12112023-ATR-01.qxd 12-11-2023 00:19 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune EDU INSTITUTIONS CELEBRATE DIWALI WITH FERVOUR FARMERS UNHAPPY AT GOVT STEPS TO MANAGE STUBBLE The steps taken by the government has failed to yield results and added to farmers’ financial burden. P2 MAINLY CLEAR MAX 25°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 22°C | MIN 13°C CAREER FEST AT SHRI RAM ASHRAM PUBLIC SCHOOL Diwali, the festival of lights, was celebrated at various schools in Tarn Taran on Saturday. P2 FORECAST Shri Ram Ashram Public School at The Mall, Amritsar, organised an annual career festival. P2 » » SUNSET SUNDAY 5.53 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6.56 AM » SUNDAY | 12 NOVEMBER 2023 | AMRITSAR 3,000 cops on toes to ensure safe Diwali Amritsar, November 11 Ahead of Diwali festival, the police have been on toes for security in the various parts of the city. Over 3,000 cops have been deputed at vital locations including famous religious shrines and crowded bazaars for safety and security. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Parminder Singh Bhandal said that the police were taking all the measures to thwart any untoward incident. The police officials were directed to remain in the field to maintain law and order. “Being holy city, the festival of Amritsar is world famous and city markets and roads witness unusual rush,” said DCP while adding that the , police were committed to provide safe and secure environment to the people so that they could celebrate the festival with fervour. Entry and exit points of the city have been sealed and nakas are being laid in different areas, he said. Every suspicious vehicle entering the city is being checked. — TNS Employees, pensioners burn CM’s effigy over demands 400-kg spurious khoya seized Tribune News Service Manmeet Singh Gill Was being transported to be further supplied to sweet shops Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 11 Unhappy over the state government’s silence towards the demands of employees and pensioners, the Punjab Employees and Pensioners Joint Front visited the houses of Cabinet Ministers and AAP MLAs to mark a ‘black Diwali’. In a protest outside the residence of Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO today, several employees brunt an effigy of the Punjab Chief Minister and called out the government over its anti-employee decisions. Leading the protest, district convener Gurdeep Singh Bajwa, said that the Punjab government was not serious at all towards the demands of the employees and pensioners. “In the meeting of the Punjab Cabinet on November 6, we had a lot of hope that the government would take some employee/pensioner-friendly decisions, but in this meeting, the government has given tax exemption to the business Government employees and pensioners during a protest in front of the residnece of Power Minister in Amritsar on Saturday. class under the lump sum settlement scheme and nothing for employees,” he said. The protesters, including teachers, said the state has yet to give 12 per cent pending DA to its employees. Gurdeep said that this was the first time that they were not getting dearness allowance on Diwali while the employees of neighbouring states and Chandigarh have received it. “The pay commission report remains in cold storage, mini- mum wage law is not applicable to honorarium/incentive employees, despite announcement made last Diwali, the allowances stopped in the name of revision have now been frozen. The computer teachers are not getting wages at par with other government employees. There is no reason for us to celebrate this Diwali,” said Ashwani Awasthi, a government teacher and member of the Democratic Teachers’ Front. Amritsar, November 11 In the ongoing drive to check the sale of spurious and substandard food items, the district health authorities seized over four quintals of spurious khoya from two vehicles at a special naka set up by the department on the Ram Tirath road early this morning. Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety, Rajinder Pal Singh said at around 5.30 am, they intercepted a threewheeler and recovered 100 kilograms of khoya from it. He said the driver of the vehicle, Jagtar Singh, a resident of Bhullar village, admitted that the seized khoya was prepared using skimmed milk powder and vanaspati cooking oil. The team later intercepted an Indica car driven by Visakh Singh, a resident of Bhangwa village in the area, and seized 300 kilograms of khoya from it. “The khoya too was made using skimmed milk powder and vanaspati oil,” said Rajinder Pal Singh. Health Department officials with the seized khoya in Amritsar on Saturday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR A Health Department official said the khoya was being