27022024-LT-01.qxd 2/27/2024 12:39 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune POWER MINISTER OPENS 66 KV SUB-STATION AT PAWA KHAGAT TB PATIENTS BEAR BRUNT AS CENTRE HALTS NHM FUNDS KARISMA TURNS SPEAKER AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL The 66 kV power sub-station has been constructed at a cost of ~10 crore at Pawa Khagat village on Monday. P2 TB patients across state failed to receive money for nutritional support given to them every month. P3 Actress Karisma Kapoor was one of the speakers at India Conference at Harvard Business School, Boston.P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 22°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 23°C | MIN 9°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.22 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:55 AM TUESDAY | 27 FEBRUARY 2024 | LUDHIANA 6 thieves flee with cash, gold from house Sahnewal, February 26 The Sahnewal police have registered a case of theft against six persons who decamped with cash and gold jewellery from the house of a Lohara resident by threatening him and his son of dire consequences if they try to raise the alarm. The incident occurred on Saturday night and a case under Sections 395, 384, 120B of the IPC was registered on Sunday. No arrest had been made so far in the case. Amarjit Yadav, a resident of New Satguru Nagar in Lohara and the owner of the house, has complained to the police that he and his son were sleeping on Saturday night when six thieves, armed with iron rods and daggers, entered their home and caught both of them. They warned them of dire consequences if they tried to raise their voice. Later, they broke an almirah and decamped with cash, gold and a mobile. The suspects have been identified as Vijay, alias Kala, of New Satguru Nagar, Harjinder Singh, Tatt and Deepak, all residents of Jaspal Bangar village, Deepak Gupta of Mahadev Nagar and Sukhveer Singh. Investigating Officer Surjit Singh said the police were making all efforts to arrest the suspects. — TNS 10 teachers not paid salaries for 13 months PU fellow writes to VC in support of college teachers Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 26 Teachers, falling under the uncovered teaching staff category, at Lajpat Rai DAV College, Jagraon, in the district, are enduring hardships due to the non-payment of salaries for the past 13 months. Despite their repeated pleas to the authorities, their salaries remain unpaid to date. Over a month ago, the 10 aggrieved teachers communicated their grievances regarding pending salaries since January 2023 to the college authorities, yet the issue remains unresolved. They sought assistance from the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU). Now, a letter highlighting the matter has also been sent to the Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh. Professor Kunal Mehta, one of the teachers who has not received salaries, said it was challenging for the uncovered teaching staff to meet their day-to-day family needs as they had not been paid salaries for more than a year. He said 10 teachers of the college had not received their salaries since January 2023. RAISED GRIEVANCES MONTH AGO Over a month ago, the aggrieved teachers communicated their grievances regarding pending salaries since January 2023 to the Lajpat Rai DAV College authorities. However, the issue remains unresolved. He said the salaries should be released at the earliest. According to Prof Vikas Mendiratta, Prof PS Bajwa and other professors, they had previously requested the college multiple times but no concrete solution has been given to date. They are demanding the salaries be released at the earliest as they are facing a tough time. Meanwhile, the teaching staff (uncovered category) have also decided to confine themselves solely to teaching, with no other administrative work being undertaken. A fellow of the PU, Jagdeep Kumar, who is also the vicepresident of the PCCTU, said the college teachers had approached him regarding the matter. He then wrote to the PU Vice-Chancellor in this regard. In the letter written to the PU VC by Jagdeep, it is alleged that the authorities of LRDAV College, Jagraon, are not paying the salaries to the teachers for the past 13 months, allegedly in gross violation of the PU rules regarding salaries of teachers working at affiliated colleges. The letter further reads: “While the selection of all teachers is done through a proper channel by the selection committee of the PU and their appointments are also approved by the university. Such a long pendency (13 months) of salaries is unjustified and in violation of the norms and a type of financial exploitation.” The VC has been requested to intervene in the matter. On the other hand, college principal Dr Anuj Kumar Sharma said many colleges in the state were facing financial challenges. Such a situation had been occurred at many colleges in the state due to the financial crises. However, he said the salary issue was related to only some uncovered teaching staff members at their college and it would be resolved. He added that it was an aided college and the salaries of all other teaching and non-teaching staff were released timely as grants for them were received. c m y b Fire breaks out at bakery godown Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 26 In the Ganesh Nagar area, a fire broke out in a bakery warehouse on Monday. The fire quickly escalated. Goods kept inside the bakery were burnt to ashes. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident. After the fire broke out, smoke from the building was seen from quite a distance. After receiving information, two fire brigade vehicles reached the spot. They managed to control the fire after about an hour. It is suspected that the fire occurred due to a short-circuit but the actual reason behind it was yet to be ascertained. After coming to know about the incident, people gathered at the spot and tried to control the fire, But by then, the fire had spread considerably. After which, they informed the fire brigade. According to a fire officer, firefighters managed to control the blaze in around one hour. The firefighters safely brought out about three cylinders from the bakery. He said the cause of the fire was not clear. There was suspicion that the incident occurred due to a short- circuit. Further investigation was underway. Farmers from dist take out tractor marcheson national highways Members of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) park their tractors on the national highway during their tractor rally in Ludhiana on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 26 Farmers from the district today took out tractor marches along national highways on the call given by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). The morcha has announced to observe ‘Quit WTO Day’ today, demanding agriculture sector be taken out of WTO agreement. They demanded that the Centre should put pressure on developed countries to keep agriculture out of World Trade Organisation (WTO) discussions. The protesting farmers also raised slogans against the ongoing meeting of the WTO at Abu Dhabi. The meeting is being held from February 26 to 29. Members of Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) took SKM observes ‘Quit WTO Day’, seeks agri sector be removed from int’l body’s agreement out a tractor march on the Ludhiana-Delhi highway at Bija. They stationed tractors facing Delhi and burnt the effigy of the WTO. Members of the union said the government should abstain from taking any decision in the WTO meeting that could harm food security and interests of farmers. They demanded that India should quit the WTO. “We are demanding MSP , procurement by government and government presence in marketing of crops. But from WTO drafts, it came forward that it wants member countries to stop subsidies for farmers and end procurement for the public distribution system,” said Saudagar Singh, general secretary BKU (Ekta Ugrahan). He said they would be arranging a conference on March 14 at Ram Lila ground in Delhi and intensify their protest further. Members of the BKU (Lakhowal) also took out a tractor march on a national highway. The march started from Kohara and ended at Kharar. Addressing the farmers, president of the BKU (Lakhowal) Harinder Singh Lakhowal said they had serious doubts about the WTO meeting being held in Abu Dhabi. continued on page 2
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