02092023-JTR-01.qxd 9/2/2023 12:42 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune BLOCK-LEVEL GAMES FOR KHEDA WATAN PUNJAB DIYAN BEGIN PRINCE NARULA TALKS ABOUT THE POWER OF POSITIVITY BADSHAH, RAFTAAR TO GRACE THE FINALE OF HIP HOP INDIA Games such as volleyball (U-14, 17 and 21 categories), kho kho, kabaddi, and tug-of-war are being held. P2 The king of reality shows, Prince Narula, said to ace the challenge of reality shows one needed to be mentally strong.P3 Rappers Badshah and Raftaar set to bring their magic to the finale of dance reality show Hip Hop India. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 36°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6:44 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:00 AM SATURDAY | 2 SEPTEMBER 2023 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF 23-YEAR-OLD DIES OF SNAKE BITE Garhshankar: A 23-year-old youth, Gurpeet Singh, died of snake bite at Khuralgarh Sahib village on Thursday night. Gurpeet was lying on a bed in his house at night when a snake bit him. Family members took him to the Civil Hospital, Garhshankar. After first aid, he was being taken to Hoshiarpur for treatment but died on the way. Jaswinder Singh, sarpanch of the village, has demanded that the administration should give a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to Gurpreet’s family. OC UP NATIVE RUN OVER BY TRAIN Phagwara: A migrant youth from Uttar Pradesh was run over by a train near the Chiherru railway station on the Phagwara-Jalandhar rail section on Thursday night. Government Railway Police (GRP) in-charge Gurbheij Singh said the deceased was identified as Amir Aalam, a resident of Muzaffarnagar (UP). It is yet to be ascertained whether the youth committed suicide by jumping before a running train or it was an accidental death. The GRP have kept the body in the mortuary of the Civil Hospital for identification after post-mortem. OC SEVEN INJURED IN ROAD ACCIDENT Phagwara: Seven occupants, including six women, of an auto-rickshaw suffered injuries after the vehicle in which they were travelling was hit by a speeding bus on the Phagwara-Mukandpur road on Thursday evening. The injured persons have been identified as Neelam, Anjali, Harman, Bhawna, Sandeep Kaur, Monika and auto-rickshaw driver Sarwan Singh. They were admitted to the local Civil Hospital. The police have registered a case against the bus driver and impounded the vehicle. OC GAMBLER LANDS IN POLICE NET Phagwara: The police have arrested a gambler on the Railway Road here on Thursday night. The gambler was identified as Manoj Kumar, a resident of Satnampura, Phagwara. A case under Sections 13A, 3 and 67 of the Gambling Act has been registered against the accused, the police said. OC Woman, son nabbed with 57 gms of heroin Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 1 The Jalandhar Rural police arrested two drug peddlers - a woman and her son - with 57 grams of heroin, 1 lakh and 10,000 drug money. The suspects have been identified as Jaswinder Kaur and her son Harpreet Kumar, alias Peeta, residents of Talhan. Manpreet Dhillon, SP (Detective), Jalandhar Rural, said Jalandhar SSP Mukhvinder Singh received information regarding the sale of drugs at Talhan village on August 23. After getting information, a police team swung into action arrested the mother-son duo within 2 hours. The police recovered 57 grams of Heroin, ~1 lakh in cash and 10,000 drug money from them. A case under Sections 21-B, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act was registered against the suspects at the Patara police station on August 23. During investigation, the woman told the police that she had deposited the money earned by selling heroin in the bank account of her daughter Jasbir Kaur and her mother-in-law Meeto, a resident of Talhan. They received heroin from Yaspal Singh, alias Rinkle, alias Winkle, a resident of Dhann Mohalla, Jalandhar. The police said Jasbir and Yashpal were also nominated in the case. The police seized bank accounts of Jasbir and Meeto. They recovered ~4 lakh and 15,704 drug money from their bank accounts. The police said raids were being carried out to nab Jabir Kaur and Yashpal. They would also be arrested soon. Swings of joy Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 1 A robbery incident was reported at a house in Banga, Nawanshahr, today. According to information, the robbers fled away with jewellery and cash from the house. In a statement to the police, Paramjit Kaur, owner of the house, said she, along with her son, had gone to her relative’s place in Phillaur on August 30. “When I came back around 5 pm, I saw locks broken and the main gate open. I found ~50,000 cash and silver and gold jewellery missing from, the house,” Kaur said in her statement. The police have registered a case under Sections 454 and 380 of the IPC. A child enjoys a swing at a sabzi mandi in Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Kapurthala DC launches ‘Mera Bill’ app Toll charges hiked ‘Bill Leyao, Inaam Pao’ Draw for 290 prizes worth ~29 lakh every month at Ladhowal plaza Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Jalandhar, September 1 Under Punjab Government’s ‘Bill Leyao, Inaam Pao’ (Bring Bill, Get Prize) scheme, Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Captain Karnail Singh on Friday launched the ‘Mera Bill’ app besides giving a call, especially to youngsters to download it and get prizes, which are to be announced on the 7th of every month. In the presence of taxation officials, the Deputy Commissioner while rolling out the ‘Mera Bill’ app said it was being started to boost compliance of GST as well as to motivate the traders and consumers in this regard. He said people could win prizes every month by just uploading their bills on this app. The bill should be at least of Rs 200 or above, said Captain Karnail Singh, adding that the Punjab Government had already announced that as many as 290 prizes worth Rs 29 lakh would be Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Captain Karnail Singh said people could win prizes every month by just uploading their bills on this app. TRIBUNE PHOTO given on the 7th of every month. Giving details, the Deputy Commissioner said people could easily download the app from the Google play store or app store to get them registered. The bills of registered or non-registered dealers under the GST can be uploaded on the app, which would be further put in for a monthly lucky draw. Pertinently, the initiative was taken under the GST Act-2017 by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to motivate traders and consumers across Punjab. Meanwhile, official of the Excise and Taxation Department also organised a special awareness camp at IK Gujral Punjab Technical University and Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia College, where they apprised the students about the ‘Mera Bill’ app. The officials also interacted with the students to give first-hand info regarding the app. Phagwara, September 1 Commuters travelling from Phillaur to Ludhiana in their own car will now have to shell out more as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) increased rates at the Ladhowal toll plaza, which came into effect today. The toll plaza is situated alongside the Sutlej at Ladhowal between Phillaur and Ludhiana. Confirming this, Anoop Dass and Deepender Kumar, officials of the Ladhowal toll plaza, said every car owner would now have to shell out ~165 for a single journey (presently ~150) and ~245 for multiple journey (presently ~225) to travel a distance of merely 12 km from Phillaur to Ludhiana. Light vehicle owners would now have to pay ~285 for single journey (presently ~265) and ~430 for multiple journey (presently ~395). They said bus and truck drivers would have to pay ~575 for single journey (presently ~525) and ~860 for multiple journey (presently ~790), while more heavy vehicles would have to pay ~925 for single journey (presently ~845) and ~1,385 for multiple journey (presently ~1,265). They said for monthly passes, commuters residing in a 10-km radius would pay the existing rate of ~150 per month, while commuters residing in a 20-km radius would also pay the same rate of ~300 per month. They said only necessary increases had been made, which was an annual exercise. Meanwhile, Congress MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, Dr Navjot Singh Dahia and Parminder Mehta have opposed the increase in toll rates. They said the government or private companies should provide better roads with good infrastructure. The leaders said the increase would affect shortdistance travellers. They urged the government to review its toll-revision policy in the interests of short-distance travellers. Four held for transformer thefts Start work on Lamba Pind-Jandu Singha four-lane road: MP Rinku Tribune News Service 10% REBATE ON PROPERTY TAX Phagwara: The Municipal Corporation has decided to provide a 10 per cent rebate to taxpayers paying property tax before September 30. Municipal Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal said the initiative had been taken to encourage taxpayers to clear their outstanding property tax bills. He said people could deposit their property tax online also at ‘mseva.lgpunjab.gov.in’. Panchal said the MC offices would remain open on every Saturday in the month of September to facilitate the people in depositing their property tax for 2023-24. OC ~50,000, jewellery stolen from house The suspects in police custody in Jalandhar on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 1 The Mehatpur police arrested four persons for stealing transformer and recovered two motorbikes and 5-kg copper wire from their possession. The suspects used to steal transformers in the Mehatpur police station