23022024-ATR-01.qxd 2/23/2024 12:44 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 23°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 7°C LOUDSPEAKERS TEST NERVES OF STUDENTS IN FAZILKA BISHNOI GROUP MEMBERS HELD AFTER ENCOUNTER HEMKUND SAHIB TO OPEN FOR PILGRIMS ON MAY 25 Though the PSEB exams started last week, blaring loudspeakers are affecting thousands of students. P3 Delhi Police nabbed two sharpshooters of Lawrence Bishnoi-Hashim Baba gang after a gunfire encounter. P3 Portals of Hemkund Sahib, a famous Himalayan Sikh shrine in Uttarakhand, will open on May 25. P3 » » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.23 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 7.04 AM FRIDAY | 23 FEBRUARY 2024 | AMRITSAR Masked robbers loot cash, bike from man Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 22 Paramjit Singh, a resident of Sursing village, was robbed by three masked robbers near Baler village on Wednesday when he was on way to deliver some medicines there. In his statement to the Bhikhiwind police, Paramjit Singh said that he was stopped by three masked motorcycle-borne robbers. The robbers threatened to kill him with a sharp-edged weapon. Paramjit Singh said that he left his motorcycle behind and ran away to the fields. The robbers took his motorcycle which was carrying a bag contacting cash worth ~10,000 and other articles. The robbers absconded after taking the cash and bike. The Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Sukhdev Singh, said a case under Section 379B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered on the complaint of the victim, Paramjit Singh. Protest over farmer’s death at Khanauri Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 22 The killing of a young farmer Shubhkaran Singh (23) was condemned by the farmers who lodged a protest in the district on Thursday. Shubhkaran was killed in the firing of rubber bullets by the Haryana police and paramilitary forces at Khanauri border in Punjab on Wednesday. The protesting farmers burnt the effigies of the Union and Haryana governments on Thursday. A large number of farmers and labourers including men and women demonstrated on National Highway No. 54 near Rasulpur village and condemned the brutality of the state machinery at the Punjab border against the farmers who were fighting for their genuine demands, to seek legal guarantee on MSP of crops, among others. The road traffic was disturbed as farmers came in the middle of the NH. Baljinder Singh Sheron, Devinder Kaur and Kuljit Kaur were among those who addressed the CTUs to also join protest Tribune News Service Farmers burn effigies of the Centre and Haryana Government in Tarn Taran on Thursday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI gathering and called the farmers to unite to press for the acceptance of their demands. The leaders condemned damaging of tractor-trolleys of farmers for no fault of theirs. The farmers under the banner of BKU (Kadian) blocked road traffic by staging a dharna on the Harike bridge for three hours led by Gursab Singh Dall, district unit president. The flow of traffic remained disrupted on the Amritsar-Bathinda road. Gursab Singh Dall and other leaders, while addressing the gathering, stressed on the acceptance of the demands of agitating farmers. The activists of the farmer organisations associated with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) staged a dharna in front of the BJP’s district-level office in Tarn Taran town and said that the demands of farmers accepted at the end of the Delhi Morcha two years back should be implemented. All three plazas situated at Usman, Mannan and Bhagupur were being run tollfree as the farmers have been staging a dharna for the last three days in the district. Amritsar, February 22 While condemning the use of fire power on farmers at the Khanauri and Shambhu borders by the Haryana Police and Central forces, the joint platform of the Central Trade Unions have given a call for observing a black day across the country on February 23. The platform includes organisations such as the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Self Employed Women’s Association, All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC). The purpose of the protest is to condemn the police action. Farmers lift dharnas from three toll plazas Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 22 The farmer unions associated with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha have ended their protests at the three toll plazas in the district as well as lifted their dharnas in front of the houses of BJP leaders to protest against the barricading of roads leading to Delhi to stop farmers and throwing tear gas shells on them. The farmers have been holding protests at the three toll plazas — Mannawala on the Amritsar-Jalandhar National Highway, Kathunangal on the Amritsar-Gurdaspur National Highway and Chiddan on the Amritsar-Attari National Highway —since February 17 and during their protests they had made these free for commuters. The protests outside the houses of BJP leaders Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna and Amarpal Singh Bony Ajnala were started on February 20. The farmer leaders stated that Farmers during a protest in front of the residences of two local BJP leaders at Ranjit Avenue in Amritsar