29102024-JTR-01.qxd 10/28/2024 11:20 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune STUBBLE BURNING CASES CROSS 120 MARK, AQI 315 MIRZAPUR FILM ANNOUNCED; PANKAJ, ALI FAZAL REUNITE DIWALI VIBES ARE DIFFERENT IN PRESENT TIMES: BECTOR The total number of farm fires in Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts crossed the 120 mark. P2 Mirzapur is getting a theatrical movie, based on the award-winning crime thriller franchise. P4 For Rajni, whose company Cremica started from a small kitchen in Ludhiana, Diwali is special affair. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5.41 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:42 AM TUESDAY | 29 OCTOBER 2024 | JALANDHAR Irate JCT Mill workers protest pending dues Who will clean Jalandhar? Our Correspondent Streets inundated with sewage at Gandhi Camp area in Jalandhar. Residents have placed bricks on the road in order to cross it. PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH Sewage overflows despite complaints, camps Phagwara, October 28 Tension prevailed in JCT Colony late on Sunday night when about two hundred irate workers of JCT Mill, Phagwara gheraoed the residence of Sameer Thapar and Mukulika Sinha, both directors of the mill, in protest against the non-payment of salaries, allowances, bonus and other dues lying pending for the last six months The protesters were demanding immediate arrest of both directors for the alleged PF and ESI frauds. They alleged that nothing had been done by the government to book the directors for the PF and ESI scam which has been exposed by the departments concerned. Phagwara DSP Bharat Bhushan rushed to the site to pacify the agitators but the protesters went on alleging that Thapar was trying to sell the machinery of the mill and could escape on Monday. Though Sameer Thapar and Mukulika Sinha came out in the presence of local police and gave the assurance that dues of the labourers/workers would be cleared before Diwali, his assurance could not pacify the protesters. A police force led by Superintendent of Police Rupinder Kaur Bhatti reached the site to control the mob of provoked workers. The labourers demanded written assurance from Thapar in the presence of SP , Phagwara. The protest continued till midnight and the workers were seen present outside the residence of Thapar. The protesters were apprehensive that Sameer Thapar could escape. The cops were trying to convince them that a written assurance would be taken by Thapar in the presence of the Superintendent of Police, Phagwara soon. The protesters were later pacified after the assurance of SP Bhatti. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 28 It seems that several civic issues that are perennial in nature are troubling the city residents with sewage overflow being one of them. Gandhi Camp, Bhargo Camp, Dakoha, Sant Nagar, Qazi Mandi, Shiv Nagar, Ram Nagar, Gazi Gulla and Transport Nagar are among the areas in Jalandhar that grapple with the issue of overflowing sewage now and then. Left with no option, those affected gather and hold dharnas, raising slogans against the civic body. “It seems to be a 365-day problem that will never leave,” said the city residents in an apparent dig at the Municipal Corporation. In some streets of Gandhi Nagar area, the residents have placed bricks on road to cross it. Sewage overflows on the road. The excitement of Diwali has been overshadowed by the suffering caused by the sewerage issue. Former MLA Rajinder Beri, a senior Congress leader, said that sewage overflow was a huge problem in Dakoha as well. “The authorities should use Super Suction machines in a proper manner. The situation is grave,” he added. Recently, the Congress leaders had held a protest in this regard that saw the participation of Jalandhar North MLA Bawa Henry, District Congress Committee (Urban) president and former MLA Rajinder Beri, former Deputy Mayor Surinder Kaur and former councillor Sherry Chaddha. The protest also received support from presidents and members of various residential welfare societies and market committees, all voicing their grievances over the bad condition of roads, overflowing sewers, contaminated water supply and nonfunctional streetlights. While residents were waiting for a solution to the sewerage woes, “Aap Di Sarkar, Aap De Dwar” camps held earlier this year had given some ‘hope’ to them. The affected residents also came to the camp in large numbers and shared their ordeal. Most of the problems reported at the camps were also related to sewerage. People from Bhullar colony, Dakoha village and other nearby areas had then shared their plight at one of the camps. The residents stated that they had been suffering a lot because of sewage overflow. After listening to their problems, then Additional Commissioner Amarjit Singh Bains, along with MLA Jalandhar Central Raman Arora had paid a visit to the Jaitewal Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), where they were informed that the STP was not working to its capacity. Even after protests, camps and complaints, the situation remains the same with hardly any difference on the ground. Rickshaw driver sustains injuries in road mishap Aakanksha N Bhardwaj BJP leaders visit grain market 2 killed in accidents Hoshiarpur, October 28 Two persons died in two separate road accidents in the area while another was injured. The Dasuya police have registered both the cases. According to information, Harjeet Singh, a resident of Sangiyal village, told the police that his sister Sonia was going to work with her friend Anjana Devi. He told that when she reached near Usman Shaheed village, a car hit them. He told that in the said accident, his sister died while