04022023-JTR-01.qxd 2/4/2023 12:43 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune ‘ONE DISTRICT ONE PRODUCT’ PROGRAMME GETS A PUSH DIRECTOR VISHAL BHARDWAJ SHOOTS FILM ON IPHONE! SIDHARTH BINS RUMOURS OF QUITTING KAPIL’S SHOW Central and state government officials meet manufacturers and artisans from across the state. P2 Director Vishal Bhardwaj’s short movie Fursat brings together Ishaan Khatter and Wamiqa Gabbi. P3 “I am not quitting TKSS. I speak to Kapil Sharma, and we are on good terms,” says actor Sidharth. P4 » » FORECAST CLEAR SKY MAX 24°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 23°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6.02 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:11 AM » SATURDAY | 4 FEBRUARY 2023 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF WOMAN DUPED OF ~35L; COUPLE HELD Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a travel agent couple on the charge of duping a Shahkot woman of ~35 lakh on the pretext of sending her son abroad. Investigating officer Balkar Singh has identified the accused as Surjit Singh — a resident of Kartar Nagar — and his wife Parveen Kaur. Jaswindar Kaur, a resident of Mohalla Bagh Wala, Shahkot, had complained to the police that she had paid Rs 35 lakh to the accused for facilitating her son’s migration abroad, but the accused did not send him overseas, and he did not even return the money. The IO said a case has been registered under Sections 406, 420 and 34 of the IPC and Section 13 of the Travel Professions Regulation Act was registered against the accused. TRACTOR SEIZED FOR ILLEGAL MINING Jalandhar: A man was apprehended and his tractor and trolley being used in an illegal mining case was seized by the Jalandhar rural police here on Friday. The Jalandhar police apprehended tractor driver Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Bagiwal from Khurlapur along with a Swaraj tractor and a sand-laden trolley. The accused was fined under Section 75 of the mining Act by the Shahkot police. TNS BIKE-BORNE MEN SNATCH PURSE Jalandhar: Two unidentified motorcycle-borne robbers snatched a purse from a woman on Railway Road in Phagwara last night. The victim, identified as Radhika Soni, a resident of Sarafan Bazar, Phagwara, was coming in a rickshaw when the robbers struck and snatched her purse containing four gold bangles, a pair of gold ear rings, a gold tikka and cash worth Rs 50,000 from her. The robbers managed to flee. The police have registered a case under Section 379B of IPC. oc Man struggles to get justice for son who fell to cops’ bullets 37 yrs ago On Feb 4, 1986, four men were killed in police firing during a protest over a sacrilege incident at Nakodar Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 3 Thirty-seven years after four Sikh men were killed during a peaceful religious protest at Nakodar, the family members of one of the victims continue to fight to get justice. On February 4, 1986, the Punjab Police had killed four Sikh men — Ravinder Singh, Baldhir Singh Multani, Jhilman Singh, and Harminder Singh. The men were protesting against the alleged desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, in an incident similar to the Behbal Kalan episode. The police took their bodies to the Civil Hospital in Nakodar for postmortem, where Ravinder Singh’s father Baldev Singh reportedly identified their bodies. Before the families could collect the bodies, the security forces had secretly cremated them. Since then, the parents of three victims, other than of Ravinder Singh, have passed away. But despite his age, Baldev Singh has been continuously striving to get justice and has effectively built a global campaign on the issue. Upon his efforts, Elk Grove (California) Mayor Bobby Singh-Allen has recognised February 4 as Saka Nakodar Day on the 37th Martyrdom Day of Saka Nakodar. “To commemorate this day, The four men who were killed in police firing in Nakodar on February 4, 1986. TRIBUNE PHOTO SAKA NAKODAR DAY IN CITIES OF CALIFORNIA Baldev Singh, deceased Ravinder Singh’s father, has effectively built a global campaign on the issue. Upon his efforts, Elk Grove (California) Mayor Bobby Singh-Allen has recognised February 4 as Saka Nakodar Day. “Livingston and Manteca cities in California will proclaim February 4 as Saka Nakodar Day,” Baldev added. State gets its first biofertiliser production lab at Hoshiarpur Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, February 3 Punjab Food Processing and Horticulture Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra today inaugurated Punjab’s first biofertiliser production laboratory at Horticulture Estate in Chhawni village of Hoshiarpur. The Minister said the Punjab Government was trying to bring farmers out of the wheat and paddy crop cycle and encourage them to go for crop diversification with horticulture and other agricultural support businesses. He said the Punjab Government aimed to completely reduce the use of fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture and shift them to organic options. He said this laboratory prepared at a cost of Rs 2.50 crore under the RKVY scheme will help in increasing the income of farmers and keeping the environment pollution-free. AIM IS TO PROMOTE ORGANIC FARMING ❝ Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra inaugurates the state’s first biofertiliser production lab at Hoshiarpur. TRIBUNE PHOTO He said for this lab, an agreement has been signed with India’s premier research organisation ‘Akhil Bharatiya Khoj Parishad’, New Delhi, to provide technology to prepare 10 types of organic fertilisers. He said the current capacity of this lab is 30,000 litres annually, which can be increased in the future. He said the use of chemical fertilisers can be reduced by 15 to 20 per cent with organic fertilisers prepared in it, such as agathobacter, phosphorus solubilising bacteria, etc. He said while this would directly increase the income The government aims to completely reduce the use of fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture and shift farmers to organic options. This laboratory prepared at a cost of ~2.50 crore will help in keeping the environment pollution-free. ❞ Chetan Singh Jauramajra, MINISTER of the farmers, the soil, water and air would also be protected from contamination. He urged farmers to take maximum advantage of the facilities provided. Deputy Speaker Jai Krishna Singh Rouri said the Punjab Government was committed to the welfare of farmers. 