14032023-LT-01.qxd 3/13/2023 11:48 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune SKM LEADS PROTEST AGAINST CBI RAIDS ON FARM LEADERS TV ACTRESS KAVITA KAUSHIK HITS BACK AT TROLLS NAATU NAATU WINS OSCAR FOR BEST ORIGINAL SONG Farmers, led by activists of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, hold a protest outside the mini secretariat. P2 F.I.R-fame Kavita is as bold in real life as on screen. The actress recently hit back at trolls on Twitter. P3 The song from movie RRR becomes first Indian track to win Oscar in the Best Original Song category. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 32°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 17°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.33 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:37 AM » TUESDAY | 14 MARCH 2023 | LUDHIANA Daughter drowns in canal, man arrested Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 13 A man along with his sister-in-law was arrested for allegedly murdering his five-year-old daughter by throwing her in the canal near Samrala. A murder case has been lodged against the accused at the Samrala police station. The accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh, 38, of village Rohle, and his sister-in-law Sukhwinder Kaur (45) of Malerkotla. According to the police, the accused Gurpreet Singh, a labourer, had allegedly developed illicit relations with his sisterin-law. Gurpreet allegedly wanted to kill his wife Gurjit Kaur, who suffers from depression. When he allegedly attempted to push his wife into the canal, his daughter fell into the water body but his wife survived as per the information. Senior Superintendent of police, Khanna, Amneet Kondal said Gurpreet Singh and his sister-in-law Sukhwinder Kaur have been arrested. She said the police are making efforts to recover the Two arrested with 6-kg opium Ludhiana, March 13 The crime investigation agency of Jagraon Police arrested two persons in separate cases for their alleged involvement in drug peddling. The police have recovered 6 kg of opium from their possession. The accused have been identified as Gurjeet Singh, alias Geeti, of Vandala Nau Bomb in Ferozepur and Mann Singh of Shahkot in Jalandhar. Navdeep Singh, Inspector, CIA, Jagraon, said the team arrested Gurjeet Singh and recovered 5 kg of opium from his possession. His trailer has also been impounded. A case under sections of the NDPS Act has been registered. In another case, ASI Resham Singh said a man identified as, Mann Singh, has been arrested after 1 kg of opium was recovered from him. His car has been impounded too. — TNS Police say wanted to push his wife into the canal; role of paramour under scanner BOOKED FOR MURDER ■ According to the police, the accused Gurpreet Singh, a labourer, had allegedly developed illicit relations with his sister-in-law. ■ Gurpreet allegedly wanted to kill his wife Gurjit Kaur, who suffers from depression. ■ When he allegedly attempted to push his wife into the canal, his daughter fell into the water body but his wife survived as per the information girl’s body. The police said that Gurpreet told the police during the interrogation that he had taken his wife and daughter to Khant village on the pretext of immersing coconuts in the water body as part of some ritual. The accused attempted to push his wife who was holding the hand of their daughter into the water. His daughter instead fell into the canal. He later asked his wife to keep mum. After investigations, police found no role of Gurjit Kaur in the crime. Work begins on rly station revamp project The biggest British-era junction in Ferozepur division to get modern look by August 2025 Nitin Jain PROJECT REPORT Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 13 The groundwork for the upgrade of Ludhiana railway station at the cost of Rs 528.95 crore has finally begun with completion deadline fixed as August 2, 2025, officials of the Northern Railway said. The project, which was awarded at engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode to a local firm on December 19 last, entails a host of new facilities and major upgrade of existing services to give a new and modern look to the British era’s biggest junction in Ferozepur division, officials have revealed. The total project cost of Rs 528.95 crore included the contract value of Rs 472.94 crore, project management consultant cost of Rs 4.56 crore and other allied expenditures. The development assumes significance as this will be the first major revamp of the railway station established way back in 1860. Sharing details, the Northern Railway General Manager Ashutosh Gangal told The Tribune that the project entails additional entry from elevated road for smooth traffic flow, arrival and departure segregation in station area, new multi- ~528.95 cr Project cost August 2, 2025 Work on upgarding railway station in progress in Ludhiana on Monday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN level car parking and 12,600 square meter surface parking area, provision of proper second entry, iconic station buildings with green building certification (gold rated), new signage and digital displays for all travel related information, and spacious 72-meter wide departure concourse with world-class amenities. He disclosed