05022024-LT-01.qxd 2/5/2024 12:42 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION FAIR ENDS AT ROSE GARDEN FOCUSING ON THE DIVINE: ARUN VISITS VAISHNO DEVI TEMPLE NORA FATEHI SHARES BTS VIDEO FROM SETS OF HER SINGLE Third Environment Conservation Fair ended with a message to save water and air for coming generations. P2 Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman actor Arun Mandola recently visited Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. P3 Nora Fatehi, who has come out with a single I’m Bossy, is unstoppable, going by her post on social media. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 18°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 13.6°C | MIN 11.2°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.04 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:15 AM MONDAY | 5 FEBRUARY 2024 | LUDHIANA 10 months on, civic body elections nowhere in sight Man dies as speeding vehicle hits motorcycle Ludhiana, February 4 A man died in a road mishap after his motorcycle was allegedly hit by a speeding heavy vehicle near the new Ladhowal Bypass. Complainant Amrik Singh of Jamalpur Leli village said he and his relative Joginder Singh were going towards their fields on their motorcycles when a speeding heavy vehicle hit Joginder’s motorcycle near the new Ladhowal Bypass. The victim, who got critically injured, was rushed to the Civil Hospital but he was declared dead by a doctor. Later, the driver of the heavy vehicle, identified as Shakeel Ahmed of Haryana, was arrested. A case had been registered against him on Saturday, the police said. — TNS Devp comes to halt, major issues unaddressed, say oppn leaders Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 4 Opposition party leaders are expressing concerns over the delay in the Municipal Corporation (MC) elections, which are yet to take place 10 months after the last MC House term ended. They claimed that the absence of an elected MC House has brought development in the city to a standstill and major issues remain unaddressed. Previously, opposition parties had questioned the new ward delimitation process and a few individuals had challenged the process in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The matter is still in court, as per information. Some opposition leaders advocated for holding the elections, according to the old ward delimitation. Notably, the term of the MC’s last General House came to an end on March 25, 2023. However, the date for the fresh MC elections is yet to be announced. Former Congress councillor Baljinder Singh Bunty expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing delay in the civic body elections, stating that it contradicts the essence of democracy. 11 mobiles, 129 tobacco sachets seized from jail Ludhiana, February 4 Jail officials have seized 11 mobile phones and 129 sachets of tobacco during a recent inspection of the Central Jail, Ludhiana. On Saturday, an FIR under the Prisons Act was registered against the unidentified inmates. According to a jail official, the mobiles and tobacco sachets were found abandoned in the jail. Individuals who supplied or brought these items to the jail have not been identified so far. — TNS An aerial view of Ludhiana city. TRIBUNE PHOTO HARDSHIPS FOR PUBLIC Former Congress councillor Baljinder Singh Bunty said at present, people are compelled to travel to MLAs’ offices, facing challenges such as covering long distances to obtain signatures for birth and death document corrections from two MLAs. The situation has led to significant hardships for the public. He emphasised that real victims were common citizens who, in the absence of elected councillors, were now forced to visit offices of MLAs for document attestation. In each constituency, where there were previously around 15 or more councillors, accessibility was more convenient. At present, people are compelled to travel to MLAs’ offices, facing challenges such as covering long distances to obtain signatures for birth and death document corrections from two MLAs. The situation has led to significant hardships for the public. Bunty further alleged that the AAP government might be intentionally postponing the poll due to its anticipated losses in the MC elections. President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Ludhiana, Bhupinder Singh Bhinda, remarked that the AAP had made lofty commitments to the public before the previous Assembly elections but failed to fulfil them after assuming power in the state. Hence, AAP is delaying the elections, causing a standstill in the city’s development, he said. Bhinda pointed out that salaries of sanitation workers were not being released on time and critical issues such as corruption, building bylaw violations, stray cattle menace, inadequate solid waste management, and open garbage dumps remain unaddressed in the city. However, state spokesperson for AAP Ahbaab Singh Grewal refuted the allegations of opposition leaders, asserting that there was no delay on the government’s part. He said opposition party leaders had moved court against the ward delimitation process and sought a stay from the court. Meanwhile, MLA Ashok Prashar Pappi said the MC elections were expected to be held concurrently with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He said people did not face any difficulties in obtaining document attestations