21062024-ATR-01.qxd 6/21/2024 12:52 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 40°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 25°C SUNNY DEOL SETS STAGE FOR ADRENALINE-PUMPING VENTURE DESPITE FACING HARDSHIPS, 2024 HAS BEEN A BOON FOR ALI FAZAL CELEBS TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF SOULFUL NOTES Actor Sunny Deol has set the stage for yet another adrenaline-pumping venture with announcement of his next film. P4 Ali Fazal, who has six projects scheduled for this year, stated that 2024 has been a boon for him despite facing hardships.P4 On World Music Day, celebs dwell on their favourite singers and songs and power of soulful notes. P4 » » » SUNSET FRIDAY 7.38 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5.26 AM FRIDAY | 21 JUNE 2024 | AMRITSAR Officials told to identify vacant space for planting trees Amritsar, June 20 In a meeting held with officials of various departments, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Paramjit Kaur has asked them to identify vacant places in all government offices where saplings can be planted during this monsoon. She said the administration has set a target of planting 10 lakh trees in the district. She said vacant places in government offices, hospitals, schools, panchayat land and other such places can be used for planting saplings. The ADC asked the officials to make an assessment regarding the requirement of saplings to be planted. She said the responsibility of the officials would not end only with planting trees as they would be held accountable if saplings die or get damaged. — TNS SGPC gets fake web portal used to book accommodation blocked GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 20 The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has got the bogus web portal through which miscreants used to defraud the outstation devotees on the pretext of booking their accommodation in the SGPC-run inn ‘Saragarhi Niwas’ blocked in Amritsar. IT wing in-charge of SGPC Bikram Singh located the IP address of this fake website being run under the name of ‘saragarhisaraihotel’ and brought it to the notice of the Google authorities. Gurpreet Singh, SGPC sarai manager, said that a request was submitted to Google while revealing how the innocent devotees were falling prey to this fake web portal. “Acting promptly on our request, the fake web portal was suspended,” he said. Earlier, the IT team of the FAKE WEBSITE BROUGHT TO GOOGLE’S NOTICE ■ IT wing in-charge of SGPC Bikram Singh located the IP address of this fake website being run under the name of 'saragarhisaraihotel' and brought it to the notice of the Google authorities ■ Gurpreet Singh, SGPC sarai manager, said a request was submitted to Google while revealing how the innocent devotees were falling prey to this fake web portal. Acting promptly on our request, the fake web portal was suspended," he said. SGPC had investigated bank details that pertained to some place near Ayodhya in UP , named as ‘Saragarhi Sarai’, and got it freezed. SGPC secretary Partap Singh said it was now the responsibility of the police to nab the culprits. At least 15 complaints were received at the SGPC office wherein the devotees ended up losing between Rs 850 to Rs 10,000. The miscreants used WhatsApp to conceal their identity. They had pasted pictures of the Golden Temple, Saragarhi Niwas and mentioned Sikh religious symbols on their page to win over the visitors who approach their site for online booking of accommodation. A complaint was lodged with the Amritsar police on June 6, yet the swindlers could not be nabbed. “It is the responsibility of the police administration to arrest the culprits and take appropriate legal action,” he said. He said www.sgpcsarai.com is the official website for room reservation. “The payment should not be made through any mobile number/QR code or online transaction from any other platform,” he said. Inadequate power supply in paddy season irks farmers Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 20 Amid the ongoing paddy season, the farmers are finding it difficult to complete their work due to long power cuts. The power breakdowns have come even as the government assured an eight hour supply to the tube-wells on a daily basis. Farmers in many areas stated that actual power supply to the tube-wells is much less than what the government promised. Farmers in Sukharchak village of Tarn Taran district complained that they were getting only two hours of power supply as technical faults occur frequently due to old and worn out transmission lines. “By the time the Power Corporation employ- Power cuts have come even as the government assured an eighthour supply for the tubewells on a daily basis. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR ees rectify one fault in an area, another fault occurs at some other place which forces them to switch off electricity,” said a farmer. The farmers complained that though the area has canal water supply for irrigation, there are fields which are dependent on tube-wells. They stated that eight hour power supply should be given in one go and not in phases. Sukhchain Singh, another farmer from the border belt, said, “The transmission lines in rural areas are old which tend to develop snags after short intervals. Moreover, the trees under the transmission lines are also problematic as these are not pruned.” He said that the government should have planned to overcome all obstacles in the way of uninterrupted power supply before the start of paddy season. Apart from power supply for tube-wells, the residential consumers in rural areas too are bearing the brunt of long power cuts. “We are facing power cuts of almost eight hours daily. It becomes difficult when these cuts are applied during the night,” said Gurinder Kaur, a local resident, adding that the cuts were earlier applied to protect the fields from farm fires and now due to increased demand for electricity. Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 20 The members of Left organisations along with farmers staged a protest against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre demanding withdrawal of UAPA charges against writer and activist Arundhati Roy and former professor Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain. The protesters said that the Central government was trying to muzzle voices of dissent and that the cases against the two activists were politically motivated. Rattan Singh Randhawa, a farmer leader, said that the case against both the activists has been framed in connection with a seminar which was held 14 years ago. He added that Arundhati Roy has been charged for Farmers during a protest at Bhandari Bridge in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR making a ‘separatist’ speech in the seminar. “It is interesting to note that in the last 14 years, nothing has happened for which the speech given by Roy could be held responsi- ble,” he added. Balkar Singh Dudala, another farmer leader, stated that earlier the BJP government had sent 16 continued on page 2 Amritsar, June 20 Days after an elderly man, Baldev Singh (67), a resident of Kaleke village falling under the Khalchian police station, was beaten to death over a dispute, the police have registered a murder case in the case. The case was registered following an autopsy report which confirmed critical injuries in the ribs leading to difficulty in breathing and later caused his death. The police booked Sajjan Singh along with three unidentified persons. No arrest has been made so far, said Jasbir Singh, SHO, Khalchian police station, adding that raids were on to nab the suspects. Harmanpreet Singh, an Army man posted in Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir), said on June 2, his wife informed him that his father Baldev Singh was very ill. Following this, he immediately took leave and arrived home on the same day, but his father had already died. He said the family members told him that at around 9.30 pm on June 1, Sajjan Singh was quarrelling with his grandmother Dalbir Kaur and Baldev Singh had gone to intervene and save her. He said during this Sajjan and his accomplices brutally thrashed his father Baldev Singh who returned home. He said the next day he died in the afternoon. He said they also got a CCTV footage of the incident in which the accused were seen beating up Baldev Singh. Harmanpreet lodged a complaint with the police. SHO Jagir Singh said following the post-mortem examination report, the police booked Sajjan and his unidentified accomplices and raids were on to nab them. — TNS GURBAXPURI Left organisations, farmers want 3 weeks after elderly Aam Aadmi Clinics delivering UAPA charges against Roy revoked man’s death, case filed healthcare at doorsteps: DC Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar presides over a meeting of the District Health Committee. Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, June 20 The Aam Aadmi Clinics (AAC) have brought about a revolution in healthcare as people are getting health services at their doorsteps. These views were expressed by Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar while reviewing the performance of AACs in a meeting of the District Health Society (DHS) held at District Administrative Complex on Thursday. “The AACs came into existence in the year 2022 and more than 5 lakh patients have been treated at these newly introduced health facilities,” said the DC. “The state government is providing free facility for 40 medical laboratory tests and 80 medicines to the patients,” the DC added. “A person has been deployed for the collection of Water wastage continues After NEET controversy, cancellation as MC looks the other way of UGC-NET exam disappoints pupils Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 20 Despite instructions to take action or impose penalty for misuse of potable water, the Municipal Corporation has failed to implement it on ground. As per the instructions, one can’t wash vehicles and floor using water pipes, but residents regularly violate the orders. In June 2018, the MC Commissioner had issued a notification, stating that if a household is found wasting water for the first time, he or she will have to pay Rs 1,000. If the same household repeats the offence, it will have to pay Rs 2,000. As per the MC notification, the water connection of habitual offenders (third offence) will be snapped and they will have to pay Rs 5,000 to get back the connection. The directions were annually repeated by the incumbent MC Commissioners in the past but not a single resident or violator was punished. The misuse of water still goes unchecked. Not only the general public, government institutions are also among the major A drinking water tap left running at a park in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR violators. The water tanks installed over urinals and the main building of Nehru Shopping Complex overflow for hours as a matter of routine. The Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) failed to make any effort to stop the wastage of water. Ironically, no one imposed a penalty on the AIT. Similarly, leakage of potable water supply