15052022-TTC-01.qxd 5/15/2022 12:48 AM Page 1 123 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 6 NO. 133 | 18 PAGES | ~6.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 NEW ZEALAND PM ARDERN TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID WORLD /thetribunechd NIA ARRESTS TWO LeT ULTRAS DURING RAIDS IN VALLEY J&K HELLO KASHMIR: PACKED CONG U-TURN ON WOMEN'S HOUSE IN VALLEY AFTER BILL, BACKS QUOTA WITHIN MANY YEARS SPECTRUM QUOTA BACK PAGE sunday | 15 may 2022 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Govt bans wheat export to rein in food inflation MASSIVE FIRE AT AMRITSAR GOVT HOSPITAL Decision comes amid disruption in global supplies Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service Manik Saha (R), Biplab Kumar Deb Deb quits, Saha to be new Tripura CM New Delhi, May 14 Rajya Sabha MP and BJP state president Dr Manik Saha will be the new Chief Minister of Tripura. The decision was taken at a legislature party meeting following the surprise resignation of Biplab Kumar Deb. Ahead of the next year elections, Deb today submitted his resignation to the Governor a day after meeting Home Minister Amit Shah. Sources said the central leadership effected the change keeping in mind “factionalism” in the state unit. “The change is a proof of the continued on page 7 New Delhi, May 14 In a surprise move, the Union Government has announced a ban on wheat exports with immediate effect. A notification termed the decision part of measures to control rising prices. Export shipments for which irrevocable letters of credit (LoCs) were issued on or before the date of the notification would be allowed, said the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Wheat exports will be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the Centre to meet other countries’ food security needs and based on the request of their governments, it said. In another decision, the government increased the limit of shrunken and shrivelled grain to 18 per cent from the prescribed 6 per cent for Central procurement during 2022-23. Stating that the decision has been taken “to reduce the hardship of farmers and to avoid the distress sale of wheat”, the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry told Punjab and Haryana that the limit of shrivelled and broken grain in all districts, includ- EASES NORM FOR SHRIVELLED GRAIN ■ Prescribed limit for procuring shrivelled grain without value cut hiked to 18% from 6% ■ Wheat so procured be stacked and accounted for separately, govt tells Punjab, Haryana 1,113 LMT First estimate of wheat output (2022-23) 1,050 LMT Wheat estimate revised due to early summer and heatwave 195 LMT estimated procurement 180 LMT actual procurement recorded as of May 13 75 LMT wheat with shrivelled grain included in procurement BEATING PRICE RISE has ❝ This decisiontaken been essentially A plume of smoke at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar after a massive fire on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR REPORT INSIDE in view of the price rise that is happening. Sudhanshu Pandey, FOOD SECRETARY Tribune News Service CONGRESS CALLS WHEAT EXPORT BAN ‘ANTI-FARMER’ New Delhi, May 14 A day after a massive blaze in a building in outer Delhi’s Mundka area claimed 27 lives, people were today seen frantically searching for their relatives who worked in that building. The police said 29 persons had been missing after the incident. Fire Department officials the governments,” it told the two wheat-producing states. Earlier on May 5, the Centre had categorically ruled out imposing any curbs on exports, saying farmers are getting prices higher than the MSP even as experts advocated caution and sought a ban or upper limit on exports. said the toll could rise to 30 as charred remains were found in the building this morning. Twelve injured have been undergoing treatment at a hospital here. Chief Fire Officer Atul Garg said, “The building had a single escape route, which is why there were so many casualties. Twenty-seven persons have died.” He said there was one narrow staircase for entry and VIP cells in all prisons On Pak ‘tip-off’, 7 booked for IPL match-fixing to go, says Punjab CM Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 14 The Punjab Government today said that there would be no VIP cells in jails, and all those found guilty of violating the law would be treated equally. Existing VIP cells would be converted into administrative blocks. “Those lodged in jails have been punished by courts for violating law and they can’t enjoy facilities while sitting in jail,” CM Bhagwant Mann said. The jails would now be reform houses (sudhar ghar) in the true sense where criminals would pay for their sins, he added. It may be mentioned that former minister Bikram Singh Majithia is presently lodged in the Patiala jail. PTC News MD Rabindra Narayan has also been in the jail since his arrest in April. Following reports that special treatment was being given to Majithia, Jails Minister Harjot Bains visited the Patiala jail. After that, Majithia was shifted to a smaller cell. In a video message, Mann NO