11062022-LT-01.qxd 11-06-2022 00:23 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana TRIBUNE PROTESTS ERUPT OVER REMARKS ON PROPHET MUHAMMAD PAGE 2 Protesters raise slogans against former BJP functionaries Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, and seek their arrest. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY INBRIEF BOY KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENT Ludhiana: Arshdeep Singh (11) of Captain Colony was killed when a speeding tractor allegedly coming from the wrong side hit his bicycle on Thursday evening. Paramjit Singh, father of the deceased, said Arhsdeep suffered severe injuries and was rushed to the nearby hospital, where he was declared “dead on arrival”. The police have registered a case under sections 279, 304-A and 427 of the IPC against the unidentified tractor driver. TNS MINOR GIRL ABDUCTED Ludhiana: The police have booked Inderjit Singh of Barewal under sections 363 and 366 of the IPC for alleged abduction of a 17-year-old girl residing in New Rajguru Nagar. Her father has lodged a complaint with the police that his daughter went missing on June 7. He suspected that the suspect had abducted the girl on the pretext of marrying her. TNS TWO NABBED WITH DRUGS Ludhiana: The police arrested Parminder Singh, alias Lovely, of Boparai Kalan (Jagraon), near Shiv Mandir on Thursday and seized 350 grams of opium from his possession. He has been charged under sections 18, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. Meanwhile, Mohit Gharu of Ambedkar Colony was nabbed with 22 gm of heroin. He has been booked under sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. TNS VEHICLES STOLEN Ludhiana: A Tata-709 mini-truck parked outside JB Steel Factory, Industrial Area-B, was stolen during the night. Factory owner Gagandeep Singh, a resident of Model Town Extension, said the vehicle was parked around 8 pm outside the factory and it was found missing in the morning. A motorcycle was stolen in the Green Park area on Wednesday. Mohan Lal of Punjab Mata Nagar reported the theft to the police. Cases have been registered under section 379 of IPC. TNS POWER SHUTDOWN LUDHIANA 10 am to 12 noon: Bharat Nagar, Jawahar Nagar, Gulmohr Hotel, Sandeep Nagar, Harpal Nagar and Military Camp. PAGE 3 BHAGYASHREE ROPED IN AS JUDGE ON DID SUPER MOMS WRITER HAS PACKED A PUNCH WITH THIS NUSHRRATT STARRER After Urmila Matondkar, Bhagyashree has been roped in as one of the judges on the reality show. MAX 44°C | MIN 26°C | YESTERDAY MAX 44°C | MIN 28°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7:29 PM PAGE 4 Actress Nushrratt Bharuccha tells us how she sold condoms to a crowd while shooting for Janhit Mein Jaari. SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:22 AM SATURDAY | 11 JUNE 2022 | LUDHIANA Crackdown on illegal colonies 14 years on, hydraulic Developers face FIR for joining sewerage of colonies with MC sewers Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 10 To check illegal sewerage connections of unauthorised colonies, MC Additional Commissioner Rishipal Singh today inspected the areas of Lohara, Jaspal Bangar, Kanganwal and Jugiana that fall in Zone C. He found sewerage connections of a number of unauthorised colonies were connected with the sewerage system of the MC in an illegal manner. He said the sewerage connections of some unauthorised colonies, which were earlier disconnected by the civic body, had also been reconnected with the MC’s sewerage line. He directed Superintending Engineer Ravinder Garg and SDO Harbir Singh to get FIRs registered against the developers concerned for linking sewerage connections of their unauthorised colonies with the sewerage line by damaging the property of the civic body. The videography and photography of the illegal connections were also carried out. Meanwhile, Rishipal found submersible pumps were being installed at two locations without the permission ladder a distant dream Firefighters face tough time dousing flames at highrises Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service MC Additional Commissioner Rishipal Singh inspects the sewerage connection at a colony in Ludhiana. ZONAL COMMISSIONER TAKES ACTION ILLEGAL FISH MARKETS REMOVED Zonal Commissioner (Zone C) Poonampreet Kaur took action against illegal colonies in Lohara and the nearby areas. The illegal constructions were removed with a JCB machine. She said the sewerage connections of several unauthorised colonies were disconnected. She directed the officials to ensure action against unauthorised constructions, illegal sewerage connections and encroachments. She said she would conduct an inspection of the drive against violations every week. The MC took action against two unauthorised fish markets. The encroachments made by the vendors at these markets located in Shivpuri and near Chand Cinema were removed. Tejinderpal Singh Panchhi, Tehbazari branch head, said they removed the unauthorised fish markets which were causing hindrance to vehicular traffic. The civic body also dismantled portions where the vendors used to keep fish. The stalls made by the vendors were removed. TNS of the MC. The machinery which was being used to install a submersible pump was impounded. Meanwhile, Superintend- ing Engineer Rajinder Singh said they disconnected sewerage connections of four illegal colonies located outside the jurisdiction of the MC. He 2 snatchers, 5 thieves nabbed Our Correspondent HOUSE BURGLED Ludhiana, June 10 The police have arrested two snatchers and recovered six mobile phones from them. In other cases, three vehicle thieves were nabbed with a stolen Bolero pick-up and a motorcycle while two thieves involved in thefts at factories were arrested with stolen material. Two snatchers, identified as Manpreet Singh of Sekhupura village and Sunil Kumar of Chwki Mann (Jagraon) were arrested near Bharat Nagar Chowk yesterday under section 379-B of the IPC. Six mobile phones of different companies were recovered from their possession. The police also nabbed Jaswinder Singh and Jagwinder Singh, both residents of Karnail Singh Gate, Jagraon, near Dugri Chetan Kumar of Sanchar Colony, Bhai Randhi Singh Nagar, has lodged a complaint with the police that on Thursday afternoon, unidentified persons broke into his flat while he and his wife were away on work. The thieves took away ~80,000 and about 10 grams of gold jewellery. The police have registered a case under sections 454 and 380 of the IPC and were investigating. Pul yesterday while the duo was riding a stolen Bolero pick-up. A case under section 379/34 of the IPC has been registered. Another vehicle thief, identified as Amit Kumar of 70-Feet Road, Sunder Nagar, was intercepted near Domoria Pul yesterday while he was riding a stolen motorcycle. During preliminary interrogation, the accused told the police that he, along with his accomplices Johny and Sheetal, had stolen twowheelers from several places. They have been booked under sections 379 of the IPC. The police claimed to have cracked the case of theft reported at a plywood shop on Barewal Road here on the night of June 6 with the arrest of two former employees of the firm. They have been identified as Raju Sahni, a resident of Barewal Road, and Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Ranjit Nagar. Another accomplice of the accused, identified as Honey Kumar, have absconded. The police have recovered stolen material, including one bicycle, two invertor batteries and one silver idol, from the suspects. A case under sections 457 and 380 of the IPC has been registered on a complaint of the shop owner Sunil Saluja. said the sewerage connections of these colonies at Mangli village were joined by the developers with the MC’s sewer without permission. Nine more infected in dist Ludhiana, June 10 Nine fresh cases of Covid-19 were reported in the district today. A patient belonging to another district also tested positive. Civil Surgeon SP Singh said 1,09,981 positive cases from Ludhiana district and 14,772 cases from other districts or states had been reported here so far. The virus has claimed the lives of 2,282 patients belonging to Ludhiana district and 1,126 patients from other districts or states to date. Meanwhile, the active cases rose to 30 today. — TNS Ludhiana, June 10 Fire at a high-rise building at Swami Vivekanand Vihar in Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar last night has again brought into focus the need for equipping the local fire brigade with hydraulic ladders. The Municipal Corporation has failed to purchase hydraulic ladders despite starting chalking out plans for the same around 2008. The firefighters had a tough time dousing the flames inside the building in the absence of a hydraulic ladder. A number of fire incidents have taken place in the highrise buildings here in the past but the MC seemed to have learnt no lesson. Officials of the MC’s fire wing have raised the demand for hydraulic ladders several times, but to no avail. In June 2021, a private firm demonstrated the working of a hydraulic turntable ladder in Zone D, but it has not been purchased to date. The MC had also planned to purchase a 50-metre hydraulic ladder for the fire brigade under the Smart City Mission but the plan could not see the light of day. Senior Deputy Mayor Sham Sundar Malhotra said he had witnessed the trial of the hydraulic machine last year. There was a plan to purchase two such machines. He Flames rise from a building at Swami Vivekanand Vihar, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, on Thursday night. FILE PHOTO FIREMEN’S ORDEAL ‘TENDERS SOON’ A fire official said the firefighters took around four hours to douse the flames after taking the water pipes through the staircase of the highrise building at BRS Nagar. If they had a hydraulic ladder, they could have made efforts to swiftly douse the flames from outside the building, he said. MC Superintending Engineer Rajinder Singh said it was earlier not decided which kind of machinery was to be purchased. He, however, said the tenders would be floated soon for purchasing a hydraulic turntable ladder and it would also be equipped with a platform. blamed the officials concerned for delaying the procurement process. An employee of the local fire service said the fire had occurred in a flat on the fifth floor on Thursday evening and it spread to another flat after blasts in two LPG cylinders. There was no water supply in the pipeline of the fire safety system in the flats. He said the firefighters took around four hours to douse the flames after taking the water pipes through the staircase of the building. If they had a hydraulic ladder, they could have made efforts to swiftly douse the flames from outside the building, he said. It is required to mention that a large number of highrise buildings have come up in the city but firefighting equipment required is yet to be purchased for the fire service. Also, a number of multi-storey buildings have come up in narrow lanes in violation of building bylaws. Sources said many such buildings lack fire safety arrangements. Service with devotion COVID-19 FIGURES SAMPLES POSITIVE ACTIVE 36,23,109 1,09,981 30 9 DEATHS 2,282 For any information related to Covid Contact: 0161-2444193 & 4622276 Devotees serve sweetened water to commuters on the occasion of Nirjala Ekadashi in Ludhiana on Friday. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN Helpline a hit, 130 complaints received in first 10 days Nine immigration Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 10 A one-stop solution to the public problems and complaints has started becoming a hit among residents, the administration has claimed. A unified helpline, which is the brainchild of the Deputy Commissioner, Surabhi Malik, has received at least 130 complaints in the first 10 days of its launch, the officials concerned said. The Deputy Commissioner told The Tribune today that 130 complaints pertaining to various departments and issues were received on the district administration’s helpline since its launch on May 31. While a maximum of 84 complaints received pertained to various civic issues related to the MC, 19 complaints each pertained to illegal mining and the Police Department. 17 of 19 illegal mining plaints resolved on the spot OFFICIALSPEAK Our idea is to provide a one-stop unified platform to the residents for sharing their complaints and issues, especially those related to illegal mining, open bore-wells, drugs, pollution, encroachments and traffic. This helpline will record and resolve all genuine complaints on priority. ❝ ❞ Surabhi Malik, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER Acting swiftly on the complaints of illegal mining, which was one of the main reasons behind the launch of the helpline, the district administration resolved all 17 complaints about illegal mining in Ludhiana district on the spot immediately, while two complaints of illegal mining, which pertained to Ropar, were transferred to the Ropar Deputy Commissioner for necessary action. Malik said eight complaints TRACKER TOTAL COMPLAINTS MC 84 Revenue Illegal mining 19 Resolved Police 19 Transferred 130 8 17 113 Residents can lodge their complaints 24x7 through call, message, audio or video on helpline 79735-30515 for their resolution on priority. pertained to the Revenue Department and four each were forwarded to the SDMs of East and West for immediate resolution. The complaints pertaining to the MC were forwarded to the Municipal Commissioner while those related to the Police Department were handed over to the Police Commissioner for early solution. Divulging the working of the helpline, the Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Jasleen Bhullar, said the response to the helpline in the initial days was overwhelming and the district administration ensured that all genuine complaints and issues were resolved without any delay. “While we have resolved all complaints of illegal mining on the spot, those pertaining to the MC and the police have been forwarded to their respective heads for immediate action,” she disclosed. Jasleen, who was the nodal c m y b officer for the helpline, said an online mechanism was also being worked out, under which the complaints pertaining to other departments and districts, received on the helpline and forwarded to their respective heads, will be tracked regularly for ensuring their quick response and resolution. On May 31, the district administration launched helpline 79735-30515 for the residents to register complaints related to illegal mining, open bores (tube-wells), environmental pollution, burning of stubble, traffic problem, illegal encroachments on government properties, de-addiction centres, travel agents, and any other issue or problem being faced by the public in the district. On this WhatsApp number, the residents can submit their complaints through calls, messages or audios and videos. The Deputy Commissioner, while launching the helpline, had said this helpline number would remain operational 24x7 and dedicated staff had been deputed to ensure that all complaints received on this helpline were dealt with on priority. She said earlier, officers used to receive complaints through different modes, following which, sometimes, the complaints could not be redressed on time and these could also not be tracked immediately. But this helpline would ensure that all complaints received from the residents were duly registered and resolved on priority with their action taken report being shared with the complainants. She had assured the residents of a swift redressal of their genuine complaints received on the helpline. agents booked Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 10 The police have booked 9 travel agents for duping gullible customers and taking money from then on the pretext of sending them abroad. Seven persons, identified Baannet Merada of Kanchipuram, Deepan of Madduthardal, Puddukotai and Rajeshwari, both residents of Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu; Resham Singla of Jalvayu Vihar, Sector 7, Mohali; Zail Singh and Vikram Singh, both residents of Gate Hakima, Amritsar; and Rosemerry of Shipra Sun City, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) under sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC and 24 of the Immigration Act. Kavita Thapar had filed a complaint to the police that the suspects had taken ~16.80 lakh from her on the promise of sending her son to Canada. They failed to arrange travel documents as promised and also refused to return the money. In another case of immigration fraud, the police booked Mandeep Singh of Canal Road, South City, Daitwal, under section 420 of the IPC and 24 of the Immigration Act on a complaint filed by Narinder Singh, a resident of Pritam Nagar, Haibowal. The complainant said the suspect had taken ~13 lakh from him for travel documents and work permit in Canada which he failed to do. In yet another case of immigration fraud and cheating, the police booked Rajan Arora, having his office at Ranjit Tower on Pakhowal Road and resident of JMPL, Mohali; on a complaint of Harbans Lal of Abadpura, Jalandhar.