that the existing main side station building spread over 3,780-square meter would be segregated into two station buildings, including the main side station building with ground plus five stories over 23,181 square meter and second entry building with ground plus two stories over 8,239 square meter. The upgrade plan will replace the existing single foot over bridge, which connects main and second entry with four through foot over bridges connecting main, second entry and all platforms. Similarly, the existing seven platforms partially covered with cover over platforms (COPs) would be given complete coverage with through roof and COP . The additional new facilities would include elevated road at plus 9-meter level along with walkway over 3,385 square meter, multi-level car parking ground plus two stories with each measuring 42.2m x 82.5m over 10,248 square meter, departure air concourse measuring 72m x 67m at plus 9-meter level over 5,350 square meter and through roof at 18-meter height, covering concourse and all platforms over 30,000 square meter, COP and platform surfacing over 24,190 square meter. The new station building would have two arrival foot overbridges, each 8-meter wide, over 5,600 square meter, circulating area main and second entry side over 32,000 square meter, platform development, comprising surfacing and COP over 25,000 square meter, 39 lifts and 28 escalators. The revamp plan would Deadline Contract value: Rs 472.94 crore Mode: Engineering, procurement and construction PMC cost: Rs 4.56 crore Project awarded: Dec 19, 2022 create an additional entry on main entry side through an elevated road connecting the existing ROB outside the circulating area, entry to all seven platforms would be made through departure air concourse to segregate arrival and departure besides constructing two new foot over bridges with a provision of arriving passengers to go on arrival foot over bridges on Ambala and Jalandhar ends of platform, respectively, and move out of the station area. The new second entry would be connected to departure air concourse and both arrival foot over bridges with additional 8,000 square Plastic reverse vending machines Two arrested with at Civil Hospital gathering dust 30 kg of poppy husk Tribune News Service Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 13 Plastic reverse vending machines installed at the Civil Hospital are gathering dust. The machines are lying unused for nearly an year since their installation. One machine is installed at the Civil Hospital while another is at the Mother and Child Hospital. These machines have just become a show-piece on the hospital premises as neither the hospital staff nor the patients or visitors make use of these machines. Senior Medical Officer Dr Amarjit Kaur said these machines have to be used by the visitors themselves. “As they will start operating the machine, the instructions will start appearing on the screen and they have to fol- A reverse vending machine at the Civil Hospital. INDERJEET VERMA low the same,” said she. She further said not many people are making use of these machines because they are not aware of its usage. The majority of patients who visit the hospital belong to lower strata of society and are not too educated to read the instructions in English. A patient at the hospital was looking with curiosity at the machine and asked what was this machine about. When he was told about its usage, he seemed little interested in knowing more and was unable to understand its importance. A doctor from the hospital said once or twice he has put some plastic bottles into the machine but he was not aware if the crushed material was sent to contractor for recycling. The main aim behind installing these machines was to reduce the volume of plastic waste in the city. A total of 10 such machines were installed in various parts of the city by the Municipal Corporation (MC) under the Smart City Mission last year. The machine crushes the plastic and aluminium bottles and cans, multi-layered packings like chocolate wrappers, chips packets etc. continued on page 2 Ludhiana, March 13 The Khanna police arrested two persons and seized 30 kg of poppy husk from their possession in two separate cases. Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal on Monday shared the information regarding the arrest of the accused. He said a man carrying a bag on his head was coming from Khamano side on foot when he was stopped on suspicion for checking near Hedon police post. The police claimed to have found 15 kg of poppy husk in the bag. The accused, identified as Raj Kumar Rai, alias Brijesh Kumar, of Bihar was arrested. A case under the NDPS Act was registered at Samrala police station against the accused on Sunday. A case under NDPS Act was earlier registered The accused in police custody. against him in 2018. In another case, the Samrala police nabbed a man, identified as Raj Kumar Shah. The police said the accused was coming from Khamano side carrying a plastic bag on his head. When he was stopped for checking near Hedon, 15-kg poppy husk was seized from the bag. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against the accused on Sunday. A case was earlier registered against him in June 2022. meter parking and dedicated pick-up and drop-off zones in segregated arrival and departure areas. Besides, a ground plus twostoried building, measuring 86m x 31m, extendable to seven stories, for commercial use has also been planned on the second entry side. Accomplishments ■ Master plan, relocation plan approved ■ General arrangement draw- ings of quarters (Type II, III, IV), officers’ rest house, multi-level parking approved ■ Floor plans, conceptual plans approved ■ Detailed design in progress ■ Temporary relocation site (main entry) handed over, work in progress ■ Soil investigation completed, site office set-up in progress. MP’s push Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora said, “This is the much-needed and much-awaited project to undertake the first major revamp of the railway station, which was opened by the Britishers in 1860. The junction has not undergone any major renovation since it was established.” NON-INTERLOCKING WORK Trains to remain cancelled Ludhiana, March 13 Northern Railway authorities have said that due to non-interlocking work at Sarai Banjara yard on Pilkhani-Sanehwal section in connection with DFCCIL (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd) work, some trains would remain temporarily cancelled, diverted and regulated. — OC POWER SHUTDOWN LUDHIANA 10 am to 6 pm: Parts of Block A in Shastri Nagar, Pritam Nagar, Kartar Nagar, Model Town Extension – AX Block, parts of BX Block, areas from Tikona Park to Suman Hospital Road, Preet Hospital Line, parts of Shastri Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Main Bus Stand Road, Gurcharan Park, Deep Hospital Road and New Model Town. MC confiscates 70-kg plastic Overflowing sewers in Prem Nagar a health hazard bags, razes encroachments Dumping of solid waste by vehradwellers root cause of problem: Officials |Schoolchildren worst-hit Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 13 The teams of the Municipal Corporation on Monday carried out drives against encroachments, illegal slaughtering for meat and use of banned plastic carry bags. Taking note of the encroachments done by shopkeepers outside their shops, the Municipal Corporation (MC) conducted an anti-encroachment drive in Kesar Ganj market and vegetable market near Chand cinema on Monday. The drive was conducted to ensure smooth movement of traffic in the areas as the encroachments had result- MC officials with confiscated banned plastic carry bags. ed in traffic bottlenecks. MC Superintendent Vivek Verma said the civic body had received complaints against encroachments. Following this, a drive was conducted on Monday and action was taken against the violators. The Municipal Corporation (MC) conducted a special drive in Daresi market on Monday and issued challans against 10 shopkeepers involved in the sale and use of banned plastic carry bags. The MC teams also confiscated 70 kg of banned plastic carry bags from the shops during the drive. Corporation Sanitation Officer (CSO) Ashwani Sahota stated that regular drives are being conducted by the civic body to restrict the use and sale of banned plastic carry bags in the city. continued on page 2 Ludhiana, March 13 Officials claimed to have resolved years old problem of overflowing sewage in majority of areas of Ward 28 after improving the sewerage system and making a sewerage disposal unit functional. However, residents said the problem of overflowing sewers in a few areas, including Prem Nagar, in the ward is yet to be resolved. Many of the ‘vehras’ (quarters for migrant labourers) are also located in Prem Nagar and nearby areas. Residents of Prem Nagar said they were still forced to live under unsanitary conditions in the area. On the other hand, MC’’s c m y b Sewer water overflows in Prem Nagar near Dhandari Khurd. O&M branch officials blamed many vehra dwellers for dumping polythene and other solid waste in sewers due to which these remain choked in Prem Nagar. Some of the non-metalled roads in Prem Nagar were found flooded with sewage and plastic waste, including banned carry bags, recently too. Pedestrians and motorists are facing inconvenience while passing through such ways. A group of residents at Prem Nagar said: “We have no relief from overflowing sewers to date in our area. The risk of disease outbreaks remains high here, more in summer. We demand the civic body to get the problem of overflowing sewers resolved in our area at the earliest. Schoolchildren are often forced to suffer a lot when they pass through streets flooded with sewage.” A resident of nearby New Durga Colony, Anuj Kumar, said: “No doubt, there is relief from the years old problem of overflowing sewers in New Durga Colony since the sewerage disposal has been made functional in the ward. But seweragerelated problems still exist here. Cleaning of sewer lines must be ensured on time. The sewerage system needs to be improved.” Meanwhile, the residents also complained about some damaged sewer manholes in New Durga Colony and nearby locations. Councillor from Ward 28 Paramjit Singh admitted that the issue in Prem Nagar was yet to be resolved. He said: “There is a need to deploy jetting machines to clean sewers in Prem Nagar. Super suction machines must be deployed after every threefour months to ensure proper functioning of the sewerage system in the entire ward.” continued on page 2