Rain predicted, city clubs, hotels chalk out action plansstory

With the weatherman predicting a rainy New Year's Eve, city clubs and hotels have made special arrangements to ensure that celebrations do not turn out to be damp squib.

With the weatherman predicting a rainy New Year's Eve, city clubs and hotels have made special arrangements to ensure that celebrations do not turn out to be damp squib.

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Satluj Club has gone with the adage “If you cannot beat them, join them”, in case weather gods play spoilsport. “We plan to celebrate in an open area. I have asked our members to bring colorful umbrellas, so that they can then enjoy a rain-dance party if it rains,” said Ruch Bawa, cultural secretary of Satluj Club. The club is in talks with Dilbagh Singh, a Delhi-based singer, for enthralling the audience
At Lodhi Club, singer Rana Shaad and Shivani will make the audience put on their dancing shoes. But the highlight of the show will be the fireworks, though through an LCD screen. “Fireworks are best to welcome the New Year. But, given the pollution in Ludhiana, we have decided to put a grand firework show on big LCDs this time,” said Pawan Garg the cultural secretary of Lodhi Club.

Majestic Park Plaza will be providing food on the theme 'Flavours of the World'. Executive assistant manager of Hotel Umesh said celebrations will take place at two places. In the hotel's lobby, singers Rupali Chawla and Hardeep Singh, both of the Voice of Punjab fame, will enthrall the audience. In the darbar area of the hotel, Bollywood singer Shivangi Sharma and her band will be performing. Hotel Fortune Classic has decided to celebrate by serving what they describe as “lip-smacking cuisine”, but without dance party. The hotel's food and beverages manager, Asit Ghosh, said, “Welcoming New Year with delicious food is the idea this time. A lavish buffet with Indian, Turkish and continental cuisine from the main countries will make relish all.”

Rotary Club-Greater Ludhiana will celebrate with students of Government School, Issewal. Club's president, Dr Rajan Thind, said, “We have decided to award scholarships to 10 students and that will mark our New Year celebration.”

NGO Ahasaas Charitable trust will go to city slums and an old-age home to mark the first day of 2014. Club president Sangeeta Bhandari said, “I doubt if there can be anything better for celebrating New Year. We'll visit a slum on Hambran Road and distribute sweaters and blankets.”