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TOP STORIES

Jaundice outbreak in city creates panic
Ludhiana, January 28
Panic has gripped the Ajit Nagar Mohalla in Haibowal area in the outskirts of the city following reports of several jaundice cases there. Although the immediate reason for the outbreak could not be known, health officials said they were conducting investigations to find out the reasons. Remedial measures had been undertaken and people had been issued various guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease.

Key witness in child murder case turns hostile
Ludhiana, January 28
In a complete reversal of events, a key witness in the Amit kidnapping and sodomy case that was one of the several such child molestation and murder cases rocking the city in January last year has turned hostile. The witness, Kashmir Singh Sheera, a Municipal Councillor, has stated that he does not know the accused Sanjeev Kumar where as in his earlier statement to the police he had stated that he was close to him.

Badal sees no anti-incumbency wave
Ludhiana, January 28
The Congress has copied a number of programmes of the SAD-BJP election manifesto and has never fulfilled its promises to the electorate. This was stated here today by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, in an exclusive interview. Mr Badal arrived in Ludhiana on a two-day election tour of Ludhiana district and began his campaign from Jagraon Vidhan Sabha segment.

SAD leader goes against party candidate
Campaigns openly in favour of Independent
Ludhiana, January 28
The Shiromani Akali Dal-Badal (SAD-B) candidate from Ludhiana West, Mr Avtar Singh Makkar has received a serious setback with the vice-president of the party, Mr Amarjeet Singh Bhatia, coming openly in support of an independent candidate, Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, from here.

Sale of intoxicants goes unchecked Enforcement agencies turn a blind eye Ludhiana, January 28 It is 8.30 a.m. or so when a sleek motorcyle carrying a couple of well-dressed youths screeches to a halt at a roadside tea shop opposite a school in the Focal Point area. The boys help themselves to a tea glass and sit on a vacant wooden bench. Needless to say, the shopkeeper is familiar with them. One of the boys takes out a small bottle from his jacket pocket.

Empty cough syrup bottles litter a park on Metro Road as the city’s youth continue to fall a prey to intoxicants. — Photo by writer

SPEAKING OUT
Commoners deserve better quality of life, say residents
Ludhiana, January 28
The hard working people of the state have a lot of expectations from their future representatives who would be elected for the 12th State Assembly by the end of next month. They want the political parties to understand their expectations need from them seriously and work on it to make the state with the highest per capita income more developing and prospering consistently.

COMMUNITY

Ludhiana, January 28 “After a series of diplomatic victories over Pakistan, India should not relent till Pakistan hands over the 20 listed terrorists hiding in Pakistan and wanted by New Delhi. If Pakistan does not stop aiding and abetting terrorism, India should snap all diplomatic ties with Pakistan and wipe out the terrorist training camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir”. This was stated by the BJP vice-president, Mr Madan Lal Khurana during his visit to the city today.

BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana adresses a press conference, along with the party candidate from Ludhiana East, Mr Satpal Gosain, in Ludhiana on Monday. IV

3 candidates withdraw papers
Khanna, January 28
On the last day of withdrawal of nomination papers today, three candidates withdrew their nominations for the forthcoming Assembly elections. Mr Bachan Singh Cheema, the sitting MLA (SAD), who had filed his papers as an independent candidate on being denied the party ticket, withdrew his nomination today and assured support to Ms Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal, the official SAD candidate. Mr Cheema was accompanied by Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, SGPC president, to the SDM office here.

• Weighed against coins

• ‘Cops coercing voters’

• Poll arrangements

PICK OF THE DAY — “Do we look like sardarjis?”, the girls seem to be asking one another.  — Photo Inderjeet Verma

Cong rebel falls for plum post
Ludhiana, January 28
The Congress candidate from Ludhiana East, Mr Surinder Dawer, received a shot in the arm today after a rebel candidate and Youth Congress leader, Mr Ahok Prashar Pappi, withdrew from the contest in his favour.

Fire destroys thread mill
Ludhiana, January 28
A devastating fire that broke out in a thread mill in the Focal Point area yesterday gutted most of the raw material, ready stocks and machinery. As the news of fire at Simran Spinning and Weaving Mill in Phase VI spread in the area, a large number of people gathered at the spot.

