29032023-LT-01.qxd 3/29/2023 12:35 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune AIDS CONTROL STAFF STAGE PROTEST OVER REGULARISATION KAPIL OPENS UP ABOUT HIS BATTLE WITH DEPRESSION NETFLIX GETS NOTICE FOR OFFENSIVE REMARKS Protesters demand that all employees of Punjab State AIDS Control Society be regularised by government. P2 Kapil Sharma openly discusses his mental health issues in Kareena Kapoor Khan’s chat show. P3 Netflix has been served a legal notice for using inappropriate language for actress Madhuri Dixit in a show. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 15°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.43 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.18 AM WEDNESDAY | 29 MARCH 2023 | LUDHIANA 22 mobiles seized from Central Jail Ludhiana, March 28 A surprise checking in the Central Jail, Ludhiana, led to the recovery of 22 cell phones. Of these, 18 were found abandoned on the jail premises while the others were seized from inmates. Assistant Jail Superintendent Harbans Singh said on March 25, he, along with the team, conducted a checking inside the jail. During the search, 18 mobile phones were found abandoned at various spots in the jail. The phones seemed to be abandoned by unidentified inmates and further probe was launched to identify them. So far, a case under the Prisons Act was registered. In the other incident, Assistant Jail Superintendent Gagandeep Sharma said on March 25, during a surprise checking in the jail, four mobile phones were seized from inmates Pawandeep Singh, Karamjit Singh, Kulwinder Singh, Satnam Singh and Taranpreet Singh. Sharma said a probe would be held to inquire about how the inmates get mobile phones in the jail despite a ban. A case under the Prisons Act was registered against them on Monday. — TNS Record ~116-crore property tax collected, ~24 cr still pending Almost one-third of the total 2.3-lakh assessees yet to pay levy in city Nitin Jain REVENUE RECEIPTS Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 28 Even as the Municipal Corporation (MC) has created a record of sorts by collecting the highest-ever property tax amounting to over Rs 116 crore this fiscal year so far, the arrears of almost Rs 24 crore were yet to be paid, officials have confirmed. Of the total 2.3 lakh taxable properties, including residential and commercial, almost 70,000 property owners, which accounted for around one-third (precisely 30.43 per cent) of the total assessees, have not yet paid the levy, the MC has said. With the last three days left for the current financial year to end, the civic body has again appealed to remaining property owners to come forward and pay the tax to avoid penalty and interest, besides attachment of the properties belonging to the defaulters. MC Commissioner Shena Aggarwal told The Tribune here on Tuesday that the property tax collections have touched a record high this fiscal and crossed the Rs 116-crore mark for the first time in Ludhiana. She said the MC had recorded highest receipts during the current fiscal since the imposition of the levy in 2013. Besides, the revenue collections from all other levies such as water charges, tehabazaari fee, rent, licence fee, advertisement tax, composition fee, building plan fee, development and change of land use (CLU) have also touched a new high this financial year. Dr Aggarwal said the civic body had collected a sum of Head Property tax Water charges Building branch Advt tax Tehabzari, rent Licence fee Total 2022-23 ~116 ~44.24 ~52.67 ~9.03 ~4.81 ~0.83 ~227.58 2021-22 ~92.84 ~39.51 ~38.01 ~8.5 ~2.46 ~0.52 ~172.68 PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS Residents queue up to deposit property tax in Ludhiana on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO OVER 2.3 LAKH PROPERTIES IN MC JURISDICTION There are over 2.3 lakh properties in the municipal limits, the owners of which are supposed to pay property tax. The MC has been sending reminders to the owners of left-out 70,000-odd properties through public notices and personal messages on their registered mobile numbers to pay the levy before March 31. Year 2022-23 2021-22 2020-21 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 Amount ~116 ~92.84 ~96.68 ~84.25 ~78.24 ~70.4 ~66.05 ~69.44 ~52.94 ~74.79 (SOURCE: MC, AMOUNT IN CRORES TILL MARCH 28 FOR 2022-23, REST YEARS TILL MARCH 31) the MC’s official website — mcludhiana.gov.in. Man dies by suicide, NRI wife booked Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 28 The Samrala police yesterday registered an abetment to suicide case against an NRI woman. whose husband had died by suicide at his residence in Gosla village, Samrala. The case was registered by the police after over sevenmonth-long probe. The suspect has been identified as Simranjit Kaur, a native of Chomo village here, at present staying in Canada. Complainant Sohan Singh, the deceased’s father, told the police that his son Gagandeep got married to Simranjit Kaur in 2021. Since she had done IELTS and wanted to go to Canada, he bore the entire expenses of sending her to Canada. Though Simranjit was in touch with his son over phone from Canada, she had developed a friendship with another person, Vikas, and she had also been frequently talking to him, the complainant said, He said: “My son had been telling his wife to avoid talking with Vikas but she did not budge. In August 2022, when Simranjit and Gagandeep had arguments over the matter, Simranjit had sent a suicide note on WhatsApp to my son in which she told him that she would die by suicide. However, she did not end her life. After reading the suicide note, my son