26022024-JTR-01.qxd 2/26/2024 12:46 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune OVER 600 AWARDED DEGREES AT DAV COLLEGE POOR INFRA, STAFF SHORTAGE AIL JALANDHAR CIVIL HOSPITAL FILMMAKER KUMAR SHAHANI DIES AT KOLKATA HOSPITAL Over 600 graduates & postgraduates from received degrees during the convocation at DAV College. P2 The Jalandhar Civil Hospital seems illequipped to provide emergency health care services to accident victims. P3 Filmmaker Kumar Shahani passed away due to age-related health issues at a hospital in Kolkata. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 22°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 21.8°C | MIN 6°C SUNSET MONDAY 6:19 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:51 AM » MONDAY | 26 FEBRUARY 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF YOUTH ARRESTED ON RAPE CHARGE Phagwara: The police have arrested a youth on the charge of raping a minor girl. The suspect has been identified as Kamaldeep, alias Deepa, a resident of the same locality. The complainant, Baljit Kaur, a resident of Nanak Nagri, Phagwara, told the police that her uncle and aunt were mentally upset. Baljit said the suspect, who was residing nearby, brought her 13-yearold cousin to his house and raped her. A case under Section 376 of the IPC and Section 4 of the POCSO Act has been registered. OC THREE HELD WITH HEROIN, WEAPONS Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested three persons under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act. Station House Officer (SHO) Yadwinder Singh said the suspects had been identified as Sukhpreet Singh, alias Sukha, Akashdeep, alias Musa, residents of Nihalu Wal village, and Hardeep Singh, a resident of Rajataal in Amarit Sar district. The SHO said 302 grams of heroin, three countrymade pistols, three magazines, six live cartridges and two motorcycles were recovered from their possession. A case under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against the suspects. OC MAN NABBED ON ASSAULT CHARGE Phagwara: The police have arrested a suspect on the charges of snatching a mobile phone and cash worth ~2,200 after assaulting a person on the evening of February 21. The suspect has been identified as Jaspreet Kaul, a resident of Hadiabad. On a complaint lodged by Anuj Kumar, a resident of Chachoki village, the police have registered a case under Section 379-B of the IPC. Three other accomplices of the suspect were still at large, the police said. OC TRACTOR DRIVER BOOKED March closing unlikely to see targets achieved by MC wings Various departments may fall short of set recovery goals Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 25 With just about a month left for the financial year 202324, it seems unlikely that the targets to be achieved by various departments of the Municipal Corporation may be met by March 31. As per information, the Water Supply Department has recovered a bill amount worth ~12 crore, while the target is ~18 crore. The property tax wing of the MC has recovered ~41 crore so far, while the target is ~45 crore for the financial year. The Municipal Corporation (MC) Zonal Commissioner held a meeting with officials of the Water Supply Department last month and ordered them to ensure that they meet the target of recovering ~18 crore in the current financial year. The officials had also been asked to complete the process of meter reading IN FIGURES As per information, the Water Supply Department has recovered a bill amount worth ~12 crore, while the target is ~18 crore. The property tax wing of the MC has recovered ~41 crore so far, while the target is ~45 crore for the financial year. at the earliest so that the recovery could be done fast. “We will check illegal connections and then act accordingly,” an official had said. However, officials were expecting that the recov- ery would increase in the coming days. The same is the case with the property tax wing. Not much headway has been made in the recovery. This is so Tribune News Service THE DEMANDS Jalandhar, February 25 To amplify their long-pending grievances, the Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab, and Bhoomi Sangharsh Committee have announced to stage a ‘Rail Roko’ protest on March 11. Union members said trains across Punjab would be stopped as farm labourers would protest on rail tracks. Led by the union’s state president Tarsem Peter, secretary Kashmir Singh Ghugshore and committee chairman Mukesh Maloud, the protest aims at highlighting the persistent neglect of workers’ demands by both Centre and the Punjab Government. Citing the blatant disregard for labourers’ rights, the leaders underscored the rampant violation of the Land Ceiling Act 1972 in Punjab, which restricts land ownership to 17 and a half The demands of the Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab, include reforms benefiting farmers and labourers alike. These demands encompass the provision of permanent ownership rights to Dalits for one-third of panchayat lands, granting ownership rights to those residing within demarcated areas, disbursing a monthly pension of Rs 15,000 to widows and disabled individuals, as well as the annulment of FIRs against labourers and farmers. acres per family. They lamented the stark reality where affluent landowners possess vast swathes of land while labour families struggle to secure basic necessities, let alone shelter. The union’s demands include reforms benefiting farmers and labourers alike. These demands encompass the provision of permanent