lines of MC is a common sight. Taps installed in the markets can be seen running without any use. Even the residents are not concerned over the water crisis as they can be seen washing cars and floor using water pipes in every locality in the morning. The Local Bodies Department suggested to the residents to wash their car with a bucket of water and use water with care but rarely do people follow it. During the past few years, a large number of swimming pools were made operational in the urban localities. These commercially operated pools use a huge quantity of water daily but do not have any approval from MC. PC Sharma, a social activist, said, “Not only residents, government departments, including the civic body offices, also can be seen wasting water. Even the broken taps are not being repaired. The water supply and sewerage wing of MC does not pay visits to check the misuse of water. There should be regular check on the misuse of water not only in commercial units but residential areas too.” Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 20 After the controversy around the conduct of NEET (UG) exam this year, the cancellation of the UGC-NET examination on June 20 by the National Testing Agency (NTA) has sent a wave of disappointment among the candidates, who sat for the test. The Education Ministry said that the examination was cancelled as the NTA had found errors of a technical nature and said that the integrity of the exam may have been compromised. The exam was conducted just a day before its cancellation on June 19. NEW DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED Around 11 lakh students will have to retake the UGC-NET examination after the Education Ministry cancelled it following concerns about its integrity. The new dates for the exam will be announced soon. The UGCNET or University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test determines the eligibility for posts of lecturer, assistant professors and junior research fellows across Central/state universities and colleges across the country. After the widespread criticism over the conduct of NEET, doubts have been raised over the way NTA chose to conduct the UGCNET exam. “Post Covid, the UGC-NET was conducted in online mode, and there was never a question raised. Why did the NTA decide to conduct the exam in offline mode this year and immediately found errors or doubts of cheating? Also, the entire effort from the side of students and NTA has now gone waste since the exam was compromised,” said Vriti Madaan, who gave the UGCNET exam for the second time this year. Vriti said that she had high hopes this year as she had done well in the exam. “So much hard work and efforts go into preparing for the exam, so these incidents create a negative impact on students,” she said. Vriti Madaan also said that now her PhD will be stuck for another few years. “Since the UGC has now made it mandatory to clear the UGCNET for lectureship or PhD, the cancellation will further delay the completion of PhD and another academic year will go waste.” Minal Changotra, another UGC-NET aspirant, said there were mixed feelings to the UGC-NET exam cancellation and rescheduling. “While some people might view the change positively, continued on page 2 No breakthrough in Lakhowal murder case yet Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 20 Even after 20 days of killing of a youth at Lakhowal village in Ajnala here, the police have failed to make any breakthrough in the case so c m y b far. Deep Inder Singh, alias Deepu Lakhowalia, was shot dead by two bike-borne armed assailants outside his haveli in the village. The incident occurred on the eve of the 18th Lok Sabha polls. Agitated over the inci- dent, residents of the village had boycotted the polls. Hours after the killing, members of the BambihaRana Kandowalia gang had taken the responsibility of the murder on social media while indicating that it was the outcome of a gang war between the Bambiha and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gangs. In a social media post, gangster Doni Bal had taken the responsibility while alleging that Deep Inder was continued on page 2 blood and urine samples on a daily basis and the staff ensures the delivery of report to the patient on the very next day,” he said. Thirty AACs are operational in the district and experienced staff which includes a medical officer, pharmacist and clinical assistant was appointed for these health centres. The AACs were opened in rural as well as continued on page 2 Robbers snatch ~6 lakh cash from two Amritsar, June 20 Unidentified motorcycleborne persons looted ~6 lakh from a car near the Khiyala Kalan Focal Point here on Wednesday. The police have registered a case. Mandeep Singh, a resident of Fairland Colony on the Fatehgarh Churian road, told the police that he along with his mother Ranjit Kaur had withdrawn ~6 lakh from the Basant Avenue branch of Punjab National Bank. They had withdrawn the amount to pay the fees of his younger brother Gagandeep Singh who studies in England. He said after withdrawing the money they were going to meet his aunt at Tapiala village. On the way, he stopped the car by the roadside near the Focal Point to answer the call of nature. He said his mother was alone in the car when two bike-borne persons arrived there. They entered the car and snatched the polythene bag containing the cash from his mother and fled towards the Chogawan side. The police said investigations were underway to identify the suspects. A case has been registered. — 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).