04052026-LT-01.qxd 5/3/2026 10:22 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune 3 GENERATIONS, ONE VISION: K’THALA FARMER LEADS THE WAY BETTER POLICIES CAN HELP ADDRESS POWER CUTS ISSUE Residents call for better management of resources, adequate and timely infrastructure upgrades. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY, RAIN MAX 38°C | MIN 18°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 21°C STARS BEAT THE HEAT, RAISE CLIMATE ALARM Balkar Singh (70) of Sawal village has emerged as a progressive farmer by transforming his agri practices. P2 FORECAST As summer intensifies, celebrities highlight urgent need for mindful living in the face of climate change. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 7.07 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:39 AM » MONDAY | 4 MAY 2026 | LUDHIANA Shed collapses on Ferozepur Road, power supply snaps Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Stagnant water at Hambran Road after Sunday morning rain; and (right) a snapped tree trunk at SBS Nagar due to strong winds. ASHWANI DHIMAN, HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Early morning heavy rain brings relief, disruptions across city Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 Ludhiana woke up to a dramatic change in weather on Sunday as the Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, recorded 24.6 mm of rainfall in the morning, with the minimum temperature dipping to 18°C, the lowest in Punjab. Many parts of the state received rain today, with Ludhiana receiving the highest today. While the showers brought respite from the scorching heat, they also disrupted daily life across the city. From Model Town to Civil Lines, Gill Road and Ferozepur Road, heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed the city, snapping branches and reducing visibility for commuters. “I was driving to work early morning, but the downpour made it almost impossible to see ahead. I had to stop twice just to be safe,” said Rajesh Sharma, a resident of Civil Lines. The impact was most severe on the power supply. Large parts of the city faced outages as PSPCL officials confirmed that supply had to be cut off due to faults and safety concerns. With contract workers on strike, it took long hours to restore the power. Some areas experienced long power cuts, starting early morning and lasted throughout the day. “We had no electricity since morning, and without water supply, managing household chores became very difficult,” lamented Sunita Kaur of BRS Nagar. The rain also led to waterlogging in low-lying areas, straining the drainage system. Streets turned into shallow streams, slowing traffic and inconveniencing vendors. “For daily-wage earners and street hawkers, this rain is more of a curse than a blessing. My cart couldn’t even move through the waterlogged lanes,” said Mohammad Irfan, a vendor near Gill Road. Dark clouds, thunder and lightning added to the dramatic scene, painting the city in shades of grey. “It felt like the sky was roaring. Children were scared by the loud thunderclaps,” recalled Harpreet Singh, a father of two in Sarabha Nagar. The Meteorological Department has warned that the spell of rain and thunder may continue for the next few hours. Poor infrastructure at Gill Road mandi exposed Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 The heavy rain this morning laid bare the infrastructural shortcomings at the Gill Road grain market near Arora Palace, leaving farmers scrambling to shield their harvested wheat produce. With inadequate shed facilities, tarpaulins became the only line of defence against moisture damage. “The rain caught us off guard. We rushed to cover our produce, but tarpaulins are no foolproof solution. Sheds are too few and some are being mis- A farmer covers his produce at Gill Road mandi. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN used,” lamented Deedar Singh of Dhandra village. Pritam Singh, another farmer, echoed the frustration. “We’ve been demand- ing proper shed infrastructure for years. Today’s situation shows how urgent the need is. Lifting is going on, but grains awaiting their turn to be lifted are left exposed. This is unacceptable.” Market workers too admitted the struggle. “When it rains suddenly, we scramble to cover grains. But it’s impossible to save everything. Water stagnation damages the produce and signs of spoilage are already visible,” one worker said. Another farmer from a village near Samrala said that it had been years that they had been demanding proper infrastructure at the grain market. “Governments come and go, but our demand for proper infrastructure at the grain mar- ket lies unheard and unmet,” he said. Experts warn that even short exposure to moisture can trigger mould, discolouration and fungal growth, eroding both quality and market value. An official from the Mandi Board acknowledged the challenge, “Harvesting is picking up pace and farmers must focus on proper storage. We are ensuring that the sold produce is lifted, but the crop under progressive