01092023-ATR-01.qxd 9/1/2023 12:21 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY 27 ACTIVE DENGUE CASES IN DIST, TALLY STANDS AT 232 HARRY POTTER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JAMIE PASSES AWAY SUSHANT TO HOST SAVDHAAN INDIA’S LATEST SEASON With the spread of vector-borne diseases, the number of Chikungunya cases has also touched 219. P2 Jamie Christopher died of heart complicationson on Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 52. P3 Renowned for its gripping real-life crime stories, the show is making a comeback. P4 » » MAX 36°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.55 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:06 AM » FRIDAY | 1 SEPTEMBER 2023 | AMRITSAR Water supply, overflowing drains trouble residents WARD WATCH WARD NO 32 AMRITSAR Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 31 Ward number 32 that consists of areas from Focal Point to Daburji on GT Road has faced several development related issues. The major localities including New Amritsar, Focal Point, Dashmesh Avenue, Daleep Avenue, National Enclave, Veer Enclave, Garden Avenue, Khankot and Daburji villages lie in ward number 32. Whereas New Amritsar is a posh locality in the ward equipped with all facilities, the residents of Daburji and Khankot villages are deprived of even the basic amenities. The sewer water can be seen overflowing from open drains in Daburji village. Khankot was deprived of a sewer line. Former councillor The road leading to Khankot in Garden Enclave in a shambles in Ward No 32 in Amritsar. TRIBUNE PHOTO Rajesh Madan claimed that he made efforts to install a sewer line in Khankot village. However, the main road leading to Khankot dug up for the installation of sewer lines has been damaged and not re-carpeted again after the completion of the work. Ironically, there are some localities in ward number 32 where there is no water supply and residents are forced to drink water from handpumps and tube-wells. A number of localities which were illegally developed by private colonisers are deprived of sewer and other basic facilities. Former area councillor, Rajesh Madan claimed that Dashmesh Avenue and Daleep Avenue have remained deprived of water supply for the last 20 years. He made efforts and got a tube-well installed in the area. The road infrastructure is also very poor in most of the area. Localities such as Garden Enclave and Veer Enclave approved by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) are being ignored by the Municipal Corporation while issuing funds for development. Harmeet Singh, a resident of Daburji village, said, “Our village had been merged in municipal jurisdiction two decades back but the MC failed to develop it. We are deprived of all basic facilities. The city administration uses our resources but does not provide us with funds.” Farmers body criticises Fresh FIR against Bori govt for invoking ESMA Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 31 Farmer unions have criticised the state government for invoking the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA) fearing that it would be used against farmers fighting to get compensation for loss caused by the floods and on other issues. Though the state government while invoking ESMA stated it has been invoked in view of the protest calls given by deputy commissioner offices employees associations and the revenue employees associations, the farmer leaders stated that such draconian laws are used to suppress the voice of the aggrieved and protesting sections of the society. Jamhoori Kisan Sabha president Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala said, “The government is using misleading advertisements and statements to make people believe that it is doing a wonderful work. Take the example of Rs 6,800 announced for loss of seedlings of paddy. The compensation announced by the government does not even compensate the cost of preparing the fields and the cost of chemicals used. The cost of transplanting seedlings alone is Rs 4,500 per acre and so what is the government compensating.” He said the farmers would stage protests outside the residences of all cabinet ministers of Punjab from September 11 to September 13. — TNS Amritsar, August 31 Day after a video of alleged gangster Kamal Kumar Bori went viral on social media in which he was seen thrashing a man, a fresh case has been registered against him at the Cantonment police station here. He was charged with wrongful confinement and voluntarily causing hurt. The complainant alleged that a video has gone viral on social media in which an unknown man was being thrashed with sticks by four persons, including Kamal Bori, while another man was making the video. The police said they were trying to identify and locate the victim in the video. The video clip was apparently an old one but it was made viral recently. Bori was MC passes resolution to impose ban on 15-year-old diesel autos Amritsar, August 31 A day before taking action against illegal diesel autos, while exercising the powers conferred under Section 229(1)(a) of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act 1976, the General House and MC Commissioner Rahul passed a resolution to impose a complete ban on the plying of 15-yearold diesel or petrol autos in the jurisdiction of the MC to provide relief to the general public and the commuters from the increasing pollution and traffic jams in the city. The Administrator and Commissioner Municipal Corporation Rahul stated that under the ongoing RAAHI scheme under Amritsar Smart City Limited, old diesel autos are to be replaced with e-autos. In the first phase of this process, the administration had issued a sticker to the 15-year-old diesel autos to run vehicles till August 31. Under the first phase, the department put up hoardings all over the city and warned the 15-year-old diesel auto drivers to get eautos by August 31 and also informed that from September 1, action will be initiated. Rahul said resolution was passed under the powers given under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, keeping in mind the problems being faced by the general public and the commuters due to increasing pollution and traffic jams in the city of Amritsar with which now from September 1, complete ban will be implemented on the running of 15-year-old diesel/petrol autos in the corporation limits. From tomorrow onwards, the old diesel autoes would be impounded by the traffic police. The joints teams of the MC staff, traffic police and regional transport office has been constituted in this regard. — TNS currently under police remand in another case in which he allegedly kept a pharma trader in wrongful confinement and thrashed him. The case was registered after the police faced the backlash following a viral video in which cops were seen partying in a birthday bash while Bori was also seen alongside them. Five inspectors and two DSPs who were shown in the video were transferred to Malerkotla and Mansa. After the action, his pictures with Deputy Commissioner