10102025-LT-01.qxd 10/10/2025 12:52 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune PAU RETIREES PROTEST OVER PENDING DUES RURAL SPORTS FESTS: FUSION OF TRADITION, ENTERTAINMENT REVISITING ICONIC B’WOOD KARVA CHAUTH SCENES Hundreds of retired employees of PAU staged a protest, demanding release of arrears. P2 The state's rural sports festivals promote traditional games that have been passed through generations. P3 Bollywood has not only celebrated its emotional splendour but have also used it as a narrative device. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 29°C | MIN 18°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 18°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5.57 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:21 AM FRIDAY | 10 OCTOBER 2025 | LUDHIANA 188 students attend classes at gurdwara, school building not built for decade Building of government-run hostel in Jamalpur in a dilapidated state Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 9 As many as 188 students from localities such as Jamalpur, Tajpur Road, EWS Colony, Indrapuri and Sector 32, near Vardhman, are attending classes in a nearby gurdwara in the Sati Sudan area. Students of Classes I to V have been studying there for the past about a decade due to the non-availability of a government school building in the vicinity. The gurdwara authorities have been accommodating them on their premises and since neither the parents nor the management have raised major objections, the arrangement is being continued, allowing the government to conveniently run the school in the makeshift setup. According to reliable sources, the government also runs a hostel for students in MIG Colony, Jamalpur. However, the hostel building is in Students study in the gurdwara building in the Sati Sudan area of Ludhiana. a dilapidated state, despite having adequate space that could be used to construct the school and hostel. “The hostel is in MIG Colony but residents there are not in favour of having a school in the area, citing it would cause nuisance. A few local residents have even allowed two-three migrant Karva fervour families to occupy unsafe accommodation adjacent to the hostel building just to prevent any construction activity for a school,” revealed one of the teachers, requesting anonymity. At present, the students study together in a single hall inside the gurdwara, where temporary partitions have TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN been created to divide classes. Meanwhile, the 28 students staying in the Jamalpur hostel continue to live in unsafe conditions. Arvinder Singh, the caretaker of the hostel, said the structure had enough space to construct classrooms. “It would be ideal if the government build a Mahesh Sharma Ludhiana, October 9 The Tibba police have initiated a probe into the death of two persons whose bodies were recovered from Anandpur mohalla under mysterious circumstances on Thursday. One of the bodies was recovered from the house of an elderly resident of the area while the other was found lying in the street, near the house. The police have also recovered a video clipping showing an unidentified person dragging one of the bodies. While one of the deceased has been identified as 35year-old Rahul, the police are One of bodies was recovered from a local resident’s house, other found lying in street yet to ascertain the identity of the second victim, aged around 40. Charanjit Kaur, who had earlier informed the Tibba police about the disappearance of her son Rahul for many days, identified one of the victims as her son. Sandeep Singh, a policeman at the Tibba Road police station said police Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 9 In a sweeping move to safeguard public health during the festive season, the Punjab Health Department launched a major inspection and awareness campaign across the district. Under the leadership of Civil Surgeon Ramandeep Kaur and designated officer Sandeep Singh, the Food Safety Team collected 15 samples of high-demand food items such as sweets with silver leaf, paneer, ghee, jaggery, sugar and spices from areas, including Ferozepur Road, Mullanpur, Sudhar and Jagraon. A significant seizure of 2,697 kg of jaggery, sugar, and shakkar was made from a manufacturing unit in Tajpur village, with all samples sent to the State Food Laboratory for analysis. “We are committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to pure and safe food,” said Dr Ramandeep Kaur. “Our teams are working tirelessly to prevent adulteration, especially during festivals when consumption of sweets and dairy products surges. Unsafe food is a silent threat and we are determined to eliminate it.” To empower citizens, Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh announced a dedicated WhatsApp helpline (94644- Ludhiana, October 9 The Ludhiana police claimed to have arrested three drug peddlers and seized 260 gm of heroin from their possession on Wednesday. They have been identified as Gurdeep Singh of Indra- puri, Tajpur Road, here, Pardeep Kumar of Karamsar Colony and Jaskaran Singh of Jassian village, Ludhiana. The suspects were arrested when they were waiting for their clients to deliver a consignment in a Mahindra 94180) for reporting suspected food adulteration. “The helpline gives people a direct voice in protecting their families,” said Dr Kaur. “All complaints will be treated confidentially and acted upon swiftly by our flying squads and district teams,” she added. Designated Officer Sandeep Singh said: “We are closely monitoring food business operators to ensure compliance with the FSSAI standards. Every vendor must display their licence and maintain hygiene. Violators will face strict legal action.” City-based nutritionist Ritu Sharma welcomed the initiative, saying: “Adulterated food can cause serious health issues, especially in children and the elderly. Public awareness and vigilance are key.” Dr Kaur emphasised that food items must carry clear labeling, including “Best Before” dates and only approved ingredients should be used. “We are following a zero-tolerance policy. The festive season should be a time of joy, not illness,” she said. The Health Department urged citizens to check for FSSAI logos, avoid suspicious products and report any concerns. With proactive inspections and public participation, Ludhiana is taking strong steps towards safer and healthier celebrations. Cough syrup sampling drive launched in district amid safety concerns Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 9 In response to growing vigilance over toxic cough syrups, a