04092024-ATR-01.qxd 9/3/2024 11:03 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 24°C BLOCK-LEVEL COMPETITIONS HELD ACROSS AMRITSAR LOW-LYING MARKETPLACES IN ABOHAR FLOODED AFTER RAIN GOVT READY TO RESUME WORK ON ABHA SQUARE Under 'Khedan Watan Punjab Dian', several competitions were organised at the block-level tournament. P2 Due to heavy rain this afternoon, streets of Abohar city were filled with water, causing trouble to residents.P3 Given the minister’s assurance, people in Abohar can expect long-pending Abha Square to blossom soon. P3 » » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.50 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.08 AM WEDNESDAY | 4 SEPTEMBER 2024 | AMRITSAR School buses checked for compliance with safety norms Tarn Taran, September 3 A team of officials led by District Child Security Officer (DCSO) Rajesh Kumar checked school vehicles at the local Chaunk Bohri and Majha Public School on Tuesday. The DCSO said that 20 e-rickshaws and 48 school vehicles were issued challans for violating norms under the ‘Safe School Vahan Policy ‘. The action was taken on the instructions of Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar. The official said that all drivers and school managements have already been apprised of the directions of Punjab and Haryana High Court to save the lives of school students. Safe School Vahan policy norms make it mandatory for school buses to have CCTV cameras, fire extinguisher, an attendant and staff in uniform, pollution control clearance, contact number of fire station and police, speed governors, women attendants for girl students and first aid kit, among others. DCSO Rajesh Kumar advised the school managements and school heads to abide by the norms to keep schoolchildren safe. — OC String of events to mark first ‘Parkash Purb’ of Guru Granth Sahib in city Activists demand intervention of Civil Aviation Ministry, AAI Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Floral decoration at Akal Takht in the Golden Temple complex ahead of the installation anniversary of Guru Granth Sahib in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 3 A day before the first ‘ Parkash Purb’ of Guru Granth Sahib, the Golden Temple complex has been decorated with aromatic flowers from India and abroad by the devouts. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, congratulating the Sikh Sangat on the eve of the first Parkash Gurpurab, said the Gurbani inspired humanity to connect with the creator and lead a noble life. It gives a message of togetherness and harmony to the entire humanity. Gurbani’s ideology is a source of spiritual and social uplift, he said. He said the fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, in 1604 edited Sri Guru Granth Sahib and gifted humanity with the universal holy book, which has a unique place in the history of the world. He appealed to the continued on page 2 Kisan Mela gets overwhelming response Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 3 A Kisan Mela organised by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) along with the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Majitha received an overwhelming response from farmers of the district on Tuesday. The event was inaugurated by Dr SS Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, who visited the agriculture exhibition stalls and encouraged farmers to take a round of the demonstration plots. He urged farmers to subscribe to PAU’s farm publications to stay informed about the latest advances in farm operations. He emphasized the importance of moving away from water intensive crops that worsen the water crisis and harm soil health in Punjab. During the event, Harpreet Singh, IAS, Commissioner of Amritsar Municipal Corporation, encouraged farmers to adopt PAU-recommended crop varieties and technologies to enhance productivity and sustainability. He dispelled the common belief that Punjab farmers are solely focused on wheat Cargo services at city airport hit due to snag in X-ray machine Amritsar, September 3 Though the cargo service for European countries has been suspended at Shri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport as the x-ray machine there is non-functional, local activists have demanded that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India (AAI) intervene in the matter and ensure that the service is resumed. The office-bearers of global advocacy campaign Fly Amritsar Initiative (FAI) and the NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch have formally requested for the urgent intervention of the Union Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and the AAI Chairman M Suresh for the immediate replacement of the non-functional x-ray machine that is essential for the resumption of cargo services to the UK and European Union (EU) from Amritsar airport. Earlier this year, Amritsar airport was granted the RA3 Man accused of mentally retarded girl’s rape nabbed Our Correspondent A rush of farmers at various stalls during the Kisan Mela at Majitha in Amritsar. and paddy, noting that their strong presence at the mela reflects their adaptive and progressive mindset. He highlighted that while all farmers in Amritsar district cultivate vegetables, the potential for processing remains under-utilised, which is crucial for the future of profitable farming. Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research at PAU, shared the latest advancements in research, including new crop varieties and production tech- nologies aimed at improving agricultural practices. He introduced the nutritious ‘Punjab Chapati’ wheat variety and encouraged farmers to purchase its seeds, emphasising its health benefits. He also highlighted PBW Biscuit 1 wheat, specifically developed to enhance biscuit quality, and mentioned PAU’s agreement with a renowned company for its commercial production. Additionally, he introduced the ‘Biomass Incorporator’, a piece of farm machinery designed to improve soil health. He emphasized the importance of adopting water conservation technologies, the use of organic insecticides to control yellow rust and other pathogens, and the need to preserve paddy stubble in the field, which enriches the soil, reduces fertilizer requirements and increases crop yield. Subject matter specialists from PAU provided an overview of the latest research. Tarn Taran, September 3 The residents of Patti town nabbed a man accused of a mentally retarded girl’s rape on Monday. He was handed over to the Patti city police. Police said that the accused has been identified as Bhupinder Singh, a resident of Ghati Bazar, Patti. The accused took the victim to some undisclosed destination from the Patti Bazaar where she had come for some domestic work. The victim’s mother, in her statement to the police, said that the girl had gone to the market from where the accused took her to some undisclosed destination and raped her. The accused after committing the crime came to town to drop her near home where locals, suspecting some foul play, nabbed the accused and handed him over to the Patti city police. The statement of the victim’s mother has been recorded by ASI Balwinder Kaur. NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch has requested AAI Chairman M Suresh for the immediate replacement of the X-ray machine. (regulated agent) licence to export cargo to the UK and EU, which significantly boosted the airport’s cargo volume to 380 tonnes per month. This growth facilitated the establishment of international customs clearance companies and expanded cargo services to regions such as Ludhiana, Haryana and Chandigarh. However, a recent inspection by a UK team identified a malfunctioning X-ray machine and insufficient staffing, leading to the suspension of the RA3 licence and a subsequent sharp decline in cargo volume to just a quarter of its previous levels. “Despite assurances from airport authorities that a replacement x-ray machine has been ordered from Aurangabad airport and that the tender process is underway, there has been no concrete action in over two months to resolve the issue. This prolonged delay is severely affecting local business and the airport’s operations, which are heavily reliant on robust export capabilities. The delay in addressing the x-ray machine issue reflects a lack of urgency on the part of authorities concerned, stated Sameep Singh Gumtala, FAI convener. “This not only hampers the growth of Amritsar airport but also impacts the airlines that rely on increased cargo volumes to offset operational losses. We urge the authorities to expedite the replacement process to restore the RA3 licence and resume full cargo operations,” said Yogesh Kamra. “We have appealed to the Government of India, emphasising upon the critical need to upgrade airport infrastructure to support economic growth. We request the immediate replacement of the non-functional x-ray machine at Amritsar airport,” added Manmohan Singh Brar, patron of AVM. Properties of tax defaulters sealed Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 3 The property tax wing of the municipal corporation sealed six properties of tax defaulters in various areas of the city on Tuesday. Field staff of the MC has started sealing the buildings of tax defaulters to enhance recovery. A team of the MC led by MC Secretary Sushant Bhatia along with South Zone in-charge Jaswinder Singh, Central zone in-charge Superintendent Harbans Lal sealed a cement warehouse at Lahori Gate, an electronic shop ‘Vicky Electrical’, designer shop ‘Omkar Designer’, Baker’s Point, Salon Hub and Tech India Education in Gurbakhsh Nagar. During the drive, some shopkeepers deposited the pending tax amount on the spot to prevent the sealing. Today, the property tax wing recovered ~4,20,520 from Central and Halka