05092023-ATR-01.qxd 05-09-2023 00:34 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY FARMERS DEMAND HIKE IN RELIEF TO FLOOD-HIT FARMERS AKSHAY OBEROI SET TO STAR IN THE FILM TU CHAHIYE NEETI MOHAN'S MANTRA FOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE Farmer organisations held a dharna in front of the DAC demanding release of aid to the flood-hit farmers. P2 Akshay is all set to grace the big screen once again, this time in a romantic drama titled Tu Chahiye. P3 Singer Neeti Mohan has revealed her mantra for how to balance motherly duties with career. P4 » » MAX 36°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.50 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6.08 AM » TUESDAY | 5 SEPTEMBER 2023 | AMRITSAR INBRIEF 2 BIHAR NATIVES BOOKED FOR FRAUD Amritsar:Majitha police have booked two persons, including a woman, on the charge of fraud after a local resident was duped of Rs 2.5 lakh by online fraudsters. On the basis of investigations, the accused, identified as Ramesh Kumar of Champaran, Bihar, and Shweta Kumari of Gopalganj, Bihar, were booked. The victim, Gurmit Singh of Jethunangal village, said he had got a call on July 21 this year in which the caller posed as his relative from Canada. He demanded the money as he was trapped in an emergency situation. He deposited the amount and later found that it was a fraud. TNS Valmiki community flays AAP MLA’s remarks on Bori video A national-level tourism fair to be organised in district in January Tribune News Service Paavan Valmiki Tirath Sangharsh Committee led by Kumar Darshan during a protest outside Ram Tirath temple in Amritsar on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service DRUG PEDDLER HELD WITH HEROIN Amritsar: Bhindi Saida police have arrested Jagdeep Singh of Miadi Kalan village for allegedly possessing 210-gm heroin. SubInspector Gurpreet Singh said that he was arrested during patrolling in Miadi Kalan village. They found a youth coming from the Chak Fateh Khan village side. He was signalled to stop, but he tried to escape. Later, the police recovered the contraband from him. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against him. TNS Rangla Punjab Tourism Summit begins on Sept 11 Amritsar, September 4 Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) and AAP MLA from Amritsar North Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh today faced a protest at the entrance of Ram Tirath temple by various organisations of the Valmiki community on Monday. He was participating in a blood donation camp organised by the Valmiki Sant Samaj led by Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram, Dhuna Sahib, at the temple complex here. He also donated blood on the occasion. Dhuna Sahib chairman Om Parkash Gabbar and vice-chairman Vinod Bitta were present on the occasion. A section of the community was angry over his alleged remarks, ‘Gangstran Di party’, given to a private channel after a video went viral wherein several cops were seen partying in a birthday bash at a hotel. An alleged gangster Kamal Kumar Bori was also present there, leading to a controversy. Seven policemen including two DSPs were shifted to Bathinda and Patiala police range. The party was organised by Kumar Darshan of Paavan Valmiki Sangharsh Committee on August 7 but it went viral at the end of last month. Following the viral video, Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh had taken up the matter with CM Bhagwant Mann about the nexus between criminals and Punjab Police officials. Various organisations of the community today gathered outside the gate of the Ram Tirath temple. They raised slogans against Kunwar Vijay Pratap and accused him of dividing the community. Police teams remained deputed at the entrance gate to thwart any untoward incident. Due to the protest, Kunwar Vijay Pratap took an alternate route to reach the spot where a blood donation camp was held. Amritsar, September 4 To give a big boost to the tourism industry of the state, a three-day Rangla Punjab Tourism Summit will be organised from September 11 at Amity University, SAS Nagar (Mohali). Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Punjab, Anmol Gagan Mann on Monday made this announcement while addressing a meeting of businessmen related to the tourism industry in Amritsar. She said, “Lakhs of tourists come to Amritsar daily, which is a good thing, but Punjab has immense potential for the tourism industry beyond spiritual tourism. “The information about Punjab outside of the state is nominal. Efforts of my department is to promote the tourism industry in the state by bringing all the historical and cultural places at the forefront Anti-drug campaign: Police-public meetings held to put check on drug trade, consumption Undertrial escapes from Civil Hospital PK Jaiswar Tarn Taran, September 4 An undertrial admitted to the local Civil Hospital, Tarn Taran, for