New Delhi, August 8
Ludhiana resident Himanshu Jetley alias Honey (20), an aspiring model and student of BBA in the Capital, has been arrested by the Delhi Police for the murder of a woman executive in Kalkaji here. 

Honey killed Veerpal Kaur Gill alias Nikki (24) by hitting her with an iron rod in her rented accommodation after she refused to give him the money he needed to pay his bills and get a new photo portfolio made. 

According to the police, the deceased had been helping Honey with money on several occasions in the past but off late, she had refused to help him.  Nikki originally came from Moga district and her parents are settled in Mumbai.  Honey came to know her through his elder brother, who is now based in Australia. 

The murder of Nikki came to notice two days after she was murdered on July 28. “ On July 30, a neighbour called up the police and informed it that a foul smell was coming from a flat in Kalkaji.  When our team reached there after breaking the locks of the flat, it found a highly decomposed body of a woman identified as Veerpal Kaur Gill,” said Shalini Singh, DCP (Southeast). 

During the course of investigation, Inspector Anil Kumar learnt that a friend from Nikki’s office had spoken to her on the morning of July 28 wherein she mentioned that Honey was to come to her residence later in the day. 

“Thereafter, there was no response from the deceased and she had not attended her office on that day.  Accordingly, a specific information about Honey was collected and it was revealed that he is a permanent resident of Ludhiana and, at present, he is residing as a tenant in Kalkaji.  He was found missing from his flat in Kalkaji,” said DCP Singh. 

A team was immediately despatched to Ludhiana, but the suspect and his family members were found absconding from their Vikas Nagar residence.  However, Honey’s involvement in the crime was confirmed when the police managed to found that suspect had met his friend at Ludhiana on July 30, and handed over a bag containing a laptop on the pretext of getting it repaired and an I-Pod with some documents.  On checking of documents, the said laptop was found to be of the deceased Nikki. 

On secret inquries at Ludhiana, it was learnt that the accused had left for Delhi.  On August 5, on a specific tip-off, a trap was laid and the accused was arrested from Alaknanda. 

Initially, he denied his involvement in the case and used his acting skills to mislead the police but on sustained interrogation, he broke down and disclosed that he was jobless and was in dire need of money for supporting a luxurious lifestyle and getting a portfolio prepared. 

He asked for the money from the deceased but on her refusal, there was a heated argument between them and he picked up a piece of iron pipe lying nearby and assaulted her. 

“Under threat, Nikki gave her ATM card with PIN to the accused.  But fearing that she would inform the police, he killed her.  After her death, he decamped with her ATM card, laptop and the I-Pod by locking the doors of the room as well as the entrance to the fourth floor,” said DCP Singh. 

Honey withdrew Rs 30,000 from the account of the deceased and later in the evening went for a movie and dinner with his girlfriend in other part of the Capital.  On inquiry, the police found the girl innocent and was clueless about Honey’s crime. 

Ludhiana, August 8
The family of Honey was shattered over the unfortunate development taking place in the past few days. 

Kusum Jetley, mother of Honey, locked herself in a room situated on the first floor of her house in Vikas Nagar since she had come to know that her son was arrested by the Delhi Police on the charge of murder. 

She could not believe that her son had killed an IT professional Veerpal Kaur, 24, in Kalkaji in South Delhi, for money. 

“How can he kill her, she was like an elder sister to him.  And for any problem, he used to rush to her.  My child is being framed in a case and truth will come out soon,” said the wailing mother. 

There was an eerie silence in Street No 3.  Even residents of the street were also shocked. 

The mother said he had always wanted to be a model
and due to his passion for modeling he did his Class X and XII privately and started BBA course in Delhi. 

Pallawi, the only sister and youngest among the three siblings, was not going to school since she had got the news. 

“Kindly do not speak about the matter in front of her as she does not know about the entire matter.  We are trying our best to conceal the fact from her,” said Kusum. 

None of Honey’s friends and relatives have visited the house since the news that Honey has been arrested for allegedly killing Veerpal Kaur is out. 

Even the friends have switched off their mobile phones. 

Subash Jetley, father of Honey was in Delhi.  While speaking on the phone he said he was looking for a lawyer to fight the case of his son. 

