04112023-ATR-01.qxd 11/4/2023 12:01 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 29°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C VEHICLES SANS REFLECTORS PUT COMMUTERS’ LIVES AT RISK NICOLAS CAGE HAS SLAMMED THE USE OF AI IN FILMMAKING ROHITASHV GOUR VISITS HIS ACTING SCHOOL AFTER 20 YRS The absence of reflectors and tail lights on the rear side of vehicles poses a risk to the lives of motorists in the city. P2 Acclaimed actor Nicolas Cage has slammed the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, calling it a ‘nightmare’.P3 Rohitashv Gour visited his acting school in Delhi after two decades, rekindling a profound sense of nostalgia. P4 » » SUNSET SATURDAY 5.38 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:49 AM » SATURDAY | 4 NOVEMBER 2023 | AMRITSAR Decline in farm fires fails to bring relief as city’s AQI level reaches unhealthy 164 People returning home from work becoming late night targets of snatchers 11 FIRs registered against farmers on Friday for burning crop residue in fields Localities near Chali Khuh and Jora Phatak have become a hunting ground for snatchers. The area remains secluded during evening hours thereby giving ample opportunities to miscreants to rob people. Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 3 The farm fire incidents appear to be under reported if the escalated Air Quality Index (AQI) level is anything to go by. The AQI level today reached an unhealthy 164 in the city. On the other hand, the farm fire incidents have declined during the past three days. Today, 43 cases of farm fire were reported. The number of such cases was 86 and 57 on November 1 and 2, respectively. The city’s AQI level has been in the unhealthy category for the past 10 days. The sky remained overcast on Friday. People were expecting rain, but it didn’t come. The authorities have filed 11 FIRs, including six under There is no respite from environment pollution for residents in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Section 188 of the CrPC for defying the orders of the DC issued under Section 144 of the CrPC and five under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Along with fire tenders, officials of the Agriculture Department and the district administration visited those farms where stubble was set on fire. In several cases they took along owners of farms to douse the flames. On the complaint of Cluster Officer Amardeep Singh, officials of the Jantipur police post filed cases against three farmers of Sarhala village under Section 188 of the CrPC. The Attari Naib Tehsildar took along a fire tender to douse burning crop residue on 32 kanals. Environment experts of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) have attributed the spike in the city’s AQI level to farm fires and absence of rain. The average AQI, which was 89 from October 1 to 24, went up to 150 during the past 10 days. They said climatic conditions during the winter also led to increase in the environmental pollution. The wind velocity was not enough to carry away pollutants. Unable to escape from the environment, these pollutants were concentrating at the same level and increasing pollution, they added. 2 women hurt in firing at 337 kg spurious khoya seized, destroyed Pandori Ran Singh village PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Dashmesh Nagar residents say such incidents are common Amritsar, November 3 Some unknown persons injured and robbed a person identified as Rajesh Kumar, a resident of a Dashmesh Nagar locality, near Jora Phatak, here last midnight when he was returning home from work. He works at a shop near the Golden Temple area and usually returns home late in the night. The unknown miscreants snatched a mobile phone and Rs 2,000 from Rajesh. He suffered sharp weapon injuries on his arms and legs. “I was going home on a cycle. When I reached an underpass near Jora Phatak, the suspects stopped me. Before asking anything, they attacked me with a sharp weapon. I received injuries on arms and legs. They snatched my mobile phone and cash before fleeing,” said Rajesh. A complaint had been lodged with the Mohkampu- ❝ ❞ Pawan Kumar, CITY RESIDENT ra police station in this connection and a probe was on. His is not the only case. A week ago another resident from the area identified as Rinku met the same fate. He was returning home after duty at a factory when he was injured and robbed by armed persons. He is yet to fully recover from his injuries. The residents of the localities near Chali Khuh and the Jora Phatak area are critical about the Police Department as such incidents have become an order of the day. Youth held with country-made .32 bore pistol Tarn Taran, November 3 Two women were injured when a group of armed assailants opened fire at Pandori Ran Singh village on Thursday over a minor altercation between two residents of the village. The injured women have been admitted to the local Civil Hospital where their condition has been described as stable by doctors. The Chabal police have nominated 13 persons as suspects in the incident out of which six have been identified. Inspector Rajinder Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), Chabal police