20022023-JTR-01.qxd 2/19/2023 11:48 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune DESPITE CURBS, CATTLE ROAM FREELY ON ROADS RICHARD GERE ON ROAD TO RECOVERY FROM ILLNESS ACTRESS PRIYA BANERJEE JOINS RANA NAIDU TEAM The order of the Jalandhar DC banning the movement of cattle has remained confined to paper. P2 The worst seems to be over for Richard Gere, who is currently recovering after being sick for weeks. P3 Actress Priya Banerjee will be donning the leading lady in the upcoming series, Rana Naidu. P4 » » FORECAST CLEAR SKY MAX 28°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.14 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:58 AM » MONDAY | 20 FEBRUARY 2023 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF SHAHKOT MAN HELD IN SNATCHING CASE Potato glut revives old fears of Doaba farmers Close shave Low prices may force them to dump produce I Growers seek govt’s help Aakanksha N Bhardwaj INPUT COST MUCH HIGHER Tribune News Service Nakodar: The city police arrested a Shahkot village resident on the charge of snatching a mobile from a migrant. Investigating Officer (IO) Ranjit Singh said the accused has been identified as Balwinder Singh Billa, a resident of Kakkar Kalan village in Shahkot . Irfan Aalam, a native of Bihar and residing in Mohalla Sundar Nagar, Nakodar, had complained to the police that the accused and his accomplice snatched a mobile handset from him in October last year. The IO said a case under Section 379-B and 34 of IPC was registered against the accused and his accomplice Mandip Singh, a resident of Jamsher Khas village under Sadar police station. OC PO NABBED IN JALANDHAR Jalandhar: The city police have arrested a proclaimed offender wanted in a case of disobedience of public order promulgated by the administration. The accused has been identified as Karan Kumar, a resident of Guru Ram Dass Nagar in Jalandhar. According to the police, Karan was wanted in a case registered against him under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code at the police station Basti Bawa Khel in May, 2020. He had been absconding for more than two years. The police officials said the local court on February 10, 2022, had declared him as PO, and the police since then had been looking out for him. TNS 2 PEDDLERS HELD WITH 500-GM GANJA Phagwara: The police arrested two drug traders and recovered 500 grams of ganja from their possession last night. The arrested accused were identified as Deepak Kumar, a resident of Bhagatpura locality in Phagwara and Munna, a migrant from Madhya Pradesh, presently residing in Phagwara. The accused were nabbed at a check-point near Law Gate, Miherru. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered. OC Jalandhar, February19 “We really hope the situation improves in the coming days, otherwise we will again have to dump potatoes on the road,” fears Dilbar Singh from Nakodar, who cultivated potatoes on 55 acres. This year low prices of the crop have made farmers terrified. Therefore, they want the government’s help to salvage them from the current situation. A few years ago, farmers were forced to throw their produce on the roads after they did not get the required amount. This time, too, farmers have been saying that they are getting nothing for their crop. “Rs 4-5 per kg is what we are getting right now. The input cost is much higher. We will get nothing, the situation is grave and it ~4-5 per kg ❝getting rightis what we are now. The input cost is much higher. We will get nothing as the situation is grave and it seems it will get worse in coming days. ❞ Kirpal Singh, MUSAPUR FARMER A potato field in Jalandhar. seems it will get worse in coming days,” says Kirpal Singh from Musapur village. Another farmer, Bhupinder Singh, from a village near Phagwara has been cultivating potatoes on 70 acres. He remembered the days when they (farmers) would get good rates. He says he had got Rs 8 to Rs 10 per kg on the previous occasion. “Is war chance zyada ne road te aan de (there are high chances that we will have to dump the produce on the roadside),” a tensed Bhupinder shared. Gulzar Singh from Biaspind, Jalandhar, has same concerns. He says he used to sow the crop on more than 100 acres earlier, but past experiences with the crop has forced him to reduce the area under potato. “Forget profit, we are not even able to meet the input costs with the returns. Focus more on Mission 100%, DEOs, school heads directed Edu Dept miffed at cold response to sharing of strategies Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 19 In a fresh communication addressed to all District Education Officers (DEOs), Deputy DEOs and school heads, the Punjab Education Department has raised concerns regarding no extra efforts being put in by teachers towards ‘Mission 100%’. It asked the DEOs to apprise the department of the strategies or planning being undertaken by schools to achieve good results. In the communication, the DEOs, Deputy DEOs and school heads were told that the department had asked the schools to upload their views on dashboard on