03052023-ATR-01.qxd 5/3/2023 12:15 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLOUDY MAX 25°C | MIN 18°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 19°C STALLED FLYOVER WORK AT RAYYA CREATES TRAFFIC JAMS ALIA MAKES MET GALA DEBUT IN MADE IN INDIA GOWN TU JHOOTI MAIN MAKKAR’S OTT PREMIERE TODAY Commuters travelling on the NH-I are facing traffic hassles daily with work on a flyover at Rayya stalled. P2 Alia Bhatt made her debut at MET Gala in a white gown made with 100,000 pearls by Prabal Gurung. P3 Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaarstars Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor. It will be premiered on Netflix. P4 » » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.11 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:42 AM WEDNESDAY | 3 MAY 2023 | AMRITSAR Main shooter in Chheharta firing case held with pistol DC conducts surprise check in Tarn Taran Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 2 The city police claimed to have nabbed the main shooter, who fired gunshots outside a house at Chheharta, with a pistol here on Tuesday. The task of firing was assignment by gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Satnam Singh alias Satta. The accused has been identified as Yudhveer Singh, alias Yodha of Sultanwind village. The police also recovered a pistol and four cartridges of .32 bore pistol. Earlier the police had arrested Jobanjit Singh, alias Joban of Kullowali village, and Joginder Singh, alias Rinku of Naraigarh, along with Rs 1.2 lakh and five mobile phones on April 30. The police had nominated Ravisher Singh of Naraigarh, who is settled in Portugal, gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Satnam Singh alias Satta in the same case for their involvement. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP City-3) Abhimanyu Rana said a team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACPDetective) Gurinderpal Singh Nagra, in-charge, CIA staff, succeeded in nabbing Tarn Taran, May 2 On the first day of the change in office timings, Deputy Commissioner Rishipal Singh came to his office at 7.30 am and checked the attendance of officers and the employees working from the District Administrative Complex (DAC). The Deputy Com- The main shooter in custody of the Amritsar police on Tuesday. VISHAL the wanted main shooter Yudhveer Singh, alias Yodha, along with the 32 bore pistol used in the incident. On the complaint of victim Harminder Singh, alias Kishan of Surtan Singh Colony in Naraingarh, Chheharta, the police had registered a case on April 22 in which the victim stated that around 9 pm, youths came on a motorcycle and fired gunshots at his car. After investigating the case from all aspects, accused Jobanjit Singh and Joginder Singh were arrested on April 30 and now the main shooter, Yudhveer Singh alias Yodha, who opened fire outside the house was arrested. The arrested accused, Yudhveer Singh, has already been booked in two cases, including attempt to murder, at the Sultanwind police station and a case under the Arms Act at the Sadar police station in Tarn Taran. He came out on bail from Goindwal Jail around four months ago. The police have been conducting raids to arrest his other accomplice. The arrested accused will be produced in a court. The investigation is ongoing in the case after addition of offenses in case of 336/34 IPC at Chheharta police station. Investigation is going on in the case. The police added Sections 120-B, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act to the case. DC Rishipal Singh at the DAC in Tarn Taran on Tuesday. missioner found no lapse but three employees were found to be absent by Rajnish Arora, SDM, Tarn Taran, in his own office and that of the Tehsildar. The state government had announced the change in timings to save electricity. The order is to remain in force till July 15. SDM Rajnish Arora said that action would be taken against who were found to be absent on Tuesday. NEW GOVT OFFICE TIMINGS Day 1: Only few applicants turn up at offices till 10 am Senior officials, including DC Harpreet Sudan, visit govt offices Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 2 On the first day of the changed office timings for the government department offices on Tuesday, only a few applicants came to offices till 10 am as most of them, especially from rural areas, were not aware of the change in timings. As per the decision taken by the state government earlier, the government offices except for Seva Kendras opened at 7.30 am and closed at 2 pm. The Seva Kendras are still following the old timings from 9 am to 5 pm. Senior officials of the district administration, including Deputy Commissioner Harpreet Singh Sudan, reached their offices before 7.30 am. Later, they also checked the attendance of the employees and expressed satisfaction. The Deputy Commissioner said the new office timings A government office wears a deserted look with only one applicant waiting for his turn in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR would remain effective till June 15. He also warned government employees against coming late to the offices. The officials stated that low footfall at the government offices could be attributed to lack of awareness on the part of the general public. They stated that the official work would be further streamlined in the coming days. The majority of employees were present. A few offices were seen unoccupied even as the employees had switched on air-conditioners and lights before the arrival of senior officials. Meanwhile, municipal corporation officials also checked the attendance of the employees. MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi said the local body would also follow the new timings. He, however, said the common service centres of the MC would also follow the old timings (from 9 am to 5 pm) to provide services to the residents. While the state government had decided to change the office timings in view of the rising temperature and to conserve electricity, a section of residents said the change in office timings was unnecessary as it would disturb their daily routine. “Reaching office at 7.30 am after sending children to school and cooking is next to impossible. I had to wake up at 4 am to complete my work,” said a woman employee. Some of employees said as the temperatures had not increased much, the government could have implemented the new office timings in June and July when the electricity consumption is at peak and the schools are closed on account of summer holidays. Mandi Board officials accused of ASI, civic body say 6 LMT wheat arrives in mandis issuing wrong licences at Vallah no change in stand Tribune News Service on Ram Bagh clubs Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 2 After resolving the dispute between retail vegetable sellers and Mandi Board officials, commission agents of wholesale fruit and vegetable sellers allege that the latter were issuing licences to operate as commission agents inside the Vallah mandi to those who do not have even shops. This despite the fact that the Mandi Board cannot erect any infrastructure inside the mandi as it falls in the no-construction zone of the Vallah Army dump. The market committee issues licenses under the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961. Commission agents of the wholesale Sabji Mandi at Vallah alleged that over 100 people were given Two snatchers held with stolen goods Amritsar, May 2 The city police nabbed two snatchers with a motorcycle, knife and a snatched mobile phone at Chheharta police station. The arrested accused have been identified as Robin Singh resident of Master Avenue, Kale Road, Chheharta and Sandeep Singh alias Sanju resident of Kale Ghannupur. SHO Police Station Chheharta Gurvinder Singh stated that a police team nabbed accused Robin Singh and Sandeep Singh along with their motorcycle and seized a knife and stolen mobile phone from them. The arrested accused will be produced before the court and remand will be obtained and they will be interrogated in depth. The investigation is going on in this regard. A case has been registered against the accused. — TNS The Vallah sabzi mandi in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR licences of commission agents without allotting any shop. Commission agents Ranjit Singh, Amritpal Singh and Bhupinder Singh in a communiqué to the Principal Secretary, Agriculture Department, and the Secretary, Punjab Mandi Board, stated that officials of the Mandi Board were granting multiple licenses to persons and companies against single shop number. They said this practice had been in vogue since the Mandi was shifted to Vallah about two decades ago. continued on page 2 Amritsar, May 2 The Municipal Corporation (MC) and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stand by their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in December 2018 over the historic Ram Bagh. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had asked the ASI, MC and the state government to clear their stand on three elite clubs functioning from the historic Ram Bagh during a previous hearing in February. The ASI submitted that it had considered the proposal forwarded by the State Government and rejected it. It also clearly stated in the affidavit on March 24 that they would not enter into any amendment or modification CLEAR THEIR STAND The Punjab and Haryana High Court had asked the ASI, MC and the state government to clear their stand on three elite clubs functioning from the historic Ram Bagh during a previous hearing in February. in the agreement signed on December 4, 2018. The MC has also filed the affidavit that they stand by the MoU. It is worth mentioning that in a hearing on February 23, the court of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Judge Arun Palli had directed the ASI to file an affidavit, taking clear stand with regard to preservation and protection of the three clubs. — TNS Amritsar, May 2 With the harvesting of