lifting must be stored properly to maintain optimal moisture content.” Ludhiana, May 3 A large shed built over a private property on Ferozepur Road collapsed early on Sunday morning following strong thunderstorm, disrupting power supply in several localities, including Rajguru Nagar, Housing Board Colony and Pink Flats. The shed, made of tin sheets, caved in under the impact of strong winds and fell across the adjoining lane, damaging electricity poles, wires and a feeder line. The collapse also blocked the lane connecting the Housing Board Colony, creating difficulties for residents. Officials of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) reached the spot soon after the incident. To ensure public safety, PSPCL personnel cordoned off the area and temporarily closed the lane to traffic. Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) Ramandeep Singh said two electricity poles and one feeder were damaged due to the collapse. “The entire area experienced a power shutdown after the shed fell. Our teams are working on a war footing to restore electricity as early as possible,” he said. By afternoon, PSPCL teams had begun clearing the debris and repairing the damaged electric lines. No injuries were reported in the incident, though residents said the sudden collapse caused panic in the neighborhood. The boundary wall of the private property, on which the shed was built, also suffered heavy damage. The authorities concerned have advised people to stay away from damaged areas until the repair work is completed. Cave-in on Tajpur Road A portion of a road near Dayal Public School on Tajpur Road caved in following early morning rain, raising con- A cave-in on the stretch of Tajpur Road. The damaged shed at Rajguru Nagar. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN cerns over commuter safety on one of the city’s busy stretches. To prevent any accident, locals placed boards and sandbags around the affected portion to alert passersby and motorists. Despite the potential risk, no official from the municipal corporation visited the site till late evening to assess or get it repaired. Residents alleged that the civic body had failed to respond in time, even though the affected stretch witnesses heavy vehicular movement, including trucks and other heavy vehicles. Locals pointed out that since it was a Sunday, school buses remained off the roads, but traffic is expected to increase from Monday morning, heightening the risk of an accident if the damaged portion is not repaired immediately. Area resident Rakesh Kumar said the road suddenly caved in after the rain, though no injury was reported. “We covered the area using boards and sacks so that no one falls into it. However, no official has come to inspect the site so far,” he maintained. Zonal Commissioner Neeraj Jain said that teams had inspected areas from where complaints had been received after the rain. “No information regarding a cavein on Tajpur Road has been received so far. The matter will be conveyed to the officials concerned for immediate inspection,” he added. Meanwhile, B&R SDO Maninderdeep Singh said he was not aware of the issue. He assured that the site would be inspected and repaired if needed. He added that a similar incident had occurred on the same road earlier due to underground pipeline work, which had been repaired. “If it is the same spot, it will be repaired again,” he said. AAP holds black-flag protest Khanna police arrest 4 in Machhiwara clash case against Haryana CM Saini Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 The Machhiwara police today arrested four persons following a clash between two groups in Machhiwara. Those arrested have been identified as Davinderpal Singh Jaila, a resident of Machhiwara, Gurvinder Singh of Haidon, Jaspreet Singh of Haidon Bet and Satvir Singh of Ladhowal Kalan. Harpinder Kaur, SP Headquarters, Khanna, said that after the incident several Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Ludhiana Urban unit, staged a black flag protest against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini during his visit to Ludhiana on Sunday. Led by district unit president and chairman Jatinder Khangura, AAP leaders held a demonstration against the Chief Minister and condemned the BJP government’s ‘anti-Punjab policies’. Speaking on the occasion, Khangura said: “The BJP-led Central Government has not given even a single rupee as compensation for the devastating floods that hit Punjab. The BJP has always treated Punjab like a stepmother. On May 1, the BJP government hiked the price of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 993, forcing dhaba and hotel owners to shut down their businesses. While the BJP is making desperate attempts to form its government in Punjab, it is clearly showing its hatred by refusing to give the state any economic package.” A large posse of police force remained deployed at the AAP workers show black flags to Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, who was in city to attend a function. