11042024-LT-01.qxd 4/11/2024 12:31 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune ONLY 5,700 FIRE CERTIFICATES ISSUED IN FIVE YEARS ZEENAT AMAN: LIVE TOGETHER BEFORE GETTING MARRIED JANHVI KAPOOR CONFIRMS RELATIONSHIP WITH SHIKHAR From Jan 3, 2019 to Dec 12, 2023, the Fire Dept issued 3,801 certificates to commercial establishments. P2 Actor Zeenat Aman has advised her fans to choose a live-in relationship before getting married. P4 The actress was seen wearing a custom-made neckpiece with the inscription ‘Shikhu’ on it. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 35°C | MIN 18°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.52 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:01 AM » THURSDAY | 11 APRIL 2024 | LUDHIANA Record property tax collection helps Waste compactors to start functioning MC earn ~708-cr revenue in last fiscal from today in city Nitin Jain REVENUE RECEIPTS Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 10 The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) has collected revenue of Rs 708 crore from different heads during the recently ended financial year 2023–24, which was, however, almost 6 per cent less than Rs 752 crore revenue receipts recorded in 2022-23, officials have said. While the major hike in revenue collections was recorded from the property tax receipts, which had touched the highest-ever amount of Rs 138 crore, a jump of over 12 per cent than Rs 122 crore collected during 2022-23, the maximum shortfall of Rs 44 crore in the income was attributed to non-refund of VAT/ GST by the government for the last fiscal as yet. However, the overall revenue receipts for 2023–24 fell a whopping 24 per cent short of the revised estimates of Rs 927 crore fixed in the Budget for the previous financial year. This was due to a shortfall in the collections from five of the total 13 revenue heads. The MC Commissioner, HEAD 2023-24 TARGET RECEIPTS House tax/ 130 137.7 property tax Water supply 60 41.65 VAT/ GST refund 597 402.82 Additional excise duty 37.25 25.92 Rent/ tehbazari 5.85 8.72 Licence fee 1.23 1.22 Advertisement tax 10.5 11.48 Composition fee 37 15.68 Building fee 9.5 28.94 Development/ 12 8.5 change of land use Sale of property 5 93 Others 8.83 3.9 Total 926.66 707.83 HOUSE TAX RECORD YEAR 2023-24 2022-23 2021-22 2020-21 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2022-23 122.45 65.08 447.24 21.92 4.99 1.21 9.02 38.2 8.08 11.72 AMOUNT 137.7 122.45 92.84 96.68 84.25 78.24 70.4 66.05 69.44 52.94 74.79 (SOURCE: MC, AMOUNT IN RUPEES CRORE, FIGURES TILL MARCH 31) 58 10.43 751.81 2023-24 V/S 2022-23 5.85% 12.45% 258.16% 157.3% 23.61% overall decrease property tax increase rise in building fee/ building regularisation fee hike in municipal tax on electricity less than Budget estimates Sandeep Rishi said the property tax collections recorded in the last fiscal were highestever in the history of the civic body while the overall revenue receipts in 2023-24 fell bit short of 2022-23 due to the nonreceipt of VAT/ GST refund besides deficit in the collection of some other heads as well. He disclosed that the 2023-24 Budget estimates had put a record estimate of Rs 130 crore collection from the property tax, which was already 30 per cent up and above the Budget provision of Rs 100 crore kept in 2022-23 but the sustained campaign to achieve maximum collections had helped breach all the past records of property tax receipts with the record high of Rs 138 crore collection from this head. Sewage spills into vacant land in Dhandari Khurd, inundates street Residents of Prem Nagar, nearby areas forced to live in unsanitary conditions dent, Deepak from Prem Nagar, said, “There is a dire need to resolve the problem of unsanitary conditions in our area. We don’t know how the sewage is coming out on the streets, but the actual reason must be found so that corrective measures could be taken.” Additionally, sewage was overflowing in a few streets of Dhandari Khurd village. According to civic body officials, a huge amount of solid waste was removed during the cleaning of sewer lines in these areas in the past. The officials had then blamed some vehra dwellers for allegedly dumping the solid waste in the sewer lines, causing them to clog and overflow. The SDO concerned could not be contacted. Executive Engineer Ranbir Singh said he will instruct the staff concerned to inspect the area and take necessary action in this regard. Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 10 Despite the efforts made by the Municipal Corporation to address the issue of overflowing sewage in various parts of Dhandari Khurd and neighbouring areas, there remain some sections within the region where the problem persists, causing inconvenience to residents and posing potential health risks. The officials had earlier attributed the problem to some people’s improper disposal of solid waste into sewer lines, resulting in pipe blockages. On Tuesday afternoon, sewage water was observed flowing along a road connecting Jagdish Colony with Prem Nagar. The foulsmelling water was accumulating on an empty plot of land between Prem Nagar and Visakha Colony, creating a pool of foul smelling water. Local resi- Overflowing sewage in Prem Nagar and Visakha Colony. INDERJEET VERMA dents informed that the road linking Prem Nagar and Jagdish Nagar had been recently constructed. However, sewage was badly overflowing near the vehras in Prem Nagar. Anil, a resident of Prem Nagar, said that sewage has been flowing on the road for the past 20-25 days and is getting accumulated at a vacant site between the two colonies. The foul smell emanating from the dirty water has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes these days. He stated that they demand the civic body trace the problem and find out its permanent solution. It is also worth mentioning that there is no check on plastic carry bags and other waste being dumped near the vehras. Another resi- Rishi said another head that created a record of sorts by logging the highest-ever collection was Rs 29 crore from building fee/ building regularisation fee, which was a whopping 258 per cent rise from Rs 8 crore collection from this head in 2022-23. This record collection was even 205 per cent more than the Budget estimates of Rs 9.5 crore fixed for 2023-24. Also, the municipal tax of two per cent on the electricity consumption, under which a sum of Rs 28 crore was collected in 2023-24, saw an increase of a whopping 157 per cent over Rs 11 crore collected from this head in 202223. This record collection was also 124 per cent more than the Budget estimates of Rs 12.5 crore fixed for 2023-24. However, the other five heads, which recorded less collection than the proposed estimates in the Budget for 2023-24, were water supply, VAT/ GST refund, composition fee, development/change of land use charges, and other miscellaneous sources. Though these five heads registered lower collections than 4 of family hurt in LPG cylinder leak fire Ludhiana, April 10 A couple and their two minor children sustained burn injuries in a fire owing to a LPG cylinder leakage at their house in the Bharti Colony area of Basti Jodhewal on Wednesday morning. With the help of locals, the injured people were taken to the Civil Hospital. Neighbourers called the ambulance, but it failed to reach on time. The injured have been identified as Rahul, his wife Pooja, son Vansh (7) and daughter Annaya (1). Sucha Singh, a neighbour, said Pooja was cooking food in the room and other family members were also present in the same room. All of a sudden, the leaking gas caught fire, causing serious burn injuries to the victims. All of the household goods in the room were reduced to ashes. The fire was controlled with the help of area people. All the family members suffered total 40 per cent burns. Due to serious injuries , the injured were taken to the Sector-32 Hospital, Chandigarh, for further treatment. — TNS Ludhiana, April 10 Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Bharti Kissan Union Punjab (Lakhowal) has announced to oppose BJP candidates across the state. The farmers’ unions have been already protest campaigns against the Central Government led by PM Narendra Modi for allegedly failing to meet their demands, such as providing a legal guarantee for MSP on crops, justice in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, compensation for the farmers who lost their lives during the ‘Kisan Andolan,’ and others. Today, the monthly meeting PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA Farmers union to oppose BJP candidates across state Harinder Singh Lakhowal, president, Bharti Kissan Union, Lakhowal, addresses a meeting in Ludhiana on Wednesday. of the BKU Lakhowal was held under the leadership of its state chief, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, at the union’s headquarters in Ludhiana, where Avatar Singh Mehlon and other senior leaders of the union were present. Harinder Singh Lakhowal alleged that soon after the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, all political parties have once again started making false promises to the people. Lakhowal said the Election Commission should make strict decisions so that whichever party makes promises to the people for votes, it must fulfil them after coming to power. Addressing the meeting, Harminder Singh Khaira, Parshotam Singh, Baldev Singh Shahkot, and Manpreet c m y b Singh jointly stated that the union will oppose the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections throughout Punjab. During the meeting, Nirmal Singh Jhanduke, Gulzaar Singh Ghalkalan, and Surat Singh Kadarwala stated that the Punjab Government has initiated power supply cuts during day time. For the irrigation of crops such as paddy, wheat, maize, sugarcane, and vegetables, the government