ownership rights to Dalits for onethird of panchayat lands, granting ownership rights to those residing within demarcated areas, disbursing a monthly pension of Rs 15,000 to widows and disabled individuals, as well as the annulment of FIRs against labourers and farmers. Additionally, they advocate for the assurance of stable employment opportunities. To galvanise support for their cause, the leaders outlined an extensive outreach strategy encompassing hundreds of villages across Punjab. “Through a multifaceted approach involving wall posters, street meetings, rallies and group marches, workers are being mobilised to assert their rights and participate in the upcoming ‘Rail Roko ’ protest,” the members said. Picture of neglect Woman among 4 drug peddlers in police net Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 25 The police arrested two drugs smugglers, including a woman, and recovered 107 grams of opium, 60 intoxicant capsules and ~1 lakh drug money from their possession last night. Rupinder Kaur Bhatti, Superintendent of Police, Phagwara, said those arrested had been identified as Resham Kaur, a resident of Nasirabad village near Phagwara, and Ranjit Singh, a resident of Mananhana village near Mahilpur. The suspects, who were riding a scooter bearing registration number PB36K2661, were nabbed at a check point near Nasirabad. The police impounded their vehicle on which they were going to sell intoxicants. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against the suspects. In another case, the police arrested a drug peddler while consuming drugs near the local bus stand here last night. The suspect has been identified as Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Palahai Gate, Phagwara. The police also recovered intoxicants, a cigarette lighter and a currency note in which he was going to consume another dose of intoxicant, the police said. A case under the NDPS Act was regis- 20-yr-old girl hangs self to death Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 25 A 20-year-old girl, identified as Roshni, died by suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her residence in the Gadaipur area last night. According to the police, the victim’s family mem- Centre misbehaving Phagwara: The Nakodar Sadar police have booked a tractor driver on the charge of causing death by negligence. Resham Singh, a resident of Rasul Pur, complained to the police that the suspect, who was driving the tractor negligently and at a high speed, hit a motorcycle being driven his nephew Ajay Kumar on the Uggi Rasul Pur link road on February 21. Ajay’s wife Simran Sidhu, who was pillion riding, died in the mishap. Investigating officer Nirmal Singh said a case under Sections 304-A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving), 337, 338 (causing hurt by an act endangering the life or safety of others) and 427 (mischief) of the IPC had been registered against the unidentified tractor driver. OC The building of MC office in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO despite the ‘One-Time Settlement’ scheme getting implemented in September last year to provide a major relief to defaulters who are otherwise supposed to pay 20 per cent penalty and 18 per cent interest on the outstanding principal amount of all previous fiscal years. There are around 1.65 lakh taxable properties in the city, including residential and commercial ones. Under the procedure for taking action against defaulters, inspectors of the property tax wing visit different areas to recover the tax. Defaulters who have not paid the tax are served a notice under Section 112 of the Municipal Corporation Act. They have to file a reply within three days, failing which another notice of sealing the property is served under Section 138 of the Act. Pendu Mazdoor Union to hold ‘Rail Roko’ protest on March 11 with farmers, says former CM Channi bers caught her while she was talking to her boyfriend late on Saturday night. A confrontation allegedly ensued, resulting in an altercation between Roshni and her family members. The girl, who was in distress following the altercation, allegedly took the extreme step. After receiv- ing information, a police team from the Focal Point reached the spot. The police took the body into their possession and sent it for postmortem examination. Further proceedings would be done after recording the statements of family members of the deceased. Docs, health staff get appointment letters Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 25 Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has said that the BJP-led Union Government is misbehaving with farmers. Talking to mediapersons at Vishwakarma Mandir here today, he said the Central Government was arrogant and it would have to bear the consequences in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Channi said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was also watching everything as an observer. Haryana Police were firing tear gas shells at the protesting farmers. One of the youths also died during the firing. But the Punjab Government did not register any case so far. AAM AADMI CLINICS Hoshiarpur, February 26 Cabinet Minister Bram Shankar Jimpa handed over appointment letters to doctors appointed for Aam Aadmi Clinics. On the occasion, he said the Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, had made revolutionary changes in the health services in public interest. He said 21 doctors were today appointed for various Aam Aadmi Clinics of the district and