24102023-JTR-01.qxd 10/24/2023 12:31 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune STUDENTS IN NAWANSHAHR TAKE ANTI-DRUG PLEDGE DEEPIKA AND RANVEER WERE ‘SECRETLY ENGAGED’ IN 2015 DRASHTI ON HOW SHE APPROACHES A CHARACTER As part of drug awareness campaign, a massive solidarity drive was launched at Shahid Bhagat Singh Memorial. P2 The first episode of the eighth season of Koffee with Karanwill feature Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. P3 Actress Drashti Dhami will be seen reprising her role in the Season 2 of crime thriller series Duranga. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 28°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5:43 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:31 AM TUESDAY | 24 OCTOBER 2023 | JALANDHAR FIVE BOOKED ON MURDER CHARGE Phagwara: The Bilga police have booked five persons on the charge of murdering a covillager. SHO Mohinder Pal said the suspects had been identified as Chandan Kumar, Gurpreet Gopi, Jaskaran Singh, Sajan Ghai and Sahil Shaili. The SHO said they murdered Jagdeep Singh, alias Jaggi, a resident of Pati Bagga Bilga village, on the night of October 22. Mohinder Kaur, mother of the deceased, complained to the police that the suspects thrashed her son at the cremation ground in Pati Bagga, leading to his death. She said the suspects came to her house on October 19 and threatened to kill her son if he did not behave properly. A case has been registered and raids are being conducted to nab the suspects. OC MAN BOOKED FOR MURDER BID Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have booked a villager on the charge of attempt to murder. Investigating officer (IO) Amrik Lal said the suspect had been identified as Harnek Singh, alias Neka, a resident of Bundala village. Budh Singh, a resident of the same village, complained to the police that the suspects attacked him with the intention to kill on October 19 and injured him seriously. The IO said a case under Section 307 of the IPC has been registered. OC FOUR BOOKED ON ASSAULT CHARGE Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have booked four unidentified persons on the charge of assaulting a man. Sukhjit Singh, a resident of Sunner Kalan village, complained to the police that while he was returning home on the evening of June 21, four unidentified persons attacked him with weapons. They also threatened him with dire consequences. Investigating officer (IO) Manjit Singh said a case under Sections 323, 341, 506 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the unidentified persons. OC SCORPIO, MOBILE PHONE SNATCHED Phagwara: Two unidentified armed robbers snatched a Scorpio car and a mobile phone at pistol-point from a Chandigarh-based lawyer Rohiteshwer Singh near Khangurra village in the Phagwara sub-division on Sunday night. The victim told the police that he was returning to his residence in Sector 34, Chandigarh. The robbers stuck while he stopped his car, bearing registration number CH01C-8718, for some urgent work. They snatched his car and mobile phone at pistol-point and fled the spot. The police have registered a case under Section 379-B of the IPC and under provisions of the Arms Act. OC THREE BOOKED ON ASSAULT CHARGE Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by Varinder Kumar, a resident of Madhopur village, the Sadar police have registered a case under Section 323, 451, 506, 427 and 34 of the IPC against three assailants on the charges of attacking the complainant and ransacking his shop on October 13. The assailants, identified as Vishal Sandhu, Ravinder and Parminder, are still at large, the police said. OC District sees only 29 farm fire cases so far Rain, delayed harvesting likely reasons; spike expected Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 23 Only 29 stubble burning cases have been reported from the district so far. The number may give an impression that the situation has improved in Jalandhar, but Agriculture Department officials say the cases were less due to rain and delay in harvesting. The officials said cases were likely to increase by the end of October and first week of November. Showers in the past few weeks and on Sundays had delayed the harvesting process. Tarsem Singh, a farmer from Ucha village in Jalandhar, said only 30 per cent of his produce was cut. “Due to rains, it will take another 15 days to harvest the paddy. Some of the mature paddy fell down. Hence, it will not be of any use now,” he said. As many as 1,549 stubbleburning incidents were reported in 2019. The tally increased in 2020 when the district witnessed 1,763 incidents. More than 1,800 cases were registered in 2022. Last year, the tally was above 2,000. The cases are increasing every year. Though the department tries hard to convince farmers not to burn stubble, it seems a tough task for them. The department, Officials said cases were likely to increase by the end of October and first week of November. FILE PHOTO FIGURES OF PREVIOUS YEARS As many as 1,549 stubble-burning incidents were reported in 2019. The tally increased in 2020 