19062022-JTR-01.qxd 6/18/2022 11:21 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar TRIBUNE DC THORI HONOURS SCULPTOR BASUDEB FOR PROMOTING ART PAGE 2 Basudeb Biswas was honoured for his contribution in the promotion of art and culture for past several years. FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY SKY MEET B-TOWN’S FAVOURITE FATHERS ON THEIR SPL DAY PAGE 3 This Father's Day, Tribune makes you meet some of the most memorable dads of the Hindi film industry. MAX 23°C | MIN 32°C | YESTERDAY MAX 22°C | MIN 32°C SUNSET SUNDAY 7:34 PM OTT ALLOWS US TO EXPLORE, SAYS ACTOR SAGAR PAREKH PAGE 4 The Balika Vadhu 2 fame actor will be seen in the series Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan 4. Here’s a candid chat with the actor... SUNRISE MONDAY 5:23 AM SUNDAY | 19 JUNE 2022 | JALANDHAR Harrowing time for commuters in city AGNIPATH ROW Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 18 Commuters travelling past the PAP Chowk in Jalandhar on Saturday were at the receiving end as various aspirants of the armed forces had blocked the highway for more than five hours in protest against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme. Nearly 400 youngsters from eight organisations from across the region assembled at PAP Chowk to lodge a protest. Vehicles which got caught in the 3-km stretch near the protest site between buses, trucks and other heavy goods carriers could neither move forward nor backward. Owing to the protest, many people had to alight from their buses and walk for several kilometres on either side of the road – from Jalandhar to Phagwara or Phagwara to Jalandhar – to catch the next bus, cab, train, etc, for their destination. But those in << People walk with their luggage as vehicles got stuck on the Amritsar-Delhi highway at PAP Chowk in Jalandhar. WHY DHARNA GOT EXTENDED Even as the district administration and the police tried to pacify youngsters within the first hour of their protest at the site by taking memorandum from them and getting them have a word with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, the dharna kept extending. Mann had assured them that the state government would support them in their move against the Centre. During this period, some youth organisations chose to lift dharna and one side of the traffic from Phagwara to Jalandhar got cleared and normal movement of traffic started. But there were other organisations that were adamant on continuing with the protest and there could be no unanimity among them. their own cars had no choice. Several commuters who were to board trains from Jalandhar Cantonment railway station had to walk for over 4-5 km encumbered with their luggage to catch their trains. “I have no option but to run with my luggage to the railway station through all this mess else I will miss my train to Jammu,” Subhash Kumar, who works in a private company in Jalandhar, said this as he went past the dharna site. Rajinder Singh of Batala, PHOTOS: MALKIAT SINGH SOME YOUNGSTERS DETAINED Several youngsters were reportedly detained (in pic extreme right) during the dharna. Manjinder Singh, who was leading one youth body said: “About 100 odd youth could not join us from Tarn Taran as they had been stopped on the way and were taken to a police station, where they were detained for half of the day.” While some youngsters reached the site in buses, there were others who came on bikes and were hence stopped en route. Many who reached the site said their mobile phones had been taken by the police and were returned only after the dharna got over. who was going to Talhan Sahib Gurdwara as per his monthly ritual with his wife and a 3-year-old son, said: “I am stuck here for four hours. Thankfully, the weather today is good else it would have been very difficult. So far, we have been managing with whatever small tiffin and water bottles we had.” It was a tense moment for a family from Jammu. They were taking their daughter Shweta to Chandigarh as she was to appear in her examina- Only 53 challans in 8 months for dumping garbage on roads Avneet Kaur ❝MC teams often fine us for encroachment, for throwing garbage on roadside and for using Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 18 Even though the officials of the health branch of the Municipal Corporation (MC) claim that they have been issuing challans on a regular basis to shopkeepers, traders, roadside vendors and residents for throwing garbage on roads, the data collected from MC revealed that only 53 challans have been issued in the last eight months (from September 2021 to June 16). As far as challans related to using banned polythene bags were concerned, the MC had issued a total of 111 challans. These challans were issued between October 2021 and June 16. Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, Kamaljeet Bhatia, former Senior Deputy Mayor, said: “It seems that the health wing has either surrendered to violators or fines are being imposed under the table that’s why only 53 challans are there in the record book. In the past, about 100 to 150 challans were issued for littering roads and other such violations on a same day during special drives, but nothing of that sort is happening polythene bags, but they never impose any fine on big shopkeepers or traders. We have requested them to provide us with an alternative of polythene, as we cannot buy expensive carry bags, but they hardly pay any heed. Anil Kumar, ROADSIDE VENDOR ON JYOTI CHOWK ❞ << A stretch on Ladowali Road is seen littered with garbage in Jalandhar on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO now,” he said. He said the road leading to Patel Chowk and Ramgarhia colony, roads near TV Tower, Devi Talab Mandir, Qazi Mohalla, Model Town cremation ground, Ladowali Road and Chuggiti Chowk among other places are entirely covered with garbage. “Besides, in many markets such as Bhairon Bazaar, Saidan Gate, Bartan Bazaar etc. there was no provision of dustbins. Whenever it rains, garbage scattered on roads gets mixed with rainwater and become a nuisance for residents and shopkeepers,” he said. Bhatia said: “The officials concerned must make sure that those throwing garbage on roads are taught a lesson and litter is removed timely from dumping sites as this has become a major reason for the spread of diseases, especially during the rainy season. Also, there is a need to raise awareness among the public.” Anil Kumar, a roadside vendor on Jyoti Chowk, said: “MC teams often fine us for encroachment, for throwing garbage on roadside and for using polythene bags, but they never impose any fine on big shopkeepers or traders. We have requested them to provide us with an alternative of polythene, as we cannot buy expensive carry bags, but they hardly pay any heed,” he said. “Throwing wrappers of whatever is consumed in cars is a common habit. In residential localities, too, people can be spotted throwing garbage outside their houses on the roads. The government should set up an agency to monitor and punish those who violate rules. The corporation should also fix places in localities and in markets, where garbage could be thrown and later on collected by MC vans. Besides, residents must lend support and assist authorities in solving the problem of garbage,” said Geeta Parsar, a resident of 120ft road. Chief Sanitary Inspector Hitesh Aggarwal said the health wing was taking all measures required to solve the garbage problem in the c m y b city. When asked whether any special drives and surprise checks were held in the recent past to check littering of roads, he replied that it’s a common practice and sanitary inspectors spend their entire day in the field to check such violations. Mayor Jagdish Raja said the MC has no intention to generate revenue by imposing fines and their only focus was to raise awareness among residents, therefore not many challans were issued. “I will check with the health department what initiatives have been taken by them and if they have conducted any special drives in the past,” he said. tion as a dental surgeon. “Her examination is in the morning tomorrow and we had taken sufficient margin today so as to be able to reach Chandigarh in time, settle and let Shweta do some quick revision,” her parents said. Woman killed, 3 hurt in mishap Tribune News Service Hoshiarpur, June 18 A woman was killed and three of her relatives were seriously injured in a headon collision between a car and a Punjab Roadways bus near Tutomjara village on the Chandigarh-Hoshiarpur main road on Saturday. Those travelling in the car were going to Sri Kiratpur Sahib to immerse the ashes of a relative. 48 retired patwaris hired on contract basis in dist Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 18 To bring more efficiency in functioning of the Revenue Department, the district administration on Saturday recruited 48 retired patwaris on a contract basis (1 year) and were given a charge of three patwar circles in Jalandhar. DC Ghanshyam Thori said the selected candidates would be paid a fixed salary of Rs 25,000 per month and with their recruitment, working in around 150 patwar circles would become more seamless. Thori said the appointments had been made purely for rural areas and the selected patwaris would not be authorised to directly make any kind of changes in the revenue records as they would work only through their respective ASMs/DSM. The Deputy Commissioner informed that the state government had also extended the date of submitting applications from retired patwaris till June 30 to fill the vacant posts. He said maximum age for applying was 64 years. There should be no criminal case or departmental enquiry against the applicant, he added. Thori said those eligible can submit their applications in room no. 212, Sadar Kanoongo Branch at the District Administrative Complex by June 30. He said the applicants need to attach a copy of their retirement orders issued by the competent authority, besides an affidavit stating that they were never convicted by any court of law nor any criminal case, FIR and enquiry was pending against them.