20082024-LT-01.qxd 8/20/2024 12:02 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune POLICE RELEASE FOOTAGE OF DESECRATION SUSPECTS ABOHAR YOUTH AMONG 3 HELD WITH 6-KG HEROIN In 6-kg heroin dropping case, Rajasthan Police have now arrested two youths from Fazilka along with a local youth.P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 25°C MIRZA: WE HAVE OVERSHOT EARTH’S RESOURCES… Three days after a theft at Shivpuri temple, the police have announced a reward for the informer. P2 FORECAST Dia Mirza said we highlighted to the world that we had overshot resources the Earth provides for all of us. P4 » » SUNSET TUESDAY 6.58 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:53 AM » TUESDAY | 20 AUGUST 2024 | LUDHIANA Buddha Nullah water not even fit for irrigation, admits PPCB CPCB also termed water quality of the Sutlej tributary sub-standard Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 19 In a shocking revelation, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has admitted that the water flowing in the Buddha Nullah was not even fit for irrigation purposes. It was a step ahead of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) terming the Sutlej tributary water quality sub-standard. The development assumes significance as the highly-polluted Buddha Nullah, a seasonal tributary of the Sutlej flowing in Ludhiana, to turn into Buddha river seems unending even as the Rs 840-crore project has been almost completed but not before missing at least seven deadlines. With civic body officials claiming that 99 per cent work on the ongoing rejuvenation project was already complete, the ambitious project’s impact is yet to be seen. In a status report filed through environmental engineer Gurmit Singh before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a copy of which is with The Tribune, the PPCB submitted that in compliance with the NGT order, it had collected water samples from various locations of the Buddha Nullah in Ludhiana on January 19. Polluted water flows into the Buddha Nullah in Ludhiana. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA AMBITIOUS PROJECT The first-of-its-type rejuvenation project had already missed at least seven deadlines to complete the capital work after facing teething problems and adversely hit due to Covid restrictions during the initial months after launch in December 2020. “The collected samples were analysed for quality with respect to parameters prescribed for treatment of sewage as well as industrial effluents,” it said while submitting that the examination of the analysis report has revealed that the concentration of different parameters of water flowing into the nullah are more than the prescribed standards for the sewage treatment plant (STP), thus making the water not fit for irrigation with respect to parameters such as coliform, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The state environmental body further submitted that about 315 dyeing units were operating in areas of the district, of which about 265 units fall in the catchment area of the nullah, which originates in Koom Kalan village of Ludhiana and runs parallel to the Sutlej on its south till the nullah joins the river at Walipur Kalan village in Ludhiana. “For the treatment of wastewater of the dyeing industries, three common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) of total capacity 105 MLD have been installed in Ludhiana by special purpose vehicles (SPVs),” said the PPCB while submitting details regarding dyeing cluster, capacity of CETPs, sites of installation, technology with name of SPV and existing member units. The NGT had taken a suo motu cognisance of a media report highlighting the pollution in the water body. Earlier, the CPCB had submitted that the water quality data of the nullah was compared with the general effluent discharge standards and the analysis revealed that the water quality was not complying with the BOD, COD and total suspended solids (TSS). “The analysis results of the Sutlej upstream and downstream of the nullah were compared with the primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing and it was observed that the Sutlej downstream of the nullah was found non-complying with respect to the criteria,” CPCB scientist Vishal Gandhi had said. He had further submitted that the comparative analysis of water quality of the nullah and Sutlej downstream of the nullah for 2022 and 2024 revealed that concentration of the BOD, COD and TSS has increased from 2022 to 2024. The first-of-its-type rejuvenation project had already missed at least seven deadlines to complete the capital work after facing teething problems and adversely hit due to Covid restrictions during the initial months after launch in December 2020. Once completed, the rejuvenation was aimed at shedding the