26032023-JTR-01.qxd 3/25/2023 11:59 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune GOVT REISSUED CHEQUE FOR ~25 CR, ALLEGE CONG LEADERS ASHA BHOSLE RECEIVES ‘MAHARASHTRA BHUSHAN’ TAMANNAAH TO PERFORM AT IPL OPENING CEREMONY The Congress has slammed the AAP government for allegedly re-releasing the cheque for ~25 crore. P2 A documentary on the life of singer Asha Bhosle was also screened at a function near Gateway of India. P3 The BCCI has invited several actors at the opening ceremony of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. P4 » » FORECAST CLEAR SKY MAX 26°C | MIN 14°C YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 15°C SUNSET SUNDAY 6.37 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6:18 AM » SUNDAY | 26 MARCH 2023 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF MINOR GIRL GOES MISSING Phagwara: The Nakodar city police have registered a report in connection with the missing of a minor girl. Investigating officer (IO) Kulwindar Singh said Jatindar Kaur, a resident of mohalla Bogharran Nakodar complained to the police that her 15-year-old daughter went outside on March 23 but did not return home. OC NEEDY GET RATION AT SAANJH KENDRA Phagwara: The Nakodar police Saanjh Kendra distributed dry rations to needy persons. Kendra incharge Narinder Singh said a function was organised in the sub-divisional Saanjh Kendra office in which dry ration was distributed and people were made aware of facilities available in Saanjh Kendra and about 112 helplines and Shakti App. oc MAN BOOKED FOR STEALING CASH Phagwara: The Lohian Khas police have booked a man on the charge of theft. Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Ward 12 complained to the police that the accused, Varindar Singh, a resident of Chacha Colony, barged into his shop on March 21 and stole ~25,000 and some foreign currency. OC Govt teachers ‘under pressure’ to increase students’ enrolment Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 25 Government school teachers, principals, and headmasters in the district are feeling the heat from the Education Department as they are being pushed to increase the enrolment in their respective schools. Despite the Education Department claiming to have achieved one lakh admissions in a day, teachers have alleged that the education officers are being served notices by the State Education Department for failing to meet enrolment targets and in turn they are mounting the pressure on them. Speaking anonymously, teachers have shared that the department has set targets for them, which they claim are unnecessary, and are putting pressure on them to admit students to government schools. They also alleged that the data being shared by the Education Department regarding enrolment is not authentic, and the real number of enrolled students will only be known once classes start. They said in a message received from the DEO, Sec- EDU DEPT OFFICIALS REFUTE CHARGE ■ Reacting to the complaint by teachers, Education Department officials said there was no pressured for enrolments, and teachers were only being motivated to bring more students to government schools ■ In an official message, school principals, teachers and DDOs have been asked to enroll at least 15 students in senior secondary schools, 10 in high schools and five in middle schools during the campaign ■ Teachers claimed they have been also asked to ensure that only students from private schools or dropout students are registered, and no students from other government schools should include in the drive ondary, today, they were asked to hold a special campaign aimed at registering new students and updating the registration of existing ones in the e-portal. In the message, they said the schools’ principals, teachers and DDOs were asked to enroll at least 15 stu- dents in senior secondary schools, 10 in high schools and five in middle schools during the campaign. “The purpose of the campaign is to enable the district Education Department to complete the necessary formalities and achieve the enrolment target,” the teach- Name Adampur airport after Guru Ravidas: MP Jalandhar, March 25 Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal today demanded from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that the Adampur airport be named after Guru Ravidas. The issue was raised on sidelines of Mann and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal’s visit to the Dera Sachkhand Ballan. Seechewal said it was a long-pending demand of the Dalit community that the airport should be named after Guru Ravidas. Seechewal also raised the issue of damage to crops, especially wheat, due to two ANNOUNCE RELIEF FOR CROP DAMAGE, CM URGED MP Balbir Singh Seechewal with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an event at Dera Sachkhand Ballan. PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH days of rain with the CM Mann. He said farmers had suffered huge losses due to the rain at the time of wheat ripening. He demanded from Chief Min- ister that farmers be given compensation without delay by guaranteeing the crop, and the agricultural labourers also be given compensation for the less work they would get due to the crop failure. Seechewal said the Sutlej embankment near Giddarpindi had been breached several times, causing massive losses to the people and the government as well. Due to floods in 2019, only crops and government infrastructure suffered a loss of Rs 1,200 crore. He demanded from the CM that Gidderpindi to Phillaur road be paved over Dhusi Dam. — TNS c m y b ers said, adding that they have been also asked to ensure that only students from private schools or dropout students are registered, and no students from other government schools should include in the drive. Meanwhile, the move has caused unrest among government school staff, who believe they are being unfairly targeted for enrolment shortcomings. “The pressure to increase enrollment comes amid the state government’s claims to improve the education system and make it more inclusive. However, we feel that the targets set by the department are unrealistic and are creating unnecessary pressure on us,” said a teacher. When contacted, a few officials of the department said no teachers were pressured for enrolments; rather, they were only motivating them to bring more students to government schools. When asked about sending notices, targets and only private students and dropouts being enrolled, they refused to comment on the issue and said they were only following the orders of the higher authorities. 2 POs booked on court orders Phagwara, march 25 The Nurmahal police have booked two proclaimed offenders (POs) on court orders. SHO Bhushan Kumar said that the accused had been identified as Anam Sharma of Majitha Road in Amritsar. He added Phillaur Judicial Magistrate First Class Gur Mehtab Singh had ordered that the accused had been declared a PO in a case under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and should be booked under Section 174-A. The SHO said a case had been registered against the accused. He said the police had also booked PO Akash Deep Singh, a resident of Bundala village, under Section 82 of Act 2 of 1974 on court orders. — OC Gold chain looted at gunpoint Mukerian, March 25 Two masked men robbed a shopkeeper of a gold chain at a gunpoint near the main bus stand in Mukerian. The chain reportedly weighed 20 gram. The victim, Sanjeev Kumar, the owner of a bakery shop, said an elderly man came to his shop around 7.30 pm on Thursday and asked him for Rs 20. At the same time two masked youths entered his shop. One of them came close ACCUSED FIRED 2 SHOTS TO SCARE VICTIM to him and pointed a pistol at him. He told him that they just wanted his gold chain and nothing else. When he refused to pay heed to their demand one of the youths fired two shots, one of them hitting the floor near his feet. He got scared and gave them the chain. Soon after committing the crime, the accused rushed out of the shop and fled on a bike. He raised an alarm and tried to chase them, but they left towards Gurdaspur Road. Kumar told the police that the above incident was captured on the CCTV cameras installed at his shop, whose recording he has handed over to the Mukerian police. The police said they were investigating the case. — OC