31072024-ATR-01.qxd 7/30/2024 10:44 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY STUDENTS’ HUNGER STRIKE ENTERS 6TH DAY ACTOR KHUSHI KAPOOR LIGHTS UP THE RAMP AKSHAY TYAGI ON SPEED DIAL LISTS OF INDIAN CELEBRITIES The hunger strike by students at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) entered its sixth day. P2 Her excitement was palpable as she walked the ramp for the first time at India Couture Week 2024. P4 MAX 36°C | MIN 30°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 30°C Fashion stylist Akshay Tyagi, after all, has been the creative force behind the most dapper B-town biggies. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.27 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5.46 AM » WEDNESDAY | 31 JULY 2024 | AMRITSAR City airport needs expansion as Woman bitten by stray dog in Dashmesh Nagar footfall rising, DC writes to govt Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 30 Keeping in view the constant rise in the footfall of domestic and international passengers, the district administration has submitted a proposal for the expansion of Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport to the Special Chief Secretary to Punjab Chief Minister. It has been proposed to increase the terminal area of the airport from 40,000 square metres to 50,000 square metres. It was only a couple of months back that the local airport achieved a significant milestone as the passenger footfall crossed 30 lakh during the 2023-24 fiscal. This showed a growth of 22.6 per cent as compared to the previous year, which recorded the arrival of 25,16,518 passengers at the airport. Of the total footfall, 9, 81,405 were international and 21,04,193 were domestic passengers. This indicates a 30 per cent Drone, 2.57 kg heroin seized from border village Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 30 The Amritsar rural police and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel recovered a quadcopter drone and 2.57 grams of heroin from the fields of Bachiwind village near the Indo-Pak border today. The security forces had launched a joint search operation. Acting on the basis of intelligence reports, teams from the Lopoke police station along with BSF troops searched the fields alongside the border in the village. Police are investigating the matter after the recovery of drugs and drone. A search operation has been organised to nab those who were to receive the supply of narcotics. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Lopoke police station. 50K SQUARE METRES TERMINAL AREA NEEDED ■ In his letter to the Special Chief Secretary and Director, Civil Aviation, Punjab, the DC emphasised that expanding the airport would establish Amritsar as the gateway to Punjab for international tourists and expatriates. He cited the rapid increase in passenger numbers, resulting in various operational challenges, and the need to enhance terminal capacity ■ The proposed expansion would increase the terminal area from 40,000 square metres to 50,000 square metres, accommodating an additional 400 passengers increase in international and a 19.5 per cent increase in domestic passengers as compared to the previous year. A constant rise in footfall of passengers made the admin- istration take note of its present infrastructure to be future-ready. The move comes after a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on July 25, 60K cigarettes, medical equipment confiscated Amritsar, July 30 Officials of the Customs Department seized a huge quantity of cigarettes and medical equipment from passengers at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International (SGRDJI) airport here on Monday evening. On advance passenger information system (APIS) profiling basis, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Amritsar, intercepted two passengers who had arrived at the airport on July 29 from Sharjah by an Indigo flight (6E1428). The checking of his luggage led to recovery of 30,000 sticks of cigarettes from each passenger totalling to 60,000 sticks of cigarettes valued at ~10, 20,000. The nabbed passengers have been identified as Yasir and Sabudin. The smuggled cigarettes have been seized under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation is under way. Similarly, the AIU of the Customs Department seized medical equipment in commercial quantity having high market value. On APIS profiling basis, officers of AIU intercepted a passenger who had arrived from Sharjah by an Indigo flight (6E1428). During their search, the AIU officials seized 39 pieces of aspiration catheter and 11 pieces of heart valve. The suspected goods have been seized under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The exact value of the specialised medical equipment is yet to be ascertained by the authorities. Further investigation is under process, said Customs Department officials. — TNS where the Deputy Commissioner Ghansham Thori highlighted the need for airport expansion to drive development in the region. In his letter to the Special Chief Secretary and Director, Civil Aviation, Punjab, the Deputy Commissioner emphasised that expanding the airport would establish Amritsar as the gateway to Punjab for international tourists and expatriates. He cited the rapid increase in passenger numbers, resulting in various operational challenges, and the need to enhance terminal capacity. The proposed expansion would increase the terminal area from 40,000 square metres to 50,000 square metres, accommodating an additional 400 passengers, bringing the total capacity to 2,000. This expansion would cater to the growing number of tourists visiting Amritsar’s