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Child found murdered
Tantrik may be behind the crime

Ludhiana, December 3 An 11-year-old child was found murdered in a gruesome manner at a vacant plot in Kabari market, near Samrala Chowk, this morning. A large number of wounds, inflicted with a sharp-edged weapon, were seen on the body. The child apparently bled to death. The mother of the victim weeps uncontrollably besides his body —Tribune photo

Contractors plan to stop works
Cash-strapped body in dire straits
Ludhiana December 3
The abolition of octroi and the consequential loss of almost Rs 10 crore monthly income could not have come at a worst time for the Municipal Corporation here, which was already involved in a battle of wits with more than 200 contractors, for the past more than two months. The contractors, enlisted with the civic body, piqued over long delays in their payments for works executed by them, have been virtually boycotting the call for tenders during this period.

Poisonous effluents hit fish population

Phillaur, December 3 As a fallout of the discharge of poisonous effluents in the Sutlej near Ropar, the number of the fish in the river near Phillaur has reduced drastically during the past 15 days with water turning black. A Tribune team visited the river near Phillaur today only to find out that the fish population had decreased considerably and the water which had turned black was smelling foul. The blackened water in the Sutlej. —Photo Inderjit Verma

Rail mishap victims await compensation
Ludhiana, December 3
More than three years have passed, when 3152 Down Sealdah Express coming from Amritsar had collided with a few bogies of the 2903 Up Golden Temple Express near Khanna on November 26, 1998, but compensation cases are still pending in the courts due to delay in court decisions and the indifferent attitude of the railway authorities.

Busy time for bookies, peak hour for punters
Ludhiana, December 3
With three Test matches in progress simultaneously, it is busy time for bookies and peak hour for punters. While Sri Lanka was playing West Indies in Colombo, on the fifth day, Australia was playing New Zealand at Perth on the fourth day and England was playing against India on the first day. 

Punjab seeks 700 cr to clear paddy payments
Ludhiana, December 3
Procurement agencies of Punjab are yet to make payments for paddy procured worth over Rs 500 crore from arhtias and farmers. The total procurement in the state this year was more than 100 lakh tonnes.

COMMUNITY

Morcha to give call to defeat corrupt leaders
Ludhiana, December 3
The Pancthic Morcha conference at Ludhiana on December 9 will give a call to people to defeat the corrupt, dishonest and anti-Panthic politicians in the ensuing assembly elections in Punjab.

For Avtar disability is no hindrance 

Ludhiana, December 3 He may not have two arms, yet he is not handicapped. Though God may have been unkind to him, he does not blame Him. Despite his physical disability, Avtar Singh Randhawa is a happy and satisfied man. He may be physically challenged but he is not handicapped. Avtar Singh Randhawa operating a telephone and taking water, using his feet at his PCO in Ludhiana. —Photo Rajesh Bhambi

Shopkeepers divided over traffic diversion
Ludhiana, December 3
Shopkeepers of Ghumar Mandi seem to be divided over the diversion of traffic in the area to alternate routes. While most of the shopkeepers are supportive of the diversions, some shopkeepers along the National Road are opposing it. 

NCP district unit dissolved, leadership at loggerheads
Ludhiana, December 3
In a piquant situation, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), headed by Mr Sharad Pawar, which is yet to stand at a firm footing in Punjab, finds itself strife-ridden as the Assembly elections are round the corner.

J&K ultras smuggling weapons into Punjab
Ludhiana, December 3
A number of terrorist outfits in Jammu and Kashmir are smuggling weapons into Punjab and targeting noted criminals. The noted criminals are either indulging in major crime activities in the state or are functioning as carriers of the smuggled weapons into neighbouring states.

Grant cheques to be given on December 5
Sahnewal, December 3
Cheques for development purposes shall be issued by the Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, Mr S.K. Sandhu, and the Technical Education Minister, Punjab, Mr Jagdish Singh Garcha on December 5.

Lecture series at R&D Centre
Ludhiana, December 3
A technical awareness lecture series has been started by the R&D Centre for Bicycle and Sewing Machine, Ludhiana. The first lecture of this series was held on “Role of fasteners in engineering industry” at the centre recently.

• Phone security system launched

• Octroi staff adjusted

CRIME

Sumo hits car, case registered
Ludhiana, December 3
The Division Number 5 police station has registered a case under Sections 279 and 427 of the IPC against driver of a Tata Sumo (PB-11-N-1723), who hit a car in front of a college on Monday and fled the scene.

• Four booked

• Injured

• Three held

Knitwear industry plea to Centre
Ludhiana, December 3
Associations of the knitwear industry has urged the Centre to take steps to prepare the industry for the quota-free regime after 2005. A meeting was held here yesterday between the Federation of Knitwear, Textile and Allied Industries Associations (FEKTAA) and Mr S.K. Tuteja, Development Commissioner (SSI), Ministry of Small-Scale Agro and Rural Industries.

Humour adds to ad appeal
Ludhiana, December 3
Advertisements are becoming more and more aggressive as competition among the makers of various products is increasing. According to a survey, TV advertisements with an element of humour have more effect on the viewers.

Child workers surveyed for drug abuse
AN exploratory survey on drug abuse among child workers conducted by a team from Panjab University has warranted a larger survey among male and female child workers besides working out a consolidated strategy by central and state governments as well as non-governmental organisations to stop the exploitation of children.

Dec exams postponed in colleges
Ludhiana, December 3
Fighting for their common demands, principals, teachers and members of the managing committees of Punjab and Chandigarh have unanimously decided to postpone December examinations and shun all teaching as well as administrative work from December 4 to 10.

Non-teaching staff of pvt colleges to go on strike
Ludhiana, December 3
The executive meeting of the Private Colleges Non-Teaching Employees Union will go on a three-day strike from December 6 in protest against the delay in the acceptance of its demands.

School holds annual function
Ludhiana, December 3
The annual function of Smile Playway, Dugri, was held here today. The programme began with a prayer followed by yoga and meditation. The kids presented a puppet show in which they depicted various day-to-day activities through dolls.

• School celebrates gurpurab

Annual function
Ludhiana, December 3
A cultural programme and a science exhibition marked the annual function of Central Model High School, Model Town, here today. The programme began with Saraswati Vandana, followed by a song by kids of nursery sections. 

COURTS

Pay compensation, BSNL told
Ludhiana, December 3
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to pay Rs 2,000 as compensation on account of deficiency in services to Mr Tarlok Singh Sethi, a resident of Shivaji Nagar. The forum has also directed the BSNL to pay Rs 500 as a cost of litigation to the complainant.

CULTURE

Hans Raj Hans honoured
Machhiwara, December 3
In the second Sabhyacharak Mela organised by the International Punjabi Sabhyacharak Kendra Machhiwara, famous Punjabi folk singer Hans Raj Hans was awarded ‘Punjabi Gaiki Da Taaj’, whereas Machhiwara born lyricist Sanjeev Anand got the ‘Machhiwara da mann’ award.

HEALTH

• Kids given polio drops