11092024-ATR-01.qxd 9/10/2024 11:09 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY DIARRHOEA OUTBREAK IN BHIM NAGAR, 4 CHOLERA +VE DOCTORS' STIR PARALYSES HEALTH SERVICES SHUKLA ON HIS DOCUMENTARY WHILE WE WATCHED A team of doctors examined the patients suffering from diarrhoea and gave them medicines. P2 Day 2: Patients face inconvenience as OPDs remain shut in Abohar hospitals for 3 hours. P3 Says journalist Ravish Kumar, with his dry humour, made for a great protagonist. P4 » » MAX 35°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 28°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.41 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.12 AM » WEDNESDAY | 11 SEPTEMBER 2024 | AMRITSAR Gang of vehicle lifters busted, 5 nabbed with 25 stolen bikes Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 10 The city police have busted a gang of vehicle lifters with the arrest of five persons and recovery of 17 motorcycles and eight scooters from their possession. Those arrested have been identified as Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, a resident of Malakpur village in Ramdas, Manpreet Singh, alias Kalu, a resident of Amarkot in Tarn Taran district, Saajan, a resident of Khemkaran, Khushpreet Singh, alias German, a resident of Rampura, and Palvinder Singh, alias Bhola, a resident of Ariyali Radi village. The accused were wanted in separate cases registered at various police stations. In the first case, accused Harpreet Singh was nabbed by CIA-1 and cops recovered eight motorcycles and three Activa scooters from his possession. Inspector Amandeep Singh, in-charge, CIA Staff-1, stated that cops installed a naka at Chowk Gate Hakiman where they intercepted Harpreet Singh and found that he was riding a stolen motorcycle. After detaining him, the police recovered seven motorcycles and three Activa scooters from his possession. The police expect more revelation from him. In the second case, the Gate Hakiman police arrested two accused, Manpreet Singh and Saajan, and recovered six motorcycles from them. Gate Hakiman police station SHO Manjeet Kaur said they were checking vehicles near Bharadkali temple when they intercepted accused Manpreet Singh. His interrogation led to recovery of two more motorcycles. One of his associates, Saajan, was named in the case and arrested from his village. The police recovered three more motorcycles. A total of six stolen motorcycles have been recovered from them. Accused Manpreet Singh is facing 10 cases of vehicle theft at different police stations of the district. He used to steal motor- cycles from fairs and festivals. A case under Sections 303(2) and 317(2) of the BNS was registered at the Gate Hakiman police station. In the third case, the Sultanwind police arrested Khushpreet Singh and recovered three stolen motorcycles. Investigating officer Rakesh Kumar nabbed the accused in a bike stolen case on the complainant of Arshdeep Singh, a resident of Kot Khalsa. Two more stolen motorcycles were recovered from him. A case was registered against him. In the fourth case, the police arrested Palvinder Singh, alias Bhola, and recovered five Activa scooters. A police team led by E-Division police station SHO Harsandeep Singh set up a naka at Mochi Bazaar and nabbed Palivinder Singh, alias Bhola, with a stolen Activa scooter during checking. He was arrested and interrogated and four more Activa scooters were recovered from him. The police have registered a case against him. Docs’ strike enters 2nd day in Tarn Taran Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 10 The OPD services remained suspended for the first half at the Civil Hospital and the subdivision-level public health centres here on Tuesday. The agitating doctors staged a dharna at the Civil Hospital complex. Addressing the protesters on the occasion, Dr Surinder Kumar, district president, Dr Sukhjinder Singh, Dr Jaspreet Singh Patti, Dr Jatinder Singh, Dr Jatinder Kaur and other office-bearers of the Punjab Civil Medical Services’ Association (PCMSA), condemned the state government for its indifferent attitude towards the genuine demands of the medical officers. They said from the second phase, planned from September 12 onwards, there would be a complete closure of the OPD services and suspension of related services. The leaders of the PCMSA made it clear that their continued on page 2 Patients continue to bear thebrunt at govt hospitals Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 10 Patients visiting the government hospitals continue to suffer as the Out Patient Department (OPD) services and elective surgeries remained suspended on the second day of the protest by the Punjab Civil Medical Services’ Association (PCMSA) here on Tuesday. Raising slogans against the state government, the protesters also boycotted medical exams, meetings and other administrative assignments. Doctors stated that the protest would continue till the government