24022023-JTR-01.qxd 24-02-2023 00:18 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune 5 HELD IN PASLA MURDER CASE; LOCAL RIVALRY LED TO CLASH SIKH ARTS & FILM FESTIVAL 2023 GETS ROLLING About 20 short films from eight countries will be screened in the fourth edition of Sikhlens. P3 CLEAR SKY MAX 28°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 10°C ACTOR SACHIN SHROFF SET TO TIE KNOT AGAIN Jalandhar rural police have arrested five persons for the murder of a youth at Pasla village on February 17. P2 FORECAST Sachin Shroff, who is seen as Taarak Mehta in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, will marry again. P4 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.17 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:53 AM » FRIDAY | 24 FEBRUARY 2023 | JALANDHAR Early heat impacts wheat; govt has no strategy, say farmers Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 23 “Buhe te khari Janj te binno kuri ke kann (the bridegroom stands at the doors so pierce the bride’s ears),” describes an angry farmer, the advisory issued by the Agriculture Department regarding the rising heat’s impact on the wheat crop in the district. Amid increased pattern weather change in the region and persistent early heat waves in February, farmers in the region expect a 2-3 quintal reduction in the wheat produce per acre. Many farmers say the department’s advisories are delayed and devoid of ground realities they face as changing weather hits them every year. They are worried of reduced yield, pests and diseases on the wheat crops (which rises with increased heat) and further aggravation of the water crisis (as the crop needs more water). On Wednesday, hours after the Agricultural Minister’s assurance to farmers on climate change, the department issued an advisory to farmers to brace for the reduced size of grain and pest attacks amid the rising heat. While shrivelled wheat due to early seasonal heat was witnessed INBRIEF WOMAN KILLED BY SPEEDING SUV Phagwara: The Shahkot police have booked an unidentified SUV driver on the charge of causing death by negligence. Gagu, a resident of Bajwa Kalan village, complained to the police that his wife Zila was walking on the roadside near the Bajwa Kalan flyover on February 21 evening, when an unidentified SUV driver, who was driving very fast and negligently, hit his wife and she died on the spot. The police said a case under Sections 304-A and 279 of the Indian Penal Code had been registered. OC MAN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN JAIL Phagwara: Vinod Kumar, a resident of Mohalla Rehmanpura in Nakodar was sentenced to ten-year imprisonment for smuggling intoxicant substances. A fine of ~1.10 lakh was also slapped on. The Mehatpur police had arrested the accused in 2009. PEDDLER HELD IN LOHIAN KHAS Phagwara: The Lohian Khas police arrested a drug peddler on the charge of selling intoxicating powder and tablets. The police said 65-gm intoxicating powder and 125 tablets were recovered from the possession of the suspect identified as Suraj, a resident of Padda colony in Lohian Khas, presently living in Shahkot. The police said a case under the NDPS Act had been registered against the suspect. OC Farm labourers spray pesticide on the wheat crop at a village near Nawanshahr. MALKIAT SINGH TAKE TO DRIP IRRIGATION AFTER POTATO, NOW IT’S WHEAT ❝ We expect 2 to 3 quintal less produce of wheat per acre. Potato and wheat crops require cold weather. The crops have been affected adversely due to heat. We have already seen reduced potato yield. Now wheat has dealt another blow. Ranbir Singh, RANI PATTI VILLAGE FARMER last year as well, the produce of many farmers had failed to make the cut in mandis due to the damage beyond permitted procurement limits. Ranbir Singh, a farmer based in Rani Patti village in Seetalpur (Bhogpur), who ❞ ❝ The wheat crop is likely to get affected this year. Drip and sprinkler irrigation is the best way to retain moisture this season. PAU is also working on developing varieties that are weatherresistant and ensure better yield. Devinder Singh, MC COMMISSIONER has sowed wheat on 13 acres, says, “Since the heat impacted the crop last year too, shouldn’t the department have cautioned farmers months ago? Farmers make changes seeing the weather themselves. The government ❞ does nothing. At our village no agricultural teams have come to take stock of the situation. The government also has no plan to deal with the vagaries of weather.” Gurpreet Singh Atwal, a farmer from Chaharke village in Bhogpur, says, “The wheat yield will be reduced due to the heat. I am also bothered about the water. We watered crops two times in previous years and this time we will have to do it thrice. Some farmers are doing it four times. 