07112023-JTR-01.qxd 11/7/2023 12:34 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune MAHILPUR FARMER HITS JACKPOT, WINS ~2.5 CR LOTTERY FARAH KHAN JOINS JHALAK DIKHHLA JAA JUDGING PANEL Jhalak Dikhhla Jaahas a special place in my heart, and I have vivid memories of its earlier seasons, says Farah. P4 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 27°C | MIN 14°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 14°C NISHTHA BAGS HER SECOND OG SONG FOREVER WALA ISHQ An elderly farmer, who came from Mahilpur on November 4 to buy medicines, won ~2.5-cr lottery. P2 FORECAST Remarkably, this isn’t the first time Nishtha Sharma has had the privilege to record an original song. P4 » » SUNSET TUESDAY 5:31 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:41 AM » TUESDAY | 7 NOVEMBER 2023 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF WOMAN’S MODESTY OUTRAGED, 2 HELD Festive rush, repair works lead to chaos on city roads Avneet Kaur Long queues of vehicles witnessed throughout the day, commuters hit Phagwara: The Nakodar Sadar police have arrested two persons for outraging a woman’s modesty. Investigating officer (IO) Lovleen Kumar said the suspects had been identified as Kamal Nain Singh and Manjinder Singh Sarpanch, residents of Tahli village. Jeet Singh, a resident of Tahli village, has complained to the police that the suspects waylaid him and his wife on October 17 used derogatory and objectionable remarks against her. They also threatened to entangle her in a false suicide case and threatened them with dire consequences. A case under Sections 354, 509, 506, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered. OC DRUG PEDDLER IN POLICE NET Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a drug peddler on the charge of selling intoxicant tablets. The suspect has been identified as, Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Thamu Wal village. Station House Officer (SHO) Jaswinder Singh said 111 intoxicant tablets and drug money worth ~2,300 were recovered from his possession. The SHO said a case under Sections 22(b), 61 and 85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the suspect. OC MAN BOOKED FOR KIDNAPPING MINOR Phagwara: The Nakodar city police have booked a person on the charge of kidnapping a minor girl. Investigating officer (IO) Buta Ram said the suspect had been identified as Rohit, alias Bargar, a resident of Indra Colony, Nakodar. Pinka, a resident of Mohalla Baghiarr Pura, Nakodar, told the police that the suspect kidnapped her minor daughter on the pretext of marrying her on October 30. The IO said a case under Sections 363 and 366 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) had been registered against the suspect. OC Jalandhar, November 6 Inadequate traffic management and slow progress of road repair by the Municipal Corporation have resulted in inconvenience for commuters during the festive season. Commuters regret that owing to festive rush in the markets, roads are already jam-packed. To top it, ongoing road resurfacing works have exacerbated the situation with traffic on alternative routes having doubled. The Johal Market road is a prime example, the commuters said, which witnesses long queues of vehicles throughout the day due to the closure of an alternative route like Cool Road for resurfacing. Similarly, the Model Town road near Latifpura is undergoing repairs, leading to closures and the need for alternative routes. Residents lament that the Municipal Corporation should have repaired the roads well ahead of the festive season and focused on addressing encroachments that contribute to traffic issues. PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH & MALKIAT SINGH Tribune News Service TRAFFIC HOT SPOTS ■ Johal Market road witnesses long ■ Traffic problem in Model Town, Vehicles stuck in a traffic jam near the Civil Hospital; and (right) Cool Road lying shut due to re-carpeting work in Jalandhar on Monday. Further, the traffic problem in Model Town, spanning Guru Nanak Mission Chowk to Nakodar Chowk, at Jyoti Chowk, Rama Mandi Chowk, Bhagat Singh Chowk, Ravidass Chowk and near Dolphin Hotel, among other routes, has escalated. Even ambulances sometimes get stuck in the traffic jams for prolonged periods. Lakhshit Verma, a shopkeeper, said traffic on nearly all roads becomes unmanageable between 2 pm and 3 pm. “Due to the closure of the ingly, no police personnel are deployed to manage the situation,” he said. Pooja Verma, another resident, mentioned that the Rama Mandi Chowk remains blocked throughout the day due to encroachments and ven- dors occupying the road space. “Despite numerous complaints to the MLA and MC officials concerned, no action has been taken,” she said. Commuters said there was a need for better coordination between the MC and the traf- spanning Guru Nanak Mission Chowk to Nakodar Chowk, at Jyoti Chowk, Rama Mandi Chowk, Bhagat Singh Chowk, Ravidass Chowk and near Dolphin Hotel, has escalated. fic police to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city. They emphasise the need for effective management or implementation of stricter rules to address the problem as excessive vehicles also contribute to air pollution. 2 held with heroin, drug money Shun stubble burning to protect Jalandhar, November 6 The anti-narcotics cell and CIA staff of the city police nabbed two persons and recovered 25 grams of heroin, ~3-lakh drug money and a car from their possession. The suspects have been identified as Sahil Nata, a resident of Hoshiarpur, and Amandeep Singh, a resident of Sodal in Jalandhar. According to the police, Japreeet Singh and Pankaj, who were arrested by the antinarcotics cell with 1.2 kg of heroin last week, revealed the names of Sahil Nata and Amandeep Singh, who were involved with them in the drug trade. The police officials said Sahil was already serving natural resources: DC to farmers Tribune News Service One of the suspects in police custody in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO punishment in a drug smuggling case at the Central Jail, Hoshiarpur. He was brought on production warrant and later arrested, while Amandeep was arrested on a tip-off from near Adarsh Nagar. The officials said the suspects 150 shanties gutted, no loss of life reported Tribune News Service Kapurthala, November 6 As many as 150 shanties were gutted in a