The police yesterday recovered a laptop from Ricky, a software engineer and friend of Honey.  Ricky, who recently met with an accident is bed-ridden.  He told the police that Honey gave the laptop to him to fix the software problem. 

Ludhiana, August 8
Thieves struck at two different places in the city and decamped with cash, jewellery and mobile phones worth over Rs 15 lakh. 

Thieves escaped with jewellery and cash from the house of Jaswinder Singh in Guru Nanak Pura.  According to Jaswinder, the theft came to light this morning when he returned from his in-laws house to change cloths and found the home ransacked.  He said thieves took away Rs 3 lakh cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 4 lakh from his house. 

Ludhiana, August 8
For the past five years, Rahul Singh had been virtually living for cricket.  He was keeping awake at nights to work so that he could arrange money for playing during the daytime.  But the fate had willed otherwise when the doctors yesterday declared that he would not be able to play. 

The promising career of a cricketer, known as ‘‘budding Brett Lee’’ for his right arm medium pace bowling, ended abruptly when his left eye had to be removed after it was perforated by a bullet that hit him after an IRB cop shot it accidentally in the air yesterday. 

Rahul, who is lying in the hospital in a critical condition even after the surgery, is oblivious of the fact that he would not be able to play ever.  His world has come crashing down and he is battling for his life. 

The doctors, attending on him, said he was critical.  Not only his eye was completely damaged, but skull bones had also entered his brain just behind the eye.  Though these bones were removed, they were not sure whether he would be able to live a normal life.  They suspected that he could have behavioral problems and might behave abnormally once he regain consciousness. 

His real life story, depicting his struggle for being a success in life and following a
passion, can make even the hardest of heart cry.  A son of an autorickshaw driver, Yashpal Singh, a resident of Rama Mandi at Jalandhar, Rahul found it difficult to carry on with his passion for cricket. 

He started working as a watchman at a parking lot at night to make money for playing. ‘‘ He would work for Rs 3,000 per month by working at nights to buy material for his game.  He was selected for the Under-19 Punjab team and played a match from the Jalandhar district team yesterday,’’ said Rohit Singh, his elder brother, who is unaware of the tragedy that has struck his brother. 

‘‘I am praying for him.  I want him to play.  I hope he recovers fast and gets back to the ground,’’ said Rohit. 

Coming to his aid, the Jalandhar District Cricket Association that had handpicked him to play for the district is paying for the medical expenses of Rahul. ‘‘ It has already borne a bill of Rs 90,000 since past night.  Otherwise, it was impossible for us to get him treated, ’’ said Rohit. 

Ludhiana, August 8
The Rajasthan Police has nabbed Bablu Nirvan alias Sikandar, cashier with Gaurav Malhotra and Company, who allegedly decamped with cash, gold and diamond jewellery worth over Rs 50 lakh from the company’s collection office in Rose Enclave at Sant Nagar near Ghumar Mandi. 

Bablu was nabbed from Nagor late last evening with his accomplices and the police claims to have recovered cash and jewellery stolen from the company’s collection centre. 

According to the Rajasthan Police, the accused reached Jhunjunu and headed for Jodhpur after fleeing from Ludhiana. 

The police said Bablu’s accomplices Tofik, Aarif and Rakesh Minna were nabbed from Nagor bus stand when they were hiring a taxi.  The police said the taxi driver found their activities suspicious and informed the police.  During interrogation, Bablu confessed to the crime, the police said. 

The theft came to light when Raju, another cashier with the company, failed to locate Bablu.  When he entered the locker room, he found the cash missing.  He immediately informed the company authorities, who further informed the police about the incident. 

The police said that Bablu planned the theft with Tofik, Aarif and Rakesh Minna.  Bablu said he counted cash and later served drinks and snacks to Raju and two other helpers.  After consuming the liquor, all of them fell unconscious.  He then opened the locker and fled with cash and jewellery.  He was able to escape easily as a private gunman appointed by the company was asleep. 

He met his accomplice at the railway station and boarded a train to Rajasthan and reached Jhunjunu yesterday afternoon.  Bablu kept the cash at his house.  The police said the accused were planning to shift to some other city. 

Ludhiana, August 8
Following heated arguments with area residents and municipal councillor Tanveer Dhaliwal, the town planning wing of the Municipal Corporation had to suspend the demolition drive at Punjab Mata Nagar here today. 