treatment escaped from custody here on Monday. The accused has been identified as Gagandeep Singh Sonu (40), who was lodged in Central Jail, Goindwal Sahib, in a murder case. He complained of chest pain and was admitted to the Civil Hospital on Saturday. SMO Kawaljit Singh said the undertrial was kept in a different room of the hospital meant for jail inmates and when the employees of the hospital on duty went to the room of the accused, neither Gagandeep Singh nor any security guard was present there. He said the city police were informed about the incident. DSP Tarsem Masih visited the hospital and collected details of the incident. He said jail authorities had deputed three security guards to keep watch on the undertrial. Masih said jail authorities would lodge a complaint in this regard. — OC Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 4 In its fresh month-long drive against drug abuse, the Punjab Police held police-public meetings in the rural as well as city areas here today. Senior Superintendent of Police, Amritsar rural, Satinder Singh held the public meetings at Gujjapeer village falling under Ajnala sub-division and Bhittewad village in Rajasansi area. Speaking on the occasion, the police officials sought cooperation from the people in their effort to eradicate the drug menace from society. The SSP urged them to inform the police about those who were involved in drug peddling in their villages so that their network could be smashed. “Until your help and cooperation is extended, it would be difficult to end the drug menace from society,” he told the people. He assured that the police would keep the identity of those who Police officials hold a public meeting during an anti-drug campaign in Amritsar on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO inform a secret. Similarly, Superintendent of Police (Detective) Jugraj Singh held public meetings at Passia village in Ramdass police station area, MR Palace in Ajnala and Government School in Muradpura village. Various police officials including SHOs of different police stations today held police-public meetings in schools, educational institutes and at other places. They informed them about the ill-effects of drug abuse and urged people to make the drug addicts aware about the harmful effects of the substance they consume as also assistance from the police in providing treatment to the victims. People were urged to share actionable inputs regarding drug peddlers active in their areas so that police teams could act against them. He Four of snatchers’ gang nabbed Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 4 CIA staff arrested four members of a snatchers’ gang and confiscated a car, a pistol, a sharp-edged weapon, and two stolen bikes from their possession here on Monday. Those arrested were identified as Gurjit Singh, alias Baba of Kaura village (Gurdaspur), Dharminder Singh of Chak Aul village (Gurdaspur), Kulbir Singh of Bhoma village (Gurdaspur) and Gurprabhjit Singh of Cheema Bath village in Beas (Amritsar). One of their accomplices, identified as Jaskaranpreet Singh of Kaure village, is absconding. Amandeep Singh, in charge, CIA staff, said police teams were investigating two snatching instances in which said this would help in breaking the supply chain of drugs which is one part of the antidrug campaign. Rehabilitation and treatment of drug abuse victims is another part of the drive, he said. Parminder Singh Bhandal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said besides holding public meetings, the police was also using social media platforms to spread awareness against the drug menace. Petrol station salesman robbed of ~13K Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Punjab, Anmol Gagan (centre) addresses mediamen in Amritsar on Monday. SUNIL KUMAR and promote them as sites of not just historical tourism, but also bring them into mainstream commercial tourism market,” she said. Mann said the Department of Tourism was soon launching an application that would act as a single platform for dissemination of information about popular tourism spots, hotel bookings, tourism guide, etc, to help any tourist to travel around the state. “Besides, based on Punjab’s heritage, sports, food, agriculture, rural economy, Punjabi dance, etc, we have planned Residents protest as pits dug to lay LPG pipeline not filled yet DAYANAND NAGAR Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 4 Residents of Dayanand Nagar are irked over laying of LPG pipeline by a private firm in their area. The company workers had dug pits to lay the pipeline in streets of Dayanad Nagar on the Lawrence Road around 15 days ago. The uncovered pits are posing a threat to the lives of residents and commuters. The soil dug out from the pits is also lying alongside the pits causing inconvenience to residents. The narrow streets of Dayanand Nagar are witnessing traffic