should ensure the release of water in the canals and other water bodies, and it must ensure the supply of electricity to run water pumps during daytime hours. the respective Budget estimates, the receipts under the rest eight accounts were recorded much higher than the collections made in 2022-23. Among them, the receipts from additional excise duty touched Rs 26 crore in 202324, which were over 18 per cent higher than Rs 22 crore collected from this head in 2022-23, rent and tehbazari Rs 9 crore, 75 per cent more than Rs 5 crore in 2022-23, Rs 1.22 crore from license fee, which was again more than Rs 1.21 crore collected in 2022-23, Rs 11 crore from advertisement tax, which was 27 per cent higher than 9 crore receipts in 2022-23, and Rs 93 crore from sale of property. The shortfall in five heads that registered lower collections than the Budget estimates as well as the 2022-23 fiscal’s receipts comprised Rs 23 crore less in water supply, Rs 44 crore deficit in VAT/ GST refund, Rs 23 crore in composition fee, Rs 11 crore in development/change of land use charges, and Rs 7 crore less receipts were received in other miscellaneous heads during the previous fiscal. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 10 After the rat menace issue came to light at the Civil Hospital Ludhiana recently, Municipal Corporation (MC) officials stated that they are working to remove the open dump site located beside the hospital. Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Rishi inspected the static compactors site, which has been established at the backside of the civil hospital (near Christian Dental College), on Wednesday. The civic body officials stated that all the civil and mechanical work at the site has been completed and the compactors would be made operational from Thursday onwards. MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi said that after this site would be made operational, a major part of the open garbage dump would be cleared. Soon the civic body will also operationalise static MC chief Sandeep Rishi inspects a compactors’ site. TRIBUNE PHOTO compactor site near Division number 3 police station, after which the open dump will be removed completely from the site. Sandeep Rishi said that cleanliness drive has already been initiated at the site by MC and the concerned officials of MC have also been directed to keep a check and stop dumping of sewerage waste at the site. After the removal of open dump from this site, there would be no foul smell in the area and this will also prove beneficial in tackling the rat menace around Civil Hospital. Celebrating ‘Shakti’ Durga Mata Mandir all lit up for the Navratras. TRIBUNE PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN Patwari, his accomplice held for taking ~3.5K bribe The suspects in police custody. TRIBUNE PHOTO Ludhiana, April 10 The Ludhiana Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Wednesday arrested a revenue patwari, Sukhwinder Singh Sodhi, posted at Patwarkhana at Sector 32, Chandigarh Road, Ludhiana and his accomplice Amandeep Singh, alias Deep, a resident of village Dheri, near Meharban, Ludhiana, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 3,500. An official spokesperson of the state VB said the above mentioned revenue official and his associate (Karinda) were arrested on a complaint lodged by Telu Ram. The patwari and his accom- plice allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 3,500 for issuing jamabandi record pertaining to his plot as he wanted to get a loan from bank. The complainant further alleged that on meeting, the Patwari told him to meet his associate namely Amandeep Singh, alias Deep, in this regard who has demanded Rs 3,500 as a bribe. Out of which associate of Patwari demanded Rs 500 and balance amount of Rs 3,000 would be paid to Patwari. The complainant had made recording of said conversation and submitted it to the VB as evidence. — TNS DENGUE MENACE Conduct targeted fogging drives, DC orders officials Ludhiana, April 10 DC Sakshi Sawhney on Wednesday instructed the Health Department and MC officials to initiate a comprehensive campaign to inspect high-risk areas and hotspots to check the spread of dengue in the district. In a meeting held at her office, she orders for regular awareness campaigns to educate residents about preventive measures which can be taken to avoid mosquito breeding in their houses. The steps have been taken after three cases of dengue have been reported in Khanna recently. DC Sawhney said this is unusual as the dengue cases are normally reported after July. Around 100 antilarvae teams are conducting inspections across the district out of which 18 are working in Ludhiana city areas. The teams have found dengue larvae at 35 locations in the district as of now. As many as 25 challans have also been issued to the residents in Khanna. — TNS
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