ATP Ramesh Chabbra led the demolition squad.  According to information, MC officials had gone to demolish parts of around nine buildings that have encroached upon a 24-foot wide road.  The officials revealed that the encroachments were in violation of the town planning scheme. 

As soon as the JCB machines started demolishing the structures, the residents protested stating that they were neither served notices nor were told by the MC officials about violations. “ We don’t know why these people have pointed fingers at us only and not others.  It’s their duty to inform us before coming to our place for any such step,” said a woman whose building too faced demolition. 

The situation became tense with the area councillor coming to the rescue of the residents.  While the violators were of the opinion that they should have been given a warning, the officials stressed that they were just doing their duty by following orders of the Municipal Commissioner. 

ATP SS Bindra tried to pacify the residents.  Finally, after demolishing half the total number of buildings, the team had to return.  It also took a written undertaking from those who were left today that by Monday they would vacate their part, so that structures could be demolished. 

The officials revealed that the demolition was undertaken following the Punjab and Haryana High Court case where the court had directed the civic body to remove encroachments, but the civic body had failed to comply with the orders. 

“We have been directed by the Municipal Commissioner to remove as much encroachments as we can till the next hearing of the petition,” said the ATP. 

Ludhiana, August 8
Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (technical education) said to improve the standard of technical education and provide modern equipment to technical institutions and industrial training centres in Punjab, the government would spend Rs 75 crore during current financial year. 

Khalsa was addressing a function organised by the Nari Ekta Asra Association at United Cycles Parts and manufacturing complex at Gill Road today. 

Khalsa distributed certificates of knitting and tailoring to the girl students, who completed a course with the help of the Nari Ekta Asra Association. 

He further said Rs 40 crore would be spent for upgrading technical institutions into multi-purpose academics and Rs 12 crore for upgradation of government polytechnic and ITIs. 

He said that there had been a total 179 degree-level colleges running in Punjab, out of which 64 were engineering colleges, 33 B Pharmacy and 82 management institutions.  He said as many as 95 diploma-level technical institutions and 294 ITIs were providing technical education to students in Punjab, out of which 107 are government institutions and 187 are private institutions. 

He said six technical education institutions were being upgraded with the assistance of the NABARD at the cost of Rs 80 crore, in which engineering colleges and senior secondary schools would be housed together at one place. 

He said to provide a total free education for weaker sections, women and handicapped and brilliant students, 10 per cent seats had been reserved in the technical institutions in Punjab. 

He said a central university at Bathinda, a world-class university at Amritsar and Dhiru Bhai Ambani IT University at Ropar and Indian School of Business would be set up at Mohali. 

Charanjit Singh Vishkarma, president of the United Cycle Parts and Manufacturing Association, Sohan Singh Goga, Gurcharn Singh Guru, Madhu Verma and Kulwinder Kaur, president and chairperson, respectively, of the Nari Ekta Asra Association, were present. 

Ludhiana, August 8
In the absence of clear guidelines from the state government on the treatment of swine flu suspects, a stalemate prevails between the department of health and family welfare and authorities of the leading city hospitals. 

The private hospitals have no facility to determine the H1N1 infection, but going by the symptoms of the swine flu, the doctors put the patients on the symptomatic treatment. 

However, swab test is the deciding factor, which can only be done under the supervision of the district health and family welfare department, as swine flu has been globally declared a “pandemic”. 

The treatment of the “positive cases” has to be carried out in the isolation wards in the civil hospitals. 

Following the recent incident wherein a suspect of the swine flu was referred to the civil hospital from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), state nodal officer, Dr Deepak Bhatia, has asked the civil surgeon, Ludhiana, to convene a meeting with the heads of the hospitals with “tertiary” healthcare facilities. 

The hospitals can carry on with the symptomatic treatment of the patients till the final reports of the swab tests arrive from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), New Delhi. 

The district health authorities had alleged the DMCH of having referred Jasbir Kaur in a critical condition to which project coordinator for Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and state nodal officer, Dr Deepak Bhatia, stated, “It is unethical on the part of any hospital rated as “tertiary” to refer a critical patient to the civil hospital.” 

The civil surgeon has also been asked to convene a meeting with the medical superintendents of the leading hospitals for the same. 