from his and other offices of AAP MLAs. Pappi alleged that the previous government had mishandled the ward delimitation process, asserting that it had now been rectified. Medical store employee robbed of ~10K, mobile in BRS Nagar Ludhiana, February 4 In yet another incident, three unidentified robbers barged into a medical store in Bhai Randhir Singh (BRS) Nagar and looted Rs 10,000 in cash from an employee. The suspects also snatched the mobile phone of the employee. The incident was captured on CCTV camera installed in the store. According to information, the incident occurred on the night of February 2 when the employee was about to leave for home after finishing his work and closing the shop’s shutter. A CCTV grab of the suspects at the medical shop. In the meantime, three persons riding a two-wheeler came and asked him to provide them with a medicine for some emergency. Following which, the victim reopened the shop. Thereafter, the suspects also entered the shop and robbed him of Rs 10,000 in cash and his mobile phone by flashing a sharp weapon. After receiving information, the Sarabha Nagar police initiated an investigation in the matter. — TNS SAD’s ‘Punjab Bachao Yatra’ to cover state in two months Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 4 The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has started its ‘Punjab Bachao Yatra’. The yatra is expected to visit entire state in the next two months to connect with the masses. It seems the party is all set to understand the nerve of the people. Maheshinder Singh Grewal, spokesperson for the party and former SAD minister told The Tribune that the yatra had three major objectives — to know the nerve of the people of Punjab and their expectations from the party, to tell people about developments made during the SAD regime and highlight the failures of the present AAP government in the state. “Basically the Congress and AAP are two sides of the same coin. Both parties are together. We want to show their true colours to the public. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal will lead the yatra. In February, the yatra will cover Amritsar, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and Bathinda districts. As many as 43 constituencies will be covered during the first leg of the yatra,” Grewal said. In Ludhiana too, all 13 con- stituencies would be covered in March. The party aims not to set up any stage or speeches but to interact with the masses at the ground level. One third area in each constituency would be covered and Sukhbir and other local leaders would spend around six hours with residents of the segment. One of the industrialists said there was unrest among businessmen of the state as the ruling party had done nothing for the industry. “We will see with whom we can feel safe and who would protect interests of the industry,” the industrialist said. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 4 A young guest received a bullet injury during a wedding at a marriage palace on Sua Road in Jawaddi, here, on Sunday evening. According to information, two groups had allegedly entered a spat over the changing of songs by the DJ at Alley Greens Resort. In the meantime, a person opened fire, instilling fear among attendees at the venue. Speaking to mediapersons, a youngster at the marriage palace said some persons were dancing when HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Youth hurt as man opens fire after spat Drizzle in some areas, average AQI 90 Cops at the resort where the gunshot was fired in Jawaddi. a person opened fire. A total of three gunfire shots were heard. A bullet hit one of the youngsters. The injured, identified as Gursewak Singh, alias Vicky, was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana. He sustained a bullet injury on his chest. His condition is stated to be stable. After receiving information, the Dugri police reached the spot and started investigation. CCTV footage is being checked to trace the suspect. A police official said they had rounded up a suspect and the investigation was underway. Questions are also being raised about how the suspect entered the marriage palace with a weapon, despite a ban on carrying weapons inside such venues. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 4 Light rain was experienced at isolated places in the city. Rainfall of 1.2 mm was recorded. The weather remained cloudy throughout the day and minimum temperature has also seen an increase, though the maximum temperature was three notches below than the previous day. The average air quality index (AQI) of Ludhiana recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board today was 90, which was considered ‘satisfactory ’ . People walk in the rain in Ludhiana on Sunday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Rainfall has led to clear skies and better air quality. The maximum tempera- ture recorded today by the Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Many homeless still brave bone-chilling nights in the open in city Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 4 Even 12 years after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered states to comply with its directive to provide roofs for the homeless facing threats to their lives while sleeping in the open and enduring intense cold, a number of such people are still forced to In absence of night