28042022-JTR-01.qxd 4/28/2022 12:19 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar TRIBUNE NOW, CONGRESS SETS EYE ON MUNICIPAL BODY ELECTIONS PAGE 2 DEEPIKA PADUKONE JOINS CANNES FILM FESTIVAL JURY Congress councillors meet, hold a discussion with the Mayor on what should be done to remain in power. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY INBRIEF 1.25-KG OPIUM SEIZED, TWO HELD Hoshiarpur: The police arrested two persons and seized 1.25-kg opium from them. The police also seized a car belonging to one of the accused. The Model Town police seized 1-kg opium from a car during a naka at Purhiran Bypass. The accused has been identified as Jasvir Singh alias Jassi, a resident of Shiv Colony, Karnal, and seized the car of the accused. In another case, the Sadar police recovered 250 grams of opium from an accused during a naka near the Ram Colony camp. The accused has been identified as Gurdeep Singh alias Rinku, a resident of Shimlapuri Ludhiana. Separate cases under NDPS Act have been registered against them. OC TWO BOOKED FOR ~1.28 LAKH FRAUD Hoshiarpur: Garhdiwala police have booked two brothers for allegedly duping a woman of Rs 1.28 lakh on the pretext of seeling land at throwaway prices. ASI Namdev Singh said Rita Kumari wife of Davinder Singh, a resident of Dhoot Kalan village, had lodged a complaint with the police. She alleged that on the pretext of selling her cheap land, Subhash Chander and Jyoti Pal, both residents of Ranipur village had allegedly taken Rs 1.28 lakh from her. After this, the accused neither returned the money nor did she get the land. A case has been registered against the accused. OC FOUR BOOKED FOR FORGERY Hoshiarpur: The police have registered a case against four persons, including a father and son duo, for forgery. Balwinder Singh, working as ahlmad in the court of CJM Pushpa Rani, had lodged a complaint with the police. He told that in a case, the documents submitted by Sanjay Pandit and his father Vipan Pandit, both residents of Purhiran and Narinderpal Singh and Surjit Singh, both residents of Jian were found to be forged. The police have registered a case against the accused. OC Dr SKMISHRA IS IKGPTU REGISTRAR Kapurthala: Dr SK Mishra, Finance Officer of IK Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKGPTU), has also been given the responsibility of Registrar of the university. He took over the charge as the 16th Registrar of the university. VC Rahul Bhandari, entrusted him with the responsibility on Wednesday. Mishra assumed his new responsibility in the VC’s presence. Mishra said his goal would be to make high-end technological systems like national-level technical educational institutions. He appealed to the university staff, faculty and officials to cooperate for the varsity’s development and assured everyone that they would work together for the best future of the university. Dr Mishra has studied at IIM, Bangalore, Punjab Technical University and Lucknow University. He had earlier served as Registrar at Dr BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jalandhar, on deputation from IKGPTU. He has also been selected as Registrar in Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh. TNS PAGE 3 ROMANCH MEHTA JUST WANTS TO KEEP DOING GOOD WORK Deepika Padukone will be a part of the jury. The Palme d’Or winner will be announced on May 28. MAX 42°C | MIN 20°C | YESTERDAY MAX 41°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7:05 PM PAGE 4 Romanch, who is seen in Star Plus’ Kabhi Kabhie Ittefaq Sey, speaks about the show, his role & future projects. SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:44 AM THURSDAY | 28 APRIL 2022 | JALANDHAR When drugs became a panacea for all his troubles… Electrocuted at 17, he lost his forelimbs, got hooked to drugs & then lost his father; now recovered, but wish to take up a stable job Aakanksha N Bhardwaj was in so pain when ❝HeThe degreemuchso high. But he came to us. was he was Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, April 27 Rajinder’s (name changed) fight with life started when he was electrocuted at the age of 17, after which his arms got damaged and had to be amputated. “I was in Class XI at that time. Somehow, I completed Class XII and then wanted to take admission to a bachelor’s degree programme, which I did, but my low selfesteem because of my condition stopped me from pursuing my studies further,” said Rajinder, a drug addict from Aur in Nawanshahr. Then came a time when both his parents went to Greece where his elder broth- willing to quit. Also, other inmates really helped him with everything — from feeding him, bathing him to changing his clothes. This is something that really touched me. Rajinder has now recovered. ❞ Chaman Singh, PROJECT DIRECTOR OF THE DE-ADDICTION CENTRE IN NAWANSHAHR, WHERE RAJINDER STARTED TAKING TREATMENT er works, leaving the 33-yearold behind with his cousins and maternal uncle. Loneliness started troubling him. It was at this time, when he befriended some boys who pulled him into drugs with them, and drugs became a panacea for all problems. Singh started using money sent by his parents in consuming every kind of drug available. To calm his urge, 33-year-old Rajinder, used to get himself injected four to five times a day with the help of other addicts on every other possible part of the body. INFORM ABOUT DRUG PEDDLERS, GET ~51K CASH REWARD To further strengthen its efforts to curb drug menace completely from Nawanshahr, Deputy Commissioner Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa on Wednesday announced a cash reward of ~51,000 for the informer whose tipoff will lead to the seizure of narcotics. Presiding over a meeting at his office with the Police and Health Departments, the DC said the informer’s name would be kept secret and the police would