Jasbir Kaur has been kept in the isolation ward at the civil hospital and is being administered the symptomatic treatment and her reports will arrive tomorrow, added Dr Bhatia. 

On the other hand, DMCH medical superintendent, Dr Sandeep Puri, denied the charges adding, “The patient was stable when she was referred to the civil hospital.”  He also said the consultant who was treating her had referred her to the civil hospital following the media reports that the swine flu suspects would be treated in the civil hospitals and also that their tests too would be conducted in the civil hospitals. 

The money and the lengthy procedure involved in the swab tests of the suspected cases of swine flu is the bone of contention between the district health department and the hospitals concerned.  The throat swab samples are sent in triple packing vaccine carriers, as the virus is highly infectious. 

Ludhiana, August 8
The presence of larvae of Aedes mosquito at all three prisons, Central Jail, Women Jail and Borstal Jail, found by a team of the anti-larvae wing from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, along with a team of officials from the National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), New Delhi, has again highlighted the plight of poor conditions in jails. 

It has also brought to the fore the fact that had the dengue larvae spread its wings, the jail authorities would have been unable to tackle the situation. 

The jail has already witnessed six deaths for the want of proper medical care and treatment in less than four months. 

The presence of Aedes larvae has again highlighted the concern over poor medical facilities in the district jails, which is ill-equipped, if hit by some seasonal disease. 

Lack of proper medical facilities in the three district jails is increasingly becoming the cause of rising mortality rate among the jail inmates.  With only one physician for health care of over 3,300 inmates, the prisoners are being denied the right to even primary medical facilities. 

Recently, the youth Akali leader Simarjit Singh Bains and Kawaljit Singh Karwal, who are lodged in Central Jail for alleged murderous assault on tehsildar GS Benipal, complained of blood pressure and jaundice.  As the lone physician was already burdened with the growing number of ailing prisoners, he told the leaders to conduct the medical test from the civil hospital.  The Jail Minister further marked an inquiry against the doctor. 

Minister Hira Singh Gabria, though was quick to initiate an inquiry against the doctor, forgot to appoint a doctor for the inmates, the demand which was long pending. 

According to the jail manual, there should be one medical officer for every 500 prisoners.  However, Central Jail, Ludhiana, is an exception.  The jail houses 2,500 inmates but does not have a single medical officer for the past six months. 

Roop Kumar, superintendent, Central Jail, said, "Numerous letters have been written to the DG (prisons) demanding more doctors for the jail." 

He said even the Director-General (Prisons) had sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner but nothing had been done so far.  On the other hand, DIG (Prisons) Jagjit Singh has again reiterated his statement and said, "It is the duty of the heath department to depute a doctor at the earliest."  Sukhjeet Singh, who was appointed for around 500 prisoners lodged in Borstal Jail, is also attending to around 2,500 inmates of Central Jail and around 300 inmates of the Women Jail. 

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, a lower rung jail official, said if the physician was not provided at the earliest, things could go from bad to worse as the presence of dengue larvae has already spread panic among prisoners. 

Ludhiana, August 8
Uninterrupted supply of "contaminated water" in Muslim Colony and Ranjit Nagar near Sherpur Chowk has added to the number of diarrhoea cases. 

The team of health officials attended to 14 new cases of diarrhoea today in the above areas. 

Dr Gurjit Singh, SMO, Sahnewal civil hospital, said the patients had caught infection after consuming "water" being supplied in the residential areas, which had apparently been contaminated with the mixing of sewage. 

He said teams of medical officials and paramedical staff conducted a survey in 2,358 houses of Muslim Colony and Ranjit Nagar, followed by 48 group meetings, wherein people were given health education. " The main emphasis was on consumption of safe water," the doctor said. 

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr SS Dhir said they had repeatedly asked the Municipal Corporation officials to discontinue the water supply in the areas getting contaminated water, but nothing had been done so far. 

Mohammad Shehzaad, a resident of Muslim colony, said: "The water supply in street no.  2, 3 and 4 is very bad as the water emancipates foul smell.  Many people have fallen sick after consuming contaminated water and the cases of diarrhoea are on the rise," Shehzaad added. 

Ludhiana, August 8
A presentation of how the city bus service would run in Ludhiana was given to the transporters at Bachat Bhawan here yesterday. 