station, said there was an altercation between Surinderpal Singh and Gurbinder Singh Nikka of the same village over car parking by the lat- ter in a street on Thursday. In a fit of rage, Gurbinder along with his brother Jatinder Singh Mota and Beer Singh armed with weapons went to the house of Surinderpal. He called Surinderpal names and trespassed his house. Gurbinder and his accomplice opened fire at Surinderpal’s house. Surinderpal’s sister-in-law (brother’s wife) Kanwaljit Kaur and Rano, their domestic servant, were injured in the firing. The SHO said six of the 13 suspects nominated in the case had been identified as Gurbinder Singh Nikka, Jatinder Singh Mota, Beer Singh, Harjit Singh, Harjinder Singh and Kuldeep Singh. The SHO said all the suspects were absconding and the police was conducting raids to nab them. 3-member SIT formed to probe gambling racket Pre-Partition Sharifpura faces problem of Special camps to register choked sewer, contaminated water supply voters for SGPC elections Our Correspondent Amritsar, November 3 Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav has constituted a three-member special investigating team (SIT) to probe into the gambling racket busted by the city police at a farm house located on the Loharaka road here six days ago. The police had arrested 21 gamblers from the spot and recovered Rs 41 lakh. The police had also recovered a cash counting machine from the house. Among those arrested included residents from Tarn Taran, Batala and Ludhiana. The incident became a talk of the town and it was alleged that the amount seized was much higher. Refuting allegations the police said the entire raid was videographed. The reports reached the higher ups after a local MLA took up the issue with the government and top police officials. The SIT would be led by AIG (Crime) Richa Aginihotri while DSP (Crime), Tarn Taran, Kanwaljeet Singh, and Inspector Amandeeep Singh (Crime branch), Jalandhar, would be its other members. A senior police official said that the investigation would be completed in a month. — TNS Amritsar, November 3 Ahead of Diwali festival, a food safety team seized 337 kg of spurious khoya being manufactured at two houses in Manawala village in Ajnala sub-division here today. The inferior quality khoya was being prepared from skimmed milk powder and refined oil. The team led by Assistant Commissioner Rajinder Pal Singh conducted a raid at the village following a tip-off. The seized khoya was later destroyed and 115 kg of refined oil confiscated while the premises of the two houses were sealed by the department. The team comprising Food Safety Officers Kamaldeep Kaur, Ashwani Kumar, Amandeep Singh and Sakshi Khosla along with the police raided the village late last evening. Assistant Commissioner Tribune News Service A food safety team at a khoya manufacturing unit in Manawala village. Rajinder Pal Singh said that during the raid, Kuldeep Singh was found making spurious khoya by mixing skimmed milk powder and Vanasapti ghee with the help of grinder. The team found 287 kg of spurious khoya which was destroyed on the spot. The team also seized 105 kg of refined oil, besides 44 kg of skimmed milk which was used as adulterant in making khoya. The team raided another house owned by Desa Singh who was also making khoya with skimmed milk powder and refined oil. It recovered 50 kg of spurious khoya, which was destroyed, 18 kg of skimmed milk powder and 10 kg of refined oil from the spot. Both the suspect were arrested and a case registered against them at Lopoke police station here. Amritsar, November 3 The Amritsar (Rural) police have arrested a youth identified as Bikramjit Singh, alias Vicky Bakra, a resident of Baba Bakala, for allegedly possessing a .32 bore country-made pistol along with five bullets. He was intercepted by a police party at a naka. The police also impounded his Royal Enfield motorcycle, which was without registration number. A case under the Arms Act was registered against him and further investigation was under progress to ascertain the source of the weapon and motive behind carrying it. The police are also looking into credentials of the suspect. Drug wrapped in yellow adhesive tape found near Rattan Khurd village. Narcotics,dronerecovered from villages in border belt Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 3 The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Punjab Police in a joint operation have recovered narcotics. In another operation, the BSF recovered a drone from the India-Pakistan border in the Amritsar (Rural) district today. In the first instance, during a search operation around 5 Tribune News Service A broken road; and (right) garbage dumped along roadside at Husainpura in Amritsar on Friday. PHOTOS: VISHAL KUMAR WARD WATCH Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 3 Ward No. 28 of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) comprises Husainpura Chowk, Shivala Road, Sharifpura and Golden Avenue Road. Sharifpura is one of the major localities and is densely populated. Most streets in the Sharifpura area are less than 10 feet wide as the locality was developed during the prePartition era. The sewer lines and water supply