28072022-LT-01.qxd 7/28/2022 12:47 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana TRIBUNE 15% WOMEN, 8% MEN MISSED SCHOOL IN DISTRICT: SURVEY PAGE 2 One-third of both women (36%) and men (37%) aged 15-49 years have completed 12 or more years of schooling. FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY INBRIEF YOUTH STRANGLED TO DEATH Ludhiana: A 25-year-old youth was found dead at his rented accommodation in Model Colony, Meharban, here on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Ibrahim. Complainant Mohd Jahid told the police that his nephew was staying in a rented accommodation in Meharban. On the night of July 25, one of his relatives called and informed hm that Ibrahim was lying dead in his room and he was reportedly strangled to death by some unidentified persons. “My nephew had clear marks of strangulation on his throat. Somebody could have entered his room, who after killing him, fled the spot, Jahid said. Investigating officer ASI Jagdip Singh said after receiving the complaint, yesterday a case of murder was registered. CCTV cameras of the area were being scanned to get any clue about the accused. The deceased’s family today met the Commissioner of Police at his office. The family suspects the role of some close people in the case. TNS BIZMAN GETS ‘EXTORTION CALL’ Ludhiana: A man posing as an aide of notorious gangster Deepak Mundi allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh extortion from a city-based businessman dealing in luxury cars. The victim said he had been receiving extortion calls from the unknown caller who posed himself as an aide of gangster Mundi and he asked for Rs 5 lakh extortion, else threatened to kill him. The complainant said the suspect had been making repeated calls from international and local mobile numbers. He even claimed that a recce was already done by his team and if extortion money was not given, they would kill him. He lodged a complaint at the PAU police station. TNS ACTORS SHAMITA SHETTY AND RAQESH BAPAT CALL IT QUITS MAX 32°C | MIN 27°C | YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 28°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7:24 PM Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 27 Two days after the National Green Tribunal ordered Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, to deposit Rs 100 crore with the District Magistrate (DM) in a matter related to a hut (jhuggi) fire incident near the MC’s main garbage dumpsite, near Kakka village on Tajpur Road, and accumulation of 25-30 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste at the dumpsite, the MC authorities on Wednesday alleged that the NGT order was one-sided. MC officials are now planning to take a legal remedy regarding the matter. Notably, seven family members, including a couple and their five children, were charred to death after a fire broke out in their ‘jhuggi’ located near the MC’s main dumpsite in April this year. They used to earn a livelihood from rag-picking from the dumpsite. Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report regarding the fire tragedy, the NGT had then asked its monitoring panel to furnish a factual situation report with regard to the cause of death, persons responsible for the failure and remedial action, including a measure, to prevent such incidents in future. On April 27, the monitoring committee inspected the fire incident site and the MC’s dumpsite on Tajpur Road near Kakka village. Non-compliance of rules In its report, the committee stated that the administrative After Tribunal directed civic body to deposit ~100 cr with DM, MC terms order one-sided set-up at Ludhiana has failed so far as the compliance to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, is concerned. “There is a story of failed promises. In the rules for 11 thematic areas in the field of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the time frame to implement each activity was given. By now, timelines for all those activities have expired.” The monitoring committee recommended that all 38 secondary points of solid waste maintained by the Municipal Corporation at various locations may be removed permanently. The MC has been asked to take requisite measures to prevent fire incidents at its dumpsite. The PPCB has been recommended to impose environmental compensation on the MC for noncompliance of the waste management rules. It also recommended shifting of dairy complexes located at Tajpur Road and Haibowal, Ludhiana, within one month or installation of effluent treatment plants and bio gas-based power plants of adequate capacity by March 31, 2023. Ragpickers need to be rehabilitated About 200-300 ragpickers are residing in the vicinity to recover recyclable material from the dumpsite. They live in pathetic conditions and need to be rehabilitated at a safe place, away from the dumpsite. The committee said toxic water in large quantity was flowing from the site and children of ragpickers were seen playing with the leachate which can “wet eyes of any onlooker”. Probable reasons behind fires at jhuggis As per the committee report, officials of the Police Department stated that there were different possibilities of char- spreads over 50 acres near Kakka village. In April 2021, a city-level technical of Ludhiana Smart City Limited had given nod for bioremediation of 5 lakh metric tonnes of the legacy solid waste. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 27.17 crore but it is yet to be started at the ground level. An MC official, however, said the project would be started soon at the ground level as tender has been allotted. SMART CITY MISSION-IV Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Waste compactors yet to be installed After installing its first static waste compactor near the Dugri bridge in 2016, the Municipal Corporation had planned to install more such compactors to resolve the problem of uncovered garbage dumps along city roads. After Ludhiana was selected to be developed as a smart city, a project was then planned for the installation of compactors under the Smart City Mission but it was delayed. Under the Smart City Mission, the LCSL has proposed for procurement of 63 portable compactors and 26 hook loaders for 22 locations at an estimated cost of Rs 30.07 crore. However, it had earlier launched the civil work of Rs SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:41 AM A newly constructed structure awaits installation of a waste compactor in Ludhiana. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA CONSTRUCTION WASTE COMMONPLACE Heaps of construction waste along roadsides and in plots are a common scene in the city, which is troubling residents. 13.57 crore under which sheds were constructed at a number of sites for the installation of compactors but the project is also incomplete. The compactors under the mission have not been installed anywhere yet as tenders for the same were yet to be floated as per information. C&D Waste Management project delayed The MC had been planning to set up a plant for the management of construction waste for a long time. The civic body is required to ensure implementation of the Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management Rules, 2016. A C&D waste management plant (mechanical part),at an estimated cost of Rs 4.40 crore, was proposed under the Smart City Mission and it ring to death of seven persons in the fire. The police said there might be a foul play in the case or a short-circuit. Besides, they also stated that the possibility of causing fire to the jhuggi of the deceased family, due to the occurrence of fire incidents at various locations of the solid waste dumpsite, could not be ruled out, as per the report. Rights being denied in Ludhiana A vehicle passes through a waterlogged road along the Municipal Corporation’s main dumpsite in Ludhiana. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN was supposed to be completed by December 2021 and then May 15, 2022, but it has not been installed so far. Notably, Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu had especially visited Jodhpur to study the functioning of the construction and demolition (C&D) waste management plant there in 2020. In May 2021, the NGT panel had also asked the MC to ensure management of construction and demolition waste within three months otherwise environmental compensation would be imposed but still, such waste is dumped openly at various locations. Bioremediation of legacy waste yet to be started The LSCL has proposed a big project to deal with legacy waste at the MC’s main Jamalpur dumpsite that People left to suffer Residents of Kakka village and nearby colonies have many times raised their voices against the MC’s main dumpsite that is not only emanating a stench but also polluting the soil and groundwater. Moreover, the burning of waste at the dumpsite has made the lives of people in nearby areas miserable. Col CM Lakhanpal (retd), an environmental activist, said, “Huge accumulation of waste at the dumpsite depicts that the authorities concerned had not taken the matter of solid waste management seriously. The people are forced to suffer due to pollution being caused by the dumpsite. All required measures should be taken for the management of all kinds of waste in the right manner.” Ludhiana East MLA Daljeet Singh Grewal has raised the issue of the main dumpsite before the Local Bodies Minister recently. MLA Grewal said a project for bioremediation of legacy waste under the Smart City Mission would be started soon. c m y b PAGE 4 The lovers of folk music were in for a rude shock as lead singer of Safri Boyz Balwinder passed away on Tuesday. MC failed to comply with waste mgmt rules: NGT panel report Harshraj Singh LEAD SINGER OF SAFRI BOYZ BALWINDER SAFRI PASSES AWAY Shamita Shetty and Raqesh Bapat, who had entered Bigg Boss OTT house last year, have decided to part ways. Long wait for waste mgmt projects Ludhiana, July 27 Poor solid waste management has been a major issue in the city for a long time. Huge heaps of solid waste have accumulated at the MC’s main garbage dumpsite. Moreover, heaps of construction waste along roadsides and in plots are a common scene in the city, troubling residents. Under the Smart City Mission, a few major projects for waste management that include the installation of garbage compactors, bioremediation of legacy waste and management of construction and demolition waste have been delayed due to various reasons. PAGE 3 In its report, the NGT’s monitoring committee said citizens of the state had a right to take a breath of fresh air, drink clean potable water, enjoy unhindered sunlight and uncontaminated food. The committee was of the firm opinion