17032023-JTR-01.qxd 16-03-2023 23:53 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune IN PICS: G20 SUMMIT GETS UNDERWAY IN AMRITSAR BHASKAR RAO NRITYA AND SANGEET SAMMELAN BEGINS DIVYA AGARWAL WANTS TO WORK WITH ANURAG KASHYAP Over 200 international and national delegates converge on Amritsar to participate in meets and events. P2 The All-India Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan will be held from March 17 to 19 in Chandigarh. P3 Divya Agarwal has put out a video for a chance to work with director Anurag Kashyap. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 26°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.31 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:29 AM » FRIDAY | 17 MARCH 2023 | JALANDHAR Paddy straw on 7 acres destroyed 7 held for hooliganism in Lohian Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 16 Seven people indulging in hooliganism have been arrested by the Jalandhar Rural Police. Some of the men were already booked in connection with some other crime. They are all currently out on bail. On March 15, the Lohian police apprehended seven men for indulging in hooliganism in the Shahkot area. The seven accused have been identified as Dalbir Singh of Railwal Bet in Lohian, Harjit Singh of Railwal Bet in Lohian, Kamalpreet Singh of Railwal Bet in Lohian, Gurjot Singh of Deepewal in Sultanpur Lodhi, Bikram Singh of Bara Jodh Singh in Lohian, Jobanpreet Singh of Railwal Bet in Lohian and Manjodh Singh of Kakar Kalan in Lohian. A case has been registered under Section 160 of the IPC against them at the Lohian police station. The police said the youths had been indulging in MP Seechewal joins 8-hr operation I 30 fire brigades pressed into action Jalandhar, March 16 A paddy straw dump in Kapurthala caught fire on Wednesday in which paddy straw sent in by farmers, meant to be sent to a paper mill for use, stored across a seven-acre place, was gutted. RS MP Balbir Singh Seechewal joined the over eight-hour efforts to douse the flames, after leaving an ongoing event midway. Tragically, the straw is collected by progressive farmers to be put to further use, and to aid the environmental conservation efforts. Over 30 fire brigade vehicles were pressed into use for over eight hours, to put out the huge fires, which ravaged the stored straw. The fire took place in the Haiderabad Dona village of Sultanpur Lodhi at a sevenacre land where a private company had stored paddy straw bales. During the hot afternoon wind, a tree branch INBRIEF MAN DUPED OF ~2.5 LAKH Hoshiarpur: The Dasuya police have registered a case against a travel agent for allegedly duping a man of ~2.5 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad. Baldev Singh told the police that Satwinder Singh had cheated him of ~2.5 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad. After registering the case, the police have started further actiont. OC SMUGGLER HELD WITH LIQUOR Hoshiarpur: The Chabbewal police have arrested a smuggler and seized 15K ml of liquor from him. The accused has been identified as Maili. A case has been registered against the accused under the Excise Act. OC HOSHIARPUR SEES TWO COVID CASES Hoshiarpur: The district on Thursday reported two positive Covid cases. Officiating Civil Surgeon Pawan Kumar said 251 new samples with suspicious flulike symptoms were taken today. Reports of 280 samples taken earlier were received, of which two were reported positive. OC SPARKS FROM POWER LINES SET BALES ON FIRE ■ The fire took place in the MP Balbir Singh Seechewal douses flames at the fire site in Sultanpur Lodhi on Wednesday. MALKIAT SINGH Haiderabad Dona village of Sultanpur Lodhi on a seven-acre land where a private company had stored paddy straw bales ■ During the hot afternoon wind, a tree branch broke and fell on electricity wires, the sparks from which, set the bales on fire ■ The fire spread quickly, gutting the straw in the area ■ RS MP Seechewal left an event in Nirmal Kutia to arrive at the spot. He also aided the rescue and fire-dousing efforts ■ He said farmers had made special efforts to conserve and separate the straw this year broke and fell on electricity wires, the sparking from which, set the straw bales on fire. The fire spread quickly, gutting the straw in the area. RS MP Seechewal left an event in Nirmal Kutia to arrive at the spot. He also aided the happen due to some reason. Sources said, “The straw was supposed to be picked up in time. The storage of straw is becoming a chore for villages and farmers. At many places no one knows what to do with these straw bales.” rescue and fire-dousing efforts. Seechewal noted that the farmers of the region had made special efforts to conserve and separate the straw this year and got it picked from their fields to be kept here. Notably, the land had been given on contract by the sarpanch of the Chakchela village to a private company for the paddy straw dump. The sarpanch of the Joga