infamous tag of “nullah” from one of the most polluted water bodies, running almost parallel to the Sutlej through most of Ludhiana district, including 14km in Ludhiana city, which it bisects into two parts, before merging with the river. Man’s blind murder case cracked, 2 friends nabbed Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 19 The Ludhiana police today claimed to have cracked a blind murder case. Two persons were arrested. The body of a man was found in a drain near the Central Jail on the Tajpur road. The deceased was a friend of the suspects. The duo have been identified as Kallu (35) and Sunil Kumar (30), both residents of EWS colony. The victim, Shalu Kumar, was also a resident of the colony. ADCP-4 Prabhjot Singh Virk while addressing a press Inmate attacked by 20 at jail Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 19 Around 20 inmates attacked another inmate at the Central Jail, Ludhiana, on Sunday night. The victim suffered serious injuries and was rushed to the Civil Hospital. Prabhjot, the victim, said on Sunday night when he was going to his barrack after having dinner, several inmates passed objectionable remarks at him. After minor arguments, they attacked him. He suffered serious injuries on his head and shoulder. He demanded that strict action should be taken against the suspects. conference in this regard said on August 18, the police received information about the recovery of the body. Following which, SHO, Police Division 7, SI Sukhwinder Singh reached the spot. The body was identified by the wife of the deceased and a murder case was registered. The ADCP said during investigation, it came to light that after the deceased went missing, his family members had also asked his friend Kallu, with whom Shalu was last seen, about him but he had not given any satisfactory reply, which raised suspi- SUV-borne miscreants open fire at youths Ludhiana, August 19 Five SUV-borne youngsters opened fire at three youths sitting in another car near the MC Zone D office here late on Sunday evening. Nobody suffered any injury in the incident. A case was registered against the suspects, Aryan of Salem Tabri, Deepa of Bahadurke and three unidentified persons. Complainant Garry Bhardwaj of Sarabha Nagar, told the police that he was a student of BA Journalism. On August 18, he, along with his friends Karan and Sahil, had gone to Sarabha Nagar in his BMW car. Around 6.40 pm, when they reached near the MC Zone D office, a white Maruti Brezza vehicle Students seek justice for victim 548 women reach Central Jail to celebrate Raksha Bandhan KOLKATA HORROR Ludhiana, August 19 A candlelight march was conducted here to seek justice for a junior doctor who was raped and murdered in Kolkata. Students took part in the march in a large number. The march was organised by an NGO, ‘Initiators of Change’, at Kipps Market in the city. Hundreds of students, along with residents, took part in the march. Deepak Rajak, an event organiser, said the march was organised to send a strong message to the West Bengal Government that it should arrest the guilty in the case and they should be given strict punishment as well. Sonia Arora, a medical student, who took part in the march said the suspects who committed this ghastly act did not deserve any mercy. Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Students and residents take out a candlelight march in Ludhiana on Monday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN They should be given capital punishment so that nobody dare to take such step again. Raman Sharma, a city youth who also took part in the march, said they prayed for the depart- ed soul and they would also hold such peaceful marches in coming days as well. — TNS Ludhiana, August 19 Prison bars at Central Jail proved to be no deterrent for sisters in meeting their brothers to celebrate Raksha Bandhan on Monday. Brother-sister bonding was on display with as many as 548 women reaching the jail to tie the knot of brother-sister love. Though the Jail Department had not made any special arrangements for women like it used to do in previous years by installing tents, etc, all of them were accommodated and allowed to meet their siblings by turn. The department also did not allow eatables inside the jail, citing security concerns. Only rakhis were allowed. As per jail officials, 548 women Women tie rakhi on the wrists of their brothers at the Central Jail. reached the Central Jail to meet their brothers and all were allowed to celebrate rakhi from 8 am to 5 pm The Jail Department had made seating arrangements in a corridor where sisters were allowed to meet their siblings face to face. Otherwise in course of normal routine, visitors are not allowed to sit in front of their rela- tives, rather they could only meet their kin from behind the prison