zones Sushant Bhatia said on the instructions of the MC Officials of the property tax wing of the MC seal a property of a tax defaulter in Amritsar on Tuesday. Commissioner today, they took action against tax defaulters in the Central and South constituencies. “Residents of the city should pay their property tax before September 30 to avail a 10 per cent discount on the current tax. In case of pending tax of previous years, we have started the sealing drive and it will continue in the next few days. Notices have been issued and sealing will be done under Section 138-C of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1976,” he said. “It is also observed that all hotels and commercial establishments in Central and south constituencies have been asked to submit documents related to their property and to whom notice has been issued under Section 112-A of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1976. If they do not submit their due property tax, the sealing process will continue,” added Bhatia. Neglected slip road becomes a death trap for residents Finally, corruption case filed Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 3 A drive down the exit road connecting the GT Road and Hall Bazaar near Old Sabzi Mandi is fraught with risks as the stretch has so many potholes, which remain hidden due to being submerged in sewerage water. These hidden potholes pose a serious threat to commuters’ lives, especially at night. With rainwater remaining accumulated since the first rain of the season, the city municipal corporation’s apathy has exacerbated the situation. Local shopkeepers have started tackling the matter on their own, using stones and makeshift signs to alert drivers, especially three-wheeler opera- Part of the road from the bus stand to Hall Gate has been submerged in sewerage water since the first rain of the season. SUNIL KUMAR tors, who often get stuck in these deep potholes. Com- muters are forced to find alternative routes or drive over scat- tered garbage heaps or use footpaths, causing inconvenience, particularly those unfamiliar with the area, to commuters. “It has become a deadly stretch for outsiders who are unaware of the road’s condition,” said Rajesh Kumar, a nearby fruit seller. Vehicles often get stuck here and some need to be towed away, he said. Residents demand that the municipal corporation should at least install warning signs to inform commuters about the hazardous road conditions. “If finding the source of flooding is too challenging, putting up a warning board can be a helpful alternative,” said Harnam Singh, a local resident. He wondered if the MC does not have the resources to resolve c m y b the issue then it should at least warn the people about the risks of commuting on this stretch. The residents say that the lack of information can lead to severe road accidents, especially of uninformed bikers, who may become victims of submerged potholes. They urge senior officials to take immediate action to address this critical issue and ensure commuter’s safety. The road is used by commuters to get to Hall bazaar if they are coming from the bus stand side. It has also been helping in reducing traffic snarls on the Bhandari bridge as drivers can take an exit ahead of it. The shopkeepers near the place stated that the submerged road has become a breeding-ground for mosquitoes. against Patti police station cop Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 3 After the corruption charge against an ASI raised in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session put the state government in a tight spot, a case of corruption registered against Mukh Munshi (Senior Constable) Prabhjit Singh of Patti city police station has put the district police in an embarrassing situation. The senior constable in question Prabhjit Singh has been booked under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 on Monday on the complaint of an elderly woman Kans Kaur, a resident of Ward 18, Miran Wali Basti, Patti. The complainant in her grievance alleged that Mukh Munshi Prabhjit Singh along with his other colleagues entered her house on August 27 without any court orders or search warrant and took away her son Deepak Kumar and also cash to the tune of Rs 10,000, two mobiles and a motorcycle forcibly. The woman said that the cash and other items have not been returned to her till now. The victim woman alleged that the Patti city police demanded Rs 20,000 to release her son. It is written in the FIR that the woman failed to produce any documents to prove her allegation of demand for bribery of Rs 20,000. DSP , Patti, Kanwalpreet Singh, when contacted, said that the woman’s son who was detained has been freed and added that the allegation of the woman levelled in her complaint is under investigation. The performance of the Patti city and Patti Sadar police stations have been clouded by controversies very often.