on Thursday. use of rubber bullets and tear gas shells on peacefully protesting farmers is a violation of the democratic rights. Though the unions have ended the protest at the toll plazas and outside the residences of BJP leaders, the SKM has announced another action plan, according to which the farmer unions would observe black day to protest the death of a 21-year-old farmer during the Delhi Chalo movement on February 21. The farmers observed a twominute silence to pay tributes to Subhakaran Singh who was allegedly killed due to being hit by tear gas shells fired by the Haryana Police at the Khanauri border. Farmer leaders Dhanwant Singh Khatari Kalan, Gurdev Singh Varpal, Nishan Singh Sanghana, Saravan Singh Varpal and others stated that the BJP governments at of the Centre and Haryana were responsible for the death of the youth. Two robbers held Company Bagh requires effective pest NGO for extending management to save trees from rodents e-auto scheme to Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service The accused in custody of the Amritsar police on Thursday. Amritsar, February 22 The city police have arrested two robbers and recovered a toy pistol and a sharp-edged weapon from their possession. They were identified as Parminder Singh of Chak Mishri Khan in Lopoke and Varinderpal Singh of Lopoke. Kuljit Kaur, SHO, Airport police, said the police got a tipoff that two youths used to rob people going from the city to rural areas during late hours taking advantage of darkness. She said police teams headed by SI Palwinder Singh saw the moment in the roadside bushes. On seeing the police party, the duo tried to flee on a bike which was without number plate. They were overpowered and nabbed. During search the police found a toy pistol, a long datar and a bike from them. Palwinder faced two cases of firing and under Arms Act while Varinder faced two FIRs under the Arms Act at the Lopoke police station. — TNS Amritsar, February 22 Though the Municipal Commissioner and Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap have been making efforts to improve the condition of Ram Bagh (Company Bagh), in the absence of effective pest management, thousands of rodents are burrowing holes, damaging trees and paths. Ironically, some visitors at Company Garden regularly feed these rats, which helps to increase their population in the garden. The historic Ram Bagh, home to centuries-old trees, now faces threat from a growing rat population. Many of these ancient trees, typically found in the Himalayas and Nilgiri hills, now face an uncertain future due to the negligence of the Municipal Corporation. The residents and visitors, concerned over the Ratholes under trees and on paths at the Company Bagh in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR legacy and future of the garden, raised the issue with the MC officials several times. Some NGOs made efforts at their own level during the past year, but the garden needs some effective and regular pest management. Advocate PC Sharma, a concerned resident, who wrote to the MC for pest management, said. “Some visitors put grains and other food item around the tree trunks, which attract rats. The rat holes surrounding the tree trunks can be seen everywhere. With each spell of rain, water enters these holes, weakening the trees and causing them to tilt even when the wind speed is modest. Administrative neglect has already resulted in the loss of over 500 old trees. Sadly, the MC never conducted inspections to know the number of trees in the garden.” “The survival of these trees is ever more precarious in the current environment. Urgent measures are needed to safeguard the garden. Some boards should be installed to make the residents aware that offering grains and pulses to birds and insects near the trees attracts rats and which leads to damage to the roots of the trees,” said Sandeep Singh, a regular visitor. women drivers Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 22 The office-bearers of Clean Air Punjab, an NGO, have written to Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, to address air quality challenges in Punjab. The NGO has requested the minister to ensure the expeditious approval of pink electric auto policy for women under the Rejuvenation of Auto-Rickshaws in Amritsar through Holistic Intervention (RAAHI) Project instituted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Recognising the role of electric vehicles (EVs) in achieving net-zero emission by 2070, Clean Air Punjab highlights the imperative of integrating women into the transportation workforce. In a landscape where only a few states actively address gender disparity, Punjab’s pioneering extension of the RAAHI scheme to women auto drivers exemplifies progressive policy-making. The substantial 90 per cent subsidy on electric autos for women not only catalyses economic empowerment but also cultivates environmental stewardship. At a recent meet convened on February 18, attended by 250 women, there emerged a palpable eagerness among the participants to embrace electric autos in Amritsar, provided with requisite continued on page 2 Court extends police remand PSPCL worker falls Lit fest: Punjabi scholars discuss of suspects in Hawala case from electricity pole, problems, prospects for Maa Boli seriously injured PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 