bars. A woman who came from Ludhiana said, “My brother has been lodged in the Central Jail in some criminal case. I have been coming to tie rakhi on my brother’s wrist for over two years. When I met my elder brother continued on page 3 Downpour spells chaos, traffic hit Ludhiana, August 19 Heavy rain in the industrial hub on Monday put lives of residents out of gear. Rain inundated several city areas which not only caused inconvenience to residents but also affected traffic on roads. Many areas, including Haibowal Kalan, Hambran Road, Rajpura chowk, Chandigarh road, Kitchlu Nagar, Gill Road, Shivpuri, Jodhewal, near Jalandhar bypass and Durga Puri, witnessed waterlogging. Residents staying in these areas faced inconvenience as water receded after two hours. AFFECTED AREAS Many areas, including Haibowal Kalan, Hambran Road, Rajpura chowk, Chandigarh road, Kitchlu Nagar, Gill Road, Shivpuri, Jodhewal, near Jalandhar bypass and Durga Puri, witnessed waterlogging. Traffic movement was slowed down in many areas such as Chandigarh road, Jalandhar bypass, Salem Tabri, Jassian road, Samrala Chowk, Saggu chowk, Ghumar Mandi and Fountain Chowk. Commuters remain stuck in jam for long. Though police personnel were seen managing traffic at certain points, due to long traffic jam, serpentine queues of vehicles remained on roads. Commuters said during rain when water gets accumulated on roads, potholes pose danger to two- wheeler riders. Some two-wheeler riders fell on roads after their vehicles got stuck in potholes. Residents said people faced inconvenience while commuting to their destinations. Even the public transport was also hit due to rain as less number of auto-rickshaws were seen on roads. Meanwhile, Municipal Corporation officials were keeping a watch over the Buddha Nullah water level as recently, the water body had overflowed and dirty water had reached roads. In Gurdev Nagar, a car parked outside a house was damaged after an electricity pole fell on the same. At some places, power cables suffered damages due to the rain and PSPCL officials faced a difficult time restoring the power supply. — TNS c m y b cion on Kallu. The ADCP said on the intervening night of August 16 and 17, Kallu, along with his friend Sunil, was roaming on the Tajpur road in his Mahindra Bolero vehicle where the suspects rammed the SUV into Shalu. Later, the duo brutally attacked him. When the victim died, they took away the body in the vehicle and dumped it into the drain. He said Kallu had recently snatched Rs 10,000 from Shalu. Later, Shalu forcibly took back his money from him due to which the suspect killed him. Commuters negotiate a waterlogged Hambran Road after heavy rain. ASHWANI DHIMAN MORE PICS ON P2 came in which five persons were sitting. The vehicle was being driven by Aryan while Deepa and three others were sitting in it. The suspects first rammed their vehicle into his car and then Deepa opened fires at them. Fortunately, he and his friends saved their lives by escaping from the scene in their car towards Sarabha Nagar. His car had several bullets marks. He said the reason behind the attack on him was that one of his friends, Mudit, had a scuffle with Kunwarvir and his friends in the past and the latter had opened fire at them. He was the main witness in the case due to which Kunwarvir’s friends wanted to kill him. — TNS Man duped of ~15L on pretext of son’s marriage with Canada-based girl Ludhiana, August 19 A man was cheated of Rs 15.70 lakh by four persons on the pretext of solemnising marriage of his son with a Canada-based girl. The suspects have been identified as Parminder Singh of Hathur, Karamjit Kaur of Chowkimann, Narinder Purewal of Jalandhar and Amandeep Kaur of Jalandhar. The complainant, Darshan, of Amargarh Kaler village told the police that after he read an advertisement in a newspaper that a Canada-based girl needed a boy for marriage, he called on the given mobile number. A woman, who attended the call, said Mandeep Rai, niece of one of their relatives, Parminder Singh, stays in Canada and had come to India in search of a suitable match for her. “In June last year, they called us to a dhaba in Jagraon where all suspects, except the girl, were present. They showed us a picture of the girl and demanded Rs 27 lakh for solemnising the marriage with her and then helping his son in getting the PR in Canada,” he said. The complainant said later, the suspects also arranged a meeting with the girl, Mandeep Rai (fake name), whose orginal name was Amandeep Kaur. They even organised a pre-marriage ritual. The suspects took Rs 15.70 lakh on various pretexts but did not solemnise their marriage. He said after they lodged a complaint, the Sadar Jagraon police yesterday registered a case against the suspects, including the woman, who concealed her real identity. — TNS