15112023-LT-01.qxd 11/15/2023 12:50 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune ANOTHER STRETCH OF ~756-CR ELEVATED HIGHWAY OPENS GUNEET, VIKAS COLLABORATE FOR FILM AMERICAN SIKH The amazing true story of Vishavjit Singh, a Sikh man who was born in America and wears a turban. P3 MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 27°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 27°C | MIN 12°C PHYSICALLY ATTRACTED TO WOMEN, SAYS SINGER BILLIE Remaining portion of 12.95 km project to be ready and thrown open for commuters by Dec 31. P2 FORECAST Singer Billie Eilish says she is physically attracted to women and also intimidated by their presence. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.29 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:53 AM » WEDNESDAY | 15 NOVEMBER 2023 | LUDHIANA Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 14 The body of a man was found hanging from a tree near Kaunke village in Machhiwara on Tuesday. The police said the deceased had died by suicide and depression was found to be the cause of taking the extreme step. The deceased has been identified as Surinder Singh of Hedon Bet village. Sukhwinder Singh, neighbour of the deceased, said about a year ago, Surinder had suffered injuries in a road mishap and after the incident, the victim started went into depression. On Monday evening, Surinder left home without telling anything to his family but did not return. On Tuesday morning, villagers saw his body hanging from a tree and informed the police. The motorcycle of the deceased was also recovered from the spot. After sending the body of the victim for autopsy, inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC was initiated by the police. Hi-tech pothole repair machines await inauguration amid road woes Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 14 One month after purchasing two mobile pothole patching machines at a cost of around Rs 3.86 crore, which are designed to operate effectively throughout the year, the Municipal Corporation (MC) awaits their official inauguration. ‘Pothole Busters’ and ‘The Road Doctors’ have been mentioned on the machines that are based on the infrared recycling technology. At present, both machines have been stationed on thefire station premises on Hambran Road for the past month. According to sources, the civic body is planning to get the machines inaugurated by the Chief Minister or the Local Bodies Minister. As per an official, the machines are designed to operate effectively even in harsh winter conditions when the corporation’s hotmix plant, responsible for MC’s newly purchased pothole repair machine stationed at a fire station on Hambran Road. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA DESIGNED TO WORK EFFECTIVELY IN HARSH WINTER CONDITIONS As per an official, the mobile pothole repair machines are designed to operate effectively even in harsh winter conditions when the MC’s hotmix plant, responsible for preparing patchwork material, is closed. The machines boast the capability to repair a pothole within approximately 20 minutes. preparing patchwork material, is closed. The machines boast the capability to repair a pothole within approximately 20 minutes. Significantly, many potholeridden roads or internal streets in the city have become a source of inconvenience for commuters. There is a demand for utilising the machines to fix the potholed roads, aiming to provide the public with relief from issues caused by deteriorating road conditions. Gurpreet Singh Gopi, a former Congress councillor, has raised concerns over not utilising the machines for pothole repairs. Despite the sub- stantial expenditure on acquiring the same, Gopi questioned why these are not being used to address the deteriorating road conditions in different parts of the city. Gopi said while the MC’s hotmix plant was set to close due to the winter season soon, various potholed roads were yet to be repaired. He said the machines must be used to fulfil their intended purpose and ensure repair of the potholes in the city. The civic body used Rs 2.98 crore for the initiative under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Additionally, each machine is covered by an annual maintenance contract (AMC) with a company, ensuring five years of maintenance for each unit. An MC official said they had checked the working of the newly purchased machines in the city. Now, these would be flagged off soon by a minister. 89 fresh farm fires take tally to 1,380, AQI remains poor Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 14 With 89 fresh cases of farm fires reported on Tuesday, the current Kharif season’s tally has gone up to 1,380 in the district. While Tuesday’s stubble burning cases were ninth highest daily count in the state, the total figure was tenth highest in the state. However, it was still almost half than 2,682 incidents of crop residue recorded in the district during the previous paddy harvesting season. With this, the air quality index (AQI) remained in the poor category even as it dipped slightly from 285 on Monday to 240 on Tuesday. It turned Ludhiana the third most polluted city in the state on Tuesday, with PM2.5 prominent pollutant, which was considered poor. This returned a thick blanket of smog, especially in the morning and evening hours, causing hardships to commuters, besides leading to health Ludhiana turns third most polluted city in state on Tuesday AIR QUALITY INDEX 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD Stubble burning in one of the villages around Ludhiana. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN FARM FIRES TENTH HIGHEST POLLUTION LEVELS CITY Sangrur Ferozepur Mansa Bathinda Tarn Taran CITY Bathinda Patiala Ludhiana Jalandhar Amritsar Gobindgarh CASES 4,961 2,554 2,063 2,061 1,916 PUNJAB CITY Patiala Barnala Amritsar Moga Ludhiana 28,117 CASES 1,701 1,586 1,488 1,390 1,380 (SOURCE: PRSC, FIGURES AS ON NOVEMBER 14) issues, mainly related to respiratory and pulmonary complications. While Bathinda continued to remain the most AQI 390 256 240 231 192 199 CITY Ropar Khanna AQI 149 111 (SOURCE: CPCB, FIGURES AT 7 PM ON NOVEMBER 14) polluted city with air quality index of 390, which was considered “very poor”, Khanna in Ludhiana district recorded the cleanest air in the state with AQI of 111, which comes under the “satisfactory” category. Among other five cities monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Patiala, remained the second most polluted city of Punjab with AQI of 256, followed by Jalandhar AQI 231, Mandi Gobindgarh 199, Amritsar 192, and Ropar recorded the air quality index of 149 at 7 pm on Tuesday evening. On the farm fires front, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s home district Sangrur remained the worst affected with the highest count of 4,961, followed by Ferozepur 2,554, Mansa 2,063, Bathinda 2,061, Tarn Taran 1,916, Patiala 1,701, Barnala 1,586, Amritsar 1,488, Moga 1,390, Faridkot 1,329, Muktsar 1,035, Jalandhar 954, Kapurthala 911, Fatehgarh Sahib 851, Fazilka 735, Gurdaspur 370, Malerkotla 339, Nawanshahr 209, Mohali 132, Hoshiarpur 104, Ropar 45, and Pathankot recorded the minimum of three crop residue burning cases till date. DGP Yadav to lead nation’s biggest cycle rally in city Guinness, Limca Book, others likely to record event, says CP Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 14 The Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, will lead the country’s biggest cycle rally, ‘Youth Against Drugs’, to be held on November 16 in the industrial hub here, the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, confirmed this on Tuesday while divulging details about preparations and arrangements made for the rally. While interacting with the media at the venue of the event at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) here, Sidhu said the DGP was quite excited about the mega event against drugs and he today affirmed that he would be taking part in the rally to spread the message against drugs and motivate youth. He said till Tuesday, over 20,000 participants, including 10,000 school and college students, had registered their names for the mega event and the number was likely to touch 25,000 mark. The Commissioner of Police said the event would script new stories in the country against the drug menace with such a huge number of people participating in it. He mentioned that the rally would mark the martyrdom day of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, besides giving new heights to the cycle industry of Ludhiana. He said anybody could participate in the cycle rally which would start at 7 am from the PAU campus and culminate at the same spot after covering around 13 km in the city. Soil from different places belonging to our mar- ASHWANI DHIMAN Man’s body found hangingfrom tree CP Mandeep Sidhu addresses the media in Ludhiana on Tuesday. 20K PARTICIPANTS REGISTERED SO FAR He said till Tuesday, over 20,000 participants, including 10,000 school and college students, had registered their names for the mega event and the number was likely to touch 25,000 mark. tyrs comprising of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha’s village, Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s native place Khatkar Kalan, Hussainiwala National Martyrs Memorial and native places of Shaheed Udham Singh and Shaheed Sukhdev would be brought to the PAU campus, following which five plants namely `Tree of Harmony’, `Tree of Promise’, `Tree of Wisdom’, `Tree of Unity’, and ` Tree of Hope’ will be planted. He said people from all walks of life, including doctors, industrialists, students, youth club members, village sarpanches and politicians, will participate in the event, thereby turning the anti-drug campaign into a mass movement. Pointing out further, the CP said after the event, a lucky draw would be held and 151 selected participants would get new bicycles after the event. JCP (City) Saumya Mishra, DCP Varinder Singh Brar, DCP Jaskaran Singh Teja, ADCP Sameer Verma, representatives of Round Table India were amomng those others present. The Commissioner of Police asserted that about seven record keepers, including Guinness World Records, Limca Book of Records, Kalams World Records, are likely to attend the rally after the Ludhiana police apprised the authorities concerned to register the country’s biggest rally in the record books. Six care stations CP Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the entire 13-km route had been given a look of a festival where six care stations would be set up. Team of doctors and pharmacists