transported to the city where it was to be sold to sweet shops. “Instead of preparing khoya from pure milk, spurious khoya is made by mixing cooking oil in milk powder. As compared to the process of making pure khoya from milk, it is a much easier process,” said Rajinder. The official stated that they had earlier seized nearly 350 kilograms of khoya from two persons last week. “Khoya is used in most sweets. Owing to high demand for sweets, some shopkeepers are using spurious khoya,” he said. The health team later destroyed the khoya and initiated legal action against the persons transporting it. “We have also collected samples of milk as it is also in great demand due to the festival season,” said Rajinder, adding that people should purchase sweets from their trusted shops only and should report to the Health Department if they find any adulteration in sweets or dairy products. Loot case: 2 robbers among 3 held Rejected for marriage, Divine light youth kills girl’s mother Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 11 The city police have arrested three persons, including two robbers, who used to loot people travelling in auto-rickshaws. The police had seized the snatched camera, mobile phone, scooter and auto-rickshaw used in the crime. Those arrested included Lovepreet Singh of Indira Colony, Majitha Road, Gurdev Singh of Fatehgarh Churian Road and Jasvir Singh of Majitha Road. They were produced in a court and brought on two-day police remand for further probe. They were arrested for their involvement in a threemonth-old case in which Two robbers in custody of the police in Amritsar on Saturday. they had looted a photographer, Jagpreet Singh of New Gurnam Nagar located on Sultanwind Road. Jagpreet was returning home from work on Airport Road on his scooter (PB-02-CH-1901) when the accused looted him on August 5. He had told the police that when he reached near the Dasehra ground in Ranjit Avenue, an auto-rickshaw driver and his unidentified accomplice came from the wrong side and rammed into his scooter. He said he fell on the road and the accused snatched his bag containing a camera and its charger. They also decamped with his mobile phone and the scooter from the spot. Assistant Commissioner of Police Varinder Singh Khosa said during investigation the police identified the suspects. They had sold the camera to Jasvir Singh who was also arrested in the case. Further probe was on, he said. Over 2,000 stray dogs sterilised in last three months in city Amritsar, November 11 Perturbed over the refusal of the marriage proposal, a youth shot dead a woman in Sathiala village falling under Baba Bakala subdivision here on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Paramjit Kaur (55). She died on the spot. The police have booked the youth, identified as Gurpreet Singh (22), of the same village. He has been absconding since the incident. The Baba Bakala DSP said raids were on to arrest him while a case of murder and under the Arms Act was registered against him. According to information, Gurpreet Singh wanted to marry a girl in the village. She sent some women with the marriage proposal to the girl’s house who was his classmate. The girl’s family refused the proposal, which angered Gurpreet. “When he learnt about this, he got enraged and reached the spot when the women from his side and the girl’s family were having arguments. He fired and shot Paramjit Kaur, mother of the girl he wanted to marry, dead and fled away,” said DSP Sukhwinderpal Singh. Police teams were conducting raids to arrest him. — TNS Will celebrate cracker-free Diwali: CKD Diwali brings back buzz in age-old bazaars The Golden Temple is all lit up on the eve of the festival of lights in Amritsar on Saturday.. PHOTO:SUNIL KUMAR Tribune News Service The Animal Birth Control Centre at Chheharta in Amritsar. TRIBUNE PHOTO Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 11 Over 2,000 dogs were sterilised in the last three months at the Animal Birth Control Centre in Amritsar. Under the project, which was restarted after a long break, around 20,000 stray dogs would be sterilized this year. It was stalled on August 5. A private firm, Animal Welfare Charitable Trust, has been hired to sterilise stray dogs in the city. Dr Rama, Assistant Medical Officer, Municipal Corporation, said in three months, around 2,000 dogs had been sterilised at the Animal Birth Control centre. Initially, the MC was upgrading its centre and work was going on at a slow pace, but now the dog sterilization work is going on in full swing. Dr Rama said at present sterilization was being conducted in two Animal Birth Control centres at Narayangarh, Chheharta and Muddal village on Batala Road. She said in the next 20 months, a total of 20,000 dogs would be sterilised. At present, stray dogs are