her friend got injured. In another case, Gabar Singh, a resident of Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh, told the police that he was going to Srinagar with his companion in a pickup truck. Vinod Kumar, a resident of Agra, got out of his vehicle near Dasuha, and was hit by a metallic object protruding from a passing-by truck. A case has been registered in both the cases. — OC Tribune News Service Firecracker traders block the DAV College flyover to protest against the police action in Jalandhar on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Action on firecracker stalls sparks protest Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 28 Police action against unauthorised firecracker vends at Burlton Park stirred tensions as vendors staged a protest on Monday afternoon. The park, which traditionally hosts the city’s largest firecracker market during the festive season, saw a heavy police presence after complaints surfaced about unlicensed stalls operating on the grounds. The police inspected documentation, including bill books and allegedly confiscated firecrackers from some shops. Police authorities claimed that the inspection was part of an effort to enforce regula- tions surrounding the sale of firecrackers. Officers checked the licenses of all traders, revealing that only a few vendors possessed valid permits. The police seized records from those unable to produce the required licenses. The city police have issued 20 temporary licenses for firecracker sales in the district under the Explosives Rules of 2008, distributed through a draw system. Despite this, over 100 vendors had set up booths at Burlton Park, indicating a significant number of unauthorised stalls. However, the police crackdown did not sit well with traders, who quickly organised a protest. Upset over what they saw as undue interference in their operations, vendors closed the market and blocked the DAV flyover, causing significant disruption to traffic in the area. Commuters faced delays as traffic built up amidst the festive rush. Traders argued that the city has traditionally allowed a large number of stalls to operate each year without issue, and they criticized the police for what they described as unnecessary hurdles in their business during the crucial festive season. “The police have no reason to disturb us with surprise raids. We are all following government norms and have been operating this way for years,” one trader said. Meanwhile, after approximately 30 minutes, police managed to negotiate with the vendors, convincing them to end the protest and reopen the road to traffic. ACP (North) Rishabh Bhola, present at the site, confirmed that the police were responding to specific complaints about unauthorised firecracker sales. “No FIR has been lodged, no one has been detained and no materials have been seized,” Bhola clarified, addressing rumours circulating after the raid. He added that some traders’ documentation has been forwarded to the GST department for verification, and further action will be based on their report. c m y b Jalandhar, October 28 A rickshaw driver sustained injuries in an accident in the New Jawahar Nagar locality late Sunday night. The crash occurred on a busy street near the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office. The impact was severe, with one car smashing into a nearby house and the other left crumpled on the road. Passersby quickly responded, rushing the injured rickshaw driver to the Civil Hospital. He reportedly sustained serious head injuries and multiple wounds. BJP leaders visit grain market in Jalandhar on Monday. Injured admitted to Civil Hospital, probe on Police officials from Division Number 6 arrived at the scene soon after. Initial reports indicated that one vehicle was driven by a woman, while the other belonged to a sports industry owner. Both vehicles were registered in Jalandhar. “We are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash and who was responsible for it,” said police officials, adding that CCTV cameras installed on the road are being reviewed for further action in the case. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 28 BJP leaders, who visited the grain market in Jalandhar to review paddy procurement, blamed the differences between the state government and farmers, commission agents, transporters and sheller owners behind the tardy procurement. Prominent leaders of BJP , Jalandhar, unit visited different mandis, including the new grain market, and talked to the commission agents, farmers and labourers to listen to their problems and also talked to Jalandhar DC and food supply officials to expe- dite the lifting process. Former minister Manoranjan Kalia, Punjab BJP vice president and former chief parliamentary secretary KD Bhandari, former MLA Sheetal Angural, former BJP district president Tarsem Kapoor, district BJP general secretary Ashok Sareen Hikki, Amarjit Singh Goldy, Kisan Morcha district president Karnail Singh Dhillon and other leaders reached new dana mandi where arhtiyas, association members, etc., shared their views with them. After talking to arhtiyas, Kalia said due to the mistakes of the state govern- ment, 5.5 lakh bags of paddy could not be lifted in Jalandhar and farmers, arhtiyas and labourers are facing problems. He said the anti-people policies of state government have become public. Former CPS KD Bhandari said the Central Government sent Rs 44,000 crores to the state government for crop purchase, but the Bhagwant Mann government neither made arrangements for the bardana nor talked to transporters and shellers. Due to this, today farmers, commission agents, labourers and people of every section are facing problems.