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Kingpin of piracy trade nabbed
Ludhiana, May 30
In a major achievement, the Ludhiana police in a raid in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) arrested the alleged kingpin of the piracy trade in the country that crippled the film industry by causing a loss of Rs 1700 crore last year only besides causing a loss of several hundred crores of rupees to the country.

Sunflowers in full bloom at Khamano, near Ludhiana, on Friday. — Photo Pradeep Tewari

TRIBUNE IMPACT
MC plan to clear encroachments
Ludhiana, May 30
In the wake of rampant encroachments, both temporary and permanent, in almost the entire city, and the flow of vehicular traffic even on main roads becoming nightmarish, the Municipal Corporation has drawn up a comprehensive action plan to come down heavily on the defaulters. To be put in action from Monday, the plan is expected to yield immediate results, the civic administration claimed.

Another tale of betrayal by NRI
Siarhh (Ludhiana), May 30
The glitter and glamour of life in foreign lands forced a couple of this village to marry their innocent daughter to an NRI, who is struggling to overcome the pangs of betrayal, fighting for her rights even after more than five years of her marriage.

Parties gear up for panchayat poll
Ludhiana, May 30
With one month left for panchayat elections scheduled to be held on June 29, various political parties have already started mobilising their workers. While the two main Akali factions owing allegiance to Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra are awaiting the formal announcement of unity, hectic activity has already started in the ruling Congress.

COMMUNITY

’84 riot victims threaten immolation
Ludhiana, May 30
Unhappy over the decision of Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) to allot the houses, in which they are presently living, to the general public, the victims of 1984-genocide, staying in the local Danga Peerat Colony, have finally decided to set themselves ablaze outside the residence of Punjab Chief Minister on June 3.

PSEB assures uninterrupted power supply
Ludhiana, May 30
Assuring that there would be no unnecessary power cuts in the urban areas, particularly to the industrial sector, the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) Chairman, Mr Y.S. Ratra said the board would ensure at least eight hour of regular power supply to the agriculture sector during the paddy season. 

Book on Sikh history released
Ludhiana, May 30
“While I was in ICCU ( intensive cardiac care unit) in 2000, the answers that I had been looking for came to me in a flash. Since my childhood, I had wanted to know about the real identity of Guru Nanak and why he gave his mantle to Guru Angad.

Fire damages stocks in oil store Ludhiana, May 30 Stocks, packing material, fixtures and furniture were damaged in a fire which broke out in the first- floor godown of an oil store in Bute Shah Mandi in the old city this afternoon. Fire engines douse a fire in Bute Shah Mandi, near Kesar Ganj, in Ludhiana on Friday.  — A Tribune photograph

Adeeb International honours NRI
Ludhiana, May 30
The Adeeb International (Sahir Cultural Academy) organised a function at Punjabi Bhavan to felicitate Mr Surjit Ghumman, an NRI and managing director of digital radio station “Radio Punjab — UK London” here yesterday.

Dharna against hike in royalty rates
Ludhiana, May 30
Thousands of labourers working with sand miners may be get unemployed as certain contractors have hiked the rates of royalty being charged on each truck. This was stated by members of the Lal Jhanda Mazdoor Union while staging a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here today.

CRIME

Two postal employees held on graft charge
Ludhiana, May 30
The Ludhiana Vigilance Bureau today claimed to have arrested two postal employees under the Prevention of Corruption Act on the charge of taking bribe from a migrant labourer to open his account at the Focal Point branch post office.

Attempt to rape minor
Khanna, May 30
A resident of Goh village at the Khanna Sadar police station allegedly tried to rape a minor girl of the same village 5 km from here, last evening, according to the police. The police has recorded the statement of the mother of the victim, an eight-year-old girl.

Akali leader’s son murdered Khanna, May 30 Amrik Singh Rauni (42), son of an Akali leader, was murdered at Rauni village near his fields late last evening. Relatives of Amrik Singh Rauni, the son of an Akali leader, who was murdered on Thursday, wait outside the mortuary at Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, where a post-mortem examination was conducted on the victim. — IV

BUSINESS

Top taxpayers honoured
Mandi Gobindgarh, May 30
Three top income taxpayers of Amloh subdivision were honoured during a function at Gymkhana Club here last evening. Those honoured were Dr Gurpreet Kaur of Gurpreet Nursing Home Mandi Gobindgarh (professional category), Mr Vikas Bansal of Jolly Steel Corporation (business category) and Mr Parshotma Garg, Assistant Manager, Quality Control, FCI Amloh (salaried category).

Red tape hinders school’s renovation
Ludhiana, May 30
Red tape has proved to be a major hindrance for the authorities of Government High School, Chowni Mohalla. It has been a month since the roof-collapse incident occurred in the school, but renovation of the building is yet to be started. In spite of the District Education Department allocating a sum of Rs 3 lakh to the school, the cheque has not been released for the want of some documents to be submitted by the school authorities.

Fee structure upsets aspiring doctors
Ludhiana, May 30
Confusion prevails among the medical aspirants who are trying to seek clarifications on the fee structure proposed by various medical institutions in the state. While individual private colleges have come up with an exorbitant fee structure, the state government has asked them to form committees that will regulate the fee.

KCW students bring laurels to college
Ludhiana, May 30
The results of BCA second year are out. Students of Khalsa College for Women, Civil Lines, Ludhiana have grabbed the top positions in the varsity and Ludhiana District. Ms Sheetal Goel of Khalsa College for Women obtained the 2nd position in Panjab University and Ist position in Ludhiana District in BCA II year examination Panjab.

Bharatiya Vidya Mandir students suspend dharna
Ludhiana, May 30
Students and teachers of Bharatiya Vidya Mandir, Udham Singh Nagar, who had been demanding re-instatement of Mr Ashok Setia as the school director today decided to suspend their dharna till the school re-opens on July 3.

COURTS

Help fight corruption, Sodhi tells lawyers

Ludhiana, May 30 Justice N.K.Sodhi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today urged lawyers to help in eradicating corruption from the judiciary that had become widely prevalent and was eroding the fabric of justice.  Justice N.K.Sodhi during an interaction with lawyers in  Ludhiana on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

World No Tobacco Day today

Ludhiana, May 30 According to a survey by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tobacco kills 4.5 million people worldwide every year and out of them, approximately one million are Indians. Tobacco claims one life every eight seconds. It remains one of the most important causes for preventable mortality and morbidity. In India, it is responsible for one in every four deaths. World No Tobacco Day theme for 2003 is ‘tobacco free films, tobacco free fashion-action!’ This year No Tobacco Day will focus on the role of the fashion and film world in fostering tobacco epidemic particularly among the youth. Dr Deepinder Singh shows the theme of No Tobacco Day 2003. — IV

Chemists end strike
Ludhiana, May 30
Residents here heaved a sigh of relief with members of the Chemists and Druggist Association calling off their three-day strike here yesterday. The chemists at a meeting here yesterday decided to end the strike in “public interest”.

Cool care for your hot eyes
Take good care of your eyes in the summers. Hot weather effects your eyes. The excessive use of eyes must be stopped. At the same time we should know the methods to keep our eyes clean and healthy.

Basement restaurants flout ban
Ludhiana, May 30
The ban imposed by the district administration on the operation of restaurants from basements seems to have been thrown to winds by a number of restaurants in the city. In the aftermath of Khud Mohalla fire tragedy, the district administration had ordered the closure of all the restaurants operating from basements.