fire near Rail Coach Factory here last evening. As many as 12 fire tenders were pressed into service. It took several hours for the firemen to douse the flames. No loss of life was report- 12 fire tenders pressed into service to douse flames ed in the incident. However, poor families lost all their savings and belongings. A relief camp has been set up along the site where the affected families are being provided with meals free of cost. were habitual offenders as several cases under the NDPS Act, Excise Act and other sections were already registered against them. A fresh case under Sections 21-C, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against them. — TNS Man brews illicit liquor, arrested Phagwara, November 6 The Shahkot police have arrested a person on the charge of selling and brewing illicit country-made liquor. Investigating officer Kashmir Singh said the suspect had been identified as Prema, a resident of Sarang Wal village. As many as 10 bottles of hooch, 320 litres of lahan, utensils used for brewing and drug money worth ~785 were recovered from his possession. A case has been registered .— OC Dayalpur villagers take up fight against anti-social elements, apprehend 7 thieves, intruders in 6 months Aparna Banerji INITIATIVE TO ERADICATE DRUGS Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 6 While theft and snatching incidents typically affect villages and belts where drugs are a major problem, a Jalandhar-based panchayat has taken it upon itself to solve the problem on its own. Residents of Dayalpur village at Kartarpur here i have taken it upon themselves to catch thieves who have been entering their village increasingly for the past several months. Cool Road, commuters and school vehicles are diverted towards the Johal Market route, resulting in long queues of vehicles from the narrow road where PPR meets the Johal Market road to Kahlon Hospital. Surpris- queues of vehicles due to closure of alternative route like Cool Road for resurfacing. Model Town road near Latifpura is undergoing repairs, leading to closures. The Sher-e-Punjab Sports Club in the village is also one of the initiatives taken to eradicate drugs. The club now acts as a nursery for kabaddi and volleyball players, besides bodybuilders. << Dayalpur sarpanch Harjinder Singh with other residents. On November 3, panchayat members apprehended two thieves, who stole a cylinder and a phone from the village. The villagers also seized the scooter they were riding and told them they would get the scooter back only when they return the cylinder and phone. In the past five to six months, as many as seven Continued on page 2 c m y b Jalandhar, November 6 Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal today called upon farmers to shun stubble burning to save natural resources as it emits toxic pollutants in the atmosphere. Addressing the farmers at an awareness camp at Rurka Kalan village, Sarangal said: “Farmers of Punjab always lead the nation in bumper crop production to make it self-reliant in food grains. In the field of environment protection, our farmers must rise to the occasion by not burning the stubble in fields”. He said: “Stubble burning can be effectively curtailed with collective efforts. The farmers must adopt in-situ and ex-situ management measures wholeheartedly to manage the stubble. If we want to give a healthy environment to the coming generations, we have to end this ill- practice”. The Deputy Commissioner Paddy straw being burnt at a field in Dalla village in Sultanpur Lodhi. TRIBUNE PHOTO also lauded the efforts of several progressive farmers who were making immense contributions towards environment protection and water conservation through advanced farming practices. He appealed to all the farming community to come forward Continued on page 2 CITY CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH ‘POOR AIR’ The air quality in Jalandhar continues to worsen with each passing day. The city has been persistently registering “poor to severe” air quality level throughout the month of November. The maximum AQI in the city on Monday was recorded at 341, while the average AQI remained at 241. The maximum AQI was recorded at 335, while the average AQI remained at 253 on Sunday. The maximum AQI remained at 341 and the average AQI was 291 November 4. On November 3, the maximum AQI was 359, while the average AQI remained at 273. Hoshiarpur sees 77% decline in farm fire cases this year, says DC Visits fields to take stock of stubble management Hoshiarpur, November 6 Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal said the district administration and the agriculture department are continuously making farmers aware of the smooth management of stubble with several efforts. She said till November 3, fire incidents have been recorded at 50 places in the district by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, Ludhiana, whereas 222 incidents were recorded last year till this date. It shows a decline of 77 per cent in fire incidents as compared to last year. The Deputy Commissioner also took stock of the stubble management work in the district. She visited Nariyala village of Mahilpur block where Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal takes stock of paddy straw management at a field in Hoshiarpur. TRIBUNE PHOTO she appealed to farmers to manage the stubble, instead of burning it. She also visited the fields of farmers who are sowing wheat by managing the stubble without burning it with the help of super seeder. Harminder Singh, a farmer who was present on the occasion, said with the help of his super seeder, he Continued on page 2 Admn, Agri Dept teams make round of K’thala villages Ashok Kaura Kapurthala, November 6 To avert cases of stubble burning, teams of the district administration and agriculture department are visiting villages to motivate farmers to check the practice which has led to farm fires getting doused at more than 60 places. As many as nine teams were making rounds of the villages to keep a close vigil. The teams, including 41 cluster officers at the sub-division level and 190 nodal officers, have been acting according to the instructions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Stating this, Deputy Commissioner Captain Karnail Singh pointed out that the district administration was providing Continued on page 2