23022023-JTR-01.qxd 2/23/2023 12:32 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SAD IS A PARTY OF MARTYRS, SAYS SUKHBIR BADAL SUMBUL TOUQEER JOINS THE CAST OF DEAR ISHQ AYUSHMANN KHURRANA ROPED IN TO HOST ZEE CINE AWARDS SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal gives a clarion call for strengthening of the party to “save Punjab”. P2 Sumbul Touqeer has landed a pivotal role in a web series Dear Ishq, after finishing BB 16 as a contestant. P4 Ayushmann Khurrana returns to mesmerise audiences at the Zee Cine Awards this year. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 28°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.17 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:54 AM » THURSDAY | 23 FEBRUARY 2023 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF TWO-WHEELER THIEF NABBED Phagwara: The Lohian Khas police have arrested a person on the charge of stealing motorcycles. Investigating officer (IO) Balwindar Singh said the suspect had been identified as Sarabjit Singh, alias Saabi, a resident of Lattian Wal village in Kapurthala. The investigating officer said a case under Sections 379, 411 and 482 of the IPC was registered against the suspect. His accomplice was arrested earlier. OC EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON WHEAT CROP Govt won’t leave farmers in lurch, says agri minister Announces works worth ~11.47 cr for development of mandis PO LANDS IN POLICE NET Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO), who was absconding for the past one month. Investigating officer Balwidar Singh said the accused had been identified as Balvir Singh, a resident of Mohalla Kasba, Mehatpur. He was wanted in a case registered under Sections 188, 269, 270 and 290 of the IPC and Section 51 (b) of the Disaster Management Act registered on May 30, 2020. OC WOMAN HELD UNDER EXCISE ACT Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have arrested a woman for selling illicit liquor. Investigating officer Balwindar Singh said 50 bottles of illicit liquor were seized from the woman, identified as Gurmito, a resident of Mohalla Kasba, Mehatpur. A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Punjab Excise Act has been registered against the suspect. OC Woman held with 10-kg poppy husk Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 22 The Nakodar Sadar have arrested a woman drug peddler on the charge of selling poppy husk. Station House Officer (SHO) Palwinder Singh said 10-kg poppy husk was recovered from the possession of the suspect, identified as Pardeep Kaur, a resident of Thablke village. She told the police that her mother Manjit Kaur and brother Arwindar Singh brought the contraband. The SHO said a case under the NDPS Act had been registered against the suspects. Pardeep’s mother and brother had been nominated in the case. In another case, the Shahkot police arrested two drug peddlers, including a woman, for selling intoxicant tablets and heroin. SHO GS Nagra said 70 intoxicant tablets were recovered from Gurprit Wadwal, alias Lakha, a resident of Badshah Pur village in Kapurthala, and 4 grams of heroin was recovered from Parveen, a resident of Mohalla Baghwala, Shahkot. In yet another case, the Mehatpur police arrested two drug peddlers – Gurprit, alias Gopi, and Amarjit, alias Amba, residents of Mohalla Kasba, Mehatpur, with 10-kg poppy husk and 215 intoxicant tablets. Drug money worth ~1.87 lakh was also recovered from them, said SHO Balraj Singh. Punjab Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal lays the foundation stone of development works at Goraya Mandi in Jalandhar on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 22 State Agricultural Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal today said the state government would bear the entire cost for the provision of canal water to farmers in the state. The minister said while 20 per cent of this cost was earlier borne by panchayats, the state would now be incurring the entire cost for the provision of canal water to fields. Responding to queries on the effect of climate change and increased weather on wheat crop, the minister said: “The state government won’t leave farmers in the lurch.” Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, State Cabinet Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Agriculture and NRI Affairs, today said this while announcing development works worth ~11.47 crore for the development of mandis in the district. The minister said a sum of ~126 crore would be spent on link roads and development of all mandis across Doaba. While the provision for canal water at the tail end of canals and drains remains a key demand among farmers in the state and the region, the minister said: “We are already working on it. We are spending much on water provision. Earlier the state government bore 80 per cent cost of the provision for such water and 20 per cent had to be borne by panchayats. Several panchayats didn’t have funds. Now, the entire cost will be borne by the government. Due to this, no project will be closed. The decision has already been taken. Water will be provided as per the crop and will be ensured till tail end.” Replying on a query regarding climate change and the changing weather affecting the wheat crop and its yield in the region, the minister said: “’Vatavaran’ (climate) has changed across the world. It had its impact here too. We