wheat crop at its last stage, the grain markets in the district have so far recorded a total arrival of 5,96,427 metric tonnes of the crop. The district mandi officials stated that nearly 29,000 tonnes of fresh produce arrived in the markets on Tuesday. Officials said a total of 5.87 lakh MT of wheat has been purchased till date out of which 5.55 lakh MT has been purchased by government agencies and remaining 31,912 MT by private buyers. The mandi officials stated around 9,400 MT of crop was left unsold at markets due to more moisture which would also be procured soon. Meanwhile, the lifting of procured stocks of wheat from the grain markets has also picked up pace as a total of 1.26 lakh MT has been shifted to warehouses. Labourers load sacks of wheat on a tractor-trolley at Bhagtanwala grain market in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR The officials stated that nearly 13,955 MT of crop was lifted from the markets on Tuesday. Apart from the reasons related to transportation, the over burdening of the labourers is also a reason for the slow lifting, stated an official. He said when a special train was to be loaded, it takes prior- ity over the lifting of the crop by the trucks which slows the work. Mandi board officials said nearly 6.25 lakh MT of crop had reached markets in the district last year. However, as the yield of the wheat this season is much better, the officials expect that the total arrival would also increase. Teachers stage dharna, hold Rich tapestry of life at GNDU theatre fest meetings to show solidarity Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 2 Teachers in all non-government colleges on Tuesday observed an one-hour strike and held meetings to show solidarity with the managements of non-government colleges over the implementation of the centralised admission portal. The college units of the Punjab and Chandigarh College teachers’ Union (PCCTU) raised concerns over the collapse of the non-government colleges in the wake of this decision. “The system in private colleges that are still awaiting grants will collapse due to this decision. The government needs to understand that admissions to private colleges in traditional courses are getting decreasing by the day as a Members of the PCCTU district unit during a meeting in Amritsar. majority of students are flying abroad after Class XII. On top of this, the university (GNDU) here offers undergraduate courses, integrated courses that eat out of the seats from private colleges. And then, with centralized admissions, the student’s intake in private colleges will further decrease. The financial sustainability of private colleges will be put under stress, further putting livelihood of teachers in danger,” shared Dr Gurdas Sekhon, general secretary, PCCTU. He said the centralized admission system had earlier failed for BEd courses. “The government tried to implement the centralized admission in BEd courses, but it only works if the number of students is more and seats are limited. Here it’s opposite. Further, Panjab University’s Syndicate has also approved that they would not be following the centralized admission portal,” he said. The exams are scheduled to begin for undergraduate and postgraduate courses from tomorrow (May 3). The teachers will be boycotting the exam duties on May 5 and further if the government chooses to ignore the issue. c m y b Amritsar, May 2 The theatre festival of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) concluded at the Dasmesh Auditorium of the university. The plays Khadd, Samma Wali Dang, Love Junction, Afsana, and Kahani Wali Amrita were performed during the fest. This second festival in the series was organised by the Drama Club of the university in collaboration with Awaaz Rangmanch Toli, Amritsar. During these five days, eminent theatre personalities like Kewal Dhaliwal, Shiromani Natak-kar and NSD graduate Dr Jatinder Brar, founder, Punjab Naatshala, NSD graduate Rajinder Singh and Amita Sharma, Arvinder Chamak, secretary, Indian Academy of Fine Arts and Jahanzeb Akhtar, IRS, participated a)s special guests. Artistes stage the play “Afsana” at GNDU in Amritsar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO On the first day, the psychologically thrilling Khadd, a play by Drama Club of the university under the direction of Kanwal Randhey, was held. Bachanpal Singh played the lead male role and Ravinder Kaur played the female lead role. The play was a comical dramatisation of the problems existing with the human mind and habitual lust. The play displays societal interference and the rigid belief system of society towards certain pseudo philanthropists. It also discusses the need for a subtle shift in our belief systems. Adakaari Manch, Mohali, performed the play Samma Wali Daang on the second day, based on the challenges faced by a farmer in his daily life and what society perceives about their life. Dr. Sahib Singh (Director, Samma Wali Daang), with his emotional message, came out with a heart touching