2 of snatchers’ gang active in region held Jalandhar, February 3 Two members of a gang carrying out snatchings in the region have been nabbed by the Jalandhar rural police. The gang came to light after one of their members was nabbed. Interrogation of the gang member helped uncover several incidents of snatchings, looting and robbery. SP (Investigation) Sarabjit Rai revealed today that on the directions of Jalandhar SSP Swarandeep Singh, during a checking drive of twowheelers in Jandu Singha on February 2, Jaitewali resident Amarjit Singh was arrested with a motorbike. A case was registered against him under Sections 379-B and 411 of the IPC. During the investigation, Jojo revealed that he had robbed someone of Rs 15,000 at gunpoint about a week ago from a liquor vend in Patara. Amarjit revealed that he had carried out the loot with another friend of his — Gurpreet Singh Gopi, a resident of Nangal Shama village in Patara. He also revealed that he, with his aforementioned aide and another associate named Tarandeep Singh, had carried out many snatchings across Jalandhar. He revealed that they had snatched many mobile phones and purses wielding a fake gun at passersby. They sold off the stolen phones to Bunty and Shanty, residents of Rama Mandi. Continued on Page 2 Recoveries made from the arrested accused in Jalandhar. Teachers hold a sit-in outside a college in Jalandhar on Friday. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Teachers demand rollback of decision on retirement age Jalandhar, February 3 On a joint call by the Management Federation, the Principals’ Association and the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU), a protests were held across colleges of the region here on Friday. To oppose the decision of the government to lower the retirement age of aided college teachers from 60 years to 58 years, a dharna was held from 11 am to 1 pm on Friday. Lyallpur Khalsa College for GOVT TO FACE CONSEQUENCES ❝ This government’s poor policies on higher education have forced us to think otherwise. The government will face consequences if it does not take the decision back. Navjot Kaur, PRINCIPAL ❞ c m y b Women president (Jalandhar Unit of PCCTU) Rupali Razdan criticised the decision of the Punjab Goverment and motivated the teachers for the upcoming struggle. In her address, Principal Navjot Kaur stated, “We had supported AAP in the hope of having better policies, but this government’s poor policies on higher education have forced us to think otherwise.” She warned that the government would face consequences if it did not roll back the decision. — TNS communities around the world raise awareness about the tragedy, support human rights, and promote diversity and inclusion. Elk Grove recognises the diversity of its community and the importance of understanding and appreciating the history and experiences of Sikh Americans,” she has said. “Mayor Singh-Allen has expressed her support for the individuals and organisations who commemorate Saka Nakodar Day and work towards upholding human rights, promoting justice, and fostering a more inclusive community,” said Baldev Singh. The Jakara Movement, a Sikh student organisation, has also observed the 37th Martyrdom Day of the Saka Nakodar Martyrs at the Guru Nanak Khalsa School Library in Gurdwara Sahib San Jose, California. To commemorate the occasion, the organisation has invited Dr Harinder Singh of Stanford University to speak and shed light on the ongoing denial of justice despite multiple regime changes in the last four decades. “Livingston and Manteca cities of California will proclaim February 4 as Saka Nakodar Day. Proclamation will be issued in their council meetings, which will be held on February 7,” said Baldev. Bio-mining work stuck as no machines at Wariana dump Jalandhar, February3 Even though the February 15 deadline for the completion of various works under the biomining project is approaching, there are no signs that suggest it would be met. Not even a single machine has arrived yet to carry out the works. MC officials say 14 different types of machines will arrive from Nagpur. A shed has been constructed at the site of the project, but without roof. MC officials are reportedly visiting other cities to see the working of bio-mining projects there, indicating that the project might get delayed. Since the announcement of the project, several changes have been made to it. Tenders were floated a number of PROJECT IN LIMBO ■ The ~32.11 crore bio-mining project was awarded to a company in October 2021 to process 8 lakh cubic metric waste at Wariana dump by 2024 ■ The shed and machinery for bio-mining was supposed to be made available in April last year so that the processing could start from May times before it was finally awarded to a company in October 2021. The cost of the project is Rs 32.11 crore. The shed and machinery for bio-mining was supposed to be made available in April last year, and it was decided that the processing would start from May, but nothing happened. The company concerned has been told to complete the processing of 8 lakh cubic metric waste in two years, i.e. 2024. In 2017, a bio-mining project was planned to manage and process the waste at Wariana dump. A detailed report of its importance was prepared too. At present, there is 8 lakh cubic metric waste at the site and a hill-like structure of garbage oversees the city. The overflowing waste is spewing toxins into the air. Residents of localities nearby the dump site are living amid pollution and diseases. Officials concerned have claimed that the machinery would arrive before time and the project would start immediately. — TNS