restarts the assured career progression (ACP) scheme for the PCMS cadre. Dr Sumitpal Singh, president, PCMS Association, Amritsar, said, “The doctors at all government hospitals are participating in this strike. Aggrieved patients at the Civil Hospital in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Everyone is affected by the attitude of the government and we are in no mood to call off the strike before our dues are given to us.” Dr Singh said a meeting of the association with the finance minister is scheduled for Wednesday. He said if the meeting did not yield any results, the association would extend the duration of the boycott of OPD services from three hours daily to whole day. Association general secretary Madhur Poddar said, “The arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission are still pending. Doctors have no safety at hospitals and they are over- burdened with work due to the shortage of doctors.” He said the association had been taking up all these matters with authorities concerned for a long time, but was forced to strike work. “Even now we had given an advance notice regarding the strike. If continued on page 2 Will look into Cabinet minister’s Four aides of gangster Powercom staff on 3-day mass CL demand for Ajnala rail link: Bittu Goldy Brar nabbed Our Correspondent Amritsar, September 10 Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu assured Punjab Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal of positively looking into his demand for connecting his border constituency Ajnala with rail and re-constructing the railway station at Ramdas, a small border town. Dhaliwal along with other demands of his constituency met the Union Minister in Delhi on Tuesday. He handed over a letter of demands to Bittu in which he sought a railway line up to Balladwal village, which is situated on the Indo-Pak border. He said about 45 families of the Rai Sikh community live there and the rail connectivity would ensure that their wards get hassle-free travel to colleges in nearby towns. He said the historic town of Ramdas, which is associated with revered Sikh saint Baba Budhaji, requires special attention of the Union Railway Ministry. The railway sta- Tribune News Service Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal meets Union Minister of State Ravneet Bittu in New Delhi. tion at Ramdas, a small town in Ajnala, is lying in a disarray. It should not only be rebuilt but also be dedicated to Baba Budhaji, as the annual fair in his memory sees participation of about 10 lakh people. The Union Minister, who lost the parliamentary election from Ludhiana, assured the visiting Punjab minister that his demands would surely be met as it concerned a community. — TNS Amritsar, September 10 The city police claimed to have arrested five associates of notorious gangster Goldy Brar here on Tuesday. Police teams have also been sent to Haryana for conducting raids and arrest other accused wanted in a pistol seizure case. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detective) Harpreet Singh Mander stated that on the basis of a secret tip-off, cops from CIA-1 and CIA-2 arrested Harshdeep Singh (20) and Gursharanpreet Singh (18), both residents of Dhilwan Khurd village in Faridkot district, and recovered four pistols from their possession on September 4. During interrogation, the police found that the duo used to work on the instructions of gangster Goldy Brar to threaten people and demand ransom. The arrested accused were produced in a court and taken on remand for further investigation. The probe revealed that Gursharanpreet Singh, alias Sharan, was being directed by a person, Deva, a resident of Haryana. Deva had gone to a foreign country on fake documents and is now settled there. It was Deva who introduced Gursharanpreet Singh to Goldy Brar. Then the police nabbed Dharampreet Singh, alias Dharma, a resident of Bazigar Basti in Faridkot, on September 6, who introduced Gursharanpreet Singh to Deva and further to Goldy. The police found that Pritam Singh, alias Goli, a resident of Landa village at Bagha Purana in Moga district, introduced Dharampreet Singh, alias Dharma, to Goldy. There are about 10 cases registered against Pritam Singh Goli, who went to Canada on a fake passport. He introduced Dharampreet continued on page 2 Tarn Taran, September 10 The day to day functioning of Powercom was affected badly with employees going on mass three-day casual leave. Tuesday was the second day of the stir with the agitating employees staging a dharna in front of the circle office of Powercom in Tarn Taran. The call for mass casual leave (CL) has been given jointly by the PSEB Employees Joint Forum, Bijli Mulazam Ekta Manch and Association of Junior Engineers. There are reports that 71 per cent of the employees have responded to mass casual leave stir. The Powercom officials had to face great harassment as they failed to redress the complaints