02052022-TT-01.qxd 5/1/2022 10:24 PM 13 PELOSI LEADS DELEGATION TO KYIV, WARSAW WORLD /thetribunechd Page 1 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 142 NO.120 | 18 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH monday | 2 may 2022 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com India calls for ending hostilities in Ukraine as PM leaves for Europe ❝ Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 India on Sunday once again called for the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine and resolution of the conflict through dialogue just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a tour of Germany, Denmark and France, all of which have high stakes in the final outcome. “Our position on Ukraine has been clear. First, there should be a cessation of hostilities and second, a solution must be found through dialogue and diplomacy,” said the newly appointed Foreign Our position on Ukraine has been clear. First, there should be a cessation of hostilities and second, a solution must be found through dialogue and diplomacy. Vinay Mohan Kwatra, NEW FOREIGN SECY FINANCE MINISTER TO ACCOMPANY PM TO GERMANY Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra at the PM’s predeparture briefing. PM Modi, in his pre-departure statement, did not mention Ukraine directly, but referred to it obliquely. “The visit to three countries is meant to strengthen the spirit of cooperation with India’s European partners at a time when the region faces many challenges and choices,” he observed. Kwatra said, “When High operational readiness is top priority, says Army Chief Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 Army Chief General Manoj Pande today said his foremost priority would be to ensure very high standards of operational preparedness to face current, contemporary and future security challenges. “The global geopolitical situation is changing rapidly. As a result, we have multiple challenges ahead,” he said. Earlier, he was presented a guard of honour at the South Block lawns, a day after he took charge as the 29th Chief of the Army Staff. He said the focus would be on ongoing reforms, restructuring and transformation of the Army to enhance its operational and functional efficiency. “My utmost and foremost priority will be to Gen Manoj Pande arrives to inspect a guard of honour. MUKESH AGGARWAL MULTIPLE CHALLENGES AHEAD Global geopolitical situation is changing rapidly... we have multiple challenges ahead. Gen Manoj Pande, ARMY CHIEF ❝ ensure very high standards of operational preparedness to face the current contempo- Key accused arrested; Centre keeping watch Tribune News Service New Delhi/Patiala, May 1 Even as the police on Sunday arrested Barjinder Singh Parwana, the main accused in the Patiala violence, government sources said the Centre was keeping a close watch on the situation in Punjab. Noting that Punjab was a border state and such developments had a bearing on national security, the sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was keeping a watchful eye on the situation. They said clashes between two communities could have serious implications on peace and tranquillity in the state as anti-national elements across the border might try exploiting the situation. In Patiala, IG Mukhwinder Singh Chhina told the media that Parwana was arrested from Mohali. Shiv Sena district president Shankar Bhardwaj, an aide of Harish PATIALA CLASH rary and future challenges across the entire spectrum of continued on page 7 the PM meets the leaders, issues of regional and global importance would figure in the discussions. But the principal focus of the visit is to structure and strengthen bilateral partnership across a range of areas… and exchange perspectives on Ukraine.” Energy security will be one of the key areas. “I am sure this would constitute one of the elements. But naturally one single item would not define what the structure of the discussions would be,” he said. The first leg of the visit to Germany will be an early engagement with the new continued on page 7 No fourth wave, only local spike: ICMR Addl DG New Delhi, May 1 Days after IIT-Madras experts ruled out the fourth Covid wave despite the R-factor crossing 2 in New Delhi and cases surging in some other cities, the ICMR has described the current case rise as a localised trend rather than a fourth wave. ICMR Additional DG Samiran Panda said the ongoing surge could not be described as a fourth wave. The rise in cases was localised and district-wise, it was not a nationwide trend, Panda said. Terming localised case rise as a blip, Panda said such blips were geographically contained, which meant these were not part of any national surge. Panda said for a wave to be determined, hospital admissions must rise and continued on page 7 IN BRIEF GST collection at all-time high of ~1.68L crore NEW DELHI: The GST collection in April touched the highestever level of Rs 1.68 lakh crore, Rs 25,000 crore more than Rs 1,42,095 crore mopped up in the previous month. BACK PAGE Sarma: Uniform Civil Code to help Muslim women NEW DELHI: Pitching for implementation of Uniform Civil Code, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said it was needed as no Muslim woman wants her husband to have three wives. BACK PAGE Power cuts, Gurugram’s ancillary units on brink Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Barjinder Singh Parwana in police custody. PHOTO: RAJESH SACHAR Singla, and Gaggi Pandit, who posted hate messages on social media, were arrested too. In all, nine accused have been nabbed so far. continued on page 7 Gurugram, May 1 Struggling with power cuts for almost 15 days now, over 100 ancillary units have threatened to shut down operations, citing inability to bear the cost of diesel generators (DG sets). The units, which claim to be facing power cuts for as long as 12 hours, have sought Power Minister Ranjit Singh’s intervention into the matter. “On an average, there is a DG SETS UNVIABLE On average, there is a power cut for around 11 hours daily. Running DG sets for such a long duration is unviable as it costs around Rs 20 per unit. Mahender Yadav, INDUSTRIALIST ❝ power cut for around 11 hours. We are small units and serve big auto industries. We have been somehow managing the continued on page 7 Radicalised after Pak visit, 17 youths later shot in Valley 87 cops in HP of ‘doubtful integrity’ Jammu, May 1 Security agencies have come across a new modus operandi of the ISI to train and indoctrinate Kashmiri youths travelling to Pakistan on valid travel documents. As many as 17 such youths have been killed in various encounters in the Valley over the past few years, say Intelligence officials. These youths indulged in terror activities upon their return from Pakistan. INSIDE Shimla, May 1 Names of 121 Himachal Police officials (constable to inspector) figure on the lists of those with "doubtful integrity" and "undesirable for sensitive posts". These lists have been prepared by the Vigilance Department and the Police Headquarters, respectively. These officials would not be posted as station house officers (SHOs), personal security officers (PSOs) of Bhanu P Lohumi Tribune News Service UNFAIR: SINDHU ON POINT PENALTY AT BAC SPORT 34 listed ‘undesirable’ for sensitive posts; merit sole criterion Sanjay Kundu, DGP VIPs, munshis at police stations, besides being kept away from the Vigilance Department, Crime Investigation Department (CID) and key positions in mining and drug-prone areas, said DGP Sanjay Kundu. A review of the working, neutrality and integrity of officials is reportedly done by the Police Establishment Committee before posting them on key positions. Eighty-seven of these officials have "doubtful integrity". Criminal cases or departmental proceedings are pending against them or they have been acquitted on technical grounds with reasonable suspicion on their integrity. The remaining 34 officials are "undesirable" for sensitive posts. continued on page 7