went into depression and later died by suicide,” the complainant said. ASI Pavitar Singh said after registering a case, further investigation was launched. Gorkha’s remand extended by 2 days Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 28 Sandeep Bahl took over as Chief Environmental Engineer of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Ludhiana, on Tuesday. PPCB chairman Adarsh Pal Vig and member secretary GS Majithia were also present on the occasion. After joining office, Bahl said a great responsibility of continued on page 2 The demolition was carried out in the colonies located in Threeke and Jhande villages of Ludhiana. TRIBUNE PHOTO GLADA razesstructures in 3 more illegal colonies Our Correspondent Ludhiana, March 28 The Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) targeted three more unlicensed/illegal colonies in its ongoing demolition drive as roads, streets, sewers, water supply lines and man-holes were dug up and electricity poles uprooted in these colonies today. According to GLADA Chief Administrator (CA) Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu, the drive was conducted by a team of officials headed by Estate Officer (Regulatory) Dr Baljinder Singh Dhillon after notices to the developers of these colonies had been served under Section 39 of the PAPR Act, 1995. The demolition team — comprising SDOs Divleen Singh and Asheesh Vasheer, along with Junior Engineers Amandeep Singh, Amarjit Singh and Varinder Singh — carried out demolition of structures and development works in Threeke and Jhande villages. CA Sandhu asked developers to desist from carving out colonies without approval of the competent authority as more demolition operations against defaulting developers were in the offing in coming days. She also made an appeal to the general public to not purchase property and plots in unauthorised colonies as GLADA will not provide any facility like water supply, sewerage, electricity connections, streetlights, etc., in such colonies. cial year to close, during which the civic body expects to cross the collections above Rs 125-crore mark, the collections from property tax this time were highest in the past decade ever since the levy was imposed in Ludhiana, spread over 169 sq-km area with a population of 16.18 lakh as per the 2011 Census. According to year-wise property tax receipts, a sum of Rs 92.84 crore was collected in 202122, Rs 96.68 crore in 2020-21, Rs 84.25 crore in 2019-20, Rs 78.24 crore in 2018-19, Rs 70.4 crore in 2017-18, Rs 66.05 crore in 201617, Rs 69.44 crore in 2015-16, Rs 52.94 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 74.79 crore had been collected from property tax head during Eatery found serving hookah to youth, 2 booked Bahl joins as PPCB Chief Engineer Rs 227.58 from different heads during the current fiscal till date, which was Rs 54.9 crore, accounting for 31.79 per cent more than Rs 172.68 crore collections made during the last financial year 2021-22. Divulging the head-wise figures, she said a sum of Rs 116 crore had been collected from property tax, Rs 44.24 crore from water charges, Rs 52.67 crore from the building branch, including composition fee, building fee, development and CLU charges, Rs 9.03 crore from advertisement tax, Rs 4.81 crore from tehabazaari fee and rent, and Rs 83 lakh from licence fee. Even as three days were still left for the current finan- Four contract virus 2 nabbed for immoral trafficking Ludhiana, March 28 The Sarabha Nagar police yesterday registered a case against the owner and manager of Pablo restaurant in BRS Nagar here for serving hookah to youngsters. The suspects have been identified as owner Jasmeet Singh and manager Akshit Bhalla. ASI Jagjit Singh said a tip-off was received that the restaurant serves hookah to its clients and in lieu, it charges hefty amounts of money. The ASI said during the raid, a hookah was seized from the restaurant. Now, CCTV cameras of the eatery were being scanned to get any clue about the illegal practice. Commissioner of Police (CP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu had banned hookah in restaurants and beer bars. However, some eateries in the city are openly flouting the norms. Interestingly, some restaurants have also been assuring their clients that the police would not conduct any raid and in lieu, they charge a lot of money from them. Sources said now, the top cop had strictly reiterated to all SHOs and crime wings to ensure that no restaurant serves hookah, tobacco products or liquor to yougsters and they had been directed to take immediate action in such cases. — TNS Ludhiana, March 28 The Covid graph seems to be rising daily. Yesterday, six persons tested positive while today, four have contracted the virus. Those who tested positive today include a 53-year-old woman from Janakpur who was a pre-operative case, a 35year-old woman from Baba Deep Singh Nagar, who was diagnosed during her OPD visit to a hospital and a 71-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man, both are residents of BRS Nagar the financial year 2013-14. Tribune News Service March 31 last date March 31 is the last date to deposit property tax for the current fiscal 2022-23, after which an additional 20 per cent penalty and interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum will be imposed on delayed payments. Collection centres open To facilitate left-out residents, the civic body has kept collection centres open all days till March 31, even during weekends and gazetted holidays. Besides MC offices, Suvidha Kendras at all four zonal offices were also kept open during all days till