21072022-JTR-01.qxd 7/21/2022 12:16 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar TRIBUNE 30 WOMEN AMONG 105 NEW PATWARIS APPOINTED IN DIST PAGE 2 DC Jaspreet Singh along with AAP MLAs on Wednesday handed over appointment letters to 105 patwaris. FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY SKY INBRIEF CASH SNATCHED AT PETROL STATION Hoshiarpur: A salesman of Kanhaiya Lal Filling Station at Alowal village on the Hoshiarpur Tanda Marg has lodged a complaint with Bullowal's police. He alleged that on Tuesday night four occupants of a car first got the fuel filled worth ~1,000. Thereafter, they allegedly snatched cash amouting to ~12,340 from him and fled the spot. After registering the case, the police have started the probe. OC TWO BOOKED FOR THEFT; ONE HELD Hoshiarpur: The police registered two separate cases of theft against two persons and arrested one of them. Jagjit Singh, a resident of Garhshankar, told the police that Surinder Kumar, a resident of Garhshankar, allegedly stole two mobile phones and 10 kg of copper from his shop. The police booked the accused and arrested him. A city surgeon, Dr Arvind Kumar, told the police of Model Town that Sunil Masih, a salesman working at his medical store, allegedly committed the theft. The police registered a case against the accused after investigation. TNS ILLEGAL MINING CASE AGAINST 2 Hoshiarpur: The Hariana police have booked two persons for illegal mining. The police seized three tractor-trailers laden with sand of the accused. On the complaint of Mining Officer Naresh Kumar, the police have booked Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, a resident of Kailon, Daljit Singh, a resident of Khudde, while the third accused fled the spot and couldn’t be identified. The police are investigating the case. OC SMUGGLER HELD WITH INTOXICANTS Hoshiarpur: The Mukerian police have arrested a smuggler and recovered 10 gram of intoxicating powder from him on Tuesday evening. The accused has been identified as Gaurav, alias Gauri, a resident of Mahajana Mohalla, Mukerian. An FIR against the accused has been registered by the Mukerian police under the NDPS Act. OC PAGE 3 ACTOR RANBIR KAPOOR, TEAM SHAMSHERA VISIT CITY BEAUTIFUL EMMY-WINNER EDDIE MURPHY TO STAR IN CANDY CANE LANE Team Shashmera got a resounding welcome on their quick trip to the City Beautiful, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. MAX 31°C | MIN 25°C | YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 28°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7:23 PM PAGE 4 Academy Award nominee and Emmywinner Eddie Murphy will star in holiday comedy titled Candy Cane Lane. SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:35 AM THURSDAY | 21 JULY 2022 | JALANDHAR Minister reviews works under Legislatorsfumeas depts send juniors Smart City project, grills officials Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 20 Local Bodies Minister Dr Indebir Singh Nijjar today visited the city and reviewed the progress of works under the Smart City project. He was accompanied by Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora. The minister grilled the MC officials and asked about every project in detail. The meeting commenced with the MLA questioning the working of Smart City projects. “Smart City vich enni corruption hai ki usda ant nahee,” said Raman Arora the moment the meeting started. Installation of solar panels, LED lights, maintenance of Kala Sanghian Drain, development of Burlton park, lifting of garbage were the projects in which the MLA highlighted various DETAILED INFORMATION FROM DEPTS SOUGHT ■ Local Bodies Minister Dr Indebir Singh Nijjar said he would visit the city again after 15 days and seek answers to various questions ■ Sources said the minister expressed his disappointment with the working of the Municipal Corporation ■ He also asked for files from various departments with detailed information, which he would check on his next visit. << Local Bodies Minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar during a meeting in Jalandhar. MALKIAT SINGH anomalies. He asked the minister to take action against corrupt officials. He even talked in detail about the amount that had been spent on various projects like beautification of the roundabouts. He said these projects were started with an estimate amounting to crores of rupees, but there is hardly any work on ground. As the officials answered the questions, officers from vari- ous MC wings were not even present. Minister Dr Inderbir Singh said he would be visiting the city again after 15 days and would seek answers to various questions. As per the reports, the minister also expressed his Dist edu body hears plaints against schools over fee hike Tribune News Service DECISION IN THE NEXT MEETING Jalandhar, July 20 The District Regulatory Body for unaided educational institutions, in a meeting held at the Additional Deputy Commissioner’s (ADC) office at the District Administration Complex (DAC) here today, heard five complaints against various private schools. Of the five complaints received, four were related to