Horses, dogs vaccinated
Ludhiana, January 28
As a part of the animal welfare fortnight celebrations, the People for Animals, Ludhiana unit, has organised an animal welfare and awareness camp at Rahon Road, with the cooperation of the Rahon Road Dairy Farmers Association.

• Beauty contest on February 2

CRIME

One held for selling adulterated oil
Ludhiana, January 28
On a tip-off, the Division No. 8 police conducted a raid in New Deep Nagar on Saturday and arrested Hanuman Verma, an employee of a gas company located near the Jagraon bridge, on the charge of selling adulterated kerosene on the black market in the area.

• Kidnapping case

• Beaten up

• Gambling case

Exporters ask parties to commit to industrial development
Ludhiana, January 28
The Engineering Export Promotion Council, apex body of the exporters in the state, has urged the SAD-BJP ruling alliance and the Congress to announce their commitment for the industrial development of the state and announce a detailed policy to bring the sick industrial units back on track.

• Biz clip

Kirti wins declamation contest Ludhiana, January 28 The Arya Pratinidhi Sabha organised an inter-school declamation contest at Arya Samaj Maharishi Dayanand Bazaar here yesterday. Students from over eight schools participated in the contest. Kirti from BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School spoke on ‘Om as the name of God’ and won the first prize. Nidhi was declared second for speaking on “The true form of religion”. Poonam from Springdale Public School got the third position.

Winners of an inter-school declamation contest held at Arya Samaj office in Ludhiana on Sunday. — Photo Inderjeet Verma

250 take part in calligraphy contest
Ludhiana, January 28
Over 250 students of Spring Dale Public School participated in a calligraphy contest held here today. The students were divided in three categories. Group ‘A’ included students from classes I to V, group ‘B’ had students from classes VI to VIII and group ‘C’ included students from classes IX and X. Each group was told to pen down a given passage.

COURTS

Forum quashes PSEB demand
Ludhiana, January 28
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has quashed the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) demand of Rs 64,960 from Mr Prem Dutt, a resident of New Vishnupuri. The forum has directed the PSEB to refund the amount deposited against the said demand along with interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum from the date of deposit till the actual payment. The forum has also directed the respondent to restore the electricity connection of consumer within seven days.

CULTURE

‘Yug’ to be telecast in Punjabi
Ludhiana, January 28
“A Mega-serial “Yug” which was telecast from 1996 to 1998 and had famous film and television actors and actresses in key roles will be telecast from Jalandhar Doordarshan again. This was stated by Mr Vinod Mehra of PM Advertising at a press conference here yesterday. Mr Vinod Mehra has bought the rights for Punjab and Punjabi version of the serial. He has got the serial dubbed in Punjabi and bought time slot on Jalandhar Doordarshan for it.

His intensity sets screen on fire
HE can veer from menace to tenderness in milliseconds, and though he’s physically compact, he has, as one of his directors put it, “screen presence for miles.” Om Puri. has been a dominant big-screen presence in the country for two decades, and his recent English-language films have awakened western critics to a talent that equals or surpasses that of Morgan Freeman or Al Pacino.

Kiran guides students through intricacies of Odissi

Ludhiana, January 28 In the ongoing series of Fest-2002, organised by SPIC MACAY being held to celebrate its 25 years, Kiran Segal, a leading exponent of one of the oldest classical dance forms of India, Odissi, gave a scintillating performance before the students of Government College for Women where the programme was organised. She was accompanied by two of her disciples Sukanya and Namita.

Namita, Sukanya and Kiran Segal perform in Ludhiana on Monday. — Photo Rajesh Bhambi

Art Theatre to present ‘Neem Hakeem’
Ludhiana, January 28
The Art Theatre Ludhiana will present a play ‘Neem Hakeem’ during the National Punjabi Theatre Festival which will start on January 30. The festival is being organised by the North Zone Cultural Center, Patiala, at Jaipur from January 30 to February 1.

• Lively performance

She keeps coming back to serve patients
Ludhiana, January 28
A frail 84-year-old former doctor with the Christian Medical College and Hospital keeps returning to the hospital from Scotland every year to render her services to the CMC where she taught for 33 years. This lady with indomitable courage and dedication to the cause of serving humanity is Dr Betty Cowan.

Lecture on knee-joint disorder treatment
Ludhiana, January 28
To create health awareness among the common people, the Health Education Cell of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital organised the 32nd Public Health Lecture at Dumra Auditorium of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.