FACILITIES FOR LAW VIOLATORS ❝ Those lodged in jails have been punished by courts for violating law and they can’t enjoy facilities while sitting in jail. Bhagwant Mann, PUNJAB CHIEF MINISTER said his government confiscated 710 mobile phones from jails under a special drive between March 16 and May 10. The aim was to break the back of gangsters operating from jails. During the drive, 166 mobile phones were seized in March, 354 in April and 190 in May (10 days). The CM said investigations were on to nab the persons in whose name these phone numbers were registered. Strict action would be taken against them, he said. Responsibility of the officers and jail staff found involved in it would also be fixed, he added. New Delhi, May 14 The CBI has registered two separate cases against seven persons in connection with alleged fixing of 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, officials said. The FIRs were lodged on the basis of “inputs from Pakistan”, following which the CBI carried out searches at seven locations in Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Jodhpur, they said. As per the FIRs, the CBI got information that “a network of individuals involved Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 14 Highlighting the need to recognise and protect people’s rights, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Saturday said denial of justice would ultimately lead to anarchy. “For the functioning of a healthy democracy, it is imperative that the people feel that their rights and dignity are protected and recognised… Peace shall only prevail when people’s dignity and rights are recognised and protected,” CJI Ramana said, laying the foundation stone of a new High Court Building Complex at Srinagar. “Expeditious adjudication of disputes is the hallmark of a PUNTERS SENT MONEY ABROAD VIA HAWALA ■ Probe agency has found two rackets involved in IPL match-fixing in 2019 ■ One allegedly operating from Rajasthan since 2010 and the other since 2013 ■ Racketeers opened bank accounts using fake identities and other documents ■ A portion of money earned through betting was shared with accomplices abroad in betting is influencing the outcome of IPL matches”. Dileep Kumar of Delhi and Gurram Vasu and Gurram Satish of Hyderabad were named as accused in the first FIR, while Sajjan Singh, Prabhu Lal Meena, Ram Avtar and Amit Kumar Sharma, all from Rajasthan, were named in the second. The racket allegedly operating from Rajasthan was continuing since 2010 while another was on since 2013, they said. The accused were also cheating public by “inducing them to indulge in betting”. The racketeers opened bank accounts using fake identities and documents in connivance with some bank officials. A part of the money received from betting was shared with racketeers abroad using hawala transactions, the officials said. exit that made escape from the building difficult. An explosion in an AC might have triggered the fire, he said. It was difficult to ascertain whether the charred human remains found on Saturday morning were of one person or more, he added. Harish Goel and his brother Varun Goel, owners of the CCTV camera and router manufacturing unit from New Delhi, May 14 Amid severe heatwave conditions in the region, the mercury today touched 47 degrees Celsius in some parts of Delhi with the IMD predicting even higher temperatures on Sunday. It said the heatwave conditions would continue over northwest and central India for the next two days. However, people may see relief as a wet spell is expect- MAX TEMP IN GURUGRAM 45°C A student on her way home in Gurugram on Saturday. PHOTO: S CHANDAN Expect wet spell in NW plains on May 16, 17 ed over the western Himalayan region and adjoining plains of northwest from May 16. Cyclonic circulation over Punjab and Haryana will induce premonsoon activity, which will provide some relief from SEEKS FIR AGAINST NGOs, OFFICIALS Tribune News Service ■ Several batches comprising 15 to 20 aspirants were tutored for two hours each ■ Sessions held in Ramgarh, Zirakpur and Manimajra from 2 pm (March 26) to 2 am ■ Those from faraway places in Kangra district provided the answer key earlier such as Ramgarh, Zirakpur and Manimajra. The tutoring began at 2 pm and lasted post midnight till 2 am (March 27), following which the aspirants left for their native districts, including Solan, Una and Sirmaur, to appear in the examination. Questions and answers were shared verbally and no written question paper was provided. Those from faraway places in Kangra were provided the answer key to questions earlier. A majority of the aspirants received WhatsApp calls from the middlemen, who were reportedly involved in continued on page 7 Chandigarh, May 14 The Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) has flagged embezzlement of grants worth crores by open shelter homes. Most of them were found running illegal schools instead of providing a communitybased facility on a short-term basis to beggars, substance users, rag-pickers, runaway children or migrants, the commission said. Jyoti Bainda, Chairperson, HSCPCR, who compiled