area. Shahkot DSP Narinder Singh said a police team arrested two suspects who stole transformers from two places. The suspects had been identified as Lekhan Heera, a resident of Alu Wali Gali, Vishwakarma Chowk, Miller Ganj, Ludhiana, and Rahul, a resident of Dana Mandi, Ludhiana. They were arrested and stolen goods and parts of transformers were recovered from their possession. A case under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC was registered against them at the Mehatpur police station on August 29. The suspects told the police that they were selling the stolen transformer parts to Amarjit Yadav, a resident of Ghaziabad, UP, who is presently residing in Lal Kuan, and Sonu Singh, a resident of Singhpur, Bahraich, UP, and currently residing in Ludhiana. The police also arrested the duo and recovered stolen transformer parts from their possession. The police recovered two motorcycles and 5-kg copper wire from their possession. c m y b Jalandhar, September 1 Lok Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Rinku on Friday emphasised the need for immediate start of 5.6-km Lamba Pind-Jandu Singha four-lane road project to manage massive traffic flow. Discussing the progress of various development projects, MP Sushil Kumar Rinku said ~27crore Lamba Pind-Jandu Singha project was already approved by the state government and its forest clearance was also obtained by the authorities concerned. He said the projects would ensure the development of Jalandhar by easing out traffic movement both inside and outside the city. He said the projects must be executed in a time-bound manner in the larger public interest. The MP also asked the PSPCL to immediately shift the electricity poles from the stretch so that construction work could be started as soon as possible. He said the PWD had already trans- MP Sushil Kumar Rinku holds a meeting with DC Vishesh Sarangal and other officials. TRIBUNE PHOTO ‘SHIFT ELECTRICITY POLES’ Lok Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Rinku also asked the PSPCL to immediately shift the electricity poles from the stretch so that construction work could be started as soon as possible. He said the PWD had already transferred the required amount of expenditure to PSPCL in this regard. ferred the required amount of expenditure to PSPCL in this regard. Rinku also took stock of the Ladhewali ROB project, Adampur flyover, Adampur Civil Airport, community Hall among others. He said the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was making concerted efforts for the all-around development of Jalandhar and these key projects would pave way for the transformation of urban development. Later, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal ordered the formation of joint committees involving various departments like PSPCL, PWD and Forest for speedy execution of the development projects. SUSPENSION OF 2 OFFICIALS Youth Congress criticises CM Mann’s decision Jalandhar, September 1 Secretary of the Punjab Youth Congress Angad Dutta has strongly criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s decision to suspend two IAS officials from the Panchayat and Rural Development Departments in response to the recent developments stemming from the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decisions. Angad Dutta highlighted the lack of action against Rural Development Minister and questioned the government’s approach to accountability and transparency. He has raised questions over the government’s priorities, emphasising that instead of suspending senior officials like Dheerendra Tiwari and Gurpreet Singh Khaira, the government should have taken strict action against Panchayat Minister Laljit Bhullar, who bears ultimate responsibility for the department’s decisions. “It is shameful that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who decided to dismiss the panchayats, has attempted to make sacrificial lambs out of two officials to save himself and his ministers,” Angad Dutta stated. “Bhagwant Mann should immediately resign, taking moral responsibility, and suspend the minister to maintain governmental decorum. If the CM truly respects the democratic rights of Punjab’s people, he might consider resigning by now. However, it seems that he prioritises power more than safeguarding the interests of people,” Dutta said. — TNS Man dies, driver hurt as tipper falls into canal Mukerian, September 1 A man died while another suffered injuries after a tipper fell into a canal near Zahidpur village on the Hajipur-Mukerian road. According to information, tipper driver Manpreet Singh, along with Jagjit Singh, had gone to bring gravel in a tipper. While they were returning, Manpreet fell asleep while driving. As a result, the tipper went out of control and fell into the canal. Jagjit, a resident of Shahjahanpur, Raikot district, Jagraon, died, while the driver suffered injuries. — OC