Of miracle and courage
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 7
Arti has literally survived an inferno. A 10-year-old student of Class III, she had gone to fetch medicines from a dispensary. It caught fire and she was surrounded by fire. She fell unconscious with her face lying down, which prevented her from inhaling the toxic sulphur dioxide.

She was accompanied by her brother, who tried to pull her out, but was unsuccessful. He informed his grandmother, Ms Krishnawati, who was at her home in the nearby area. She came crying and running for her granddaughter. She said, “I cried, shouted and screamed, pleading with everyone to save my child, but nobody seemed to listen to me. Probably nothing was audible there”. She continued, “When I saw nobody coming for help, as people were trying to run as far away from the fire as possible I jumped into the store and picked up Arti.”

She rushed her granddaughter to Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. Doctors said she was out of danger now. They praised her courage and will to survive the raging fire.

Lying on the bed and being kept on oxygen, she narrated her nightmarish experience with horror in her eyes. Her grandmother disclosed that due to the massive impact of the shock, she was not able to talk for some time. But now she was feeling comfortable. Although it was difficult for her to recount the nightmare, she could make out the details. She said while she was asking for medicines from the shop, she saw everyone running. “I also tried to run, but fell down”. That was all she remembered. Arti’s father, Mr Rajinderpal, felt relieved that his daughter was alive. The fire claimed four lives. “I cannot believe my eyes”, he said. Dr Harmeet Kaur, working with the same hospital, had a providential escape. She disclosed that she, along with her husband and other family members, had gone for shopping. She said they were only two shops ahead when they heard the sound of crackers bursting from behind and people running helter skelter. 

Football tourney begins
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, November 7
The Punjab region team scored a hard fought win (4-2) over the Uttar Pradesh region team in the North Zone Football Tournament of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation at Punjab Agricultural University here today.

The match was decided through a tie-breaker as both the teams had failed to score any goal in the regular period. In other matches, the Delhi region team won its both encounters. In the first match, they blanked the team of Himachal Pradesh region, 7-0, and in the second fixture they drubbed the team of Head Office, Delhi, 4-0.

Earlier, Mr K.C. Pandey, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner Grade-I, in charge, Punjab and Chandigarh, inaugurated the tournament in which teams from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi region and Head Office, Delhi, are participating.

No NOC to sell crackers
D.B. Chopra

Ludhiana, November 7
The cracker market, which has come up at the Daresi grounds, is into business without obtaining any no objection certificate (NOC) from the local fire department, it is reported.

A number of shops are doing brisk business, while a number of stalls are still waiting to be occupied by cracker traders. Oblivious of the crackers all around, men can be seen smoking around these shops. No fire-fighting equipment have been arranged by these shopkeepers. Though these makeshift shops have been erected using iron sheets, wooden crates can be seen inside these shops and at the rear of the market. Sources in the fire department claim that no shopkeeper at this market has obtained an NOC from the department so far.

Meanwhile, in view of the tragedy at Jawahar Nagar last night in which four lives were lost, the district administration today decided to ban the sale of firecrackers at the parking of Rose Garden and in Gian Singh Rarewala Market near Preet Palace cinema. Earlier, the sale of firecrackers had been allowed at these two places.

The decision was taken at a meeting this afternoon which was presided over by the ADC , Mr S.R. Kaler, and attended among others by the SSP, Mr H.S. Sidhu.