17032023-LT-01.qxd 3/17/2023 12:35 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune CIVIC BODY YET TO CONDUCT FIRE SAFETY SURVEY DIVYA AGARWAL WANTS TO WORK WITH ANURAG KASHYAP BHASKAR RAO NRITYA AND SANGEET SAMMELAN BEGINS Many factories and commercial units are reportedly operating without safety certificates in the city. P2 Divya Agarwal has put out a video for a chance to work with director Anurag Kashyap. P3 The All-India Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan will be held from March 17 to 19 in Chandigarh. P4 » » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 26°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.35 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:33 AM FRIDAY | 17 MARCH 2023 | LUDHIANA Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 16 A day after 20-year-old Rahul from Jujhar Nagar allegedly died by suicide after consuming some poisonous substance, kin of the deceased today held a protest outside the Basant Park police post. The family kept the body of the deceased on the road to seek registration of a case against a female friend of the youth. After a two-hour protest, the police registered a case of abetment to suicide under Section 306, IPC, against the girl, Gurleen, a resident of Shimlapuri, following which the protest was lifted. As per the police, Rahul and Gurleen were taking IELTS classes together and they were in a relationship. A few days ago, the girl called the boy and told him that she is parting ways with him as she has befriended with some other person. Afterwards, the boy went into depression. Yesterday, he died by suicide. “Initially, the police had initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174, CrPC, but during treatment Rahul told us that he ended his life due to the girl who broke friendship with him,” said a family member of the victim. The girl is yet to be arrested in the case. Vertical garden project likely to complete soon Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 16 The vertical garden project under the Smart City Mission near Canal Bridge at BRS Nagar, here, is expected to be completed soon. Finally, a power supply connection has been made available for the water supply system for the vertical gardens. Notably, the project, under the Smart City Mission, was kick-started by Local Bodies Minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar on November 8, 2022, and it was supposed to be completed by January 31. But it missed the deadline. Last month, an official concerned had said the MC PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Boy ends life, kin seek action against female friend Work on to install pots at the vertical garden project site in BRS Nagar. GETS POWER SUPPLY CONNECTION Finally, a power supply connection has been made available for the water supply system for the vertical gardens. The work to install pots on panels at piers of the Southern Bypass flyover is underway and saplings would be planted soon. had not received the electricity connection to run water pumps for a dedicated drip irrigation system for the vertical gardens. However, MC’s Executive Engineer Balwinder Singh Eatery serves hookah, liquor to minors Ludhiana, March 16 The Ludhiana police conducted a raid at a restaurant, ‘Le Antares’, in South City where hookah and liquor were being served to minor boys. The police also arrested restaurant owner Ankur Kumar, a resident of Owner, manager nabbed under non-bailable sections Himachal Pradesh, and manager Salamat Ali of Jagraon. Commissioner of Police Mandeep Singh Sidhu in a statement issued said the city police had already launched a campaign against restaurants serving hookah to clients and several raids were already conducted by the police in the recent past in this regard. Even shops selling hookahs were also raided. continued on page 2 c m y b said the civic body had got the power supply connection to make the water system operational at the project site. He said pots were being installed at the site while saplings would be planted soon. He said the vertical gardens would be installed at 31 piers under the flyover. It was earlier announced that plants of different varieties would be strung on bio-panels under the flyover, besides a dedicated drip irrigation facility will be set up for watering the plants daily. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 2.17 crore. The company that handles the project will have to maintain the gardens for three years. Priest booked for sexual exploitation Ludhiana, March 16 The Dugri police yesterday registered a case against a temple priest on the charge of sexually exploiting a 12-year-old girl. He has been identified as Rama Kant of Punjabi Bagh, Dugri. continued on page 2 MLA held hostage at village Farm leaders seek ‘assured’ ~5L relief for ‘martyred’ farmer Lovleen Bains Doraha, March 16 Members of a farmers’ union held Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura hostage in a room at Rampur village here today in resentment against the latter for handing over a cheque amounting to Rs 2 lakh instead of an ‘assured’ sum of Rs 5 lakh as compensation for a farmer of the village who allegedly breathed his last during a dharna at Fatehgarh Sahib in September last year. The MLA, along with the president of the Nagar Council, Doraha, Sudarshan Kumar Pappu, tried to hand over a cheque for Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the family of Kuldeep Singh, who had died while staging a dharna on the Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib road at Tarkhan Majra village on September 30, 2022. Leaders of the Kisan Union Ekta (Sidhupur), who were present at the spot, were irked over the apathy of the state government, which had assured a sum of Rs 5 lakh as compensation. They held the MLA hostage in a room in which he was sitting. They refused to release him till the assured amount of Rs 5 lakh was granted to the family of the farmer. Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura with members of a farmer union at Rampur village in Doraha on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Senior vice-president of the BKU (Ekta) Sidhupur Jasveer Singh told this correspondent that the unions had staged a dharna at Fathegarh Sahib after the death of the farmer of the village and demanded due compensation for the family. “The protest was lifted on the assurance of the DC, Fatehgarh Sahib, that a compensation of Rs 5 lakh would be given to the family. As the farmer protesters who breathed their last during protest at Delhi had been duly compensated, farmers who had lost their lives during dharnas at other places should also be given relief in a similar way. Today, the MLA came with a cheque amounting to Rs 2 lakh which angered us due to which we held him hostage in a room,” he said. The administration and the police had to intervene to bring the situation under control. Payal SDM Jasleen Bhullar, along with, DSP Harsimrat Chetra reached the spot and rescued the MLA. Showing a documentary proof to the farmer leaders, the SDM said a compensation of Rs 5 lakh was demanded from the CM’s Office but a sum of Rs 2 lakh arrived. “We have, however, contacted the CM’s Office again which has told that a meeting will be held on coming Tuesday in this regard and assured that required action would be taken,” the SDM said. Later, the MLA apologised to union leaders and said he did not intend to hurt the sentiments of the farmers. He also assured the agitating growers of full compensation. Afterwards, they released him on the condition of fulfillment of their demand at the earliest.