27032021-ATR-01.qxd 3/26/2021 11:12 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar TRIBUNE GURU NANAK VARSITY SHOOTERS SHINE IN ISSF WORLD CUP 2021 GNDU shooters Divyanshu Panwar and Ashwrya Partap Singh have bagged medals in the ongoing ISSF World Cup. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY INBRIEF KRITI ARORA TOPS CITY IN JEE MAIN Amritsar: Kriti Arora, who wants to pursue computer science and engineering from IIT, has secured top position in the JEE Main March session results by scoring 99.68 percentile in the city. Kriti was followed by Nimarpreet, a student of Springdales Public School, who scored 98.86 percentile. Kriti, who got mentorship from Wisdom Institute, credited her success to self-study and disciplined routine that she followed throughout her preparation period. She said that since lockdown had restricted the scope of preparing for JEE Main, she made her own study routine and practiced hard. Nimarpreet, whose father is a doctor and mother is an academician, too wants to pursue computer engineering. The other merit holders of JEE Main March phase were Ribhav Khanna (98.15 percentile); Dhruv Bansal (97.35 percentile); Hitesh Sodhi (95.93 percentile); and Bhavya who scored 92.4 percentile. TNS WORKERS STOP LIFTING GARBAGE Amritsar: Safai sewaks and sanitation staff of the Municipal Corporation on Friday stopped lifting of garbage in the city. The union leaders have given an ultimatum of 72 hours to Mayor Karmajit Singh Rintu and MC officials to fulfill their demands otherwise they will go on an indefinite strike from Wednesday. The leaders of the employee unions claimed that no tractor-trolley or other garbage lifting vehicle would be allowed to go out from the MC’s auto workshop. Sanjay Khosla, president, Nagar Nigam Employees Union, said, “We have several pending demands but the MC officials and Mayor are not ready to hear our grievances.” TNS MAN HELD WITH 6-KG POPPY HUSK Tarn Taran: The Valtoha police arrested Baljit Singh of Mehmoodpur village with 6 kg of poppy husk on Thursday. The accused has been booked under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. Meanwhile, the Patti Sadar police arrested Pawandeep Singh of Kutiwala village with 35 kg of lahan. The accused has been booked under Sections 61,1 and14 of the Excise Act. In another case, Sarabjit Singh of Fatehbad was nabbed by Goindwal Sahib police on Thursday with 500 intoxicant tablets. ASI Naresh Kumar, Investigating Officer, said that the accused confessed that he had purchased the tablets from Heera Singh of Bhail Dhai Wala to be sold in the open market. The accused has been booked under Sections 22,61 and 85 of the NDPS Act, the ASI said. OC THREE BOOKED FOR ATTACK ON YOUTH Amritsar: A youth was brutally thrashed and left critically injured by three persons at Pandora village over a trivial issue of rubbing of shoulders. The victim has been identified as Tinku, a resident of Pandora village. The police have booked three persons, including Baba, Gichi and Rohit on charges of attempt to culpable homicide. According to the victim’s family, the accused were under the influence of liquor. AssistantSub Inspector Sukhpal Singh (Investigating Officer) said as per doctors, Tinku’s condition was serious as he suffered grievous head injury. TNS PAGE 2 PAGE 3 ASHA BHOSLE HONOURED WITH MAHARASHTRA RATNA AWARD WHEN KUNAL AND ANJALI RECREATED GHUNGHAT KI… Asha Bhosle took to social media and shared a video, which features Asha with her granddaughter Zanai. MAX 32°C | MIN 15°C | YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6:46 PM PAGE 4 Holi is around the corner and the team of Sargam Ki Sadhe Satii was the first one to celebrate the festival. SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:24 AM SATURDAY | 27 MARCH 2021 | AMRITSAR Bandh gets overwhelming response in holy city People from all walks of life hold protest; bus & train services severely hit Massive support in Tarn Taran district Our Correspondent Farmers block a rail track to show their support to the nationwide strike at Vallah in Amritsar; and (right) Left party workers hold a protest at Bhandari bridge. VISHAL KUMAR PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 26 On the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call given by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (United Farmers Front), a large number of farmers on Friday took out demonstrations at various places across the district. The farmers have been holding protests against the three controversial laws enacted by the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the past nearly four months. The protest got an overwhelming response from a cross-section of society with markets and bazaars remaining shut till evening that threw normal life out of gear. Rail and bus services remained suspended and the railway station and the interstate bus terminus wore a deserted look in view of Bharat Bandh. The farmers gave a call for Bharat Bandh from 6am to 6pm. Besides trade unions, various other