22 A local court has extended the police remand of three suspects in the hawala racket. They were produced in court after the expiry of their police remand on Thursday. After the investigations carried out so far, the police have identified his Pakistan and UK-based accomplices. They are known to be Abdul Rehman, a trader who runs the company Sky Overseas in Pakistan, and Harbans Singh aka Vicky, who is reportedly in the UK. Vicky originally hails from Ferozepur district in Punjab. Rehman had introduced Amritsar-based businessman Rajiv Jain to Vicky for the transaction of hawala money on commission basis. Besides Rajiv Jain, the police had arrested Gurpreet Singh of Ferozepur and Anokh Singh of Jagraon. They were arrested on February 20 with Rs 55.90 lakh of hawala money. SSP Amritsar (rural) Satinder Tribune News Service Three accused in custody of the police. FILE PHOTO Singh said Vicky was known to Gurpreet and Anokh Singh. Vicky had met Gurpreet Singh, a taxi driver, in jail where he (Vicky) was lodged in a case pertaining to fraud and under the Arms Act. He had helped Gupreet in getting bail and since then they were in close contact. Similarly, Anokh Singh had family relations with Vicky as their fathers were building contractors. Sukhjinder Singh Thapar, DSP Attari, said that till now , over Rs 1 crore of hawala money has been transferred in the racket. He said the police teams would conduct raids at Fer- ozepur to find the whereabouts of Vicky who is said to be in the UK. The police was also investigating how he managed to escape to the UK if there was a criminal case against him. The racket was busted after eight days of probe into a Dubaibased drug cartel in which the police had arrested five persons along with 4.4 kg of heroin, four cars and a tractor-trailer. Those arrested in the drug cartel were identified as Sarwan Singh of Ladhewal Havelian, Sukhdev Singh of Baghrian village, Vishal Singh of Attari, Harmeet Singh and Hari Singh of Narli and Sur Singh village. Amritsar, February 22 A contractual employee of Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) fell from a 30foot-high pole after getting an electric shock here on Thursday. The victim has been identified as Gurcharn Singh. He was rushed to hospital where his condition is stated to be serious. The incident exposes the employer’s lack of seriousness towards workers’ safety. Even the victim was not provided any safety gear. Gurbachan had joined the job only two and a half years ago and was working as a contractual worker with PSPCL. The incident happened on the Lawrence Road, where Gurbachan fell from a pole due to electrocution. He had climbed an 11 KV transformer located on the Lawrence Road after placing a ladder. The staff working c m y b along with him had allegedly cut off the power supply and he was going to adjust the load. According to information, as soon as he climbed up the pole, he got an electric shock from the back current of the generator. Ironically, he fell inside the grills around transformer, from where he was taken out by fellow workers after strenuous efforts. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital where his condition is said to be critical. According to eyewitnesses, due to the electric shock, Gurcharan burnt his leg due. Most of the time, PSPCL workers can be seen working without any safety belt, insulated gloves, insulated ladder and lifesaving kit. A contractual worker of PSPCL claimed that a rope should be provided there to save workers from falling after getting shock. Amritsar, February 22 Punjabi singer Pammi Bai, poetry and bhangra performances kept the audience in raptures on the second day of the Amritsar Literature Festival at Khalsa College. The day commenced with a discussion dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Punjabi, as development and progression of the language was discussed with speakers including Punjabi scholars, moderated by Dr Mehal Singh. Punjabi University Patiala academician Dr Gurmukh Singh, Head of Punjabi Department at Delhi University, Dr Kulveer Gojra and Naresh Kumar from the Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, along with historian Dr Inderjit Singh Gogoani participated and discussed the problems and prospects of higher education in Punjabi. A souvenir commemorating the 75th anniversary of the launch of Punjabi Department in Khalsa Singer Pammi Bai performs during the Amritsar Literature Festival at Khalsa College in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR College was also released. The day progressed with Punjabi poet Darbar, Padma Shri awardee poet Surjit Patar and special guest Surinder Sunnar as guests. Dr Lakhwinder Johal, president, Punjabi Sahitya Akademi, Ludhiana, eminent expatriate Punjabi poets Ravinder Sehra (USA), Parminder Sodhi (Japan), Inderjit Singh Purewal (USA), Jasveer Gill (USA), Dr Karnell Shergill (England) and Harkan- wal Sahil (Canada) besides Swaranjit Svi, Darshan Buttar, Jaswant Jafar, Sushil Dusanjh, Balwinder Sandhu, Vijay Vivek and Bhupinderpreet from Punjab presented their poetry along with some from the new generation Punjabi poets. Singer Pammi Bai, who spoke during the last session of the day, recalled his memories of college and enthralled the audience with his singing.
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