being caught from those areas from where the MC gets complaints about some furious stray dogs. After sterilization operation and vaccination dose, the dogs are being released in the same area after three days of post-operation care. As per MC officials, more than 30 stray dogs are being caught and sterilized every day. The stray dog menace is one of the major issues in the city. Cases of dog bites are reported every day. As per an estimate, there are currently over 40,000 stray dogs in the city. Sterilisation will prevent further increase in the number of stray dogs. Earlier, 9,500 stray dogs were sterilised by the municipal corporation and now the work of sterilization of 1,963 stray dogs had been done and further work was going on. The work of sterilization of 20,000 dogs is being done by the municipal corporation at a cost of Rs 3 crore. Amritsar, November 11 Amid an air pollution crisis with concerns regarding AQI levels across the region, Chief Khalsa Diwan today, in a meeting, announced to celebrate Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas minus the bursting of firecrackers. The decision has been taken to protect the environment from pollution and with the aim of creating a healthy society, said CKD president Dr Inderbir Nijjer. He and other office-bearers congratulated the people of Amritsar and the people living in the country and abroad on Bandi Chhor Diwas. He said that people need not necessarily celebrate festivals by bursting firecrackers. “It’s a cause of pollution and dangerous diseases, due to which humans as well as animals are facing health problems. Most of the religious and social organisations have also started using green firecrackers. So, CKD institutions are going to celebrate green and clean festivities,” he said. Students, teachers and staff of the institutions were asked to celebrate the festivals in a traditional manner. — TNS c m y b A shopkeeper getting ready to receive customers at Bhadbunjyan Wala bazaar; (right) people buy diyas in Amritsar. PHOTOS: SUNIL KUMAR Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 11 Diwali has infused a fresh lease of life in age-old bazaars of the walled city, known for preparing and selling conventional sweetmeats and commodities. These traditional bazaars, including Khidoniyan Wala, Mishri Bazaar, Bhadbhunjiyan Wala, Bhandiyan Wala and Guru bazaar, have been decorated to attract customers. Notably, the footfall of customers rises manifold in these markets a couple of days before Diwali and these bazaars regain their pristine glory. The Khidoniyan Wala and Bhadbhunjiyan Wala bazaars have specially been decked up for the festival. Established during the time of Sikh Gurus, Guru Bazaar continues to be the hub of gold ornaments and silver wares. On Dhanteras today, people in large numbers were seen visiting its narrow winding streets to buy ornaments, idols of gods and goddesses made of silver and other articles. Situated in the vicinity of the Golden Temple, Mishri Bazaar is famous for shops that have been preparing sherbet, achaar and murabba for the past several centuries. Some of the shops dish out mishri, meethe cholle, phuliya and makhane, which are then sold across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh besides Jammu and Kashmir. These shops also prepare Khand de Khidone (edible sugar toys) which are specially bought for Diwali. Rajinder Singh, a traditional sweet-meat maker, said preparing edible sugar toys once used to be a roaring business but now only a couple of shops make them for sale in the city and villages with people in contemporary times now spoiled for choice. So, only a handful shops prepare them as their demand is now limited to times of festivities. At Bhadbhunjiyan Wala Bazaar, Amit Kumar said they sell batashe, phuliyan, bhuji dal de laddu, khand de murundey and gur de murundey (murundey means ball shape). He said most people switched over to other professions after fast moving consumer goods and gift items made their way into the homes of people and dented the sale of traditional snacks. People buy these items for performing puja, said Amit Kumar, and added that Phuliyan and Bhujey Chhole no longer figure in the list of snacks. Tradition is keeping the historic Khadonayan Wala Bazaar alive which was once a thriving market for earthen-made wares. With changing times, people moved on to stainless steel and wares made of other material. Now, the bazaar only sells idols of gods, goddesses and toys made of terracotta, figurines and earthen lamps. Anticipating an impressive turnout of customers on Diwali eve, shopkeepers have set up stalls on the roadside covered with white sheets to display items made of earthen ware. People jostle to buy beautiful and chiselled idols of Lord Ganesha and Lakshmi, besides earthen lamps.