fee hike, while the other one was of ‘not providing e-Punjab registration number to an autistic boy’, which was referred to the regulatory body by the District Education Officer (Secondary) on Tuesday. Sources said the parents in their complaints to the regulatory body had alleged some private schools in the district have hiked the fee by more than 10 or 12 per cent, which ■ Of the five complaints heard by the District Regulatory Body (DRB) on Wednesday, four were related to fee hike, while the other one was of ‘not providing e-Punjab registration number to an autistic boy’ ■ Since Additional Deputy Commissionr Amit Sareen, who is also the DRB Chairman, couldn’t attend the meeting, the decision on complaints would be taken in the next meeting is against the Fee Act. “As per the Fee Act, the private schools in the state cannot increase the fee more than 8 per cent annually. Therefore, taking cognisance of the complaints received, the district regulatory body called parents and school authorities at the ADC office today, and the members of the body, including Manu Jindal and Girdhari Lal, heard the claims of both parties,” said an official. He said the complaints would have been redressed today, but the Chairman Amit Sareen couldn’t attend the meeting due to some personal reasons, thus, the decision will now be delivered in the next meeting. He further said the Education Department appointed a principal, a block level officer and a senior teacher to investigate these complaints and collect evidence. “They have checked the balance sheets, audit and other documents of the schools and prepared a report, which was presented before the body members. Besides, the members, too, heard their justifications and checked the necessary documents,” he added. Manu Jindal, a member of the body said while all other school authorities presented their points, the person concerned in ‘e-Punjab registration case’ left the meeting without giving any clarification. He also pointed out that no matter what would be the decision in this case (e-Punjab registration), what is more important is to discuss the future of the student, and how they can ensure the best education for him. “In the next meeting, all these points will be discussed,” he added. Meanwhile, the next date of the meeting is yet not announced by the regulatory body, but it is expected to be held on Friday. disappointment with the working of the Municipal Corporation. Sources said he also asked for proper files from various departments with detailed information, which he would check on his next visit. Jalandhar, July 20 AAP legislators Balkar Singh, Inderjit Kaur Mann, Sheetal Angural and Raman Arora on Wednesday were a unhappy lot as the majority of departments sent their junior officials during a review meeting of development works. The meeting was presided over by Deputy Commissioner Jaspreet Singh whom the MLAs asked to issue directions to all departments that at least superintending engineer-level official should attend meetings in future. The officials remained at the receiving end for more than one reason as the DC asked them all to ensure completion of the projects in a given timeline. The MLAs, too, stressed that since the MC polls were just a few months away, the works should be accomplished as per the deadline. “Public would not accept any delays,” they said. The DC also instructed the officials concerned finish the ONLY SENIOR OFFICIALS IN ALL FUTURE MEETINGS, DC TOLD ongoing sewerage and water supply works at the earliest. Nakodar MLA Inderjit Kaur Mann suggested that efforts could be made to collect rainwater by constructing soak pits, besides impressing upon that works of under construction roads in villages should be monitored. MLA Raman Arora highlighted some issues related to smart city and health department. MLA Sheetal Angural raised the issues related with the PWD Department. After hearing the issues in the meeting, the DC directed the officials concerned regarding the Bhogpur bus stand, STP in Bhogpur, works related to PSPCL in Phillaur, repair of road toward Hoshiarpur from Lamma Pind Chowk and entry of heavy vehicles in the city among others. — TNS Swamped by woes Commuters wade through a waterlogged road after heavy rain in Jalandhar. SARABJIT SINGH. Rain paralyses life in Phagwara fic on busy roads, but also inundated roads and lowlying areas of the city, including a few posh colonies. The rainwater entered a large number of houses and residents had a tough time draining it out. Power lines, too, developed some snag, adding to the problems faced by people. Residents had to wade through kneedeep water in areas like Hargobind Nagar, New Model Town, Patel Nagar, Old Post Office road, etc. — OC PTU launches admission portal After review, 363 more deaths added to Covid toll City police meet jewellers over security issues Phagwara, July 20 Normal life was thrown out of gear in Phagwara in the wee hours of Wednesday as two-hour-long downpour accompanied by strong winds not only uprooted trees, which blocked the traf- Tribune News Service Kapurthala, July 20 