19012023-ATR-01.qxd 1/19/2023 12:26 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY REVIVE OLD PENSION SCHEME, DEMANDS TEACHERS’ UNION PUSHPA 2 ACTRESS RASHMIKA OPENS UP ON TROLLS ALI BABACAST RESUME SHOOT WEEKS AFTER TUNISHA’S DEATH The Democratic Teachers’ Front has announced its support for various employee unions’ demand. P2 Rashmika Mandanna says she is one of the softest targets of trolls and has been at the receiving end. P3 MAX 19°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 18°C | MIN 3°C After Tunisha Sharma’s death and Sheezan Khan’s arrest, Ali Baba’s shoot had come to a standstill. P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 5.52 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 7:29 AM » THURSDAY | 19 JANUARY 2023 | AMRITSAR Protest lowering retirement age at 58 years, centralised admissions portal Despite ban, Chinese string sale continues Tribune News Service Manmeet Singh Gill College teachers up in arms against govt Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 18 Set to take on the state government against the decision to lower the age of retirement for teachers to 58 from 60, 136 non-government aided colleges and 58 unaided colleges observed a total bandh following a call given by the Joint Action Committee of Colleges, whereas government colleges and five state universities observed a twohour dharna in support of the call given by PFUCTO. In Amritsar, a memorandum was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner. The delegation was led by Dr Gurdas Singh Sekhon, general secretary of Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union. Dr Sekhon said the AAP government in Punjab was not sparing a thought over the genuine demands of teachers working in non-government aided colleges. “Aided college staff is not getting pension, so retirement age should not be as per government employees. Also, the staff Teachers raise slogans in support of their demands in Amritsar on Wednesday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR of aided colleges is governed by the university calendar which depicts the retirement age at 60 years,” said Dr Sekhon. Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhinna, president, Aided College Management Federation, also said that colleges in Punjab were fighting against the government’s arbitrary and discriminatory decision to start a centralised admission portal and tinkering with service rules of teachers, including lowering retirement age to 58 years. “We were forced to take to the path of agitation as the government has failed to address the demands of management, principals and teachers,” said Chhina, adding that if the government did not wake up from its slumber, there would be more agitations in the coming days. NHAI begins work on 22-km cycle track Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 18 The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) started the construction of 22-km long cycling track from Ghanupur Kale bypass to Attari. The NHAI will spend Rs 6.5 crore on the project and a separate track would be developed. The track would benefit residents who pedal on the highway to keep themselves fit. Sportspersons can also compete on the track. The NHAI had given the contract for making the track to a private company. The construction of the track had started recently. The workers of the construction firm claimed that work is a bit slow due to winter. With sunny days ahead, the work will speed up. Asian Children Games gold medallist honoured Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, January 18 Palakpreet Kaur of Bharowal village, Tarn Taran, who had bagged two gold medals in the recently concluded Asian Children Games held in New Delhi, was honoured during a function organised by the Kalpana Chawla Pargatishil Society in her village on Wednesday. Parwinder Singh, the president of the society, in his address, lauded Palakpreet’s performance. Kaur, student of Government High School, Daleke, was given a shield and a medal by the society. Palakpreet had bagged a gold medal in discus throw and 100 meter race each. Palakpreet’s father Hardeep Singh said that his daughter had worked hard to outshine her competitors. The under-construction cycling track from Ghanupur Kale to Attri in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR The width of the track will be three meters and it would be built 15 feet away from the wall of cantonment. As per the contract, the work will be completed within the next six months. The highway authorities got the approval from the Border Security Forces (BSF) for con- struction of a cycle track alongside the BSF cantonment. The track will also be useful for BSF personnel as jawans also take part in the cycling competitions. The NHAI engineers claimed that they have tried to save maximum trees while Writers mourn demise of noted environmentalist Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 18 The Chairman of Folklore Research Academy, Amritsar, Dr Charanjit Singh Nabha passed away a few days ago and a memorial service was dedicated to him in Virsa Vihar today. He was the Deputy Director (retd) of the Punjab Pollution Control Board. He was an environmentalist as well as an intellectual, social worker, writer and editor of the Panj Pani magazine. The memorial ceremony began with the address of the president of the academy, Ramesh Yadav. Expressing deep sorrow over Nabha’s departure, he noted that Nabha was one of the founding members of the academy. “He organised seminars, conferences and peace marches to create friendly relations between India and Pakistan, among people of different religions in society and towards the environment. He was the editor of the academy’s annual Punjabi magazine, ‘ Panj Pani’, for 15 consecu- MAGAZINE EDITOR ■ Dr Charanjit Singh Nabha was the Deputy Director (retd) of the Punjab Pollution Control Board. He was an environmentalist as well as an intellectual, social worker, writer. ■ Hhe was the editor of the academy’s annual Punjabi magazine, ‘Panj Pani’, for 15 consecutive years tive years. We will try to remember him through his works and contribution and will try to finish whatever has been left incomplete after his demise,” said Yadav. Dr Bhupinder Singh Sandhu, a noted writer, also dwelt on his fond memories of Nabha. “He was among the few to establish brotherhood between India and Pakistan. He hoped and aspired for long lasting peace between the two countries,” he said. The ceremony was attended by several Punjabi writers, scholars, and members of the Punjab Kisan Union, Progressive Writers Sangh (Amritsar Unit), the All India Kisan Sabha and the Kirti Kisan Union Punjab. planning this track. Only 60 trees would be axed. The NHAI required permission from the Forest Department for the axing of trees. MP Gurjit Singh Aujla said residents, especially youngsters, would benefit from the project. Ambulance staff strike: Chemists extend support Amritsar, January 18 Lending support to the protesting employees of the 108 ambulance service, the Punjab State Pharmacy Officers Association has demanded that the government regularise the services of the employees and provide them salaries and other benefits on the pattern of the Haryana government.