87 per cent tube wells are already 300 feet deep. Remaining 13 per cent are deeper than that. How will the coming generations get water? The crop grain is smaller. In coming days it might be hit by the heat. The government has no long-term plan.” He adds, “The government’s claims on crop diversification are a farce. Farmers don’t get a fair price if they diversify. I sowed haldi (turmeric) on one kila, but the mandi doesn’t give me a fair price. Sugarcane farmers wait for their dues for years now. Cauliflower crop has been destroyed by farmers. The CM talked about moong, but that doesn’t pay fair dividends either. What are farmers supposed to do?” Paramjit Singh, a Baupurbased farmer adds, “It’s the weather which alerts the farmer, not the agricultural department. We see the weather in the morning and tell how our day’s gonna be. Officials wake up in the evening and issue advisories.” Medical students studying in Ukraine had to return due to the Russian invasion there. FILE PHOTO Ukraine-returned students start heading to Georgia Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 23 Indian students pursuing MBBS course in Ukraine, who returned a year ago after a war had broken out, have begun moving to Georgia and Kyrgyzstan for completion of their course. As a part of the academic mobility programme, the students who had completed one semester or a year or their course online from Ukraine-based medical universities, have now been offered to move to colleges in these countries for completing their degrees. Jalandhar-based Pavittar Singh, whose daughter Jasmine had completed three years of her MBBS degree VARSITY CAMPUS IN TRANSIT CAMPS ❝ The Kharkiv University has given my daughter two options to apply for admission in transit campuses either at Georgia or at Kyrgyzstan. We have begun the process of her fresh enrollment. ❞ Dr Subhash, JALANDHAR RESIDENT from Kharkiv University, says: “My daughter appeared in the third year examination from here in June. Now, she has completed one semester from here. Since there are no Control room to Ash problem: DC reviews installation redress grievances work of ‘wet scrubber’ at sugar mill of NRIs: Dhaliwal signs of the war coming to an end and there is no adjustment being offered to our children in the Indian medical colleges, the university has offered us to move to Georgia for regular classes for the next semester. They have sought the record of my daughter to facilitate her migration.” Dr Subhash from Jalandhar, whose daughter had been studying MBBS in Kharkiv University, has said she has completed one year of her course in online mode from home. “But now the university has given us two options to apply for admission in transit campuses either at Georgia or at Kyrgyzstan. We have begun the Continued on page 2 Phagwara man arrested after scuffle with cop Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 23 A keen eye will be kept on solving the problems of nonresident Indians (NRIs) in Punjab so that they can get justice soon. This was announced by Punjab Minister for NRI Affairs Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal while talking to media here late on Wednesday evening. He said the government has appointed a 10member staff at the control room set up in Chandigarh, which is now investigating every case and redressing grievances of the people. When told that problems of the NRIs do not get the required attention, the minister appealed to the people to send complaints on the mobile number 9056009884. He commended the office opened by a Canadian group 10-MEMBER STAFF DEPUTED AT CONTROL ROOM IN CHANDIGARH of companies and said under the Invest Punjab scheme, it will help in providing employment to the youth. AAP leader Kuldeep Singh Malhi, Nirmal Singh, Harjinder Singh Virk and Lalit Sikalani were also present on the occasion. Meanwhile, Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said the state government is promoting this relationship by encouraging the expatriates under Invest Punjab campaign so that the youth of Punjab can get employment. He appealed to the Punjabi diaspora to support the campaign and said the state government will not let them face difficulties. Nawanshahr, February 23 Taking a serious note of the problem of ash emanating from the 12 MW biomass power plant, Deputy Commissioner