about 35 lakh people have benefited from 700 such clinics opened in the state so far. Jimpa said these clinics had been opened with the objective of providing quality health facilities on the QUALITY HEALTH FACILITIES Cabinet Minister Bram Shankar Jimpa said these clinics had been opened with the objective of providing quality health facilities on the doorstep, which has realised the dreams of the state government. doorstep, which has realised the dreams of the state government. Jimpa also handed over appointment letters to 27 newly appointed pharmacists and 28 clinic assistants. He said these newly appointed pharmacists and clinic assistants would render services in the Aam Aadmi Clinics of the district. Civil Surgeon Balvinder Kumar and SMO Dr Manmohan Singh were also present. — OC c m y b tered against the suspect. The police also arrested another drug peddler and recovered 15 grams of heroin from his possession last night. The suspect has been identified as Rithim Khanna, a resident of Mehli Gate, Phagwara. He was arrest at a check-point near Konika Resorts. The police registered a case against the suspect under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Road accident claims 2 lives in Tarn Taran Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 25 A road accident on the Tarn Taran-Khadoor Sahib road snuffed out the lives of a father-son duo here on Saturday night. A stray animal roaming on the road was the reason behind the accident that happened near Pandori Gola village. The deceased have been identified as Sonu (40) and his son Punit Singh (23), residents of Bath village. Hailing from a poor family, both worked as labourers. After completing their work, both were on way back home from Tarn Taran to their Bath village on the motorcycle driven by Punit Singh. When they reached near Pandori Gola village, a stray animal suddenly appeared on the road and hit their motorcycle. Punit Singh lost control of the motorcycle, rammed into a roadside tree. Both received head injuries and were killed on the spot. A police party led by ASI Sukhdev Singh reached the spot. The ASI said on the statement of Kulwinder Kaur, sister of Sonu, a case has been registered. The post-mortem examination was done at the local Civil Hospital on Sunday. A fountain lies defunct at the Company Bagh public park in Jalandhar on Sunday. SARABJIT SINGH IndiGo adds 5th daily flight on Delhi-Amritsar route till February 29 Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 25 In a relief for passengers, particularly NRIs travelling to and from Punjab, IndiGo Airlines, which currently operates four flights daily between Delhi and Amritsar, has added an additional flight on the route until February 29. Amid the ongoing farmers’ protests, there has been a surge in demand for flights from Punjab’s biggest and busiest Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar, particularly to Delhi, leading to a steep hike in fare, with prices reaching as high as Rs 25,000 and many direct flights selling out. This new flight, 6E2324 by IndiGo, departs from Delhi airport at 12:45 pm and arrives in Amritsar at 2 pm. The return flight, 6E2325, departs from Amritsar at 2:45 pm and arrives in Delhi at 4 pm. Bookings for this flight is available on IndiGo’s website. Despite the addition of this flight, demand and fares on flights between Delhi and Amritsar remain high due to the ongoing farmers’ protest. Many travellers to or from Punjab, particularly those arriving on international flights into Delhi, are opting to avoid road travel via buses or taxis to bypass detours and traffic jams. Sameep Singh Gumtala, the global convener of FlyAmritsar Initiative, welcomed the addition of the flight and stated that with the inclusion of this flight until February 29, the total number of direct flights between Delhi and Amritsar has risen to 11 daily flights, with IndiGo operating five, Air India three and Vistara three flights. “We hope that other Indian carriers, including Air India, will soon add more flights and the fares will decrease,” he said. “Concerns have been raised by some online portals sharing videos of heavy rush, claiming it takes up to seven hours to enter the airport, which is misleading and creates panic among travellers. We noted that several international travellers, who recently flew to Italy and other destinations during peak times, reported to us waiting for about an hour only in queues to enter the main airport gate. We also urged the airport authorities to implement measures to reduce the rush at entry gates,” said Gumtala. 6-year-old girl dies after kite string slits her throat in Asr Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 25 A six-yearold girl, Khushi, lost her life when her throat was slit by a dangling synthetic kite string on the Batala road BRTS flyover here on Sunday. The victim, identified as Khushi, along with her parents was going to Verka from Dhapai area on their bike when the incident took place. By the time she was taken to hospital, doctors declared her dead on arrival. Mani Singh, father of the victim and resident of Deen Dayal colony at Verka, said he along with his wife Komal Kaur and daughter Khushi was returning to Verka and was on the Metro bus bridge when a kite string entangled and slit her throat. He said she started bleeding profusely. She was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared her dead. She died due to excessive blood loss and slitting of the wind pipe.
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