act on each piece of information. He said within the next few days, a helpline number would be launched, so that they can share the information about the persons involved or associated with drug peddling. made a resolution that I will come back to a clean and healthy life,” Rajinder said. Chaman Singh, project director of the de-addiction centre in Nawanshahr, where Rajinder started taking treatment, said: “He was in so much pain when he came to us. The degree was so high. But he was willing to quit. Also, other inmates really helped him with everything —from feeding him, to bathing him to changing his clothes. This is something that really touched me,” he said, adding that Rajinder had now recovered. Today, Rajinder has recovered, but he still wishes to take up a job and restart his life, erasing the bad chapter from his life. “I don’t have arms, so I started begging others to inject at any part of the body so that I could get relief,” he said. “I used to always tell my father that I will make him proud one day. In his last days, my dejected father called me and said ‘tu mera naam vakayi hi raushan karta, chaahe doosri tarah’. He died after a few days, but the words pierced through my heart,” said Rajinder. Rajinder also shared that he started lying to his parents so that they could send him more money. But the truth came out when someone from his village told his parents about the problem. Both of them came so that they could help him, but nothing happened and his father also died. After his father’s death, he decided to get himself out of the deadly trap. “I could not afford to lose my mother, so I No malaria case reported in district for over 2 years MC issues notices to 3 factory owners FIR against ex-JIT chairman, Sr Asstt Tribune News Service CASE OF MISSING FILES Jalandhar, April 27 The town planning wing of the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, has issued notices to the owners of three factories in Wariana Complex alleging that they have covered a part of the government property and have raised construction on it. Notices have been issued by the Assistant Town Planner on a report submitted by the Building Inspector against MK Forgings, Juneja Factory and Perfect Factory, all falling in Wariana Complex. The notice copy reads, “You have encroached upon the government property and made it a part of your factory premises by doing construction on it, which is not acceptable. We want to know your side before proceeding against you under relevant sections of Punjab MC Act 1976.” The factory owners have been asked to furnish the records of ownership of factory land, approved construction plans and other necessary documents. The owners have been warned that they could face action if they would not furnish required documents to the MC office in three days. Tribune News Service Experts have planned to make state malaria-free till 2024 Aparna Banerji FACT FILE Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 27 Like two previous years, the district has not witnessed even a single case of malaria so far this year. Despite stagnant water or puddles of water and swarms of mosquitoes prevailing in most areas (especially in backwards ones), the district is on way to becoming malaria-free. Cases of malaria have been on the decrease for the last two and a half years. Health experts say that increase or decrease in mosquitoes as such has no bearing on malaria as long as the prevalence of plasmodium (the parasites which cause malaria) is low. There were 54 cases of malaria reported in the district in 2012 followed by 32 in 2013, 20 in 2014, 10 in 2015 and 22 in 2016. In 2019, only seven cases of malaria were reported in Jalandhar. In 2020 and 2021, no case of malaria was reported and this year no case of malaria has been ■ As many as 54 cases of malaria were reported in the district in 2012 followed by 32 in 2013, 20 in 2014, 10 in 2015 and 22 in 2016 ■ In 2019, only seven cases of malaria were reported in Jalandhar. ■ In 2020 and 2021, no case of malaria was reported and this year no case of malaria has been reported so far. ‘NO CHANCE FOR A MIX-UP’ ❝ All officially announced malaria cases are declared only after due testing and analysis. It’s the same for Covid-19. That leaves no chance for a mix-up. Ranjit Ghotra, CIVIL SURGEON ❞ reported so far. While dengue cases have been resurfacing and have witnessed a rise in its number over the years, health experts say it is different from the malaria scenario. While Jalandhar is under Category II of the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) index, as per the Punjab Malaria Elimination Campaign (PMEC) 2017, the district was slated to meet zero API target till 2018. Jalandhar is categorised as a district with low or moderate API. Health experts plan to make the state malaria-free till 2024. Similarly, the district will try to achieve the same feat. The dramatic decrease in malaria case stats is in keeping with the reduction in its numbers in the state. Epidemiologist Dr Aditya Paul said, “If there is no case of malaria reported in a district for three years, it can be declared malaria-free. Jalandhar has had no malaria case for the last two years. We hope no malaria case is reported this year too. “We await reports until the end of the monsoon season. Awareness campaigns for malaria and dengue prevention are being run across the district. Malaria cases are detected through microscopy or rapid diagnostic kits (RPDs). Microscopic slides are the valid confirmation of cases. No malaria cases have shown up in the slides. In 2019, seven cases were reported in Mehatpur and Shahkot after that there has not been a single case. We are keeping our fingers crossed.” Another health expert said, “Malaria is spread through palsmodium malariae parasaitic protozoan. An