01072026-LT-01.qxd 6/30/2026 11:32 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune FICO OPPOSES NIGHT-TIME POWER CUTS FOR INDUSTRIES SARDAI: THE SUMMER ELIXIR OF HIGHWAYS ACROSS PUNJAB As temperatures soar across the district, one drink that refuses to fade from Ludhiana’s highways is sardai. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY/RAIN MAX 37°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 29°C CELEBRATING REEL-LIFE MEDICOS ON DOCTORS’ DAY FICO has strongly opposed the PSPCL’s decision to impose power cuts on industries from 10 pm to 6 am. P2 FORECAST From idealistic healers to deeply human protagonists, the portrayal of doctors in cinema has evolved with the times. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.33 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5.27 AM » WEDNESDAY | 1 JULY 2026 | LUDHIANA Missing agreements, expired leases expose gaps in MC property mgmt Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 30 The Municipal Corporation (MC), which owns 326 commercial properties across the city, has failed to maintain lease records for several of its properties. Lease agreements for eight properties are unavailable, while many others expired years or even decades ago without updated agreements on record. Documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by city resident Rohit Sabharwal reveal that of the 326 commercial properties owned by the MC, 301 are rented out and 25 have been leased to educational institutions, trusts and other organisations. The records indicate that several leases date back to the 1950s and 1960s, with some having expired decades ago, raising questions over the civic body’s property management and record-keeping. According to the RTI documents, the MC had outstanding dues of Rs 5.93 crore from rented and leased properties as of July 31, 2020. The amount includes Rs 5.86 crore in unpaid rent and Rs 6.75 lakh in lease charges. The documents show that lease agreements for eight of the 25 leased properties are missing from the MC’s records. These include properties leased to Arya College, Civil Lines; Kundan Vidya Mandir; Dharamik Sewa Kundan Vidya Mandir is among the properties currently held under lease by the Municipal Corporation of Ludhiana. Trust; Shri Krishna Charitable Hospital; Khalsa Education College, Ghumar Mandi; Mission Trust (Sarb Rog Ka Aukhad Naam); and two properties allotted to the Police Commissioner, Ludhiana. Each of these entries carries the remark, “Agreement not available”. Only three leased properties — two allotted to Verka Dairy (Milkfed booths) and one to Shri Dandi Swami Golok Dhaam — have lease agreements available with the MC. According to the records, these agreements remain valid. Another set of RTI documents on older municipal lease records shows that several properties continue to be held under long-term leases granted decades ago. While some leases began as early as 1956, others were executed during the 1960s, 1980s and 1990s. The lease in favour of Shri Amargir Singh dates back to 1956. The property leased to Bharat Dharam Prachar Mandal is valid from April 20, 1983, to June 2, 2062. Guru Harkrishan Public Pathi AP Library has a lease valid until June 5, 2092, while the Punjab Committee Martyrs Bhagat Singh Colony Welfare Association holds a lease until October 20, 2085. However, several leases have already expired. These include the lease of Sunder Market buzz Lal (Blind Well), which ended in 1994; Bhala Kalyan Home, whose lease expired on June 30, 2013; and Shri Charan Singh Bhala Memorial Home, whose lease ended in November 1994. The records do not indicate whether fresh lease agreements were executed in any of these cases. Separate RTI documents relating to six major leased properties under MC Zone-A show that while some leases have been extended up to 2043 and 2075, the lease period has not been specified in two cases. The documents also indicate that outstanding dues relating to these properties increased from about Rs 66.09 lakh in 2022-23 to over Rs 2.40 crore as of March 31, 2023. In another RTI reply, the Directorate of Local Government, Punjab, informed Sabharwal that 34 complaints submitted by him regarding alleged irregularities in municipal properties, lease matters, encroachments, building violations, change of land use (CLU), road works and other civic issues had been forwarded to the competent authorities for inquiry. The department stated that the complaints had been sent to the concerned authorities for examination and necessary action, and that the complainant would be informed of the outcome after the inquiries were completed. The complaints include allegations of non-renewal of expired municipal leases, encroachments on public land, unauthorised constructions, alleged misuse of residential properties for commercial purposes, substandard road works and demands for vigilance inquiries into various matters concerning the Municipal Corporation. MC Joint Commissioner Tapan Bhanot said, “I have already directed officials concerned to renew agreements that have expired and trace the missing lease documents. Notices have also been issued to lessees who failed to come forward to renew their leases or pay the rent.” Villagers no longer need long trips for anti-rabies vaccination Vaccine now available at Primary Health Centres in dist Stray dogs attack a bike rider in Ludhiana. FILE PHOTO KEY FACTS Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 30 In a major relief for the rural population, the Health Department has started supplying anti-rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin (serum) at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the district. Until now, people bitten by dogs had to travel to the District Civil Hospital or community health centres to receive treatment. With vaccines and serum now available at the PHCs, villagers will no longer have to undertake long journeys to access life-saving post-exposure care. According to official information, the District Civil Hospital records the highest number of anti-rabies cases, with 50 to 70 people receiving the vaccine and serum every day. Sub-divisional hospitals ■ Primary Health Centres covered: ■ Vaccination administered per 45 in Ludhiana district ■ Daily vaccinations at the Civil Hospital: 50-70 ■ New provision: Vaccines and Anti-rabies vaccine and anti-rabies serum are both used for post-exposure prophylaxis after a potential rabies exposure, but they work in fundamentally different ways. The serum provides immediate, temporary defence, while the vaccine trains your own body to fight the virus for the long-term. treat around 25 to 30 patients daily, while urban community health centres administer anti-rabies vaccines to 15 to 20 people each day. A majority of those seeking treatment come from the rural and underdeveloped areas, with children and elderly people accounting for a significant proportion of the cases. Civil Hospital records show that between 1,100 and 1,400 new patients report for anti-rabies vaccination every month. The number of dog bite cases typically increases during the summer months. “Rabies remains a serious public health concern, and immediate vaccination after a dog bite is critical. By decentralising vaccine availability, the department aims to make rabies prevention more accessible and reduce delays in treatment,” a senior Health Department official said. Cong councillor alleges delay in Ward No. 82 development works Shoppers and commuters throng the busy lanes of Chaura Bazaar in Ludhiana as evening sets in. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, June 30 Opposition councillors continue to target the Municipal Corporation (MC) over the alleged delay in development works in their wards. On Tuesday, Congress councillor Arun Sharma raised the issue of pending civic projects in Ward No. 82, claiming that repeated representations to the authorities had failed to produce results. Sharma alleged that several development works, particularly road construction projects in Fatehganj Mohalla and Tilak Nagar, had remained incomplete for months, causing inconvenience to residents. Expressing his resentment, the councillor went live on social media and accused MC Sector 32 abduction an act of revenge over June 25 Shimlapuri firing incident, say police Ludhiana, June 30 The abduction of a man from Sector 32 on Chandigarh Road at gunpoint on Sunday night was an act of revenge linked to a firing incident reported in Shimlapuri’s Guru Gobind Singh Nagar on June 25, the police said on Tuesday. According to the police, the kidnapping was allegedly orchestrated by Sahil Kumar, alias Samrat, who suspected Shubham Manchanda of being involved in the firing outside his house earlier this month. The police said Sahil, the serum now available at PHCs WHAT VACCINE & SERUM DO Tribune News Service Tribune News Service month: 1,100-1,400 son of a city-based realtor, is facing trial in a murder case and was recently released on bail. An FIR has been registered against him and his associates on charges of kidnapping, assault and other offences. Raids are underway to arrest the accused. Assistant Commissioner of Police (East) Raj Kumar said Sahil and Shubham knew each other and had a longstanding rivalry. Sahil had earlier lived in LIG flats near Shubham’s residence before shifting to Shimlapuri. Both men had criminal backgrounds, the police said. According to the ACP , Shubham had gone to the Sector 32 market with his friends, Sachin and Diljot, on Sunday night when around 12 persons allegedly arrived in a Toyota Innova. On seeing them, Sachin fled, while Shubham and Diljot were allegedly assaulted. The police said the confrontation soon escalated into violence, with members of both groups allegedly attacking each other. During the clash, Shubham allegedly opened fire. The accused then allegedly overpowered him, forced him into the vehicle and abducted him. According to the police, Shubham was taken to another location, where he was allegedly assaulted before being abandoned near Punjab Agricultural University. The police later rescued Shubham and registered a separate case against him for allegedly opening fire during the clash. An illegal pistol was recovered from his possession, the police said. Shubham is reportedly involved in at least five criminal cases. The police said further investigation was underway to trace Sahil and the remaining accused and establish the exact sequence of events leading to the alleged abduction and firing. c m y b Congress councillor Arun Sharma (right), along with local residents, points out the poor condition of a broken road in Ward No. 82 of Ludhiana. aged roads would deteriorate further, making commuting difficult. The councillor also urged the Municipal Corporation Commissioner to involve elected representatives during field inspections. He said councillors, being familiar with issues in their respective wards, could provide a more accurate assessment of the ground situation. He alleged that officials might not always present the actual condition of an area during inspections. Sharma maintained that if the civic body wanted to improve the pace of development works and address public grievances effectively, it should work in close coordination with elected councillors, who remain in regular contact with residents and are well aware of local concerns. officials of ignoring his repeated requests. He claimed that a contractor had begun laying water supply pipelines in Fatehganj Mohalla but abandoned the work midway. Despite repeat- edly urging the contractor and civic officials over the past five months to complete the project, no action had been taken, he alleged. Sharma further claimed that the construction of 292 illegal cigarette packets seized during inspections 2 cousins stabbed while resisting robbery attempt in Rishi Nagar Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 30 Acting on the directions of Kamalpreet Kaur Brar, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Punjab, the office of the Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, constituted four joint enforcement teams to conduct a special drive against violations of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) across the city. Each team comprised a drug inspector, a food safety officer and a police official to ensure coordinated enforcement against the illegal sale of tobacco products. Continued on Page 2 Ludhiana, June 30 Two cousins sustained serious injuries after they were allegedly attacked with sharp-edged weapons by four unidentified youths during an attempted robbery in the Rishi Nagar area late on Monday night. The assailants also allegedly snatched a silver chain before fleeing the spot. The injured, identified as Pawan (20) and Nilesh (21), residents of New Surya Vihar on Panj Peer Road, were initially taken to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). As their condition worsened, streets in Tilak Nagar was inaugurated about one-anda-half months ago, but work had yet to commence. He said residents feared that with the onset of the monsoon, the condition of dam- they were shifted to the Civil Hospital and later referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh, for specialised treatment. According to the police, Nilesh had finished work and was returning home when his cousin Pawan arrived on a motorcycle to pick him up. The two parked the vehicle near the Y-Block market in Rishi Nagar and were walking towards the market when they were intercepted by four youths riding two motorcycles. The suspects allegedly attempted to snatch their mobile phones. When the cousins resisted, the attackers allegedly pulled out knives and repeatedly stabbed both of them. During the assault, the accused also allegedly snatched a silver chain from Pawan before escaping. Despite sustaining serious injuries, Pawan managed to call his family. His relatives immediately rushed to the spot and took both victims to the hospital. The police said CCTV footage from cameras installed in and around the market was being examined to identify the accused and trace their escape route. A case is being registered, and further investigation is under way.