L U D H I A N A

CAG recommends action against ‘errant’ PAU officials
Ludhiana, April 28
The issue pertaining to the loss of about Rs 4 crore invested by the Punjab Agricultural University in Punjab Wireless Systems Limited, (Punwire) drawn from the provident fund and pension fund of the varsity employees is again back in limelight. The Comptroller and Auditor General, Punjab, has asked the PAU authorities to fix the responsibility for the loss of this entire amount and also an explanation for investing in a private company in violation of the state government's specifications.

With the region in the grip of a heat wave, a schoolgirl fills her water bottle from a tanker in Ludhiana on Saturday.

Factory manager booked for death of 2 labourers 
Ludhiana, April 28
The Focal Point police today booked a manager of a factory on a charge of negligence leading to the death of two labourers, while cleaning a septic tank of the Paxon Industries here last evening.

‘Lok Bhalai to contest 90 seats’
Ludhiana, April 28
The Lok Bhalai Party will contest 90 assembly seats in the forthcoming elections, and though the elections were still about a year away, the party had finalised at least five candidates for the Ludhiana (Rural), Jagraon, Barnala, Phul and Talwandi Sabo seats, who have been told to groom their respective constituencies and interact with the electorate.

Who is to blame for security lapse?
Ludhiana, April 28
Notwithstanding the acquittal of two jail officials in the branding case of an undertrial, the question of the failure of security staff to prevent smuggling of prohibited articles in the jail or at the bakshikhanna in the district courts remains unanswered.

Changing face of Ludhiana Ludhiana The face of this industrial capital of Punjab is changing with the local Municipal Corporation having taken up a number of major development projects.

COMMUNITY

The organisers of a religious function are drawing electricity from poles in Daresi Ground in Ludhiana. — Photo by Inderjit Verma

Power theft in the name of God!
Ludhiana, April 28
When city residents are facing power cuts due to scarcity of power, there is one religious organisation which considers power theft as its right. A 10-day religious festival is going on in the Daresi ground here, which will conclude on May 2. More than 10,000 persons are coming daily to listen to Anant Dass Mahant of Amritsar in the evening. Yagyas are organised during day time, besides other religious programmes. The organisers have found an easy way to run hundreds of tubelights, bulbs, fans, coolers, speakers and other electric gadgets by putting kundis on wires.

Sops for ’84 riot victims
Ludhiana, April 28
The Punjab Government has conceded several major demands of victims of 1984 riots and directions have been issued for speedy implementation of the decisions taken to this effect.

CITY SCAN
The tribe of Thapars
Thapars are a small close-knit group, historically linked with the making of Ludhiana. They made this city richer, better and wider. Who can forget the trio : Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev? Sukhdev Thapar was born on May 15, 1907. He shares the date of martyrdom (March 23, 1931) as well as the place of gallows (Lahore jail) with the other two. He has the same year of birth as Bhagat Singh (1907).

Flavour of the week
WITH the mercury soaring, the heat is becoming unbearable and mind you the worst months of May and June are still ahead. Due to electricity lines hanging hazardously low, the golden dreams of many a farmer have been turned to ashes. Their entire crop has been wiped out in a few hours. When will PSEB compensate them, if at all? What are they supposed to do in the meantime? These are the question troubling those farmers whose crops have been burnt to cinders due to faulty high-tension wires.

Free stitching school opened
Ludhiana, April 28
Mr Charanjit Walia, a former MP, inaugurated a free stitching school of Prerna Kendra, a social organisation led by Dr Ranjit Kaur, at Jassian Road here yesterday. It also gifted some sewing machines.

CRIME

Six-year-old girl raped
Samrala, April 28
A youth aged 21 years reportedly raped a 6 year-old-neighbour’s girl yesterday. According to police sources, the accused Rakesh Kumar, brought the said girl to his house, forcibly raped and threatened to kill her, if she told about the incident to anybody, according to the statement of the victim’s mother.

AGRICULTURE

Reduce area under paddy cultivation: CM
Khanna, April 28
The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has called upon the farmers to reduce the area under paddy cultivation in the coming season. He said this while replying a query from a commission agent at a meeting held at the market committee’s office here yesterday. Mr Badal said farmers should reduce the area under cultivation of paddy and divert in horticulture and floriculture. He also stressed on dairy farming to earn more income.

Advice for farmers
Ludhiana, April 28
Scientists at Punjab Agricultural University have advised the farmers to harvest wheat and mustard crop as soon as possible keeping in view the hot and dry spell of weather.

EDUCATION

Churning out nurses of high calibre
Ludhiana, April, 28
CMC Nursing College came into existence in the last century but it became a full functional nursing college in the year 1973. A nursing training school was started in the year 1881 by the Green Field Sisters. The precursors, Ms Martha Rose and Green Field Sisters, started training a few students in nursing. Later, Ms Edith Brown, founder of CMC joined them in the year 1893. Basic education in nursing started in a small building within the campus.

No change in PAU timing: VC
Ludhiana, April 28
Punjab Agricultural University is not going to change the timing of the varsity. Dr K. S. Aulakh, Vice Chancellor, PAU, while talking to the Ludhiana Tribune here today ruled out any change in the timing.

City to have interactive classrooms facility
Ludhiana, April 28
Zed Career Academy, a franchisee of Zee Interactive Learning Systems Ltd., will provide interactivity in education and learning for all segments of learning audience. The technology-based learning network geared to address the needs of the conversion era would deliver the comprehensive learning through Internet and interactive television channel and would be supported by the network of ground learning centres, called Zed CA.

35 students honoured
Samrala, April 28
35 toppers of government schools at Khattran village, 5 km from here, were honoured by Mr Sandeep Hans, SDM, Samrala, yesterday.

COURTS

Forum asks Telecom Deptt to pay Rs 5,000
Ludhiana, April 28
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Telecom Department to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation on account of deficiency in services to Mr Randhir Singh, a resident of Jamalpur. The forum further directed the department to pay Rs 500 as cost of litigation to the complainant.

CULTURE

A subtle drama of relationships
Ludhiana, April, 28
Shovana Narayan, kathak danseuse and Sunit Tandon, well-known news reader and theatre personality are here in the city for their play, "Yudhistar and Draupadi", written by Pavan K. Verma.

HEALTH

100 examined at camp
Ludhiana, April 28
A two-day physiotherapy awareness camp, organised by the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, was inaugurated today by Mr S. K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, in the Dumra Auditorium.

SPORT

A promising cager 
Ludhiana, April 28
For national player Amit Prashar (17), Ludhiana is the Mecca of basketball. Six years ago, before coming to this city, he was an unknown figure for the sports world.