IK Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKGPTU) has started the process of fresh admissions with the launch of its admission portal on Saturday. Rahul Bhandari, Principal Secretary, Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training-cum-Vice Chancellor of IKGPTU, officially launched the portal. In the joint counselling for various courses, IKGPTU; Maharaja Ranjit Singh State Technical University, Bathinda; Sardar Beant Singh State University, Gurdaspur; Shaheed Bhagat Singh State Technical University, Ferozepur; Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana; and more than 300 engineering, management, pharmacy and architecture colleges will participate in the admissions 2022-23 academic session. Launching the portal, VC Bhandari said the admission process had been made sim- Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service The admission portal of IKGPTU being launched on the Kapurthala campus. TRIBUNE PHOTO OVER 300 COLLEGES TO PARTICIPATE IN JOINT COUNSELLING In the joint counselling for various courses, IKGPTU; Maharaja Ranjit Singh State Technical University, Bathinda; Sardar Beant Singh State University, Gurdaspur; Shaheed Bhagat Singh State Technical ple and effective as compared to past years. “It will make the admissions of the university, other campuses and affiliated colleges accessible and transparent for the students. Portal is also supporting its affiliated colleges. The contact data received from the registration is supported by giving it University, Ferozepur; Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana; and more than 300 engineering, management, pharmacy and architecture colleges will participate in the admissions to all stakeholder colleges,” he said adding the counselling schedule would be announced soon. In the last admission year, the number of admissions in these institutions stood at 1,11,196. IKGPTU Registrar Dr SK Mishra and Dean Academics-cum-Chief Coordinator Admissions Prof Vikas Chawla said the university had set up a pre-registration portal and started for free registration in April-May. He added, “Now after the start of the registration, the university will get the students registered by charging Rs 1,000, of which Rs 500 will be returned to the student after getting the seat.” c m y b Jalandhar, July 20 There has been a whopping addition of 363 more fatalities in the Covid death toll in the district, following a review conducted by the Covid Death Ascertaining Committee as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court. With the fresh addition, the Covid death toll, which was 1,581 yesterday, has now increased to 1,944 in the district. These additional deaths include all those who died within a month (30 days) of testing positive for Covid or who died after being admitted to hospital as a Covid case even after 30 days. Families of all these people will be eligible for ex gratia. District Family Welfare Officer, Dr Raman Kamar Gupta, said: “While 1,581 deaths were reported so far in the district formally, these 363 cases are of those who died within 30 days FINAL FIGURE 1,944; KIN ELIGIBLE FOR EX GRATIA This is the final death toll (1,944) after the review conducted by a committee. This has been done as per Supreme Court's guidelines. Families of all these 1,944 deceased persons are now eligible Dr Raman Sharma, CIVIL SURGEON for ex gratia. ❝ ❞ 59 NEW COVID CASES REPORTED IN DISTRICT As many as 59 fresh Covid cases were reported from the district on Wednesday. The Covid caseload has now jumped to 79,037. Meanwhile, the Kapurthala district reported five new cases, taking to the total number of cases to 24,032. of testing positive for Covid or in the course of hospitalisation due to Covid even beyond the 30-day period. These also include patients whose death was deemed as being caused by Covid as per laboratory investigations even if they didn’t test positive (for Covid). As per the SC guidelines, they too, will be eligible for ex gratia.” Dr. Gupta added that there are various factors which have added to the positivity ratio of Covid in the district. He said, “Sensitivity and specificity are important factors to determine Covid. In addition to this, the results of nasopharyngyal, pulmonary and oral testing have also seen to be at variance. These factors collectively determined Covid positivity rate too.” Jalandhar, July 20 A meeting of the city police with members of the jewellers’ association was held at the police commissioner office here today. DCP Law and Order, , Ankur Gupta and other senior cops met the jewellers and made them aware of various preventive measures to be taken to prevent snatchings and burglaries, besides robbery attempts. Jewellers’ association president Naresh Malhotra and other members also presented their suggestions regarding increasing security arrangements near the jewelry shops, to which DCP assured full cooperation and ordered the cops to enhance vigil at and near markets where jewellery showrooms and workshops were situated. Jewellers were instructed to install emergency sirens and CCTV cameras and hire security guards if possible. — TNS