Singh village said the straw was supposed to be picked up on February 25, but that did not Tribune News Service Miscreants in police custody at Lohian in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO hooliganism outside the Lohian Civil Hospital, where a man who had previously been attacked by some of the members of the same group, is undergoing treatment. The police said the arrest was made to avert any other crime by them. Surjit Singh, the SHO of the Lohian police station, said, “The men were indulging in hooliganism and shouting outside the Lohian hospital premises. A man attacked by some of them, who had also been booked for the case, was under treatment at the hospital. The men booked for attacking the under-treatment youth with some of their friends whom they had called from other villages, were creating mayhem. Patients and visitors alleged that they were creating a ruckus. They did not destroy any property. The men are currently out on bail.” Latifpura oustees gherao Improvement Trust office Students allege rude Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 16 Members of the Latifpura Mur Waseba (LMW) Morcha on Thursday gheraod the office of the Improvement Trust, Jalandhar, and burnt an effigy of the Chairman of the Improvement Trust. The protesters, along with children, squatted outside the office and raised slogans. The gehrao began at 1 pm and ended at 4 pm in the evening. Protesters at the Jalandhar Improvement Trust office. MALKIAT SINGH They said the people of Latifpura had been struggling for the acceptance of their demands for the past 98 days but the Mann government had failed to resolve the issue. The protesters alleged that the Improvement Trust Chairman had tried his best to break the morcha but they won’t relent until the people obtain their rights and due compensation. Activists Lakhvir Singh Shaunti and Mandeep Kaur, who have been among the most regular part of the Latifpura protests, were also present during the protests today. The activists declared that they would hold a protest on March 27 outside the residence of AAP MLA Balkar Singh. LMW activists Santokh Singh Sandhu, Jaskaran Singh, Dr Gurdeep Singh Bhandal, and Kashmir Singh Ghugshore were among the prominent persons present on the occasion. behaviour by bus staff Jalandhar, March 16 Members of the Punjab Students’ Union have submitted a memorandum to the DC office alleging misbehaviour by conductors in public buses in Jalandhar. Claiming that the bus conductors misbehave with students, they submitted a memorandum to Assistant Commissioner Gursimranjit Kaur, addressed to the Jalandhar Deputy Com- SUBMIT MEMO TO DEPUTY COMMISSIONER missioner, today. They also complained that they are dropped off way behind the bus stops. PSU state leader Manganljit Pandori, district secretary Ramandeep Kaur, Alisha, Anchal, Yashraj, among others were present on the occasion. — TNS Give details of sensitive poll stations: DC Jalandhar, March 16 Keeping in view the ensuing bypoll for Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency, Deputy Commissioner Jaspreet Singh on Thursday held a meeting with senior officials of the civil and police administration to take stock of the exercise and procedures to be undertaken well before the election. The DC directed the officials concerned to furnish the updated details about the sensitive and critical polling stations or booths so as to ensure necessary COPS TO HELP MAP VULNERABLE AREAS Assistant Returning Officers and Deputy Superintendents of Police have been told to carry out field verification in their respective areas along with the sector officers to finalise the mapping of vulnerable areas. security preparations and arrangements in these areas. He also asked the Assistant Returning Officers and Deputy Superintendents of Police to carry out field verification in their respective areas along with the sector officers to finalise the vulnerable mapping. Instructing the officials to prepare a detailed report and submit the same with the District Election Office, the DC asked that the report should be submitted in the prescribed proforma. He said after getting requisite details, the adequate arrangements would be put in place to ensure free and transparent election. He said the expenditure sensitive pockets, if any, should also be identified well in time besides providing the information to the election office. Officials of Commissionerate police and Rural police have also been instructed to review the status of arms licenses issued so far and process should be initiate to get the non-essential licensee weapons deposited with the concerned authority after announcement of the election. — TNS Punjab Muslim Organisation members address mediapersons in Jalandhar TRIBUNE PHOTO ‘Our family an open book for Jalandharites’ Muslim community lists issues, Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 16 As the Congress nominee for the