Anopheles mosquito (which causes malaria) distribute the same in clusters of too many people are impacted. Once spread, malaria spreads through clusters. Its major prevalence cannot go undetected. So it is safe to say malaria eradication drives in Jalandhar are bearing fruits.” Jalandhar, April 27 After Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar-cum-chairman of Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) Ghanshyam Thori wrote to Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar, recommending lodging an FIR into the missing files at the JIT office, an FIR has been lodged against then chairman and senior assistant Ajay Malhotra. The FIR has been lodged against the duo under Sections 409 and 420 of the IPC at Division No. 4 police station. The action was taken even though Malhotra on Tuesday had claimed that he had no file in his custody. He had gone to the record room of the JIT office and said that he had found 70 of the 120 missing files from the office. He had claimed that some files which were in his possession as per the record could have gone to the office of the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Local Bodies Department during a raid a few weeks back. The EO had on April 20 written that there was an inspection of the office by the team of Chief Vigilance Officer of Local Bodies Department at his office on March 23. “During the inspection, the files including those of dispatch register (before September 29, 2021), cash book, sale files, receipt book, and other documents were sought. The staff had then reported that the record had been sought by former chairman through senior assistant at his office, but was not returned,” the EO had replied. The EO has further gone on record to write to the Commissioner of Police: “This shows that the entire record has been misplaced. Since the record was so important for the JIT, it requires lodging of case under the relevant sections of the IPC. The office is set to face a major financial loss owing to the missing cash book and documents, which seems to a part of the larger conspiracy. The maintaining of accounts has not been possible owing to the same reason.” The EO had written to the CP for lodging of the case against former chairman of JIT and the senior assistant on the matter and police intervention for recovery of the missing records. A recommendation for lodging an FIR into the missing files had then been made by the DC to the CP . Tractor-trailer owners, drivers hold Jersey not a movie but an emotion for city lad protest outside AAP MLA’s house Says it was a wonderful working with Shahid as he learnt a lot from him Tribune News Service FALSE MINING CASES Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, April 27 Tractor-trailer owners and drivers from Garhshankar held a protest demonstration outside the residence of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Jaikishan Singh Rouri here on Wednesday. The protest was in connection with a case registered by the police against the tractor-trailer drivers who were driving the vehicles filled with sand and soil without papers on Tuesday. On the Garhshankar-Anandpur Sahib road, the protesters demonstrated against the police, the MLA and the government by block ing traffic at Banga Chowk in the city. They alleged that action taken by the police was done on the orders of the MLA. While addressing those present in the demonstra- Tractor-trailer owners and drivers protest outside the residence of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Jaikishan Singh Rouri on Wednesday. tion, Comerade Garib Das, Gurnek Singh Bhajjal and Advocate Pankaj Kirpal alleged that false mining cases had been registered against tractor-trailer drivers by the police. They said instead of providing employment to poor people, the AAP government in the state was rendering them workless or jobless. Kirpal said it was surprising that no tipper was seen by the police while impounding 11 tractor trolleys. The protesters said some tractor-trailer drivers had papers related to sand, but the police did not listen to them. They expressed anger and demanded that the police should have gone through Continued on page 2 c m y b Jalandhar, April 27 City youth Vaibhav Sharma (28), who shared the silver screen with Bollywood stars Shahid Kapoor, Mrunal Thakur and Pankaj Kapoor in the recently released movie ‘Jersey’, says the experience of working with such professionals had made him believe that dreams do come true. Vaibhav played the role of right arm leg spinner Gagan Sharma in the movie. He said his role is prominent in the second half of the movie. “Every single moment I spent with Shahid and my other co-actors was really amazing. I have learnt a lot from my co-actors, especially Shahid, who has not just performed the role of Arjun rather lived it completely,” he said. “Besides, Jersey is not just a movie for me, it was an emo- Vaibhav (inset) plays a right arm leg spinner in the movie Jersey starring Shahid Kapoor. tion. I feel privileged to have got this offer. I have been receiving a very good response from people. They are appreciating my work,” he said. He said the movie was an inspiration for all. It is based on the story of a talented but failed cricketer — Arjun, who decides to return to cricket in his late 30s, driven by the desire to represent the Indian cricket team and fulfil his son’s wish for a jersey as a gift. He said April 22 was a lucky day for him as this day not only Jersey was released, but ‘Operation Romeo’, a romantic thriller, too, was released in which he has done a cameo. A resident of Guru Nanak Pura (West), here Vaibhav said after doing these two big projects, he is hoping to get more such offers. He said prior to this, he has appeared in several web series, TV commercials, songs and movies.