03012024-TTB-01.qxd 1/2/2024 11:41 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 3 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA UT ADMN PLANNING TO SET UP NDPS COURTS FOR SWIFT TRIAL J&K UK HAS MET ASYLUM BACKLOG TARGET, CLAIMS SUNAK WORLD /thetribunechd RBI PROPOSES RULES AHEAD OF LS POLLS, PM FOR BANKS’ DIVIDEND UNVEILS PROJECTS WORTH DECLARATION BUSINESS ~20K CR IN TN BACK PAGE wednesday | 3 january 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com 2K fuel stations run dry as truckers protest hit-&-run law; govt firefights Panic buying in many states | Centre says will consider concerns ‘with open heart’ Rash driving: New law raises jail term from 2 to 5 years Tribune News Service IN BRIEF PIL in SC against law on CEC appointment NEW DELHI: Amid row over drop- ping the CJI from a panel to choose the chief election commissioner and election commissioners, an advocate has moved the SC against the new law that accords the Centre sweeping powers on appointments to poll body. BACK PAGE Japan earthquake toll 50, more aftershocks likely NEW DELHI: As condolences and offers of aid poured in from all over the world, the death toll in Japan’s earthquake rose to 50 and is slated to climb as rescuers dug under flattened buildings in a race against time to pull out those still alive. INSIDE Cong seeks time from EC to discuss EVMs NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has written to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, requesting that a team of INDIA bloc leaders be provided an opportunity to meet him and his colleagues to put forward their point of view on EVMs and VVPAT. PTI New Delhi, January 2 Over 2,000 fuel stations, mostly across northern and western India, ran dry amid nationwide protests by a section of truckers’ associations against the new law on hitand-run cases even as the government assured All-India Motor Transport Congress, the apex body of transporters, of consideration of any concerns “with an open heart”. Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla held two-hour talks with 10 representatives of the transport body this evening with both engaging parties later appealing to protesters to call off the strike. The truckers began a threeday strike on Monday against enhanced penal provisions for rash and negligent driving leading to death under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which replaces the Indian Penal Code. Under the new law, drivers who cause serious road accidents or death due to rash driving and flee without continued on page 9 edit: truckers’ strike Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service Heavy rush of two-wheelers at a petrol station amid panic buying of fuel in Amritsar on Tuesday. ANI SERPENTINE QUEUES ACROSS PUNJAB ■ Fuel stations across Punjab witnessed serpen- tine queues as customers rushed to fill tanks amid fears truckers’ protest will hit the supply IN HP, SUPPLY MAY IMPROVE TODAY ■ Several filling stations ran dry in HP, though sit- uation is expected to improve on Wednesday HARYANA DEALERS TAKE TO RATIONING ■ Amid panic fuel purchase, the owners of fill- ing stations in Haryana resorted to rationing 3 NEW LAWS LIKELY BEFORE JAN 26 ■ MHA may notify 3 criminal justice laws replacing colonial-era IPC, CrPC & Evidence Act before Jan 26, say sources ■ Training of cops, investigators & forensic experts will begin soon after notification ■ 3,000 officers will train 90% of the target officials within nine months to one year; for judiciary, training will be imparted at Bhopal Academy ■ A model set-up in Chandigarh will ensure foolproof online mechanism as most of the record will be electronic or digital under the new laws New Delhi, January 2 Revised penal provisions for rash and negligent driving under the new criminal law, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which replaces the IPC, has triggered protests by a section of private truck and bus operators who consider the new punishment too harsh and want it reconsidered. The new BNS Section 106(1) enhances punishment for causing death by rash or negligent driving to imprisonment up to five years (from up to two years in the IPC). Section 106(2) of the BNS deals with hit-and-run cases. It says a driver who causes death by rash and negligent driving and “escapes without reporting it to a police officer or a magistrate soon after the incident shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to 10 years and shall also be liable for a fine”. continued on page 9 Anti-drone tech to fortify Shore up anti-terror ops in J&K: Shah border security in 6 mths Calls for more deployment, strengthening local intelligence Ajay Banerjee Parl security breach: Cops seek court nod for polygraph test NewDelhi, January2 The Delhi Police today moved Patiala House Court for permission to conduct polygraph test on all six accused in the December 13 Parliament security breach case and narco and brain-mapping tests on accused Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma. INSIDE Air surcharge: Leh and beyond Rs 2.00 Tribune News Service Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 2 The government is close to finalising anti-drone technology for