historical sites, including Golden Temple. The local administration believes that airport expansion would significantly boost local tourism, economy, trade, commerce, culture and economic development by increasing connectivity with international destinations. The existing high-rise glass structured integrated terminal building of the city airport was commissioned on February 25, 2009. The area of the airport is approximately 40,175 square meter (includes 9,000 square meter under development) which is equipped with all modern facilities. The annual passenger capacity is four million. The length of the runway is 3,658 metres, width is 45 metres and orientation 16/34. At present, three taxiways are available. The airport is equipped with the facility of CAT III-B operation to allow aircraft operation in low visibility conditions up to 50 meter. The airport boasts of four aero-bridges and has the capacity of accommodating 1,200 passengers during peak hours. MC clerk held for accepting bribe One killed, two injured as Nihangs attack family over monetary dispute Tarn Taran, July 30 A team of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has apprehended Varinderpal alias Vickey, a clerk posted at Municipal Council (MC), Tarn Taran, while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the VB said the accused was arrested following a complaint lodged by Sukhdev Singh, a resident of village Walipur in Tarn Taran district. Sukhdev Singh informed that the accused clerk had demanded Rs 33,000 for issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) for installation of an electricity meter in his hotel. He further added that after a preliminary inquiry, the VB team laid a trap and the accused clerk was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. The VB has registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station, Amritsar Range. The accused would be produced in court tomorrow. — OC MLA Dr Ajay Gupta (L) chairs a meeting with MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh and other officials on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO places in the Central Assembly constituency. These tubewells will be sunk in Anand Avenue, Wada Haripura, Indira Colony and Gali Araiyan in the coming days. Their tenders will be floated soon. He said after the rainy season is over, the work of constructing roads and streets will also start. In the meeting, the MLA made a presentation about sewerage problems. He said that the problem should be solved on priority basis. Desilting should be done continuously with Super Sucker Machine in these areas, he demanded, adding that complaints of contaminated drinking water supply should be looked into. The MC should provide water to people through tankers and street light complaints should be resolved immediately, he said. MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh said Health Officer Kiran Kumar has been delegated to look into the complaints in the Central Assembly constituency. The MLA said that a master plan has been prepared for the sanitation system in the constituency under which Chief Sanitary Inspector and Sanitary Inspectors are being appointed ward-wise. Also, the number of vehicles for garbage lifting has also been increased. In the walled city, garbage will be collected door-to door through tricycles. Cleaning work will be done in two shifts. The MLA said that commercial establishments in the walled city are to seek NOC from the MC’s MTP wing to increase the electricity load and install a new meter. MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh, however, pointed out that shop- c m y b Suman shows her injury. MC’S EFFORTS NOT SHOWING RESULTS ■ Around 15 dog-bite cases are being reported at the Anti-Rabies Clinic in Government Medical College here on a daily basis. ■ The MC claimed that they have been sterilising 50 dogs daily and target to sterilise 20,000 dogs to curb the population of strays. alleged that more than 20 dogs have been roaming around in the streets of Patti residents, family members demand early arrest of accused, hold protest Tarn Taran, July 30 A resident of Patti town was killed and two others were injured when six persons dressed in the attire of Nihangs attacked them on Tuesday. A monetary dispute is said to be the cause of the incident. The residents of the town and family members of the victims led by Harjit Singh Sandhu, district president of the BJP expressed their , resentment over poor law and order situation with such incidents taking place in broad daylight. Normal traffic was disrupted as the area around Gandhi Sath in Patti is very busy at this time of the day. The protesting residents were demanding early arrest of the accused. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kanwalpreet Singh said that the deceased has been identified as Sammi Sanitation master plan for city soon, says MLA Amritsar, July 30 Alarmed at complaints of insanitary conditions prevailing in the walled city, Amritsar Central MLA Dr Ajay Gupta raised the matter during a meeting with officials of the Municipal Corporation today. Later, he also inaugurated the installation of a 200 kV electricity transformer at Shivnagar Colony. The MC officials were led by Municipal Commissioner Harpreet Singh. In the meeting, poor sanitation, sewerage blockage and drinking water shortage in the constituency were the main issues. There was also a detailed discussion on undergoing development work and also works that will be taken up in the coming days. A master plan has been prepared for the sanitation system. Dr Gupta said that new tubewells will be installed at four Amritsar, July 