A total of 200 buses, including a few air-conditioned, would run in the city under the JNNURM project.  The meeting was attended by Sanjay Sharma, representative of the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Service Limited (ILFS), a Mumbai-based consultancy agency appointed for the service by the Punjab government, and Sanjay Verma of the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA), Chandigarh. 

BK Gupta, zonal commissioner, said, “The Punjab government had invited expression of interests for the city bus service on July 25 and the meeting was convened by the officers to know what the transporters feel about the project.  The transporters, including Anand Bus Service, Sheikhpura Bus Service, Manjit Bus Service and Small Bus Operators Union, were present who were given a presentation about the functioning of the city bus service.” 

Under the discussion, many things were pointed out for transformation.  These included banning of auto-rickshaws for success of the service and if this was not possible, at least the routes on which the city bus service would run, should be auto-rickshaw free. 

Since one of the requirements for the service was an annual return of Rs 75 lakh for the operator, the small bus operators opposed it and asked to bring it down, which might be considered at a high-level. 

While talking to The Tribune, Sanjay Verma of State Urban Development Agency (SUDA), Chandigarh, said, “The project has received a good response as many big and small players had come for the meeting. 

During the discussion, a proposal has been forwarded by the small bus operators to run the bus service within the MC limits.  We told them that the route is based on this fact only, however, the service can be extendable to the nearest town, depending upon the viability and priority.” 

Ludhiana, August 8
In an apparent bid to promote red-tapism in the approval of building plans, Municipal Commissioner GS Ghuman has decided to seek sanctions from the ATP (Zone-D) and the legal adviser for clearing the same. 

The decision, a sweating process for the residents, was conveyed to officials of the building branch during a meeting here today. 

The procedure to be followed from now onwards would first start with sanctioning of plans by the Zonal ATP, then the D-zone ATP, the legal advisor, the MTP and the STP in case of residential approvals.  In case of commercial approvals, the Municipal Commissioner would give his consent after the STP’s recommendations. 

Instead of taking steps to reduce red tape, the decision of the Commissioner has left the building branch officials surprised because rather than simplifying the procedure for the sanctioning of building plans, it has been made all the more complicated. 

Sources in the civic body revealed that orders in this regard were issued on July 23, but were passed on to the officials during a meeting convened by the Commissioner today. 

Talking to The Tribune, senior officials of the department said, “The inclusion of these two officials would make things all the more complicated for the public because first they would go to their respective zonal officials, then to the office of the legal adviser followed by others.” 

Besides, the decision will invoke the policy of “divide and rule”, as the post of the ATP (Zone-D) has been made more powerful than the ATPs of the other zones.  This will create differences among the officials, thus affecting the work.  Also, involving a legal officer is surprising as he has no idea about the building bylaws, the architecture and the study of building plans. 

Interestingly, legal official KS Kahlon was earlier given the charge of Information Officer and he had pleaded that he could not hold two charges simultaneously as most of the time he was in Chandigarh.  The Municipal Commissioner’s decision of including a law officer is highly objectionable as from where the legal officer would get the time to study and sanction plans, said sources. 

While the Central government had directed the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation to introduce the single-window system to make things easy, the Commissioner’s decision would hit the functioning of the civic body as the procedure would cause a lot of harassment to the residents, add sources. 

Ludhiana, August 8
The customers, especially traders and industrialists, heaved a sigh of relief with the opening of banks here after the two-day strike by the All-India Bank Employees’ Union. 

The cheques worth crores of rupees were sent for clearing to the clearing house by several banks in the city. 

Government departments, which were supposed to be closed today, too, have sent their representatives to deposit the cash, pending for the past two days, to their respective branches.  The employees at the banks were finding it difficult to tackle the rush of customers. 

Bhupesh Kumar, accountant, Punjab National Bank, said they had to clear the backlog of two-days.  The cheques sent for clearing were almost doubled today. “ Today, representatives from the various government departments, including Roadways, Railways, PSEB, Telecom, etc, had come to deposit the cash due for the past two days.  Being Saturday, we were given instructions to clear as much backlog as possible,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the industrialists and traders have condemned the strike.  They said instead of troubling the customers throughout the nation, the bank employees should have initiated talks with the government. 

