was allegedly abducted by two youths recently.

A 13-year-old girl, a resident of Moti Nagar, who was allegedly abducted by an 18-year-old boy, was rescued from the city railway station.

The duo was nabbed when they were planning to catch a train to Chhatisgarh.

Following the medical examination of the girl, it was established that she was raped. The accused, Anil Kumar, was booked and sent to jail by a court.

He told the police that they stayed at Damtaal in Himachal Pradesh for a week.

Ludhiana, March 19
For its stupendous work done consistently during the past couple of years, the Ludhiana District Karate Association (LDKA) has been given recognition and the body has been affiliated with the District Olympic Association (DOA).

While addressing mediapersons during a conference held at Guru Nanak Stadium today, Kartar Singh Sehmbey, District Sports Officer, Ludhiana, and Paramjeet Kaur, District Education Officer, said the karate association was now an approved body.

Kartar Singh said there were many unauthorised and unapproved associations that did not comply with the set rules of the All-India Karate Federation and Indian Olympic Association. "Only an authorised association will be allowed to function in the district," said Singh.

Paramjeet Kaur, DEO, advised school and college administrations not to allow these bodies to play with the future of students.

"In the present day scenario, it is paramount for all children, especially girls, to learn this art of self-defence and create a better social structure," she said.