Navjot Singh Randhawa visited the premises of the power plant to monitor the ongoing work for installation of a wet scrubber. The DC said he had paid frequent visits to the power plant in the past few days to get the work expedited. And now, the wet scrubber, which was needed to resolve the issue of emanating ash, arrived today. He directed the management to complete the installation of the wet scrubber meticulously by February 28 to ameliorate the sufferings of the residents resulting from the emanating ash. Surinder Pal, General Manager, Cooperative Sugar Mills, said DC Randhawa had Deputy Commissioner Navjot Singh Randhawa at the power plant in Nawanshahr. TRIBUNE PHOTO visited the sugar mill on February 15 and 16. “The installation work was delayed due to the late arrival of the wet scrubber. Now, the spade work for installation of the DIRECTS PLANT MGMT TO FINISH WORK BY FEB 28 device has been going on a war footing. Reciprocating the request, DC Randhawa has permitted the two-day shutdown of cane crushing on February 27 and 28 to complete the installation work,” he added. Phagwara, February 23 Following a complaint lodged by constable Harmanpreet Singh, the city police arrested Sudhiran, a resident of Mohalla Hadiabad in Phagwara under Section186, 353, 279,129,179 and190 of the Indian Penal Code and under provisions of Motor Vehicles Act last night. The accused, identified as Rohit, was posing as a media person and indulged in a scuffle with another constable. A police team stopped him while driving a Royal Enfield motorcycle without helmet. The situation became tense when the police asked him to show the documents of the bike at Hargobind Nagar chowk in Phagwara near the Blood Bank. The accused refused to show the documents and tore the police uniform of the constable. The police are investigating the matter. Soon, solar power-run processing unit at Dudian Kalan village Aakanksha N Bhardwaj ~73L PROJECT Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 23 With an aim to promote crop diversification, Hoshiarpurbased Lambra Kangri Multipurpose Cooperative Society is going to set up a solar power-run processing unit at Dudian Kalan village. Farmers in the district will now have a unit nearer to them and processing will be done at much cheaper rates. The unit will have three flour mills, rice shellers, oil expellers and four masala/pulses grinders. The ■ District farmers can get their produce processed at affordable rates at the processing unit, which will come up at ~73 lakh. It will have three flour mills, rice shellers, oil expellers and four masala or pulse grinders ■ Project manager Jaswinder Singh said: “We have a proper plan. We will start with processing and then in next phase, we plan to start marketing too” << The site at Dudian Kalan where the unit will be set up. total cost of the project is Rs 73 lakh and it has been approved under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund c m y b (AIF) scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture and Welfare Department. The farmers will be able to process their produce into wheat flour, maize flour, rice flour, mustard oil, and every type of spices at affordable prices. The society operates in Lambra, Kangri, Dudiana Kalan and Baggewal villages of the district. Farmers of these villages and adjoining areas will be benefitted. Society project manager Jaswinder Singh said it would motivate the farmers to switch to other crops like mustard, turmeric, chillies, pulses, etc. “Also processing will be done at less rates than what farmers pay outside,” shared Singh. The process includes procuring of raw materials from the farmers, and then putting it into the machine manually. Automatic processing of expelling, gridding and milling will start after which final product will be ready. “We have a proper plan. We will start with processing and then in next phase we plan to start marketing too,” Singh said. The unit will be built on 13 marla at Dadiana Kalan village. Tenders will be floated soon to complete the project at the earliest. The society was established in 1920 by the forefathers of Jaswinder Singh. The society, since then, has been working for the welfare of the people in this area. IAS (retd) Kahn Singh Pannu has adopted the society. One of the major works that the society has done is founding of a biogas plant in the village. With it’s help, dwellers have been able to shun LPG cylinders and are using biogas instead. In another project, the society has been using rice husk ash to purify water.