Badish K Jindal, chairman, Punjab Chapter of Federation of Association of Small-Scale Industries of India (FASSI), in a letter, has requested the Governor, RBI, not to charge the interest on loans and limits of the industry of the past three days, as the clearing of banks and transactions were suspended due to the strike. 

He also demanded that the salaries of bank employees should be deducted and same should be passed on to the industry as interest refund. 

“The industry, already under the recessional phase, has suffered huge losses due to strike by the bank employees,” said Jindal. 

Purnima Sharma, customer of the State Bank of Patiala, said she had to transfer money in the name of her daughter, studying in Kota as she required it urgently, but it took three-days to transfer the amount. 

“We boast of competing with the world, but look at the ground reality.  Strikes, protests, demonstrations and boycotts have become the order of the day, all around,” she rued, while coming out of the bank. 

Sahnewal, August 8
Students and teachers of the colleges affiliated to Panjab University are in a tizzy as there is no official information regarding the “changed” syllabi for the new academic session.  On the other hand, classes have already begun as per the university guidelines from July 22. 

“ With literally no information regarding the “changed” syllabi from the university authorities, the teachers are at their wits’ end as to what should be done in such a situation,” rued a local college teacher. 

With the September house examinations just round the corner, the students are a harried lot, as it is not clear whether the papers would be based on the old or new syllabi. 

“It requires time to get acquainted with the new syllabus and one has to practically master it in order to teach it to the students with a clear understanding .But the irony is that we are till date ignorant of the changes, if any, made to the syllabus from the current academic session. 

For instance, it has been alleged that in the BCA final year examination, an entirely new syllabus-based maths paper has been introduced, the information of which has come from publishers alone .There is till date no written information regarding the changed syllabi from the authorities concerned,” said a mathematics lecturer. 

While some of the colleges have already begun teaching on the basis of this unconfirmed information extended by the publishers, others are awaiting its confirmation by the university. 

Even repeated visits by a college librarian to the university to procure a copy of the syllabus proved to be futile as he got the standard reply every time that the syllabus was not ready yet. 

When a college teacher tried to contact a member on the syllabus formation committee, the reply she got was, “Though classes have already begun from July 22, the teachers are not in a position to teach the students in the absence of any written instructions. 

Till the time we get a copy of the changed syllabus, it would be too late to cover the syllabus for the terminal exams and the teachers would have to rush through the entire portion.” 

Ludhiana, August 8“Education in India plays a great role in providing basic insight about a subject to students that helps them to earn score for their degrees.  However, application of knowledge to practical situation is a different thing. 

For making a student to learn from classroom and to have practical application of knowledge, extra efforts are required,” said Dr Harminder Mashiana, a process development scientist from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, during an interaction with PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Manjit Singh Kang here yesterday. 

Dr Mashiana said the training in biochemistry that he obtained from India gave a practical oriented knowledge vital for anyone to do well in the private industry.  He emphasised that in the contemporary world, subjects like industrial microbiology, industrial biochemistry, and practical biotechnology should be included in the curriculum of postgraduate
programmes. 

He highlighted the role of these applied sciences in bio-pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.  Dr Kang said the ultimate aim of students is to gain jobs and there is a cutthroat competition especially in the jobs requiring special skills. 

He thanked Dr Mashiana for having agreed to deliver a talk to postgraduate students, faculty members of the PAU and medical colleges.  Dr Kang said students need to be motivated about following new trends in science so that they equip themselves with the required knowledge and skill. 

PAU additional director of communication Dr Jagtar Singh Dhiman highlighting the reprioritised research and development programmes of the PAU, said the university had an edge over other institutes it had developed state-of-the-art facilities for research in agricultural biotechnology, electron microscopy, nano-science, natural resource management, crop improvement, etc. 

Alumni meet

College of Home Science is going to hold an alumni meet on August 12.  The highlights of the meet will be 'Tree Plantation' and celebration of 'Teej' in collaboration with the Home Science Association of College. 

Giving details of the meet, dean, College of Home Science, Dr Neelam Grewal informed that the meet was being organised in view of the long-pending demand of the college alumni. 

Further, the interaction of the alumni who had made a mark in their chosen fields with the students would act as a motivating force and inspire them to excel in their respective disciplines, said Dr Grewal. 