lines were also laid in the ’70s. Area residents face issues like choking of sewer lines and potable water contamination. However, during the last few years, the MC replaced old water and sewer lines in the area. Still, there are several streets where the problem of water contamination is being reported. Area residents demanded from the MC to pay special attention towards the old localities, where people live in multi-storied houses in narrow streets. They alleged that unscrupulous elements were targeting people returning home after their work during late evenings. “Localities near Chali Khuh and Jora Phatak have become a hunting ground for snatchers. The area remains secluded during the evening hours thereby giving ample opportunities to miscreants to rob people. One of the reasons is rampant drug abuse. One can see youths consuming drugs in the area,” said Pawan Kumar. Many cases go unreported as people refrain from approaching the police. The police also discouraged a victim from filing a complaint if only mobile phone was snatched from him/her. Gurinderbir Singh Sidhu, Assistant Commissioner of Police, said appropriate action was taken whenever such incident was reported. Many snatchers were arrested and put behind bars, he said. — TNS “The sewer lines are too narrow as there was not enough space to install large pipes. The choking of sewer leads to water contamination as water supply lines cross through manholes. A number of streets were recarpeted during the last years, but water contamination and the issue of choking sewers is yet to be addressed,” said Manna, a resident of the area. The authorities dug up the service lane alongside the GT road to lay the sewer lines and water supply pipes. The c m y b side-lane of the GT road is the main approach road for most areas in the ward. After digging up the road, recarpeting work is going on at a snail’s pace. The area also witnesses heavy traffic jam and accidents due to digging. “Localities in the ward face issues like traffic congestion. The digging of side-lane has added to the woes. The authorities concerned should complete the work and recarpet the road. Sanitation conditions are also very poor with heaps of garbage seen lying by the roadside,” Manna said. Amritsar, November 3 The district administration has announced two-day special camps on Saturday and Sunday for registration of voters for the ensuing Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) polls. District Election Officer Ghanshyam Thori here today instructed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to take forms to enrol voters for the SGPC elections at the twoday special camps. He said as per the programme of the Election Commission of India based on the eligibility date of January 1, 2024, the preliminary photo voter lists for the year 2024 were published on October 27 at designated places by officials concerned. He said these lists were available on the website of Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab. Claims and objections regarding revision of voter lists would be received till December 9. The BLOs would receive claims and objections from 9 am to 5 pm on November 4, November 5, December 2 and The SGPC office in Amritsar. December 3 at the allotted polling booths. Any citizen, who would be 18 years of age or above on January 1, 2024, could submit form number 6 to enable him or her cast vote. Besides, form number 7 could be filed for the cancellation of vote and form number 8 for correction or alteration. This process could also be completed online through the website. Thori said, “Voters, political parties and the general public are requested to take advantage of the programme to become voters for the SGPC and general elections.” pm, one packet of contraband suspected to be heroin (gross weight 490 grams) wrapped in yellow adhesive tape was found from a field adjacent Rattan Khurd village. In another search on the outskirts of Dhanoe Khurd village around 5:45 pm, a drone quadcopter (Model - DJI Mavic 3 Classic made in China) was recovered from a field. No arrest was made in either of the incidents. Work stalled in 59 patwar circles of district to resume Amritsar, November 3 The work for the registration of properties, release of farad for zamanat, taking loans from banks and issuing different certificates has come down by 75 per cent in the urban areas for the past 64 days due to the stand taken by patwaris and kanungos against the government. The government today appointed 27 retired law officers and patwaris in those circles on contract basis where the work was stalled. These 27 patwaris would work in 59 circles. After members of the Revenue Patwar Union Punjab went on a pen down strike for an indefinite period on September 1, as many as 156 patwar circles had been lying vacant since then. There were 163 patwaris for 319 patwar circles in the district. Now, the number of patwaris has risen to 190 in the district after new appointments. Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said a demand for the appointment of 55 new patwaris/kanungos in vacant patwar circles was sent to the government. However, the government agreed to appoint only 27 new patwaris. — TNS