when the district witnessed 1,763 incidents. More than 1,800 cases were registered in 2022. Last year, the tally was above 2,000. however, is keeping a proper check in the villages to ensure that such incidents are avoided. A farmer from Shahkot said there was one paddy stubble managing machine for several farms. “It is not possible with a single machine to manage stubble in every farm,” he said. To tackle the problem, the Agriculture Department last year took the initiative of creating videos of farmers who have not burnt stubble for the past several years and sending these to others through social media. Along with the videos, contact numbers of farmers were also shared so that those who want to adopt the method to manage the paddy could discuss it in detail with the progressive farmers. The Agriculture Department was putting videos on a YouTube channel, ‘Safal Kisan’, and circulating these among district farmers. The department had identified 47 hotspots last year where maximum fire incidents were reported. Out of 981 villages in the district, 47 got their name registered in the hotspot category of villages in Jalandhar district. 11 farmers honoured for not burning stubble Jalandhar, October 23 As part of the awareness campaign of the Punjab Government not to burn paddy stubble, 11 farmers of various blocks of the district were awarded as “Vatavaran De Rakhe” (Protectors of Environment) here today. These farmers have set an example in sustainable farming by not burning paddy stubble. During the felicitation ceremony at the district administrative complex, Deputy Commissioner Captain Karnail Singh praised the farmers upholding environmentfriendly practices, saying they were giving a valuable message by saving the environment, soil fertility and friendly insects. Others farmers should also take inspiration from them. The farmers who were honoured on the occasion included Sarwan Singh from Nasirewal village; Harjeet Singh of Saidpur block, Sultanpur Lodhi; Pargat Singh from Ibrahimwal village; Surinder Singh from Bulaiwal village, Nadala block; Gurnam Singh from Bishanpur village; Pardeep Singh from Manak village, Phagwara block; Gur- Deputy Commissioner Captain Karnail Singh with the farmers who were felicitated at the District Administrative Complex in Kapurthala on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO mail Singh from Dhaliwal Bet village; Sharandeep Singh from Dhaliwal, Dhilwan block; Sheetal Singh from Sandharjagir village; Palwinder Singh from Alodipur village; and Fuman Singh from Kala Sanghian village. Sharing their experiences, the farmers said the crop yield was better when stubble was managed with machines and the fertility of fields was also strengthened. The DC said the agriculture and farmer welfare departments had been continuously carrying out village-to-village awareness activities in the district, which benefited the farmers. Distributing certificates among farmers as “protectors of the environment”, the Deputy Commissioner said all farmers should ensure the use of agricultural machinery available on subsidy from the state government to manage paddy stubble. He said by mixing stubble in fields, the practice of setting it on fire could be discouraged and environment as well as soil fertility could be saved. Farmers, cooperative societies and farmer groups of the district should use machinery for paddy straw maintenance and ensure it was made available to other farmers on a priority basis. The Deputy Commissioner said in future also other such farmers would be honoured. Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Naresh Kumar Gulati said on the basis of the names suggested by all the blocks of the district, these farmers had been selected and awarded with certificates under the Atma scheme. Kapurthala SDM Lal Biswas and Sultanpur Lodhi SDM Jaspreet Singh were also present. — TNS/OC Two killed in Phagwara road mishaps Our Correspondent Phagwara, October 23 A man died on the spot after a speeding tractor hit his bike, bearing registration number PB-09H-8020, near Virk yesterday. The deceased has been iden- Minister takes stock of paddy procurement tified as Vikramjit, a migrant from Bihar, who was presently residing in Palahai village. The police have registered a case under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC against the tractor driver, Dinesh Rai. The police handed over the body to the family members after the post-mortem examination. In another mishap, a man died after a speeding unidentified vehicle hit him near GNA factory in Rihana-Jattan village yesterday. He was brought to the Civil Hospital. Owing to his serious condition, he was referred to Jalandhar where he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased has been identified as Vinod Rishidev, a migrant labourer from Bihar. The police have registered a case under Sections 279 and 304-A of IPC against the unidentified vehicle driver. Standing tall, only to fall Says of 45 lakh metric tonne arrival, 43.50L MT procured in mandis Ashok Kaura Phagwara, October 23 Expressing satisfaction over