The convener of the association Dr Savita Batish said the festivities would be marked with competitions. 

Registration for the meet would start at 2 pm in the College of Home Science followed by an interactive session and tree plantation. 

The cultural programme and competitions will be held in Sukhdev Singh Bhawan from 3 pm onwards.  For details contact:161-2403179, 2401960-79 extension 209 (on any working day), 9888668186, 9855451920 or e-mail at: deanhsc@pau.edu. 

Mullanpur Dakha, August 8
Taking a step further in the field of education, GHG Khalsa College, Gurusar Sadhar, has planned to set up a central digital library on its premises. 

MP Manish Tiwari today inaugurated the construction site of the library.  The establishment of the library will be done at a whopping cost of Rs 3 crore and it will make GHG College affiliated with Panjab University. 

Principal of college, Dr Sawaranjit Singh Deol, attributed the credit of taking an initiative to establish the digital library to S Manjit Singh Gill, president of college management committee.  He said Gill had taken vital steps for the development of the college.  A brief cultural programme was also organised by the college students to mark the occasion. 

Ludhiana, August 8
In order to reduce the huge pendency cases, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) has decided to hold a special Lok adalat on August 29. 

The DLSA held two meetings under the supervision of its chairman GK Raim, Sessions Judge, with the officers of various banks and insurance companies.  The chairman asked them to settle maximum number of cases through the adalat, as it would save money and time. 

DLSA secretary-cum-Civil Judge Senior Division JPS Wehniwal apprised that pre-litigative cases would also be taken up in the adalat for amicable settlement in order to stop the start of litigation for years. 

Jagraon, August 8
A minor girl had a narrow escape when a boy tried to kidnap her from Chakar village near here. 
Nirmal Dass of Chakar village, in his complaint, has said yesterday his six-yr-old daughter Raman had came home from the Government Primary School of the village during recess period, where she had been studying in Class I.

While returning, Pawandeep Singh (15) of the same village offered her a lift on his bicycle.  Out of excitement, she agreed for the ride.  He then began to move towards an isolated place outside the village.  Some villagers saw this and caught the boy and handed him to the police at Hathoor village chowki. 

The boy was today produced before the CJM’s court in Ludhiana, who sent the boy to the juvenile home on remand. 

A case against the accused has been registered under Sections 363 and 36-A of the IPC at the Jagraon police station. 

Ludhiana, August 8
GTB School, Doraha, lads emerge champions in the under-14 and under-17 categories in the PAU Zone Inter-School Zonal Football Tournament (boys) organised by the Punjab education department and concluded on the Punjab Agricultural University campus here today. 

In the under-14 category, GTB School boys survived many anxious moments before emerging victors 1-0 against Government Senior Secondary School, Noorpur. 

In the match to decide the third position, Bhartiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Kitchlu Nagar branch, toiled hard to pip Indo-Canadian Academy 3-2.  The match was resolved via sudden death, as the regular period and penalty shootout failed to produce any result. 

The final in the under-19 category was played between Sutlej Public School, Rahon road, and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University, in which the latter came out triumphant 4-2. 

The issue was resolved via a tiebreaker, as the two teams were locked goalless during the regular time. 

In the match for hard line cup, Government Senior Secondary School, Hambran, faced a stiff challenge from GTB School, Doraha, before managing to scrape past 4-3.  The match was decided through a tiebreaker, as the sides were tied one-all at the end of the stipulated period. 

Mandi Ahmedgarh, August 8
The under-19 team of Anand Isher Senior Secondary School, Chhappar, emerged winners during the Kilaraipur Zonal School Football Tournament, which concluded at the Nasket Memorial Stadium at Mehma Singh Wala village near here yesterday. 

Tthe U-19 team of Anand Isher School beat Government Senior Secondary School, Kalakh, by 4-0 goals.  Navdeep Kaur scored all field goals. 

According to other results, the U-19 boys’ team of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha Senior Secondary School, Sarabha, and Shaheed Kartar Singh Dukki Government Senior Secondary School were declared as winner and runner-up, respectively. 

The U-17 team of SKS, Sarabha, defeated Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Mehma Singh Wala, to clinch first position in the category. 

Government Elementary School, Dango, and Government Elementary School, Jand, were declared the winner and runner-up, respectively, in the U-14 category.