will not leave the farmer in the lurch. We will work on this issue.” Speaking on the issue of deaths in the state in 2021 due to pesticide content in water, the minister said: “During Basmati season, we received reports regarding pollution in water. We prohibited the use of 10 kind of pesticides. If it is still seen that any other pesticide is responsible for further pollution or it is harming people, we will take action.” Speaking on industrial pollutants, the minister said: “The CM has already inaugurated a project to address pollution in Buddha Dariya, Ludhiana. We will rope in the industry to address this problem. The government is concerned about this issue.” Man arrested for snatching cellphone, cash Our Correspondent Woman among two die in road mishaps, 2 others hurt Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 22 The Nakodar Sadar police have arrested a person on the charge of snatching cash and a mobile phone from a migrant worker. Investigating officer (IO) Janak Raj said the suspect has been identified as Arsh, a resident of Dara Pur village falling under the Lohian Khas police station. Santosh Kumar, a native of Uttar Pradesh (UP), who was working at the Ladharr village paper mill, in his complaint to the police stated that while he was returning home from work on February 19, the suspect and his accomplices snatched his purse and the mobile phone near the bus stand. The investigating officer said a case under Section 379-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the accused. Hoshiarpur, February 22 Two persons, including a woman, were killed, while two others suffered serious injuries in separate accidents in the district last evening. In the first incident, a person was killed while two others suffered serious injuries after a car and an MUV collided head-on in front of Swami Premanand Charitable Hospital, Mukerian, on the Jalandhar-Pathankot National Highway. ASI Sukhdev Singh said Arun Kumar, a resident of Chuhad Chakk village falling under Behrampur (Gurdaspur) police station, along with two persons Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Dalia (Gurdaspur), who was in the India Army, and Vinay Kumar, a resident of Behrampur (Gurdaspur), had come to attend a friend’s wedding at Gurjit Farm Aima Mangat. After attending the wedding, they were going towards Mukerian in a car. When they reached Mukerian, an MUV coming from the opposite side collided headon with their car while avoid- others suffered serious injuries after a car and an MUV collided head on in front of Swami Premanand Charitable Hospital, Mukerian, on the JalandharPathankot National Highway. ■ In another accident that took place in Garhshankar on the ChandigarhHoshiarpur road near Shri Anandpur Sahib Chowk, a woman riding pillion with her husband on a motorcycle was crushed to death under the wheels of a tipper. ing a bus. As a result, Sandeep died on the spot, while two other car occupants were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Mukerian, in a critical condition. Vinay was referred him to a specialty hospital due to his critical condition. After getting information, the police reached the spot and initiated Woman, daughter thrashed over parking charges Tribune News Service MINOR DISPUTE TURNED UGLY: COP Stones laid The minister laid foundation stone for development works worth ~2.29 crore at Maqsudan Mandi in Jalandhar. He said a sum of ~100 crore had been earmarked for works on mandis of the state for year 2022-23. He said of this ~100 crore, a sum of ~18 crore was being spent for facelift to Jalandharbased mandis alone. The minister said the key works to be undertaken under the initiative include repair and maintenance of link roads, Continued on page 2 THE INCIDENTS ■ A person was killed while two investigations into the matter. In another accident that took place in Garhshankar on the Chandigarh-Hoshiarpur road near Shri Anandpur Sahib Chowk, a woman riding pillion with her husband on a motorcycle was crushed to death under the wheels of a tipper. She fell on the road after their bike collided with a car and was crushed under the wheels of a tipper coming from behind. Manohar Lal, a resident of Maili village in Mahilpur, said he, along with his wife Kirna Devi (41) and son Nikhil, was going to Maili village from Nawanshahr on a bike. When they reached near the Anandpur Sahib Chowk in Garhshankar around 6:30 pm, a car driver who was going ahead of his bike took a turn recklessly all of a sudden. His bike collided with the car and his wife fell on the road. She was crushed under the wheels of a tipper coming from behind. She died on the spot. After getting information, the police reached the spot and initiated investigations into the matter. Jalandhar, February 22 A woman and her daughter were allegedly thrashed by a couple who were working as parking attendants at the bus stand here this afternoon. The video of the incident went gone viral in which they could be seen pushing and manhandling each other. It was learnt that a fight broke out between them after the woman and her daughter refused to pay ~30 as parking charge. Instead of ~30, the woman paid Rs 10 to the parking attendant, following A mother-daughter duo being thrashed at the bus stand. which they stopped her car. Sukhdev Singh, SHO of the Division Number 6 Sukhdev Singh, Station House Officer (SHO) of the Division Number 6 police