“The denial of the basic salary increment to these employees year after year is no way to recognise their services,” rued Ashok Sharma, a leader. — TNS Dr Vinay Sophat, president, PCCTU, said the tinkering with service rules concerning the retirement age of teachers is not acceptable. “The agitation will be intensified if needed and the responsibility will lie on the state government,” he said. Five booked for misbehaving with flight passengers Amritsar, January 18 Five persons from Gujarat have been booked for misbehaving with a co-passenger while on a flight en route from Amritsar to Ahmedabad on January 15. The accused have been identified as Lakhaman Bhai Bhatia of Koandh, Damodar of Wadhwan city, Partap Singh of TA Dhrangdhra Khambhda, Padhiyar Raviraj and Parmar Karan of Surendra Nagar. The complainant, Amitpal Singh, has alleged that on January 15, on his flight from Amritsar to Ahmedabad, the five co-passengers misbehaved with other passengers. — TNS Amritsar, January 18 The recent incident in which a 28-year-old was badly injured by a dangling synthetic kite flying string has once again raised doubts about the implementation of the ban on the sale and use of the thread. It has also brought to the fore the lethality of the acrylic string as the doctors had to apply 20 stitches on the deep cut on his throat. Residents have rued that such incidents are becoming increasingly common. A youth, Satinderjit Singh, had a lucky escape on Wednesday after coming in contact with the deadly string while riding a twowheeler on the Batala road. Satinderjit sustained a minor cut on his finger when he caught hold of the string. He added, “I generally cover my face with a cloth to prevent such injuries, but now I have realised that it does not offer much protection.” The residents stated that MISHAPS COMMON ■ Residents rued that kite injury incidents are becoming increasingly common. ■ They stated that riding a twowheeler has become a risky affair these days as loose kite strings are seen dangling everywhere. They lamented that despite the ban on the sale and use of the thread, the police and local administration have failed to check such incidents. riding a two-wheeler has become a risky affair these days as loose kite strings are seen dangling everywhere. They lamented that despite the ban on the sale and use of the thread, the police and local administration have failed to check such incidents. Check pollution causing factories: Farmers’ body Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 18 While lauding the role of the state government for ordering closure of alcohol factory at Zira, the AllIndia Kisan Sabha has asked the government to take action against all the factories discharging polluted water into water bodies or ground reserves. State vice president of the Sabha Lakhbir Singh Nizampura said the state government’s action should send a clear message to the industrial units causing air, water and soil pollution in the state. He said the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), the government body responsible for checking pollution should be made accountable and responsible. The farmer body has also advocated agriculturebased industry in Punjab, which would serve the twin purpose of checking pollution and uplifting the agricultural sector which is the primary occupation of the maximum of the population in the country. Warm welcome A woman sits around a bonfire to warm herself from the bone-chilling cold in Amritsar. AGENCIES Bizmen seek policy to boost textile sector Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 18 Local textile industrialists have demanded a national textile policy to give a boost to the sector and make it globally competitive. They rue that Union Minister Smriti Irani had organised scores of meetings to prepare the policy and demanded representations from them, but nothing came out of the whole exercise. Members of the Textile Merchants Association (TMA) said the Centre had not announced the textile policy which has been pending since 2016. Members of the TMA demanded that the New National Textile Policy should be framed to meet requirements of textile manufacturers falling under the MSME. Deepak Khanna, president of the TMA, said the government lacked the vision to bring in dynamic changes in textile manufacturing. “We definitely need to replace 22 lakh power looms with shuttleless looms but at the same time it is required to revive handlooms which have immense scope to produce export quality cloth”. Citing his personal example he added that he installed a couple of looms but was unable to find expert artisans to operate them. Piara Lal Seth, president of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM), recalled that several meetings were held in Delhi and Mumbai and he attended them on behalf of the local industrialists yet the policy was not formulated. He said wages of textile labourers and artisans were going up in China, competition from Sri Lanka has subsided and various other factors. He sought introduction of the policy at the earliest apart from 25 per cent capital subsidy and curtailment of GST from 18 percent to five per cent for buying machineries for textile production. 30 pc decline in imports from Afghanistan via Attari ICP Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Servicce Amritsar, January 18 The decline of 30 per cent in the imports from Afghanistan through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari can be attributed to clashes between Pakistan forces and Taliban fighters on the international border being shared between c m y b Afghanistan and Pakistan besides floods in Afghanistan. The trade through AttariWagah route dipped as the import from Afghanistan registered a fall of Rs 1,018 c in 2022 (from January 1 to December 31) in comparison to the previous corresponding period (2021). Earlier, the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan had brought down the ICP at Attari from the highest revenue generating dry port in the country to an entity in loss. As per the data shared by the Land Port Authority of India, the ICP at the AttariWagah border recorded import of Rs 2119.2 crore from Afghanistan which was pegged at Rs 3137.69 crore in 2021. The share of dry fruit import from Afghanistan to India stands at just 10 per cent of its total import. The US is the biggest supplier of dry fruit in India followed by Australia, Iran, Turkey and other countries. A good amount of Afghan dry fruit is imported through the ICP at Attari. Another reason is said to be the tardy pace of normalisation of the Afghan banking system after after the Taliban taken over by toppling the Ashraf Ghani government in August 2021. In the meantime, only those importers had received supplies which had good old relations.