will be present. Juice stalls and ambulance would also be available. Verka will also set up a milk counter on the route to serve milk to cyclists. A stage will also be set up at the PAU for the entertainment of participants. Upset over spouse’s drinking habit, woman dies by suicide at village Ludhiana, November 14 A 22-year-old woman upset over drinking habit of her husband died by suicide by hanging herself in a room at her house in Manakwal village on Tuesday. Before taking the extreme step, she had called her father and apprised him that she was ending her life due to her dai- ly torture by her husband. The Sadar police yesterday registered a case against her husband, Rohit Kumar, on the charges of abetment to suicide. Heisyettobenabbed.The victim has been identified as Preeti. The complainant, Neetu, the mother of the deceased, said her daughter was in depression as her husband had been torturing her every day in an inebriated state. Even on Diwali, he consumed liquor heavily and badly beaten her. “On the festival, she had called her father and told him she could not bear it anymore and she would die by suicide. We rushed to Manakwal but she had already ended her life,” she said.— TNS Inmates scuffle at Children’s Day is just another day for these poor kids Central Jail, 1 hurt Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 14 Some inmates scuffled at the Central Jail, Ludhiana, on Monday night in which one suffered serious head injuries and was rushed to the Civil Hospital. On receiving information, family members of the injured inmate reached the hospital and raised hue and cry over the incident. His family members also accused jail employees of assaulting their son. The injured prisoner has been identified as Pritam Singh Bholu. Sources said Pritam was earlier lodged in the Nabha jail and he was shifted to the Central Jail recently. According to his kin, some inmates had scuffled in the jail with their son and following the incident, jail staff took Pritam out of the cell and assaulted him. The kin said their son’s life was in danger in the jail and the administration should get the matter investigated to find out the truth. They also demanded action against guilty jail officials. Bholu is lodged in the Central Jail in murder and some other cases. The Jail Department has also been investigating the matter. Ludhiana, November 14 For 12-year-old Raju, there were no cakes, balloons or new clothes. As usual, his day began with drudgery – several hours of work looking for saleable material from garbage littered in different parts of the city and the rest of the day cleaning utensils at a roadside tea stall near the bus stand. On Tuesday, The Tribune cornered him at one of the garbage dumping places, where he, along with his associate ragpicker, Gopi, was on work, looking for saleable material early in the morning. On being asked what Bal Diwas meant, he gave a blank look and replied innocently: “Baal diwas kis bala ka naam hai mujhe nahin maloom” (What Children’s Day means, I don’t know). When quizzed about Children doing drudgery and labour remains a common sight even on Children’s Day in Ludhiana on Tuesday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN STRICT TAB ON CHILD LABOUR ❝ We keep a strict tab on the child labour, which is punishable under the law. Our teams of officials keep roaming around the district to check the menace and those found making minors work, are dealt with sternly while the children are rescued and reformed. Surabhi Malik, DC ❞ “Chacha Nehru”, Raju giggled and said: “Mera koi chacha, taaya nahin hai, sirf ek baap tha, jo dus saal pehle mar chu- c m y b ka hai” (I don’t have any paternal uncle, even my father had expired 10 years ago). Wearing a torn and dirty trouser and shirt, which barely protects him from the cold, the story of a minor ragpicker, who is totally illiterate, is heartrending. He was twoyear-old when his father, a drug addict, left him an orphan as his mother had died after giving him birth. Since then, he had been working hard to earn his bread. As usual, 15-year-old Chhotu’s hands were breaking bricks for feeding his two younger sisters, who are dependent on him after their parents left them abandoned. Even the amended Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, which was enforced across the country from October 10, 2006, has also failed to serve the purpose. A majority of the underprivileged children to whom The Tribune spoke on the birthday of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had no idea of Children’s Day and were least concerned about it. For those who are only acquainted with strong hunger pangs, which cannot be pacified for want of food, cakes and balloons are alien terms. Those, who are robbed of their innocence at a tender age, are life’s misfortunes whose very base is in need and deprivation. Probably Pandit Nehru did not envisage it this way when he talked of his vision of Indian future. Just to procure two meals a day – burdened with full day’s drudgery – these unfortunate children looking for saleable material from littered garbage, cleaning utensils at dhabas and tea-sellers, begging at public places, breaking bricks and doing anything, their tiny hands and feet cannot even manage, has become a common sight in this part of region.