deployment across borders, especially the International Border with Pakistan in Punjab and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Official sources on Tuesday said trials were underway and the deployment could happen in six months. “We are very near to finalising the anti-drone technology for deployment all along the border. Three types of trials are underway. We have to Trials underway amid rising cases of smuggling of drugs and weapons decide whether to deploy these independently or in combination. The deployment is estimated in six months,” top government sources said with drone continued on page 9 New Delhi, January 2 Reviewing the security situation in J&K, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today issued multi-pronged instructions to the security agencies on dealing with terrorism. The minister ordered strengthening of counter-terrorism operations, complete elimination of the terror ecosystem, adequate deployment in vulnerable areas, better coordination among the police, Army and the CRPF , and strengthening of the local intelligence network. Shah chaired a review Union Minister Amit Shah at a meeting to review J&K security. meeting in the wake of the recent terror attacks in J&K. He lauded the efforts of the security agencies and the UT administration for a “significant decline in terror-related incidents, infiltration and continued on page 11 IN MANIPUR, GUNFIGHT BETWEEN COPS, ULTRAS ■ A fresh gunfight broke out on Tuesday between security forces and ‘militants’ in Manipur's Tengnoupal ■ The gun battle started after two persons were picked up for allegedly being involved in an attack on cops ■ Among others, local women tried to secure release of the two detained persons INSIDE Kundu shifted out as Himachal DGP; SC to take up his plea today Tribune News Service Shimla/New Delhi, January 2 Acting on an order by the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the state government today removed Sanjay Kundu from the post of Director General of Police (DGP) and appointed him the Principal Secretary, Ayush. Though the Himachal government is yet to name the successor of Kundu, whose appeal against the High Court order is to be heard in the Supreme Court tomorrow, it has given the additional charge of DGP to Satwant Atwal Trivedi. A 1996-batch IPS officer, Atwal is the ADG, State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, and was given the responsibility last year as well when DGP Kundu had proceeded on leave. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Tuesday agreed to hear his petition on January 3 after senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the matter on his behalf for urgent hearing. The Bench, which was initially inclined to take up Kundu’s petition challenging the December 26 order of the High Court during the day, later posted it for hearing on Wednesday. Rohatgi said it was “extraordinary” as the High Court did not hear the IPS officer before directing the state government to shift him. The High Court had on December 26 ordered the government to shift the DGP and Kangra SP Shalini Agnihotri Outgoing DGP Sanjay Kundu ACTION ON HC ORDER ■ Himachal HC had on Dec 26 told the govt to shift the DGP ■ Order came on a plea by a busi- nessman, alleging harassment ■ The HC said removal must to ensure fair probe in the case ADDL CHARGE FOR ATWAL ■ HP Govt has given additional charge of DGP to Satwant Atwal Trivedi, ADG, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau ■ The 1996-batch IPS officer got the charge in 2022 too when Kundu was on leave RACE FOR SUCCESSOR ■ As per seniority, 1989-batch IPS officer Sanjeev Ranjan Ojha is frontrunner to be DGP ■ Back from Central deputation, he is posted as DG, Prisons ■ Next in line is Shyam Bhagat Negi of 1990 batch, currently on Central deputation to other posts before January 4 (2024) to ensure “they didn’t have an opportunity to influence the investigation” into the alleged harassment of Palampur-based businessman Nishant Sharma. Agnihotri hasn’t been shifted yet. In a complaint to the High Court, Nishant had alleged threat to his life from “two extremely rich and well-connected persons, a former IPS continued on page 9 In Hisar, 2,300 tillers on Can’t take foreign reports at face value: Seven officials among 11 arrested govt portal found fake EAM on claims of democracy sliding for drug racket in Ferozepur prison Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service Hisar, January 2 During a verification of land documents, the district administration found that nearly 2,300 persons, who were not residents of Hisar, had shown bajra crop on about 60,000 acres registered in their names on the Meri Fasal Mera Byora (MFMB) portal to derive undue benefit. The district authorities have now removed the names of these fraudulently registered “farmers” from the MFMB portal. The bogus registration scam has been going on mainly in bajra producing districts with an intention to claim the benefit under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana (BBY) of the Haryana Government. Under the BBY, the state government provides a relief at the rate of Rs 250 to Rs 300 per acre to bajra farmers registered on the