the ongoing paddy procurement across the state, Punjab Food & Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak today said a total of 45 lakh metric tonne paddy had arrived in mandis, of which 43.50 lakh MT had been procured. While taking stock of paddy procurement at the local grain market, the Minister asserted that the Punjab Government was fully com- mitted to procuring every single grain of the farmers’ produce. Payment worth ~6,100 crore had already been disbursed to farmers, the Minister said, adding that the lifting was also going on expeditiously as more than 20 lakh MT had been lifted so far. The Minister also interacted with farmers and labourers to get info about the arrangement and facilities in the mandi. He assured that elaborate arrangements had been put in place by the government well in advance so that no stakeholder faced any problem at the time of procurement. The Minister said the Bhagwant Mann-led government had set-up 1,845 procurement centres where procurement was going on seamlessly. Kataruchak said he was personally monitoring process as he had already visited 17 districts to inspect the paddy procurement. He also urged the farmers to bring only dry paddy in the mandis so that their produce should be procured within minimal time. In an appeal to the farmers, Lal Chand Kataruchak said farm fires should be contained in larger public interest. The Minister advocated the mechanised management of stubble in the field itself, which was call of the day. He also took stock of procurement in district mandis. SDM Lal Biswas Bains, AAP leader Manju Rana, Improvement Trust chairman Gurpal Singh Indian and officials concerned were also present on the occasion. People look at the effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna on the eve of Dasehra, in Jalandhar on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH 4 held under Arms Act Farmers burn Centre’s effigy over demands Man arrested with illegal pistol Threaten to hold protest at toll plazas throughout the state next month Our Correspondent Tribune News Service The suspects in police custody in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 23 The Sadar police have arrested four persons and recovered two pistols and four live cartridges from their possession. The suspects have been identified as Kamalpreet Singh, Jaskomalpreet Singh, Manish Kumar and Kuldeep Kumar. According to information, a police party was on a regular checking near Jasmsher. On suspicion, the police signalled the driver of an Alto car, bearing registration number PB09K3427, to stop for checking. During the checking, the police recovered illegal pistols and live cartridges from car occupants. The police also seized the vehicle. The police said a case under Sections 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act had been registered. Further investigations were on in the case. Jalandhar, October 23 In a show of defiance and frustration, farmers belonging to 18 unions, under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, marked ‘Kisani Dasehra’ by burning symbolic effigies of the Centre to protest the government’s continued disregard for their long-pending demands. The protest was held in Shahkot here. Similar protests were also held in different parts of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Gurmail Singh, district president of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, voiced the sentiments of the farming community. Singh highlighted the delay in compensation for flood vic- c m y b TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH INBRIEF Members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee burn an effigy of the Centre at Sahkot in Jalandhar. tims, denial of permanent ownership rights for settlers, unfulfilled pledges to combat drug-related issues, lack of attention to debt relief for marginal farmers and elusive justice to martyrs of the Delhi movement and Lakhimpur Khiri incident. Farmer leaders said in response to the government’s inaction, they had decided to stage protests at toll plazas throughout the state in the month of November. The farmer leaders reiterated that they had exhausted all avenues to rouse the government from its complacency, underscoring their belief that these administrations primarily serve the interests of large corporate entities while neglecting the welfare of farmers and the general public. They warned that unless the government takes immediate steps to address their grievances, they would intensify their protests. Phagwara, October 23 A team of the Government Railway Police (GRP), headed by in-charge Gurbheij Singh, arrested a Bihari migrant and recovered a country-made pistol from his possession on Sunday night. The suspect has been identified as Tofiq Khan, a resident of Tilpur village, Betia district, Bihar. He was presently residing in Mohalla Kaulsar, Phagwara. A case under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against the suspect. He was today produced before the judicial magistrate, who sent him in twoday police remand for further investigation.