07062022-ATR-01.qxd 07-06-2022 00:34 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar TRIBUNE BORDER AREA FARMERS MEET IN KHEMKARAN, SEEK RELIEF PAGE 2 Punjab Border Area Kisan Union condemns govt for not releasing compensation for land across the fence. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY PAGE 3 AS DARK CLOUD DESCENDS ON POLLYWOOD, ARTISTES UNITE NEWLYWEDS KARAN V GROVER & POPPY JABBAL IN HOLY CITY In solidarity with the family of Sidhu Moosewala, many singers and actors have postponed their projects. MAX 45°C | MIN 27°C | YESTERDAY MAX 45°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7:33 PM PAGE 4 The couple got married last week and recently visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar to seek blessings. SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:25 AM TUESDAY | 7 JUNE 2022 | AMRITSAR Complete bandh observed to mark Bluestar anniv Commercial establishments closed | Residents stay indoors | Roads wear deserted look as vehicles, public transport stay off roads UNEASY CALM A market wears a deserted look during the bandh call given to mark the 38th anniversary of Operation Bluestar in Amritsar on Monday; and (right) buses stationed at the ISBT. PHOTOS: VISHAL KUMAR/SUNIL KUMAR Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 6 A complete bandh was observed in the city on Monday following a strike call given to mark the 38th anniversary of Operation Bluestar. All commercial establishments were closed. Public transport, including the BRTS buses, stayed off roads. Even the presence of auto-rickshaws was negligible on roads. Essential item stores selling vegetables and medicines, however, remained opened. Normal life was crippled in the city as all establishments including shops, petrol pumps were closed. Most of the city roads wore a deserted look. An occasionally passing off vehicle often broke the monotonous silence, as people preferred staying indoors on an extremely hot summer day. Commercial hubs of the city, including wholesale textile markets such as Katra Ahluwalia, Shastri Market, INBRIEF OBSERVE FRIDAY AS DRY DAY: DEPT Amritsar: Ahead of the monsoon season, the district Health Department has advised the residents to observe every Friday as a dry day and use it for changing water in coolers, pots, removing junk from the open and to ensure that no mosquito breeding takes place. The advisory has come in the wake of dengue, malaria and chikungunya cases reported every year. Though chikungunya cases are a rarity in the district, dengue and malaria cases are reported in abundance. District health officials stated that mosquitoborne diseases such as dengue and malaria are preventable if mosquitoes are not allowed to breed. Civil Surgeon Charanjit Singh said people should not let water accumulate in and outside their houses and always cover drinking water kept in utensils so that it does not help in mosquito-breeding. Water in coolers should be changed every week, he said. He advised people to ensure that waste water discard bins at the rear of refrigerators must be cleaned every week. Dr Singh said though no case of dengue had been reported so far, it was imperative for people to take precautions. TNS Tahli Wala Bazaar, Pratap Bazaar and nearby streets were completely closed. Similarly, stationery items’ market, Mai Sewa Wala Bazaar, jewellery market Guru Bazaar, Bhandeyan Wala Bazaar, Chaurasti Attari and Batti Hatta were closed. Markets known for selling grains and spices such as Dal Mandi, Mishri Bazaar, Swank Mandi, Waddi Dhab, Dhab Wasti Ram, Lachchmansar Chowk and surrounding areas were also shut. Upscale retail markets situated on Lawrence Road, the Mall, Ranjit Avenue, New Amritsar, Majitha Road, Batala Road, Putlighar and surrounding areas besides shopping malls were also shut. Filling stations were also closed. Industrial units at industrial areas such as Focal Points on GT Road, Mehta Road, Islamabad, Chheharta and other areas of the city were also closed. Due to the bandh call, the local railway station and Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) and even the railway station wore a deserted look. Normally, these public places remain abuzz with activity with tourists coming to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple from all over the country. Those in the hospitality sector said hotel occupancy went down as tourists preferred to stay away from the city to avoid any inconvenience. Jawans of paramilitary forces and the Punjab Police were seen on guard. Barricades were put up at various intersections in general and on all roads leading to the Golden Temple. Later, some shops, especially eateries, however opened in the evening. ...largely peaceful, cops remain on toes Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 6 The city police heaved a sigh of relief after the 38th Operation Bluestar anniversary passed off peacefully. The area around the Golden Temple and the walled city turned into a police cantonment to thwart any untoward incident. The police in civvies were also present at the Golden Temple complex and around the shrine keeping a close eye on the activities that were taking place to mark the occasion. The Punjab Police have been on toes for the last fortnight as an alert was sounded in view of regular seizure of explosives including IEDs and hand grenades being smuggled by antinational entities across the International Border. Around 4,000 cops were FOOLPROOF SECURITY Cops on guard in Rambagh during the bandh call in Amritsar on Monday. deputed in the walled city area, which was heavily barricaded to check the movement of miscreants. As the city remained shut in view of the Bandh Call given by a radical outfit, the police patrolling parties were continuously making rounds on different roads. The police teams were questioning people coming