March 31. Those desiring to pay online, can make transactions through and international travellers. Civil Surgeon Hitinder Kaur said a total of 1,13,675 persons tested positive and 3,018 patients lost their lives to the deadly virus since March 2020 in the district. Keeping in view the rising Covid cases, the Health Department has also increased collection of samples for testing. On Tuesday, 362 samples were sent for testing which include 238 RT-PCR, 122 antigen and two truant samples. — TNS Defaulters to be dealt with sternly: MC chief “Property owners who have not yet deposited property tax or other levies should do it forthwith and not later than March 31 to avoid penalty and interest. Habitual defaulters will be dealt with sternly and besides imposing the penalty and interest, proceedings to attach properties would also be initiated. Funds collected through all such levies are utilised for the development of the city and providing basic civic amenities to residents,” said MC Commissioner Shena Aggarwal. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 28 The city police busted an immoral trafficking racket being run in the garb of a spa and massage centre. After conducting a raid at the spa on Monday night, two persons, including the owner of the centre, was arrested. The suspects have been identified as owner Gurpreet Singh and manager Kirat Kumar. The police Ludhiana, March 28 The Khanna police today produced Tajinder Singh Gill, alias Gorkha, in a local court which extended his police remand by two days. Meanwhile, the police also brought two suspects, Labh Singh, alias Tiger, and Gurbhej, alias Bheja, on production warrant. The duo were arrested by the Punjab Police during the crackdown on ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh and they were in custody of the Jalandhar rural police. Police officials said Gurbhej was the one who had CCTV footage, visitor register being scanned to get more details seized Rs 2,000 in cash and some packets of condoms from the spot. Inspector Gurpreet Singh said a tip-off was received that the two suspects were running an immoral trafficking racket in the garb of ‘Bliss Spa Two suspects brought on production warrant arranged bulletproof jackets for the organistaion while Labh was also a close aide of Amritpal. Now, the police will question the three suspects together to get more information about their plans. Notably, Gorkha is a big catch of the Khanna police as the police had recovered incriminating videos and material from his mobile phone which exposed nefarious plans of proKhalistan elements to disturb peace in the state. Saloon’ at the Phase 1 market in Dugri. After verifying the information, the police conducted a raid and exposed the racket. Inspector Gurpreet said the CCTV footage and visitor register would be scanned to get more details about the racket. A case under Sections 3, 4, 5 of the Immoral Trafficking Act was registered against the suspect and further probe was launched into the matter. Only city airport without night landing facility in state Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 28 The Ludhiana airport is the only one in the state that does not have night landing facilities among five airports in Punjab that operate commercial civilian flights, Parliament was informed on Monday. “The night landing facility is not available at the airport due to unavailability of land,” Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia said in the Rajya Sabha in response to a question raised by Aam Aadmi Party Member of Parliament (MP) Raghav Chadha. Night landing facility is available at Amritsar, Bathinda, Pathankot and Adampur airports in Pun- c m y b NO FACILITY DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF LAND: MINISTER “The night landing facility is not available at the Ludhiana airport due to unavailability of land,” Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia said in the Rajya Sabha in response to a question raised by Aam Aadmi Party Member of Parliament Raghav Chadha. jab. In addition, the international airport in Chandigarh also have full night operations capability for civilian aircraft. The aforementioned airports in the state, which include an international terminal at Amritsar, a domestic terminal at Ludhiana and civilian enclaves at military airfields at Adampur (Jalandhar), Bhisiana (Bathinda) and Pathankot, are controlled by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). According to AAI data, the Ludhiana airport is located at Sahnewal, about 12 km from the city and is spread over 130 acres, and has a short 4,800 feet runway that can accommodate only small aircraft. At present, Air India is the only airlines operating flights from the airport, with Delhi being the single destination. The airport will be closed down once the new international airport at Halwara, about 32 km from Ludhiana, becomes operational, expectedly later this year. The new airport will be colocated with the sprawling air force base that houses modern fighter aircraft. The three major AAI-run airports in Himachal Pradesh, located near Shimla, Kullu and Kangra, also do not have any night landing facilities, Parliament was informed. Hisar is the only airport in Haryana figuring in the ministry’s list of airports that does not have night landing facilities. However, the state owns a few other airstrips used by flying training institutes and aero-sports or are non-operational. Of the total 153 airports across the country owned or operated by the AAI, state governments or private entities, 44 do not have night landing facilities, according to the ministry’s data.