station, said a minor dispute between them turned ugly and both parties started beating each other. The parking charges were ~30. As the woman parked her car for a few minutes, she paid only ~10, due to which the couple deployed as parking attendants didn’t let them go. police station, said a minor dispute turned ugly and both parties started beating each other. The parking charges were ~30. As the woman parked her car for a few minutes, she paid only ~10, due to which the couple deployed as parking attendants didn’t let them go. On the complaint of the woman and her daughter, a case under relevant sections had been registered against the couple. However, the accused couple also filed a complaint against the woman alleging that she first manhandled them. Further investigations were on into the matter, he added. Hopeful of getting rural Three nabbed with intoxicants, Ex-senior deputy development funds from drug money, 10-kg poppy husk mayor joins AAP Centre soon: Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 22 Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal today said the state government was hopeful of receiving rural development funds (RDF) from the Centre soon. The Minister said Punjab would soon get its rightful dues. Asked if the state has decided to reduce its statutory charges to 2 per cent of the minimum support price and was ready to face the loss of ~3,000 crore, he said: “We will keep it to the level in accordance with other states and as per the country-wide policy,” Dhaliwal said. The minister said: “We will claim the charges abiding all given directions and guidelines.” The minister reiterated that the agriculture policy was set to be rolled out on March 31. “We will offer all facilities to farmers who will diversify into fruit and vegetable production. We will have MSP for every single crop,” Dhaliwal maintained. The minister visited the mandis of Jalandhar city, Goraya, Nakodar and Shahkot. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 22 The Mehtapur police arrested Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, a resident of Kasba Mohalla, Mehatpur, with 10kg poppy husk, 110 intoxicant tablets and ~1.80 lakh drug money. They also arrested Amarjit Singh, alias Ambi, a resident of Kasba Mohalla, Mehatpur, and recovered 105 intoxicant tablets from him. A case under Sections 22/15(B), 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act was registered against the duo at the Mehatpur police station on February 21. The police revealed that six cases under the NDPS Act were already registered Jalandhar, February 22 Former Senior Deputy Mayor of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation Kamaljit Singh Bhatia joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh today. Kamaljit had announced to quit the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) about three weeks ago. The joining comes months ahead of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation polls. Bhatia remained the Senior Deputy Mayor in the MC for two consecutive terms from 2007-17. He was elected with the highest lead in Jalandhar in 2007. He was The suspects in police custody in Jalandhar on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO against Gurpreet. They also arrested Gurmit Kaur, alias Gurmito, a resident of Kasba Mohalla, Mehatpur, with 50 bottles of illicit liquor. A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act was registered against her at the Mehatpur police station on February 21. elected unopposed in the subsequent term in 2012. Bhatia also remained the state vice-president of the Akali Dal, while his wife was the vicepresident of the Istri Akali Dal. Bhatia had claimed that he remained a loyal soldier of the SAD for over 36 years. “I had supported the party in its toughest times, but I was denied the ticket for the Assembly polls in 2022. I had been forced to sit back at home all this time,” he said. Bhatia said he had been told that the AAP would give him some responsibility at the state level. “My wife and my several supporters will join the party in Jalandhar soon,” he said. Industry minister announces slew of projects Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, February 22 The Central Government will start work on the Mukerian-Talwara railway line at a cost of Rs 411 crore. The construction of Phagwara-Hoshiarpur four-lane road at a cost of Rs 1,553 crore will start by September this year while the Amritsar-Ghuman-Tanda highway will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,730 crore. Union Minister of State for Industry and Commerce Som Prakash gave this information to Roads, construction of houses, rly line among priorities reporters at Hoshiarpur on Tuesday. He was addressing reporters after a meeting of the District Devel- c m y b opment Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) at the District Administrative Complex today. After reviewing the ongoing schemes of the Central Government in the district, he said various schemes of the government should be imple- mented in a smooth manner, so that the beneficiaries can benefit. Som Prakash also said that Central schemes worth Rs 4,089.07 crore were being implemented in the district. He said 797 houses were being constructed in Continued on page 2 Kamaljit Bhatia, former Senior Deputy Mayor of Jalandhar, joins AAP in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO