04052023-LT-01.qxd 5/4/2023 12:45 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune 7 YRS ON, SUBDIVISION OFFICE SANS BUILDING IN AHMEDGARH RAPPER GD 47 RELEASES HIS NEW SONG MIC NAAL MASH ACTOR EILEEN SAKI PASSES AWAY AT 79 ~9.42 crore released by state govt for construction of complex, land not acquired yet for premises. P2 Through music, he hopes to inspire others to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams with passion.P3 Reportedly, the Mash actor died on Monday in Los Angeles after a battle with pancreatic cancer. P4 » » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 29°C | MIN 18°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7.07 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.39 AM THURSDAY | 4 MAY 2023 | LUDHIANA 2 land in police net with heroin Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 Two persons were arrested by the police on charge of drug peddling in separate incidents. The anti-narcotics cell apprehended a 23-year-old man in the first case. SI Tamana Devi of the cell alleged that the suspect, Deepak Kumar, a resident of Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, at present staying in the New Shimlapuri area of Ludhiana, was riding a motorcycle when he was stopped for checking at New Shimlapuri. The police seized 135 gm of heroin from his possession. A case has been registered against him under Sections 21B, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act at the Shimlapuri police station. The suspect was presented before a local court, which sent him to police custody for further investigation. In the other incident, the police arrested a man, identified as Ranbir Singh, of Sukhdev Nagar in Ludhiana. SI Kulwinder Singh said the suspect was arrested when he was going on a motorcycle at Mahavir Colony. The police allegedly seized 35 gm of heroin, Rs 1.20 lakh drug money, a weighing scale and a motorcycle from him. A case under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the suspect at the Tibba police station on Tuesday. 16 fresh Covid cases in district Ludhiana, May 3 The Department of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday confirmed 16 fresh cases of Covid-19. Of the persons tested positive for the virus, five had an influenzalike illness. The department has confirmed a total of 1,14,439 positive cases of the virus and 3,026 deaths in the district so far. At present, 135 cases of the virus were active in the district. — TNS FIGURES Samples Positive Deaths 41,10,471 1,14,439 3,026 GIASPURA GAS TRAGEDY SIT quizzes MC, PPCB officials for 7 hours Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 A five-member special investigation team (SIT) of the Ludhiana police has started its investigation in the Giaspura gas tragedy in which 11 persons died allegedly after inhaling some toxic gas on Sunday. On Wednesday, the SIT questioned senior officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the Municipal Corporation. The questioning continued for about seven hours today. SEWERAGE BOARD OFFICIALS LIKELY TO BE QUESTIONED The special investigation team can also question officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board and other persons, as per information. It will also inspect industrial units and their waste chemical disposal mechanism. Earlier, the SIT had summoned the officials of the civic body and the PPCB for questioning regarding the incident. The SIT can also question officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board and other persons, as per information. Notably, the five-member team is headed by Deputy Commissioner Of Police (Investigations) Harmeet Singh Hundal. The other members are ADCP Suhail Qassim, ADCP Tushar Gupta and the ACP and the SHO concerned. The SIT will also inspect industrial units and their waste chemical disposal mechanism. The area where the gas leak incident occurred on Sua Road in Giaspura. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA NGT joint panel to visit site on Monday During inspection, industrial unit found running without nod, says PPCB official Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 In the preparation for the upcoming visit of a joint committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to the Giaspura gas tragedy site, officials from the Municipal Corporation, Punjab Pollution Control Board and other authorities concerned have been visiting affected places on Sua Road, Giaspura. In the incident on Sunday, 11 persons, including three children, had died allegedly due to inhaling toxic gas. An eight-member factfinding joint committee, led by the Punjab Pollution Control Board’s Chairperson, is set to visit the area on Monday, as per a senior official of the PPCB. Sources said officials from the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change are also visiting the site. Meanwhile, Chief Engineer of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Ludhiana, Sandeep Bahl, said the PPCB teams surveyed residential properties within a 500-m radius of the tragedy site on Wednesday. During the MC workers construct a road gully on Sua Road near the Giaspura tragedy site. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA MC BEGINS CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD GULLIES As per sources, the Municipal Corporation has commenced the construction of road gullies near the tragedy site. However, officials from the MC’s O&M branch have not been responding to phone calls. inspection, a unit operating from a rented property was found today. Bahl said the unit was involved in zinc plating but its staff failed to produce any approvals or show installation of a treatment plant. The staff had been instructed to present their Ban goes up in smoke Four days on, residents still in shock, await info on toxic gas leak incident Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 Even four days after the gas tragedy occurred on Sua Road in Giaspura, residents of the area are still in a shock and waiting for information about the exact cause behind the toxic gas leak that allegedly claimed the lives of 11 persons. The worried residents are urging the government to take necessary action to prevent such tragedies in the future. Ram Singh Yadav, a resident of Giaspura, has demanded that the probe into the gas tragedy must be completed within a specific time frame and findings must be made public. He expressed shock over the alleged leak of toxic gas(es) from the sewer, STOP DUMPING OF TOXIC MATERIAL INTO SEWERS ❝ We urge the government to take strict measures to ensure that no industry dispose of untreated waste or chemicals into sewer lines. Strict action must be taken against factories which are dumping the untreated chemical waste into the sewers. — Ram Singh Yadav, A RESIDENT which claimed the lives of 11 persons, and said: “We want to know how the incident occurred and the gas was formed and leaked.” “We urge the government to take strict measures to ensure that no industry dispose of untreated waste or chemicals into sewer lines. Strict action must be taken against factories which are dumping the untreated chemical