that these rights and many others were being denied to residents of Ludhiana. It was either lack of commitment or a failure of leadership to provide appropriate solutions to make compliance of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, environment laws and directions issued by the NGT from time to time. THURSDAY | 28 JULY 2022 | LUDHIANA Noorwala resident gets life term for killing neighbour Legal Correspondent Ludhiana, July 27 The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Ravdeep Singh Hundal has convicted Jagdev Singh, alias DC, a resident of Noorwala village, on the charges of killing his neighbour Balbir Singh by firing a shot. He was ordered to undergo rigorous life imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh. However, the court acquitted his wife Kamaljit Kaur, finding no cogent and convincing evidence against her. Pronouncing the verdict, the court held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charges against the accused. The court declined the plea of leniency raised by him. Additional public prosecutor Rajbir Singh Chahal said a case against the accused was registered at the Meharban police station on March 7, 2019, following the statement of Dharmvir Singh, son of the victim. The police have recovered three empty cartridges from the spot. The complainant had told the police that he was present in the house along with his father at 8.30 am on the March 7. His neighbour Jagdev Singh started firing from his house with a .315 bore pistol and started abusing them. Afterwards, he came near the gate of their house. The accused fired with his 77 fresh Covid cases MC to file review petition A press note issued by the MC, Ludhiana, states that the NGT’s order was one-sided as the civic body’s view was not heard. It further reads that the MC would file a review petition against the order. Meanwhile, the tender for bioremediation of legacy waste at the dumpsite had already been allotted and the work would be started at the site within one month, it reads. continued on page 2 Yadav boosts morale of cops Ludhiana, July 27 The Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, on Wednesday visited Ludhiana. It was his first visit to the industrial hub after becoming the head of the police force. A meeting was held which was attended by the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, Kaustubh Sharma, IG Ludhiana range, SPS Parmar, SSP Khanna, Ravi , Kumar, SSP Jagraon, Harjeet , Singh, and SSP SBS Nagar, , Bhagirath Singh Meena. Other senior officials, including JCPs, DCPs SPs, ACPs, DSPs and SHOs were also present. It was a closed-door meeting headed by the DGP and there was no official media interaction. The officials who attended the meeting revealed that the DGP basically visited the city to boost the morale of police personnel and he wholeheartedly offered full support to the police force. Yadav conveyed to the force that police personnel found indulging in corrupt and illegal practices would be punished while those doing good policing would be rewarded. The DGP asked force to build trust among residents and ensure disposal of complaints in minimum possible time. He also assured that manpower at police stations would also be improved. The DGP told them to have zero tolerance against gangsters and anti-social elements. He also took feedback from \officials and assured to implement the same to provide better policing. The meeting reportedly held for almost two hours. — TNS Ludhiana, July 27 As many as 77 fresh cases of Covid-19 have been reported from the district on Wednesday. Besides, eight patients from other districts or states tested positive here today. Civil Surgeon Hatinder Kaur said 1,12,232 positive cases from the district and 14,997 from other districts or states had been confirmed till date. She said 3,000 patients from the district and 1,130 patients COVID-19 FIGURES SAMPLES POSITIVE ACTIVE DEATHS 37,97,347 1,12,232 349 24 3,000 from other districts or states have died of the virus so far. Of the 349 active cases in the district, 336 patients were in home isolation and 13 were under treatment. — TNS .315 bore pistol at his father. The bullet hit below the chin of his father due to which he fell down. It was alleged that Jagdev’s wife Kamaljit Kaur was encouraging him to commit the crime. The reason behind the incident was that the panchayat members of his village were elected unanimously but Jagdev did not agree to the same, due to which he used to abuse his family and later fired at the victim, the complainant said. However, during the trial the accused pleaded innocence but convinced with prosecution evidence, the court found him guilty and awarded life imprisonment. ASI dies as rifle goes off accidentally Ludhiana, July 27 An ASI died after his official weapon AK-47 went off accidentally at his official quarters in Jagraon late on Tuesday evening. Kuljit Singh (50) was rushed to a hospital but later succumbed to his injury. He was part of the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Jagraon police. On Tuesday night, he was getting ready for his duty. When he was reportedly checking the weapon, the rifle went off accidentally. Sources said on listening to the sound of firing, police officials went to the spot and found the ASI lying in a pool of blood. He had suffered a bullet injury on his chest. — TNS