18112023-LT-01.qxd 11/18/2023 12:20 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune FESTIVAL RUSH: PASSENGERS REMAIN AT RECEIVING END DREW SHARES WHY SHE IS AVOIDING PLASTIC SURGERY NORA FATEHI SET TO EMBARK ON WORLD TOUR IN 2024 Labourers intending to visit their homes to celebrate Chhath harried lot due to heavy rush of train passengers. P2 Hollywood star Drew Barrymore has talked about why she is steering clear of plastic surgery. P3 Nora Fatehi will embark on a grand World Tour in early 2024 and will perform her solos. P4 » » FORECAST FOG/MIST CLOUDY SKY MAX 27°C | MIN 11°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 11°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5.27 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:56 AM » SATURDAY | 18 NOVEMBER 2023 | LUDHIANA Brick kiln owner booked Lala Lajpat Rai’s Jagraon house in a shambles, courtesy govt’s apathy for ‘confining’ labourers Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 17 A brick kiln owner has been booked for allegedly threatening an executive magistrate and illegally confining bonded labourers at a brick kiln in Haidon village near Samrala. The accused has been identified as Ramesh Kumar Khullar, brick kiln owner. Harminder Singh Cheema, naib tehsildar and deputed as an executive magistrate in the sub-division of Samrala, said he had received an information about bonded labourers at RK Brick Kiln in Haidon village. Upon visiting the site with labour inspector Ram Singh Rana, the accused began misbehaving and verbally abused them, he alleged. Cheema alleged that the accused had confined the bonded laborers at the brick kiln and obstructed them from carrying out their official duties. A case has been registered at the Samrala police station against Ramesh under Sections 342, 353, 186, 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 16 of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act. — TNS Jagraon, November 17 Our modern day politicians from the governing as well as Opposition ranks, issue costly advertisements and make big claims of remembering the martyrs but the personal house of Lala Lajpat Rai, an acclaimed author, freedom fighter, and politician, lies in a dilapidated condition here. While the parental house of one of the key players of the freedom struggle has already been adopted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and declared as national monument, his own house (separate building) presents a picture of Lala Lajpat Rai’s ancestral home in a dilapidated condition. sheer neglect on his martyrdom day, which falls on November 17. The house of Lala Lajpat Rai, popularly known as Punjab Kesari, was discovered by Kunal Mehta, a history teacher at Lala Lajpat Rai DAV College, here. This college was founded by Rai in the memory of his father Radhe Krishan under the banner of the RK Trust. Sharing the discovery, Mehta said Rai got a personal house constructed in the city in 1907 where the name- Unauthorised waste dumping big concern what action is taken? As the city has experienced growth with new constructions and the development of new colonies within or outside the MC’s jurisdiction, the solid waste management system has not seen required improvement. Col Gill advocated for authorities to organise meetings involving citizens, environmentalists, sanitation workers, and officials to formulate a practical plan for eliminating unauthorised dumps and ensuring the proper implementation of solid waste management rules. There should be a provision for issuing challans against those dumping waste at unauthorised sites, he added. In June 2022, the MC authorities had announced a campaign against garbage dumping in open plots. Officials declared their intent to issue fines to property owners if waste was found dumped in WASTE MANAGEMENT-VII Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 17 Unauthorised garbage dumping sites have become a significant problem due to the lack of proper oversight by relevant departments. The indiscriminate disposal of waste along a service lane (leading to Phullanwal Chowk) near the City Centre site in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar has emerged as a major concern for both commuters and nearby residents. On Thursday, the accumulated waste at various points on this stretch was set on fire, causing disruptions for commuters. Similar situations can be observed at numerous open areas, plots and along roads across all zones of the Municipal Corporation (MC), where garbage is being dumped without authorisation, lead- Waste dumped along service lane leading to Phullanwal Chowk in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. TRIBUNE PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN ing to substantial piles of refuse. A significant amounts of garbage and construction waste have amassed on a prime land owned by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust, located on Ishmeet Singh Road near Dr Ambedkar Nagar. On another prime piece of land reserved for the Atal Apartments project, waste was being dumped too. Environmentalist Col JS Gill (retd) emphasised the necessity of