organisations also participated in the protest at different places and supported the farmers’ cause. Women and children also par- ticipated in the protests. Though the majority of people avoided stepping out of their houses due to the agitation throughout the day, those who ventured out faced problems as all the main roads, including highways, remained blocked by the protesting farmers and security personnel. However, they Central Government did not accept the genuine demands of the farming community. The farmers’ unions also decided to hold a demonstration outside the offices of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in protest against recent orders regarding foodgrain procurement, which has created a flutter among the com- A road wears a deserted look on the day of Bharat Bandh in Amritsar on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO 12 booked for firing at Vishal Mega Mart Tarn Taran, March 26 Around 12 armed persons opened firing at the entrance of Vishal Mega Mart here on Thursday evening. The incident was the result of a verbal duel over shopping between one of the accused and staff of the Mart that took place in the morning. Though nobody was injured in firing, it created panic in the Mart. The Mart is situated right in front of the SSP’s residence and on the main road passing through the town. A police party, headed by DSP (City) Sucha Singh Bal, reached the spot and after watching the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the Mart, they recognised two of the attackers — Jaideep Singh of Palasaur and Sanny of Dial Rajputan. Their 10 other unidentified accom- did not stop emergency services, including ambulances and medical services. Rattan Singh Randhawa of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha (part of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha), which held agitations at Attari, Chogwan, Majitha, Ajnala, Lopoke and Othian, said despite the month-long agitation, the plices are yet to be identified. Jaideep Singh along with his family members had gone to the Mart for shopping in the morning where he had a verbal duel with a salesman. He left the place and came to the Mart again in the evening along with his armed supporters on a Pajero and other vehicles and fired at the glass main gate of the Mart. The DSP said on the statement of Arwind Kumar, manager of the Mart, the police registered a case under Sections 307, 506, 427, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. He said none of the accused had been arrested though raids were being conducted at the possible hideouts of the accused. Jaideep Singh, main accused in the case, was booked in three different criminal cases. — OC Damaged glass gate of Vishal Mega Mart in Tarn Tarn. munity in Punjab. “We will hold a protest on April 5 from 12 noon to 6pm against these autocratic orders by the FCI,” said Randhawa. Gurbachan Singh Chabba, state secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, who led the protest at the Golden Gate said the Joint Farmers’ Front held a protest at 80 places across the district and overall 165 in 12 districts of the state. He said railway lines were blocked at 28 places in Amritsar. He said they would intensify their agitation in the near future if the government failed to accept their genuine demands. He said the farmers would continue their peaceful protest till then. The farmers protested bare-chested at the Vallah railway crossing. The police remained on their toes the entire day to thwart any untoward incident. Parminder Singh Bhandal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, said the agitations passed off peacefully. He said armed battalions of police and commandoes and the entire police force from the city and police stations were deputed on road for security. Tarn Taran, March 26 The Bharat Bandh call given by the national-level farmer organisation under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha on Friday got massive support in this border district. Bus and train services remained paralysed. Shops and other commercial establishments remained closed. Supplies of milk, green vegetables, fodder, etc, from rural areas to urban areas were interrupted. Roads wore a deserted look. Dharnas were staged not only on National Highway No.54 passing through the district but also National Highway No.354. The Amritsar-Khemkaran too was occupied by protesters at places in protest against the three farm laws. Even link roads too were blocked by farmers and their supporters. People from all walks of life participated in the bandh. The Organisation of Divyang (people with disabilties) under the banner of “Angheen and Blind Union, Punjab” too organised a dharna at the local Chaunk Bohri. Addressing a gathering, Lakhbir Singh Saini said the three farm laws would affect all sections of society as the prices of farm products would skyrocket. Employees of Powercom led by Gurpreet Singh Gandiwind organised a protest in Naushehra Pannuan. Farmer organisations affiliated