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN protest site and the cavalcade of the Haryana CM didn’t face any blockade. Prominent leaders present on the occasion included Ludhiana Lok Sabha in-charge and chairman Sharanpal Singh Makkar and Senior Deputy Mayor Rakesh Prashar. Cong used OBCs as vote bank: Saini Chief Minister, Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, who was here to attend a function of the Kashyap Rajput Kalyan Society in Ludhiana, while addressing the gathering said that the Congress, which had remained in power for 55 years, had never given prominence to the OBCs and this community had only been seen as vote bank. “But when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, he brought OBCs at the front and provided them facilities, which had been helping the OBCs to excel in life. Saini lauded Modi for giving 27 per cent reservation to the OBC youths in government jobs, he added. teams of the CIA and police station heads had been formed to arrest the accused and the police succeeded in nabbing four key accused within 24 hours of the incident. “Apart from these four nabbed accused, five suspects had already been detained by the Khanna police and their sustained questioning was being done to get leads about the whereabouts of the remaining accused, who are still on the run,” added the SP . She revealed that some of the accused were suspected to have gone underground and taken shelter in other states. Accordingly, Khanna police teams were also conducting raids at their suspected whereabouts. The case details Two groups of youths had clashed at a locality falling under the jurisdiction of Machhiwara polce on Friday evening. Gagandeep Singh Billa of Haidon village was killed on the spot, while Manpreet Singh Mani, who was earlier declared dead, but later turned out to be alive, was undergoing treatment at the PGI, Chandigarh. In this case, an FIR was registered against 24 persons led by Kabul Singh Pannu of Muglewal village and his 11 accomplices. Preliminary investigations revealed that an old rivalry between deceased Billa and another person named Jaila of an adjoining village was the main factor behind Friday’s clash that took place to settle scores. The police also received an audio recording in which the time of the clash was being discussed. Both caller and the recipient of the call are heard fixing the time at the grain market of Lakhowal Kalan. However, the clash took place at Ratipur Road. Billa’s father Surinder Singh had claimed that the clash had taken place to teach him (Billa) a lesson for his activities as a whistle blower against drug peddlers, but these claims were yet to be verified. 2 years on, MC fails to open a single library in city Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 Despite clear directions from the state government to establish six libraries in each constituency two years ago, the municipal corporation has not been able to operationalise even a single library in the city so far, with work progressing at a slow pace. The state government had allocated Rs 64 lakh per constituency around two years ago for the development of these libraries. In November c m y b 2023, an order issued from the Chief Minister’s office had asked Deputy Commissioners to ensure the setting up of libraries across constituencies. The initiative aimed at strengthening reading culture and providing accessible learning spaces for residents. Under the plan, up to six libraries were to be developed in each constituency. In rural areas, the responsibility was assigned to the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), while in urban areas, the MC had been tasked with executing the project. However, the project has seen delays since its inception. Officials said that tenders had been floated multiple times, but progress remained slow. One of the reasons cited was the delay in release of funds by the state government, which affected the pace of construction. As per official information, libraries have been proposed in several constituencies, including Gill, Jagraon, Khanna, Atam Nagar, Ludhiana Central, Ludhiana East, Ludhiana North, Ludhiana South, Ludhiana West, Payal, Raikot, Sahnewal and Samrala. Similar projects have also been planned across other districts of Punjab. Sources in the MC said that the civic body had recently held meetings with departments concerned to review the project. The authorities had also received the design of a model library built in Sangrur at a cost of Rs 35 lakh, which will be used as a reference for upcoming structures in Ludhiana. In urban Ludhiana, sites for several libraries have already been identified. Three locations have been earmarked in the West and North constituencies, while two sites have been finalised in Atam Nagar. The process of identifying land in other constituencies is still underway. Superintending Engineer Sham Lal Gupta said that tenders for six libraries in the West constituency had already been floated. “Work on three of these libraries is around 60 per cent complete and is expected to be finished soon,” he said.