MFMB portal. During an inquiry, a team comprising members from the Central Institute for Cotton Research, Sirsa, the Revenue WANTED TO MISUSE ‘MERI FASAL’ SCHEME ■ The names of the “fraudsters” have now been removed from the portal ■ Their intention was to claim benefit under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana ■ Under the scheme, the state provides a relief at the rate of ~250 to ~300/acre Department and the Agriculture Department found that 2,300 persons belonging to Nuh, Faridabad, Gurugram and Palwal districts had got themselves registered as tillers (kaashtkaar) on nearly 60,000 acres in Hisar district. The modus operandi of the fraudsters was that they uploaded their Parivar Pehchan Patra, phone numbers and bank account numbers on the MFMB portal while showing themselves as tillers of land which was owned by other farmers. When the government continued on page 11 New Delhi, January 2 Hitting out at sections that have talked of democracy indicators sliding in India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that there is no need to necessarily take what comes in the foreign media at face value and that there are “multiple standards” that are practised. In an interview with ANI, Jaishankar said in one of the chapters in his new book “Why Bharat Matters”, he has talked of Prime Minister Narendra Modi feeling “the need for a new construct” SPACE TO KHALISTANIS IN CANADIAN POLITICS In Canadian politics, Khalistani forces have been given a lot of space and have been allowed to indulge in acts affecting relations. ❝ S Jaishankar after the BJP-led government came to power in 2014. Asked about articles in for- eign media about an assertive India at one level and, at another, of democracy indicators sliding, Jaishankar said he had made some references to the “democracy narrative” and that was also a “mind game”. “Just look at it this way. There are people who apparently feel more confident of their support outside India, and inside India, they get support from outside India. So we have this constant barrage. We’ve had this from 2014, it increased up to 2019. continued on page 11 Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 2 In the sensational case pertaining to over 43,000 calls made from mobile phones by three drug smuggler inmates of the Ferozepur jail, the Punjab Police have arrested 11 persons — seven jail officials and four smugglers — for running a nexus to supply drugs and phones in the prison. Special DGP (Internal Security) RN Dhoke said a team led by AIG J Elanchezhian busted the nexus and arrested 11 persons. PROBE FINDINGS REVEAL NEXUS WITH INMATES ■ Nexus between jail inmates, ■ Officials didn’t stop inmates jail officials for allowing the former to use mobiles ■ No FIRs were lodged when mobile phones were found inside the jail premises from consuming/selling drugs such as heroin, opium ■ They used to take bribes from inmates, accomplices for allowing the drug racket Those arrested include retired assistant superintendent Nirpal Singh, retired assistant superintendent of jail Kashmir Chand, assistant superintendent Gurtej Singh (serving at the Faridkot jail), retired head warder Surjeet Singh, retired head warder Balkar Singh, warder Nachhatar Singh (serving at the Malerkotla jail) and retired warder Naib Singh. They helped inmates in using mobile phones inside the jail premises and did not take action when phones continued on page 11 No ICU admission of critically ill without patient, kin consent: Govt guidelines Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 2 The recent guidelines released by the Union Health Ministry on ICU admissions state the criteria to admit a patient to ICU should be based on organ failure and need for organ support or in anticipation of deterioration in the medical condition. The guidelines, compiled by 24 doctors with expertise in critical care medicine working in different hospitals across the country, recommend that hospitals cannot admit critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) in case of refusal by them and their relatives. NORMS COMPILED BY 24 DOCS FOR HOSPITALS ■ ICU admission criteria be based on organ failure, need for organ support or deterioration in medical condition ■ Low priority criteria in case of pandemic/disaster be taken into account for keeping a patient in ICU ■ Those with a will or directive against ICU care shouldn’t be admitted It is futile to keep terminally ill patients on whom the treatment will not make an impact c m y b in the ICU. Besides, based on the assessment of resources during pandemic or disaster situations, the patients should be admitted to the ICU, the norms stipulate. Altered level of consciousness of recent onset, need for respiratory support, patients with severe acute (or acute-onchronic) illness requiring intensive monitoring and those who underwent major surgery and are at the risk of developing postoperative complications should be the criteria for admissions to the ICU. According to the norms, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, breathing pattern, heart rate, oxygen saturation, urine output and neurological status should be monitored in a patient awaiting an ICU bed.