with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha staged a dharna on National Highway No.54 here at T-points. Prithipal Singh Marimegha and Daljit Singh Dialpura were among others who addressed the gathering. Workers of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, blocked traffic by organizing dharnas at 32 points in the district, including at National Highway No.54 at Raspulpur canals. Tejinderpal Singh Raju and Satnam Singh Manochahal among others also addressed the protesters and said the farmers’ only demand was to repeal the three laws. Residents hold a protest in Tarn Taran on Friday. GURBAXPURI MC passes ~435-crore budget Up by ~81 cr than last fiscal | 39% to be spent on dev works Charanjit Singh Teja Four succumb MC approves to virus in dist 25 proposals Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 26 The health authorities reported four Covid-19 related deaths in the district on Friday. With this, the total number of deaths reached 655 today. The Health Department reported 304 fresh cases in the district, thus taking the number of positive cases to 19,441. The deceased have been identified as Jasbir Kaur (79), of Jalalpura village in Majitha, Gurbhej Singh (61), of Bagga Kalan village, Kirpal Singh (74), of Jandiala Guru, and Surinder Singh (62), of Rampura village. Among the new cases, 215 had influenza like illness and 89 were contact of the positive patients. At present, the district has 2,313 active cases while the number of recovered patients reached 16,473. New patients also include district public relation officer Sherjang Singh, who has been quarantined and asked to take necessary precautions. According to health authorities, a total of 3,314 persons were inoculated today. c m y b Amritsar, March 26 The Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) passed a budget of Rs 435 crore for 2021-22 during the General House meet on Friday. Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu said no new taxes have been imposed. In 2020-21, civic body had passed a budget of Rs 354 crore. The MC would spend 58 per cent of the budget (Rs 252 crore) on employees, 39 per cent (Rs 171 crore) on development works and 3 per cent has been reserved for emergency situations. Observing its potential to collect taxes, the MC has set a target of collecting water and sewerage bills of Rs 35 crore. Civic body is expecting to collect Rs 42.50 crore from property tax. The MC would get Rs 30 crore through octroi on power and Rs 15 crore from excise duty. Rupee 2.50 crore as licence fee, Rs 8 crore as building fee and development charges, composition fee of Rs 9 crore and Rs 2 crore through street vending. The MC would sell its properties worth Rs 60 crore and collect around Rs 1 crore in rent. Similarly, civic body Rs 170 crore from its share of VAT. As far as expenditures Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu (left) during the budget meeting of the Municipal Corporation in Amritsar on Friday. SUNIL KUMAR The civic body is expecting to collect ~42.50 crore from property tax were concerned, the MC has to pay Rs 18 crore as power bill for streetlights apart from Rs 2.50 crore electricity bills. The MC would pay Rs 5.50 crore to a private firm for maintenance of streetlights. Around 11 crore would be spend on landscaping and maintenance of parks and development works of the Mohalla Sudhar Committees. Rupee 22 crore would be paid as power bill of tubewells and disposal plants. Civic body reserved Rs 8 crore for water supply and sewerage. Another Rs 14.90 crore would be spent on mechanical sweeping and solid-waste management. The MC has to pay Rs 90 lakh as legal charges of subjudice cases and Rs 1.30 crore as audit fee. Apart from this, MC has listed several non-committed expenditure in which civic body proposed to spend Rs 16.50 crore on recarpeting and maintenance of roads, Rs 7.50 crore for to cover open drains, Rs 1 crore on improvements in slums, Rs 2.50 crore for purchasing new machines, Rs 1 crore for gaushala, Rs 1.50 crore on the Covid-19 related treatment of employees, Rs 10 crore on water and sewerage lines. Amritsar, March 26 After the budget meeting, the Municipal Corporation conducted its general meeting and gave nod to 25 proposals for development works on Friday. Some other proposals of councillors were also tabled during discussion. Most of the proposals were related to development and desilting of sewerage lines in various areas of the city. Raising the objection on hiring private firm for desilting, councillor Mahesh Khanna stated that he had advised to buy the super suction machines last year. The hiring of super suction machines is not viable option and moreover it is our primary need for desilting of sewer lines. Jatinder Kaur, councillor from ward number 5 demanded to develop greenbelt along with Tung Drain, which turned into nullah and posing serious threat to human health. Senior deputy mayor Raman Bakshi and councillor Mahesh Khanna also raised the objection on the firm hired for the maintenance of tubewells. — TNS