forthcoming Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary (69) returned to her place from the national capital on Wednesday, she received a warm welcome by the leaders of her party. Former MLAs Surinder S Chaudhary, Bawa Henry and Rajinder Beri, former mayor Jagdish Raj Raja, Nakodar incharge Dr Navjot Dahiya and councillor Jasleen Sethi received her with bouquets at her place. Later, they accompanied her and her son and Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Chaudhary to their native village Dhariwal where they paid obeisance at the memorial site of deceased MP and her husband Santokh Singh Chaudhary. The MP passed away two months ago during ‘Bharat COMFORTABLE IN NEW ROLE It would ❝transitionnot be much of a for me to Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, the Congress candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha byelection, in Jalandhar. PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH Jodo Yatra’ of Rahul Gandhi. The bypoll is expected in the next few months. Having served as a lecturer and principal at Government Arts and Sports College here, Karamjit Chaudhary said it would not be much of a transition for her to switch over to her new role as a politician. “For over 46 years of my marriage, I have watched my father-in-law Master Gurbanta Singh handle politics. Later, my husband Santokh Singh Chaudhary and my son Vikramjit Chaud- switch over to the new role as a politician. For over 46 years of my marriage, I have watched my father-in-law master Gurbanta Singh handle politics. Later, my husband and my son also joined the same wagon. I have worked for all of them from behind. ❞ Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, CONG LEADER hary also joined the same profession. I have worked for all of them from the back room. In fact, my family will complete 100 years in politics in 2026 that too in one party without jumping loyalties.” Asked how it felt being the c m y b first woman candidate for the LS seat, she said, “Yes, I have never heard of any woman from Jalandhar Parliamentary seat jumping into the fray. Our house has been the hub of politics since the days of ex-Jalandhar MP Maj Gen Sparrow and ex-minister Swaran Singh. I probably would be the first one and it certainly feels nice. Like education, politics is one arena where there is a lot of scope for implementing newer ideas.” On being quizzed if it would be difficult for her to contest, especially since the party is not in power in the state or at the Centre, Karamjit Kaur said, “That’s a part of every war. Sometimes there are rainy days. People know our family well. Our family is like an open book for them. I hope they will want me to represent them in Parliament and see the pending dreams of my late husband getting fulfilled.” demands for LS bypoll nominees Tribune News Service WHAT IT WANTS Jalandhar, March 16 Ahead of the Lok Sabha bypoll, the Muslim community in Jalandhar is pushing for its long-pending demands as its leaders have listed out their issues and demands announcing that the community would only support that party or candidate which would promise to fulfil them. Advocate Naeem Khan, the president of the Punjab Muslim Organisation, held a press conference in Jalandhar and said that the community leaders would launch a campaign in all assembly segments to galvanise the entire community on their long-pending issues. The campaign would start on March 17 from the Phillaur assembly segment where contact would be established with community members. ■ Declaration of 1,100-year-old Hazrat Imam Nasir Dargah as a heritage site by Tourism Dept ■ Restoration of historic mosques and graveyards with proper fund allocation ■ Beautification of historical Eidgah located on Gulab Devi Road ■ Amendment to the Waqf Act to appoint Waqf Board members Similarly, more such contact-building programmes would be launched in the remaining segments — Nakodar, Shahkot, Kartarpur, Adampur, Jalandhar Cantt, Jalandhar West, Jalandhar Central, and Jalandhar North. Listing out the key demands, Khan said the community is expecting the release of funds from the MP scheme for the development and beautification of the his- torical Eidgah located on the Gulab Devi Road. Likewise, the issue of the 1,100-year-old Hazrat Imam Nasir Dargah should be taken up in the Lok Sabha for its enrolment with the Tourism Department as a heritage site with adequate funds for the development of the sacred place. Khan also called for amendmentto the Waqf Act to appoint members of the Waqf Board. Other demands included steps to free Waqf lands from illegal possession, restoration of historic mosques and graveyards with proper fund allocation, and reservation for Muslim community besides the implementation of the Sachar Committee Report. He said the community would only support the candidate which would include these demands in their manifesto and promise to take up these issues in the Lok Sabha for redress.