a report, said, “Open shelter ■ There are 12 open shelter homes, which received more than ~6 crore grant during 2015-20 ■ Found running illegal schools instead of providing temporary shelter to homeless kids ■ Enrolled children for years, didn’t connect them with anganwadis or formal schools ■ Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights claims crores embezzled REPRESENTATIONAL PIC Solan, May 14 The members of the gang involved in leaking the Himachal Pradesh Police constable recruitment test question paper are learnt to have tutored aspirants at various places near Chandigarh on March 26, a day before the examination was conducted. Sources in probe teams said several batches of 15 to 20 aspirants were tutored for about two hours each at places CONSTABLE PAPER LEAK imperative that people feel their rights and dignity are protected and recognised. healthy democracy. Denial of justice would ultimately lead to anarchy. Soon the institution of judiciary would be destabilised as people will look for extrajudicial mechanisms. continued on page 7 where the fire reportedly started, have been arrested and a case registered against them, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Sameer Sharma said. Of the 27 deceased, seven have been identified as Tania Bhushan, Mohini Pal, Yashoda Devi, Ranju Devi, Vishal, Drishti and Kailash Jyani, the DCP added. Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and continued on page 7 ‘CAT collapsing’: SC extends tenure of members NEW DELHI: The SC has extended the tenure of all incumbent judi- cial and administrative members of the Central Administrative Tribunal till July 26, saying “entire tribunal has collapsed”. INSIDE 2 poachers shot after they kill 3 cops in MP BHOPAL: Three police personnel were killed after poachers opened fire on them in Guna district of MP in the wee hours of Saturday while two of the assailants were also killed, officials said. PTI Marathi actor held over post on Sharad Pawar MUMBAI: The Thane police on Saturday arrested Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale for allegedly sharing on social media a “derogatory” post written by someone else on NCP chief Sharad Pawar. PTI Punjab power crisis deepens, 2 Lehra units shut CHANDIGARH: As power demand in Punjab continued to soar, a unit of state-owned Lehra Mohabbat thermal plant developed a technical snag late on Friday. Another unit was shut earlier. TNS Brace for heatwave over next 2 days Bhartesh Singh Thakur Tribune News Service of ❝ For the functioning is a healthy democracy, it IN BRIEF intense heat on Monday and Tuesday. On Saturday, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were observed in parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, southern parts of east UP and northern parts of east Madhya Pradesh and some parts of Punjab. Delhi saw the mercury to rise to 47 degrees Celsius at Najafgarh. This is the fifth heatwave in the capital this summer. — TNS HP Police job aspirants were tutored in Haryana panel flags ‘bungling’ by child shelter homes Chandigarh day before examination Ambika Sharma Lays stone of HC complex in Srinagar Delhi fire: 29 missing, 7 bodies identified PVT PLAYERS UNHAPPY Ban on exports has come as a jolt for Punjab private players. INSIDE ing Chandigarh, be relaxed up to 18 per cent under uniform specifications without any value cut. “Wheat so procured shall be stacked and accounted for separately. Any deterioration of stock procured under the relaxed scheme during storage shall be the sole responsibility of Peace only when rights of people protected: CJI homes are meant to provide only temporary stay facilities. Those who need longterm care must be referred to the nearest children’s home. These shelters received more than Rs 6 crore grant during 2015-20.” The report will be submitted to the state Women and Child Development (WCD) Department. The commission sought the registration of a criminal case against the shelter homes and action against District Child Protection Units and Child Welfare Committees for lack of monitoring. “We will submit a copy to the Chief Secretary and Vigilance Bureau too,” said Bainda. Hema Sharma, Director, WCD Department, said, “We will examine the report and get the open shelter homes inspected.” continued on page 7 Good luck and goodbye: Jakhar’s parting shot Chandigarh, May 14 Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar quit the party on Saturday amid rumours of him joining the BJP He, however, did not give . any indication of immediately joining any other party. Taking to Facebook, Jakhar advised the Gandhis to differentiate between “friends and foes.” He accused Ambika Soni of ruining the party’s electoral prospects in Punjab and other states. “She along with her coterie misguided the Congress president and Rahul Gandhi on not only Punjab, but also on other states,” he claimed. Jakhar said he was heartbroken on being “stripped of all party posts for not toeing the party line” after three generations of his family had served the Congress for 50 years. The three-time MLA and one-time MP called the continued on page 7