of power disruption timely. Mohtam Singh, Deputy Chief Engineer of the local Powercom circle, said that reports of power disruption were received from Naushehra Pannuan, Chabal, Manochahal and other stations. He said that due to lack of staff, it takes time Powercom employees on mass casual leave staging dharna in Tarn Taran on Tuesday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI to restore power supply. Gurpreet Singh Gandiwind and Gurbej Singh Dhillon were among those who addressed the employees who flayed the state government and the Powercom management for not implementing the accepted demands. The employee leaders said that thousands of posts were lying vacant in the department as a result of which normal work had been affected. Due to shortage of staff in the department, the employees on duty had heavy workload, they said. The agitating employees demanded that the vacant posts be filled up on regular basis soon. The leaders also demanded compensation for the families of employees who died while on duty. SPIC MACAY founder Dr Kiran Seth exhorts ‘Babe Da Viaah’ at Batala remains a major students to connect with Indian art forms attraction for devotees, tourists since 1917 Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 10 An IITian and educationist who founded SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture amongst Youth) in 1977, Dr Kiran Seth wanted to give people a shared experience of Indian classical and folk art forms through live concerts, something that was reserved for only a select few during the time. Over the years, the non-profit cultural organisation that curates and promotes Indian classical and folk performing art forms, SPIC MACAY has managed to engage a large number of people, even the youth, to become converts to Indian classical art forms. Not a seasoned musician or artist himself, Dr Seth has got connect with Indian music and dance traditions in Dr Kiran Seth (C), founder patron of SPIC MACAY, interacts with students at a school in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR terms of art appreciation. Dr Kiran Seth started his Punjab tour from Amritsar with a special session hosted by Spring Dale Senior Secondary School. Interacting with the audience that had a large number of students, Dr Seth shared how Dr Manveen Sandhu, an educator and founder-mentor of Spring Dale, brought in Punjabi folk art forms under spotlight through her associ- ation with SPIC MACAY. “This organisation turned out to be a movement to revive the pristine glory of the Indian classical music, classical dance forms, folk music and traditional art forms of India by promoting it among the youth, at the grassroots level. The idea was to put spotlight on the rich tapestry of music and dance traditions of India and amplify their reach among the young generation. Today, we have featured concerts of multiple artists of eminence and are connected with so many schools and institutions,” said Dr Seth. Sharing his journey of promoting the Indian classical art forms and the challenges faced during the initial phase of the movement, Dr Seth encouraged the students to experience the joy of Indian performing art forms. School principal Rajiv Kumar Sharma, who has been himself associated with SPIC MACAY as a volunteer for years now, shared during his address how his fascination for the Indian classical art forms had provided him a connect with SPIC MACAY since his student life. Recalling that Spring Dale’s revered mentor late Manveen Sandhu had been an active associate of SPIC MACAY and how continued on page 2 c m y b Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 10 Babe Da Viaah (wedding anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev) at Batala has been a major occasion of festivity for people in Amritsar since 1917, when locals celebrated the marriage of the first Guru for the first time. A number of devotees from Amritsar make a beeline to attend the wedding of Guru Nanak at Batala city. Guru Nanak married Bibi Sulakhni, daughter of Batala resident Mool Chand in 1488. Marriage rituals were performed at the haveli of Jameet Rai, a local landlord. As per the tradition of Punjabi weddings, sisters of Bibi Sulakhni put the ‘manji’ of Guru Nanak near a mud wall as it was about to collapse. An elderly woman asked the Guru to stay away from the wall. Guru Nanak said, “The wall would exist for centuries.” Gurdwara Kandh A nagar kirtan being taken out to celebrate Babe Da Viaah (the wedding anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev) in Batala on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Sahib was constructed at the same place and the wall is protected in a glass chamber. The tradition of celebrating the wedding (Babe da Viaah) is more than 100 years old. A wedding procession (Baarat) that started from Sultanpur Lodhi in the form of Nagar Kirtan will reach tomorrow but devotees from all over continued on page 2