30 A stray dog bit a woman in Dashmesh Nagar near Jorra Fatak on Monday morning. The victim has been identified as Suman, a resident of Dashmesh Nagar. The victim said that she was heading to the bus stand along with her son early in the morning. “We were going to attend a marriage in Himachal Pradesh. I was riding pillion on my son’s scooter. We left our house around 5.30 am and entered the next street. A number of stray dogs were there. These stray dogs chased our scooter and one of them held my leg in his jaw. It was a painful experience as the dog did not let go and kept running behind the scooter,” said Suman. After hearing Sushma’s screams, her son stopped the scooter and the dogs ran away. She was rushed to a private hospital where doctors gave her injections. The area residents Dashmesh Nagar. There are some residents who regularly feed the stray dogs which encourages them, they said. It is worth mentioning here that around 15 dogbite cases are being reported at the Anti-Rabies Clinic in Government Medical College here on a daily basis. Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation claimed that they have been sterilising 50 dogs daily and target to sterilise 20,000 dogs to curb the population of strays. The MC hired Animal Welfare Charitable Trust, an NGO, in August 2023 and established an Animal Birth Control Centre at Naraingarh in Chheharta area and a sterilisation centre at Fatehgarh Shukarchak village on the outskirts of the city. The dog sterilisation operations are being carried out at both the centres. The MC claimed that over 10,000 dogs have been sterilised in past years but no decline in the birth rate of stray dogs has been reported in the city so far. keepers having up to 50 square yards of shop in the walled city need not to take any kind of NOC from the MTP wing to increase the meter load and install a new meter. In this regard, a written letter will be issued to PSPCL in the coming days. This will provide a lot of relief to shopkeepers, he said. Earlier, Dr Gupta had ended the NOC being taken from the MC for installing electricity meters in the residential buildings of walled city. Among others, Supervising Engineer (Civil) Sandeep Singh, Supervising Engineer (O&M) Surjeet Singh, MC Health Officer Dr Kiran Kumar, Executive Engineer Sunil Mahajan, Executive Engineer (O&M) Gurjinder Singh, MTP Narendra Sharma, MTP Meharban Singh and other MC officials were present in the meeting. — TNS One of the injured admitted to a hospital; (right) residents during a protest in Tarn Taran. Puri (50). The injured were his son Karan Puri (25) and nephew Amanpreet Puri, who have been admitted to the Civil Hospital, Patti, where their condition is stated to be stable. Amanpreet Puri, in his statement to Patti city police, said that six persons in the attire of Nihangs came to the residence of Sammi Puri and had a verbal spat over a payment of Rs 1.75 lakh received by Sammi Puri online which had no concern with the assailants. Both the sides had resolved the issue some days back amicably but even then they attacked them today in a fit of anger. DSP Patti Kanwalpreet Singh said that two of those in MC takes action against illegal hotels MC to conduct tests for bacteria in drinking water Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 30 The Municipal Town Planning wing of the MC took action against illegal constructions in the central constituency here on Tuesday. On the directions of Municipal Corporation Commissioner Harpreet Singh, three under-construction hotels were partially demolished and sealed by the MTP wing. Demolition staff of the MTP wing led by ATP Paramjit Dutta, ATP Parminder Jeet Singh, Building Inspector Manish Kumar and Building Inspector Sukhwinder Sharma partially demolished three under-construction hotels at Cheel Mandi. According to ATP Parminder Jeet Singh, the hotel builders had not got the building approved from the MC. — TNS Amritsar, July 30 The Municipal Corporation is all set to get the bacteriological test of drinking water conducted in different areas. The decision was taken in a meeting with Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) authorities. MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh issued instructions to all the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) wing officials to get the bacteriological test of drinking water done in their respective areas and submit the report to him. MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh said he was very concerned about the outbreak of water-borne diseases for which he had called a meeting with officials of O&M cell as well as PWSSB. In the meeting, issues regarding contamination of Nihang attire have been identified as Parminder Singh and Nishan Singh, residents of Valtoha, and a case has been registered by Patti city police The DSP and other police officials assured the protesting residents of an early arrest of the accused. The dharna was then lifted and the flow of traffic restored. — OC Aims to check outbreak of water-borne diseases drinking water and blockage of sewerage in various areas were discussed. Harpreet Singh said he had issued orders to the officials of O&M wing to check all complaints regarding contamination of drinking water in the city. Where there is any such complaint, immediately disconnect the water supply and provide drinking water through tankers in that area, he said. The MC Commissioner said that he has also issued instructions to the PWSSB authorities to streamline the sewerage system. The city depends on three sewerage treatment plants where at least three motors are required to be in operation at all times.