of Police Parminder Singh Bhandal and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police HS Dhaliwal also surfaced. Later, his pictures with different politicians including an MP former MLAs and , current AAP MLA Jasbir Singh also emerged. Schools in Rayya I, II block to remain closed today Security pledge Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 31 Keeping in view, the various social and cultural activities being organised by several organizations to mark Rakhad Punya Mela, the district magistrate has issued orders to close down all private and government schools in Rayya I and Rayya II blocks on September 1. All other schools in other areas will function as usual. These orders were issued late evening on Thursday. The festival of ‘Rakhar Punya’ is celebrated every year at Baba Bakala, Amritsar, with full enthusiasm and religious gaiety. Schoolgirls tying rakhi on the wrists of BSF jawans on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan at the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Properties worth ~4.11 crore of drug smugglers attached PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 31 The Amritsar rural police have attached properties worth Rs 4.11 crore of seven smugglers nominated in various cases in the rural belt. The properties including residential accommodation were attached through the competent authorities and the administrator NDPS Act. SSP Satinder Singh said properties of Darbara Singh and Dalbir Singh of Dhanoa Khurd, Bikramjit Singh, alias Bikkar, of Kakkar village, Tasbir Singh of Dhanoe Kalan, Gurminder Singh of Cheecha village, Navjot Singh of Baba Budha Avenue of Golden Gate and Samme Kumar, alias Pardhan, of Majitha Road. Bikramjit Singh was held by the state special operation cell in 2012 while another case was registered by Special Task Force in April 2021. He said the police attached a double-storied constructed house, over 132 kanal of agricultural land, a commercial plot, a car and cash. His properties were total worth The house of Dalbir Singh which was attached by the police. Rs 2.20 crores. SSOC had confiscated 11kg heroin, fake Indian currency notes to the tune of Rs 5 lakh, a pistol and eight bullets. Similarly, Dalbir Singh was arrested with 10kg heroin in 2022. The police seized his residential house worth Rs 1.35 crore. Gurminder Singh alias Lalli was arrested by SSOC with 9.6-kg of heroin in 2014. The police attached his residential house worth Rs 28.65 lakh. Darbara Singh was held in 2011 with 6-kg heroin and one pistol. The police attached his residential house of Rs 9.37 lakh. A residential house worth Rs 9.35 lakh of Tasbir Singh, alias Bhalwan, was also attached. Similarly, a car and a bike of Navjot Singh and Samme Kumar was attached. Gurpartap Singh Sahota, Superintendent of Police, said the confiscation of properties were part of the Punjab police drives to hit these drug peddlers financially which would act as deterrent against those jumping into the illegal trade for lure of easy money. Man shot at, critically injured Amritsar, August 31 Some unidentified persons shot at a man, identified as Harbhej Singh of Chananke village, leaving him seriously injured. The incident occurred on Monday night when he was returning home after dropping his relative Kalu Ram, sarpanch of Ghanshampur Khurd village, to his home. The Mehta police station has registered a case of attempt to murder and under the Arms Act against unknown persons in this regard. Harbhej Singh stated to the police that he along with Mohabbatjit Singh was returning after dropping Kalu Ram in his car (PB02-EE-9500). He said when they reached near overhead water tank on the main road, unknown persons in an i20 car stopped abruptly ahead of their car. He said before they could understand anything, unidentified persons started firing at him. The victim said he accelerated the car and sped away from the spot though a bullet pierced car doors and his thigh. A bullet hit his ankle also, he added. He said he barged into sports stadium at Udonangal village. The people rushed him to Baba Bakala Civil Hospital. — TNS Underwater potholes a nightmare for commuters near Old Sabzi Mandi Manmeet Singh Gill City teacher bags Fulbright scholarship Amritsar, August 31 In a first for district, a government school teacher from Ajnala, Dinesh Kumar, has been shortlisted for the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) programme-2024. Dinesh Kumar and Amandeep Singh, another government school teacher from Ludhiana, are among the six shortlisted teachers from India, who will be attending the prestigious FTEA programme in the US later this year. Dinesh, a biology teacher at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Ajnala, said, “We will also be engaged in a 40-day field training where we will be attached to several institutions and schools as educators. It is a matter of pride for me to be selected as the first-ever teacher from Punjab for the prestigious Fulbright TEA (Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement) programme in 2024,” said Dinesh. — TNS c m y b Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 31 The slip road connecting GT road with Hall Bazaar near Old Sabzi Mandi has become a nightmare for commuters because of deadly potholes that are submerged under sewerage water, thanks to the apathy of the Municipal Corporation. The submerged portion of the road has developed deep potholes. Local shopkeepers have used large stones and clothes tied on sticks to warn the commuters, especially three-wheeler drivers, but it is not unusual for vehicles to get stuck there, often for hours. The helpless commuters have found new passages as they try to bypass the stretch by driving over the garbage heaps in the Old Sabzi Mandi while others prefer to cross over the footpath. Inconvenience is faced most by those who do not visit the area frequently or do not have knowledge regarding the condition of the road. “It is a deadly An auto-rickshaw stuck in sewer water on slip road near Old Sabzi Mandi in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR stretch for those who are not from the city and are travelling on the road for the first time as they are unaware of the road’s condition,” said Rajesh, a fruit seller nearby. Rajesh said that vehicles often get stuck in deep potholes and have to be towed away. While the Municipal Corporation is indifferent, the local residents stated that it can at least put up warning signs for the information of commuters. “If finding the sewerage manhole which is the cause of flooding on the road is too difficult, putting up a board warning the commuters can surely be of some help,” said a resident, Joginder Singh. The residents stated that an uninformed biker trying to cross this portion of the road can meet with a serious accident after hitting the potholes which are not visible as these are submerged in water because of lack of information. Senior officials of the local administration must take note of the problem being faced by the commuters, they added.