how they aimed to achieve Mission 100%, however, they have so far received only 13,000 views for Class VIII, 6,000 for Class X and only 100 views for Class XII, which shows that a large number of schools are not interested in creating an effective strategy. Officials said in the upcoming meeting of the district education officers, the plan- BLOCK, DISTRICT MENTORS UPSET Block and district mentors are upset at the latest order of the Education Department to consider the results of board exams of the schools they are currently posted in their annual confidential report (ACR). They said the department should add to their ACR report, the results of all schools wherever they had been deputed. ning of each school will be known. Therefore, they must pay attention to it and make an effective and school-specific plan. They said the DEOs, Deputy DEOs, School Evaluation and Support Team, Diet, PDM, DRP DM, , BM, BNO, etc., would all work together as a team and all of them would be responsi- ble for good or bad results. Meanwhile, in another communication sent by SCERT to DEOs, Deputy DEOs, School Principals and block and district mentors (Science, Math’s, English), it was said as per the orders of Punjab Education Minister, the BMs and DMs’ annual confidential report (ACR) would be based on the results of board exams of the schools they were posted in. However, this decision has not gone down well with the BMs and DMs, who said the department should add to their ACR report, the results of all schools wherever they had been deputed. They said they were travelling 100 to 200 km away from their station of posting to teach in other schools. Moreover, in their place, no teachers were deputed, as a result of which, the students in their actually posted schools had suffered. “It’s fair with us that only the performance of our originally posted schools will be added to the ACR report, which is totally unfair with us. The government should consider our efforts and hard work put in to teach students of other schools,” they said, adding though the department had posted them in other schools and made responsible for the result of those schools, still they have been performing the duties of DM and BM, thus, finding themselves in a quandary. Seed, fertilisers, pesticides, manure, we have to shell money up to Rs 7-8 per kg on these things,” he informed. Another financial burden the farmers will suffer is keeping the potato in the cold stores which will further push them in problem. A car on fire at a parking lot in Science City, Kapurthala, on Sunday. Nobody was injured in the incident. TRIBUNE PHOTO Show-cause notice to Ludhiana MC secy Woman among seven booked for murder Ashok Kaura Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 19 The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has issued a showcause notice against the secretary of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation for ignoring the commission’s order. Justice Nirmal Jit Kaur said in her order that the commission has no choice but to issue the notice as contemplated under Section 16 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to the Secretary of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation to ask as to why penal action should not be taken against him for intentionally and willfully not submitting the relevant report to the commission despite various opportunities. The order said the reply to this show-cause notice can be sent on or before the next date of hearing failing which the matter shall be considered and decided ex parte. The commission is hearing a complaint by Dilbag Singh, a resident of Baina Pur village, who alleged that the work of installing a sewage pipeline is pending in his village which falls in Nurmahal block due to which the residents are facing problems. The PSHRC directed the secretary, Ludhiana Phagwara, February 19 The Nurmahal police have booked seven persons, including a woman, on the charge of murdering a resident of Pasla village. The Station House Officer (SHO), Surindar Kumar, said that the suspects had been identified as Bittu, a resident of Pasla village, his son Jimmi, daughter Shila and Gopi, Rohit, Balwindar, and Jora, all residents of the same village. The SHO said the suspects murdered Chamkaur Lal, a resident of Palsa village. Chamkaur was attacked on February17 night. Manprit, alias Mannu, a resident of the same village complained to the police that the suspects waylaid his uncle Chamkaur Lal and attacked him with sharp-eadged weapons and seriously injured him. The victim succumbed to his injuries in a Jalandhar clinic today. The SHO said a case under Sections 302, 307, 323, 324, 341,148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code had been registered against the suspects. No arrest has been made thus far and raids are being carried out to nab the suspects. SEWAGE PIPELINE IN NURMAHAL NOT LAID ■ The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) is hearing a complaint by Dilbag Singh, a resident of Baina Pur village, who alleged that the work of