shelters near prominent places, many are forced to stay in open spaces stay in the open during the bone-chilling nights of the winter season in the city. According to an order issued by the Supreme Court in January 2012, the state must fulfil its core obligation to comply with Article 21 of the Constitution by providing night shelters for the vulner- The homeless stay on a footpath near Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN able and homeless. In that order, the SC had directed the collectors and district magistrates of different states, including Punjab, to file affidavits with their respective chief secretaries within three weeks, ensuring that at least temporary night shelters are provided to protect and preserve the lives of the people in consonance with the constitutional philosophy enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution. In the absence of the required number of night shelters or temporary shelters, especially near Durga Mata Mandir, Guru Nanak Stadium, Railway Station, Clock Tower and among other parts of the city, a number of homeless persons are forced to spend nights on footpaths, under flyovers, or verandahs of various markets amid the bone-chilling weather conditions. Of the MC’s four night shelters, only three located at Dairy Complex on Hambran Road in Zone D, Moti Nagar near Cheema Chowk in Zone B and another near Vishwakarma Chowk in Zone C are operational. The MC’s main night shelter located near Clock Tower and the railway station in Zone A had been closed more than a year ago due to its unsafe structure c m y b and no alternative arrangements have been made so far. A homeless person outside the Guru Nanak Stadium near Shree Durga Mata Mandir said a bus comes every night to transport homeless persons from the area to a night shelter located at Haibowal Dairy Complex but there is no arrangement to drop them back at the same place the next morning. That night shelter is roughly 5 km away from here and to return near Guru Nanak Stadium in the morning, they have to either pay around Rs 20 fare for an auto-rickshaw or walk. Hence, a number of homeless persons avoid to go to that shelter. He said they were dependent on donated food or consume langar at nearby religious places. BJP leader Parminder Mehta said he recently wrote to the government authorities about the serious condition of homeless people sleeping in the open amid the intense cold conditions. The MC’s three operational night shelters are located at a far distance from the Clock Tower, railway station, bus stand, various religious places, rickshaw stands, and other public places where the homeless generally spend nights in the open. He alleged that no step had been taken to set up even temporary night shelters near such places so that such people could visit these easily to protect themselves from cold. The MC can also consider setting up one night shelter in each ward of the city, he added. Also, a large number of labourers come from other states through trains or buses to Ludhiana and some of them sleep on footpaths or in market areas of the city. There is no separate night shelter available for women in the city. However, a room was earlier reserved for women at the existing night shelters. Jagjeet Singh from Watawaran Sambhal Society said: “There is a need to set up at least temporary night shelters for winters near all public places where the homeless usually stay so that they can go to such shelters to sleep at night to protect themselves from bone-chilling cold.” According to MC officials, two city buses have been deployed to ferry the homeless to the three night shelters located in Zone B, C and D during night hours. Around 100 homeless people come to these shelters every night. The officials claimed that the civic body has made necessary arrangements at the shelters and also tied up with NGOs and a gurdwara management committee to provide food to the homeless at the shelters. An official said a number of homeless people also refuse to go to night shelters. Meteorology of Punjab Agricultural University was 13.6°C while the minimum was 11.2°C. While both morning and evening relative humidity was 88 per cent. According to Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, light to moderate rainfall is likely to occur in the city on Monday. “Rainfall has led to little chill in the air but otherwise one feels good inside the house. Now, finally rain has arrived and it seems, this is the last part of the ongoing winter season,” said Smriti, a city resident. Youth arrested for raping minor Ludhiana, February 4 A 23-year-old youth was arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl near Kakka village. The suspect has been identified as Gulshan Kumar from Gaunsgarh village. The 15-year-old victim is a student of Class IX. After she narrated the incident to her mother, the latter filed a complaint with the police. The complainant alleged that the youth had been harassing her daughter and attempting to befriend her. On February 2, he threatened the girl and took her on his motorcycle to a vacant house, located on a road leading to Kakka village, where he violated her. On receiving the complaint, the police initiated investigation and arrested the suspect. A case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against the youth. — TNS
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).