from outside in the early morning hours. “We also thank the people for exercising restraint and not indulging in any activities that could create law and order problem,” said Five booked for Poor canal system reason behind murder attempt farmers’ groundwater dependence Tribune News Service THE DISPUTE Amritsar, June 6 A land dispute turned ugly when a group of persons opened fire on two men in Rajasansi area here a week ago. However, a complaint was lodged with the police only on Sunday when efforts to reach a compromise ended in vain. Rajasansi police booked five persons on the charge of attempt to murder, but no arrest has been made till now. Among those booked were identified as Kanwaljit Singh and Prithipal Singh, both residents of Tola Nangal village, and their three unidentified accomplices. Jasbir Singh, complainant and resident of Tola Nangal village, said he and Prithipal Singh jointly owned around 18 kanals of agricultural land in Rajasansi area. He said without taking him into confidence, Prithipal Singh sold his share of land to Balwinder Singh and Gurdev Singh of Chogwan Road near Ajnala Cantonment area. Jasbir Singh said on May 29, Balwinder and Gurdev Singh were unloading bricks for constructing boundary walls. He said he and his brother Lakhwinder Singh Jasbir Singh, complainant and resident of Tola Nangal village, said he and Prithipal Singh jointly owned around 18 kanals of agricultural land in Rajasansi area. He said without taking him into confidence, Prithipal Singh sold his share of land to Balwinder Singh and Gurdev Singh of Chogwan Road near Ajnala Cantonment area also reached there and asked them to get the land demarcation done before constructing the boundary wall. He said as they were returning home after this, Prithipal Singh and his accomplices, including Kanwaljit Singh, came there on a car and challenged them. He alleged before they could understand, Kanwaljit opened fire on them. He said they hid behind bricks and saved themselves. They raised an alarm following which they fled the spot. He said people in the village tried to strike a compromise, but failed. Now, a case under Sections 307, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act was registered against them. The police said raids were on to nab the suspects. Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 6 Farmers in the land of five rivers are forced to depend on groundwater as they are unable to get water through the canal irrigation system. In most rural areas, farmers are over-dependent on tubewells as the century-old canal irrigation system has already collapsed. In villages, having lost hope of getting canal water again, farmers started cultivating crops of the land which previously were occupied by canal minors and water channels. “These were of no use as water had not flown in them for years,” said Nirmal Singh, a farmer. One of such distributaries, which farmers have included in their fields, used to flow through Neshta, Mahawa, Rajatal and Daoke villages in Attari area. Encroachments on lands of smaller distributaries (khal) running through fields is even more common. Even where larger distributaries (Suwa) are flowing, the absence of Khal is a hindrance as farmers cannot take water to their fields. Even the century-old c m y b A farmer repairs bunds essential for waterlogging and retaining water in his fields. FILE is even villages, having lost getting ❝Suchwhothe situation thatriver the ❝Inwater again, farmershope ofstarted farmers own land near canal have embankment areas in Ajnala are forced to draw ground water as they do not have a system to get water from the river. Joginder Singh, A FARMER LEADER ❞ Kiran nullah, which was a lift system-fed distributary to provide irrigation facility to dozens of villages such as Miadian, Nepal, Kotli, Kehra, Motla, Jaramkot, Poongae in Ajnala subdivision has not seen water flow- cultivating crops on the land which previously were occupied by canal minors and water channels. These were of no use as these dried up years agor. Nirmal Singh, A FARMER ❞ ing in it over two decades. The farmers complained that free electricity for tubewells and lack of will of governments towards the canal irrigation system has resulted in the present situation. “Such is the situation that even the farmers who own land near river embankment areas in Ajnala are forced to draw ground water as they do not have a system to get water from the river,” said farmer leader Joginder Singh. Parminder Singh Bhandal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order. Another peace official wishing not to be named said though it was very hectic during the past several days, finally everything went off peacefully. Two robbers held, 1 at large Amritsar, June 6 Chatiwind police have nabbed two robbers, while one of their accomplices fled after firing in the air, when a police team signalled them to stop near Mehma village drain here on Sunday. Those arrested have been identified Bikramjit Singh and Sunny Singh, both residents of Pandori village. Their accomplice, who escaped, was identified as Akashdeep Singh of the same village. The police have registered a case under Section 336 of the IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against them. Due to Operation Bluestar anniversary, the Punjab Police were on alert and therefore a naka was laid on the Pandori-Mehma village road. The police team signalled a bike to stop. Akashdeep, who was riding pillion, alighted and fled towards the corn fields. Cops tried chasing him, but he took out a pistol and fired a couple of gunshots in the air and then managed to escape. The police have recovered three bullets from Sunny Singh. He said Akashdeep asked him to keep the same in the pocket. Their interrogation revealed that they used to rob people after pointing a pistol at them. — TNS