conducting a survey of all unauthorised garbage dumping sites to understand the reasons behind their emergence. He said the Municipal Corporation’s approach to solid waste management lacks proper planning. He questioned whether the bulk waste generators follow the solid waste management rules and if not plots lacking boundary walls. However, no tangible action was taken on the ground, and numerous open plots continue to serve as unauthorised dumping grounds. Recently, the MC initiated a drive to clear garbage from identified Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) in the city, compiling a list of 94 such points across the four zones. Zone A has the highest number with 50 GVPs, followed by Zone B with 11, Zone C with 18, and Zone D with 15. Ashwani Sahota, MC’s Chief Sanitary Officer, stated that these points would be eliminated once waste compactors are installed at the designated sites. Earlier this year, two city residents lodged a complaint with the National Green Tribunal regarding the improper handling of solid waste and violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in the district. 87 killed in accidents involving 1 killed, three injured stray animals in 3 years in dist in two road mishaps 3rd highest count in state, maximum 57 deaths in CP limits Tribune News Service Nitin Jain Ludhiana, November 17 A man lost his life and his companion received serious injuries after a speeding car allegedly hit them near Vishwakarma Chowk, Ludhiana. The deceased has been identified as Dinesh Kumar while injured, Sonu, is receiving medical treatment. In the police complaint, Sonu from Daba Colony stated that he works as a car mechanic. On November 15, he and Dinesh went to repair a car on a motorcycle. At approximately 10:15 pm, a speeding car collided with the stationary car, which had encountered a snag. As a result of this accident, both Sonu and Dinesh sustained injuries. After admitting to Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, November 17 As many as 87 persons had lost their lives in the road accidents involving stray animals in Ludhiana district in the past three years, a first-ofits-type study has revealed. A special research-based study was conducted by a team led by the Punjab Road Safety and Traffic Research Centre (PRSTRC) Director Dr Navdeep Asija. According to the study, a copy of which is with The Tribune, Bathinda recorded the highest 117 fatalities over the three years, Muktsar stood second with 100 fatalities respectively in three years. Moga also shared the third worst-hit district position with Ludhiana by reporting 87 deaths. In Ludhiana district, the maximum of 57 casualties had been reported in the limits of Commissionerate Police, which covers the entire city area as well, while Ludhiana Rural and Khanna had recorded 10 and 10 deaths, respectively. Besides, Patiala saw a substantial increase in fatalities from 8 in 2020 to 27 in 2021, reaching 33 in 2022, resulting in a total of 68 fatalities. The study showed that the total number of road crashes increased from 5,871 in 2021 to 5,968 in 2022, while the total number of road crash PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Tribune News Service Stray cattle roam freely on a road in Ludhiana on Friday. DEATH COUNT ■ Bathinda 117 ■ Muktsar 100 ■ Ludhiana 87 ■ Moga 87 (SOURCE: PRSTRC STUDY) fatalities decreased from 4,589 to 4,578 during the same period in the state. However, the number of animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs) increased from 305 in 202, to 371 in 2021 and 397 in 2022, with AVC-related fatalities rising from 312 in 2020 to 388 in 2021, and 421 in 2022. The percentage of AVC fatalities out of total fatalities showed a steady increase, from 8 per cent in 2020, to 8.5 per cent in 2021, and reaching 9.2 per cent in 2022. Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) Amardeep Singh Rai said “The lack of prior research on this issue in the country leaves the true extent of the AVCs threat undiscovered.” He added that this research aims to explore the prevalence of AVCs on the roadways of Punjab, employing statistical and spatial analysis of police-reported FIRs. “No prior state-level study has identified specific locations where clusters of animal-vehicle collisions occur. While previous studies have applied kernel density estimation (KDE) to detect AVC hotspots along roads, these were often confined to smaller urban areas and conducted in foreign countries,” the PRSTRC Director, Dr Navdeep Asija, who is also Traffic Advisor to Punjab. Dr Asija said, “We will also conduct an in-depth analysis of high-risk areas within each district, utilising the KDE method, to identify corridors and road stretches that are particularly vulnerable to animal-vehicle collisions.” Dinesh Kumar succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, the driver of the car managed to sped away. A case has been registered. In another incident, two persons sustained injuries when a speeding bus allegedly hit the motorcycle they were riding near Sherpur Chowk. According to Sonu Kumar from Dhandari Khurd, the bus hit their motorcycle from