congestion after the digging of these pits. The residents claim that some of the pits are filled with rainwater, garbage, leaves and filth. These pits are dangerous as someone can fall into pits. Rajeev Kalia, a resident of Dayanand Nagar, said, “The workers of the contractor hired by Gujrat Gas agency had dug A pit dug by workers employed by a contractor to lay gas pipeline at Dayanand Nagar in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR a pit and drilled the pipeline outside my home around 15 days ago. I asked the workers to fill the pit after installing the pipeline, but they told me that were yet to install joints. The assured that after the installation of joints, they would fill the pit, but no one has visited the area since. Some of the workers were digging pits on the Lawrence Road and we had asked them to fill them, but they didn’t visit here again. Now we are facing a huge inconvenience due to these pits WARD WATCH WARD NO 47 The four accused in custody of CIA staff in Amritsar on Monday. victims were assaulted and robbed by the unidentified snatchers. During investigations, the police zeroed in on the five suspects and four of them were arrested by the police. He said the accused had several criminal cases registered against them. They were currently on police remand and further investigations were in progress. The police may likely to solve several snatching incidents occurred in the city. c m y b in the area. If the company is not working properly, the municipal corporation should monitor its functioning or the work being done by its staff.” Besides Dayanand Nagar area, residents from various other localities have been complaining against the gas company for delaying the pipeline-laying work and damaging streets and roads. The residents asked the MC to keep a check on the firm and get the pits filled and roads and patches repaired in a time-bound manner. Choked sewers, poor sanitation irk residents Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 4 Three armed miscreants looted cash from an employee of Punjab Petrol Pump, Plasaur, here on Monday evening. The masked armed robbers came to the petrol station on a motorcycle and suddenly made a bid to rob ~13,900 from the salesman, Happy, who was busy in work at that time. The salesman tried his best to save the cash and scuffled with the robbers who fired three shots at him. DSP Tarsem Masih who visited the spot said the armed robbers, who were riding a motorcycle, were wearing a mask. The DSP said a case had been registered. — OC to hold 23 big tourism fairs in the state next year, in a series of which, the first nationallevel summit will be held in Amritsar in January. The 15day festivals will focus on attracting NRIs as well entrepreneurs from the tourism industry from different states and countries to invest in the state,” she said. She said shuttle bus service would also be launched soon for tourists visiting the holy city. “Tourism police and a special medical helpline for the convenience of tourists will also be launched,” she added. Principal Secretary of the department Rakhi Gupta Bhandari gave a presentation on tourism potential in the state. CEO Invest Punjab DPS Kharbanda said, “All the entrepreneurs who were addressing that if you share any project details with us then we will take every approval in due course of time considering our responsibility.” AMRITSAR Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 4 Ward number 47 of the city comprises areas like Cheel Mandi, Ekta Nagar, Ram Bagh, Katra Baggian and City Centre. Residents of this ward as also those in its neighbourhood face problems like regular choking of sewers and contaminated water. Apart from this, stray animals roaming around in The dirty water from an overflowing sewerage accumlates on the City Centre road in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Ram Bagh Sabji Mandi and poor sanitation irk the residents. Traders at the City Centre these days have been upset because of the choking of sewer lines. Simaranjit Singh, a trader at the City Centre, said, “The stinking sewer water overflowing from the manholes causes inconvenience to the traders and visitors at the City Centre. The MC did not desilt the sewer lines timely which caused choking.” Garbage dumping points on the corners of the markets have also become an eyesore. Due to irregular lifting of garbage from houses and markets, the residents and traders are forced to dump the garbage at street corners. A garbage dump on the Cheel Mandi invites stray dogs and cattle. “Like other wards of the walled city, residents of Ward number 47 are also facing sanitation issues. Here, the Ram Bagh Sabji Mandi invites stray cattle, which can be seen roaming around in the area any time. The choking of sewer line is also a routine affair. The sewer lines had been installed decades back and require regular desilting,” continued on page 2