installing a sewage pipeline is pending in his village which falls in Nurmahal block due to which the residents are facing problems ■ The PSHRC had directed the secretary, Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, to investigate the complaint and submit his report before the next date of hearing. ■ But the commission received no report and decided to issue a show-cause notice and fixed June 19 as the next date of hearing Municipal Corporation, to investigate the complaint and submit his report before the next date of hearing. But the commission received no report and decided to issue a show-cause notice and fixed June 19 as the next date of hearing. Amritsar shuttler wins Bypoll effect? AAP reaches out to industry twice in fortnight Punjab Masters C’ship LAW & ORDER CAUSE FOR CONCERN AparnaBanerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 19 The Punjab State Masters Badminton Championship, being organised by the District Badminton Association (DBA) at Raizada Hansraj Badminton Stadium, concluded on Sunday. A total of 180 matches were played in the championship. Ritin Khanna, secretary, DBA and former national player told that Mayank Behl from Amritsar won the title of men’s singles 35+ and Ram Lakhan, Ranjit, Arun Dhand and Sanjeev won the double crowns in their respective age groups. The prizes were distributed to the winners by the chief guest, Mohinder Chopra, senior vice-president, Punjab Badminton Association. Chopra said such events increase the enthusiasm of Shuttler Mayank Behl gets the trophy in Jalandhar on Sunday. the players. Former Punjab champion Kanwaljit Singh Kaka was also honoured by the Punjab Badminton Association and District Badminton Association. Kaka has represented the state in national competitions for three decades. In the closing ceremony, Anupam Kumaria, Continued on page 2 Jalandhar, February19 In its second reach out to industrialists within a fortnight, the Aam Aadmi Party held a meeting with the city industrialists. The meeting was hosted by AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP and leader Raghav Chadha in Jalandhar on Sunday. On February 6, CM Bhagwant Mann held a meeting with industrialists here, promising them the resolution of their key issues. The second meeting comes amid the impending Jalandhar bypoll. It was only yesterday that calls went out to the industrialists for the meeting. The AAP government has recently been under fire for the industry’s exodus to Uttar Pradesh. Today’s meeting comes amid a scenario where a disgruntled industry has been eager for a reach out and resolution of demands ■ The law and order situation and Industrialists with AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha in Jalandhar on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO repeated extortion calls have caused unrest among industrialists, so much so that some have shifted abroad to feel secure, sources say ■ “These issues are taken up discreetly as industrialists are scared of being targeted. This has been taken up at the local level by MLAs. The industry believes the government needs to do serious work to provide a safe environment for it to function,” they add from the government. Nearly 100 industrialists representing 10 to 12 associations were present during the meeting. The associations present at the meeting included the Udyog Manufacturers’ Association, Jalandhar Industrial Focal Point Extension Association, Northern Chamber of ists in Jalandhar, many promises were made. However, eventually none of the AAP’s sops hasd been aimed at industrialists. At the CM’s meeting some days ago also, our problems went unheard. However, the positive sign of today’s meeting is that at least officials have been directed to c m y b Small and Medium Industries and Jalandhar Auto Parts Manufacturers Association. To address their grievances, Chadha presided over the meeting, with Jalandhar MLAs Sheetal Angural, Raman Arora and Inderjit Kaur, Deputy Commissioner and MC Commissoner among other officials, present on the occasion. Industrialist Narinder Saggu, Managing Partner, Hind Pumps and President of Jalandhar Industrial Focal Point Extension Association, said: “During the pre-election meeting that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal held with industrial- address the issues in a timebound manner.” He added, “The land enhancement issue is a 25year-old matter that is yet to be addressed. Land enhancement costs have been a big burden on the industry. The MP assured us that this will be done away with. He also assured that the government will reconsider doing away with the change of land use tedious formalities. For grievances like sewerage cleaning in the focal point area, MC officials were directed to do the needful.” Nitin Sethi, senior vice president, Udyog Manufacturers Association: “Various issues were taken up one at a time, and we are looking for a speedy resolution. Be it the CLU issue, provision of mother sub-station at Gadaipur, fixing of the severely damaged approach roads, they were allocated to officials.”