waste into the sewers,” he said. Sanjay Kumar Gupta, another resident of the affected area, expressed ❞ concern over the gas tragedy that claimed the lives of three children and others. He said the cause of the tragedy was still not known, which had left residents fearful and anxious. Gupta urged the government to expedite the investigation and reveal details of how the gas leak occurred and led to the fatal incident. “The loss of human lives has caused immense grief and sorrow to us. It is crucial to identify the root cause of the tragedy and ensure that records before the PPCB, and if they fail to do so, appropriate action would be taken against them. According to sources, the Municipal Corporation has commenced the construction of road gullies near the tragedy site. However, officials from the civic body’s O&M branch have not been responding to phone calls. A resident of the affected area also alleged that the cover of a sewer manhole was found partially broken at a short distance from the incident site on Sunday. Later, the civic body replaced manhole covers which were in a bad condition on the stretch. Meanwhile, traffic movement has been resumed on a stretch that was closed after the tragedy. necessary safety measures are put in place to avoid such incidents in the future. The residents of the area are awaiting swift action by the government to ensure their safety and restore their confidence,” he said. According to an official of the PPCB, their probe into the incident is underway. Ludhiana South MLA Rajinderpal Kaur Chinna said at present, the authorities concerned were investigating the incident and also checking industries located in the area. She said strict action as per the law would be taken if any industrial unit was found violating the norms. After the incident, a magisterial inquiry was ordered and the police had registered an FIR against unidentified person(s). In violation of the norms, waste is burnt in the open on a road in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN 2 booked for abetting man’s suicide hiana, the police have filed a case of abetment to suicide against two persons. The victim has been identified as Naseeb Singh. Didar Singh, the deceased’s father, filed a complaint and an FIR was registered based on his statement. He claimed that his son, who lived as a tenant in a continued on page 2 Didn’t get enough time to speak: Arora Vigilance questions ex-MLA on finishing one year as Rajya SabhaMP Vaid for fifth time in DA case 8 mobiles, tobacco seized from jail Contact 0161-2444193 0161-4622276 Ludhiana, May 3 Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana, Sanjeev Arora, has rued that he had not got enough time to speak in Parliament during his first year in the Rajya Sabha. “The first year has been an experience of achievements and disappointments. However, the biggest disappointment is not getting enough time to debate in Parliament,” he said while sharing his experience as the firsttime parliamentarian. Arora was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha in April last year and he had taken oath in May last. On his performance in the Upper House, he said: “Despite disruptions, I tried my best to perform. I had an attendance of 81 per cent against a national average of 78 per cent and got 73 questions Sanjeev Arora answered against a national average of 45.29.” Key issues that Arora took up were related to affordable health care, farmers, civil aviation, NHAI, textile industry, and railways. Arora had met Union Ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Jyoti Raje Scindia, Mansukh L Mandavia, Anurag Thakur, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Piyush Goel, Bhupender Yadav and Anupriya Patel to represent demands of his area. “During my meetings, I took up issues of state and national importance as well,” he said. Arora said he had also met President Draupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar, his predecessor M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Citing another major achievement, he said: “I was made a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare and had attended meetings regularly and discussed various issues such as Budget allocations, mental health, and research in health.” “My efforts paid off in getting the Halwara airport take off and it will be completed in record time at a cost of around Rs 100 crore,” he said, adding that all NHAI projects were put on a fast track in the state, especially Ludhiana. Besides, four more bridges were approved by the NHAI in Ludhiana and the renovation of the railway station in Ludhiana has been put on a fast track at the cost of Rs 500 crore. “All MPLAD funds have been sanctioned for the first year, of which 90 per cent were given to educational and health institutions,” he said. He added that he would continue to strive for overall development and bringing a positive change in the city. “My achievements encourage me to work more with enthusiasm and dedication,” the Rajya Sabha member asserted. — TNS c m y b Ludhiana, May 3 A day after a 36-year-old man allegedly died by suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan on Old Police Chowki Road in Lud- Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 3 On Wednesday, Congress leader and former MLA from the Gill constituency Kuldeep Singh Vaid was questioned by Vigilance Bureau (VB) officials for the fifth time since raids were conducted on his properties. The officials questioned him for around three hours regarding his alleged disproportionate assets today. According to an official, Vaid is yet to submit records of some of his properties. Earlier in March, the Vigilance Bureau had launched an investigation into the alleged disproportionate assets of Vaid, who is also a former bureaucrat. During PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN FOR ANY INFORMATION RELATED TO COVID As per VB, Kuldeep Vaid is yet to submit records of some properties. the raids, the officials had searched his residence and other properties and sought records for nearly 10 properties linked to Vaid. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Vigilance Bureau, Ravinderpal Singh Sandhu said Vaid had submitted records for some of the properties. He had yet to submit records for the remaining properties. He had been instructed to appear before the Vigilance Bureau on May 8 with the required records. Ludhiana, May 3 Officials of the Central Jail seized eight mobile phones and 11 packets of tobacco during routine checking on the jail premises. In the first incident, two inmates were booked after jail staff allegedly seized two mobiles from them. The duo have been identified as Rajan Jain and Shivam. A case under Section 52-A (1) of the Prisons Act, 2011, has been registered against them at the Division Number 7 police station. In the other case, the jail staff claimed to have seized 11 packets of tobacco and six mobile phones. No one has been identified yet. A case has been registered at the Division Number 7 police Station under Sections 42 and 45 of the Prisons Act, 1894, and 52-A (1) of the Prisons Act, 2011. — TNS