multi-zone sampling operation was conducted across the district. The move comes in the wake of alarming reports from Rajasthan and MP , where consumption of certain cough syrup brands was allegedly linked to deaths of children. Drug Control Officers (DCOs) collected 10 samples of cough syrup from Pindi Street, Dugri, Khanna and Jagraon, targeting retail outlets and distributors. The samples will be sent to the Government Analytical Laboratory in Kharar for testing, specifically for the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG) — a toxic industrial solvent linked to recent child fatalities. Why it matters Diethylene glycol (DEG) is a chemical used in antifreeze and brake fluids. ADVISORY FOR PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN ■ Avoid administering cough syrups to children under two years unless prescribed by a doctor ■ Check for batch numbers and expiry dates ■ Report suspicious or unlabelled medicines to nearest health authority Its accidental or deliberate inclusion in medicinal syrups has led to multiple tragedies. In the country, the recent deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan due to DEGcontaminated Coldrif syrup have triggered nationwide inspections. What expert says “Diethylene glycol is extremely dangerous when ingested. Even small amounts can cause kidney failure, especially in children,” said a toxicologist at PGIMER, Chandigarh, adding that “Routine sampling and batch testing are the only way to prevent such tragedies.” “We are following strict protocols laid out by the Directorate General of Health Services,” said Sukhbir Chand, DCO, Ludhiana-1. “Our goal is to ensure that no substandard or unsafe formulations circulate in the market,” he said. “Medicine meant to heal should never harm,” said a senior official from the Health Department. We are committed to restoring public trust in India’s pharmaceutical safety,” he said. “There are some decongestants in the market with irrational drug combinations, which need to be avoided for children. Overthe-counter (OTC) cough medications for children should not be resorted to. But if parents feel that their young child has significant cough, they should visit a paediatrician who should be able to treat it. Parents should avoid self-medication of children and not using OTC drugs,” said City based paediatri- cian, Dr Rajesh. What happens next? The collected samples will undergo chemical analysis at the Government Analytical Laboratory, Kharar, with a focus on detecting DEG. If contamination is found, the Health Department is expected to initiate immediate recalls and legal action against manufacturers and distributors. Advisory by Union Health Ministry The Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory against prescribing or dispensing cough and cold medications to children below two years, stating they are generally not recommended for those under five and should only be used with clinical evaluation and supervision thereafter. A letter has been sent to all state and Union Territory health directors. The syrup was manufactured in Kanchipuram and Tamil Nadu Government has been asked to conduct a probe. c m y b officials, led by SHO Kulwinder Singh, had swung into action after receiving information about the recovery of the two bodies from the Anandpur mohalla on Thursday morning. Though the exact sequence of events is yet to be ascertained, preliminary investigations revealed that the two victims used to earn their livelihood by cleaning dishes at a nearby dhaba. The unidentified victim is reported to be homeless. The police said further action would be initiated on the basis of the postmortem reports. The bodies have been shifted to the mortuary at the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana. Three arrested with heroin Festive season: Health Dept cracks down on food adulteration in dist, launches helpline Manav Mander Girls are all smiles after applying henna on the eve of Karva Chauth in Ludhiana on Thursday. school building near the hostel itself. Since the hostel is already unsafe and requires reconstruction, it would make sense to start the school construction simultaneously. Many parents are hesitant to admit their children to the hostel due to its present condition. If a proper building is constructed for both school and hostel, the student strength will automatically increase,” he said. Meanwhile, District Education Officer (DEO) Dimple Madan said 28 students of the residential hostel would soon be shifted to a GLADA building in Sector 32. “At the same time, we are writing to the Education Department to allow the construction of a middle-level school at one portion of the hostel, where encroachments are made by a few migrants. If the department agrees, it would be too good for students to study and reside at the same place,” he said. Mystery shrouds death of two men in Anandpur mohalla Scorpio SUV at a T-point in the Tibba road area. Probe revealed that police officials, led by Tibba SHO Kulwinder Singh, had nabbed them after getting a tip-off that the suspects were going to deliver a consignment of drugs. — OC Two of thieves’ gang nabbed, 10 stolen bikes recovered Our Correspondent Ludhiana, October 9 The crime wing of the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate claimed to have nabbed two members of a gang of vehicle thieves. Ten motorcycles were recovered from the possession of the suspects, identified as Gaurav Kumar of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony, Sherpur, and Ajai Kumar of Kailash Nagar, here. Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, Swapan Sharma, said police officials, supervised by Deputy Commissioner Police (DCP) Harpal Singh, ADCP Amandeep Singh Brar and in-charge, Crime Branch, Beant Juneja, had arrested two members of a gang of vehicle thieves, who had been involved in stealing unattended twowheelers from city areas. “It was during a drive launched against anti-social elements ahead of Diwali that Gaurav and Ajai were nabbed when they were waiting for potential customers interested in purchasing stolen vehicles near a school in Sector 39 here on Wednesday,” said Sharma, claiming that 10 motorcycles without registration number plates were recovered from the possession of the suspects. The investigating team is yet to ascertain the modus operandi of the suspects and their accomplice facilitating them in preparing documents for selling the stolen vehicles illegally. HEALTH & WELLNESS Drug Control Officers collect samples from an outlet during a drive in Ludhiana. 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