behind. Currently, both are under treatment at Mohandai Oswal Hospital. The police have registered a case against the bus driver, identified as Gurdeep Singh, under Sections 279, 337, 338, and 427 of the IPC. The accused driver has been arrested and the bus has been seized, according to the police. Truck rams into electric pole, driver ‘electrocuted’ Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 17 In a tragic incident, a truck driver lost his life after his truck hit an electricity pole in Samrala near Civil Hospital early on Friday. He is suspected to have died due to electrocution. The victim has been identified as Rana Singh of Gurdaspur. The incident c m y b occurred around 3 am when his truck rammed into an electricity pole and then into shops. It is learned that an electricity cable came in contact of the truck and he allegedly got electrocuted. Upon receiving the information, the police arrived at the scene. The driver’s body was sent to the Civil Hospital for post-mortem. plate with “L. Lajpat Rai Jagraon 1907”, inscribed on a slab, was still visible. “However, this deserted house is in a shambles. Someone made an unsuccessful attempt to illegally take the possession of the house a few years ago, but the timely intervention of the district administration foiled the attempt,” he recalled. Mehta said since Lala Lajpat Rai knew the value of education, he had also set up a school in the memory of his mother Gulab Devi within the premises of this house. Besides, he bequeathed a big chunk of his property situated in the city to the school. “I strongly believe that the ASI should also adopt this house and the school as well and convert them into a national museum, like the parental house of Lala Lajpat Rai,” Mehta demanded, while adding that this would be a real tribute to the martyr. He shared that Lala Lajpat Rai spent a considerable period of his life in his parental home at Jagraon. “Now, this house is a national monument. My interest in Lala ji soared when my principal assigned me to do research on this great son of Punjab,” the researcher said. During the research, he also met Lala ji’s grandson Anil Aggarwal, who was a chartered accountant by profession and was residing in Jagraon. “My interactions with him unravelled a few unknown facets of Lala ji’s personality. Besides, I also came across a bunch of crucial documents related to hid life,” he said. “The successive governments deliberately chose to ignore the place of birth of Lala ji. A raft of tall promises made by those in power on the 151st birth anniversary of Lala ji was never fulfilled. Red tape or vested interests took a toll on them,” the historian added. A visit to the house revealed that the entire area was dotted with wild growth and the building was rendered into an abandoned place with nobody present to take care of it. Youth shot in Canada 63 more cases of stubble burning reached Mississauga 3 months ago reported today HadAhmedgarh, Nov 17 Mandi Having Ludhiana, November 17 As many as 63 cases of stubble burning were reported from Ludhiana district. Now, the total number of cases from the district have reached to 1,697. The average Air Quality Index of Ludhiana today was 225 Further intensifying drive against the stubble burning practices, Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik today visited hotspot villages wherein she urged the farmers to join hands with the government to protect environment from the ill-effects of stubble burning. The DC visited the Bassian village near Raikot which is among stubble burning hotspots and held a detailed deliberation with all stakeholders to stop stubble burning practices in the village. The DC urged the farmers to adopt crop residue management practices. — TNS A youth from a marginal family of Nathowal village in Ludhiana district, who had gone to Canada for studies about three months ago, was shot dead by two masked assailants when he was working in his cabin at a yard on the outskirts of Mississauga in Canada on Thursday. While the mother Sukhdeep Kaur, a widow, has been in shock since the news of her younger son Jagraj Singh’s (28) murder came late in the night yesterday, Jasvir Singh Buttar, a close relative, has been coordinating with the authorities in Canada for bringing the body back to his native village Nathowal. The elder brother of Jagraj Singh had shifted to Dubai a few years ago and after the death of her husband Balbir Singh, Sukhdeep Kaur had brought up Jagraj Singh despite the odds. failed to get a job after doing his MSc in Math, Jagraj Singh started coaching students and decided to explore Canada in search of greener pastures. He had recently reached Mississauga on a student visa and also succeeded in getting a job at a yard owned by Ravinder Singh of Assi Kalan village, a close friend of Buttar family. “Though the police in Canada is yet to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the murder, we have been told that the assailants, at least two in number, had confronted Jagraj when he was working in his cabin at the yard where he was posted as a security personnel, and shot him on being resisted,” said Buttar. — OC