04112024-ATR-01.qxd 11/3/2024 10:59 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY ENVIRONMENTAL DEBATE NEEDS CONCRETE ACTION, EFFORTS EXPLOSION ON AMRITSARHOWRAH MAIL INJURES 4 SALMAN KHAN IN HYDERABAD TO SHOOT FOR SIKANDAR Checking air pollution calls for sustainable development plans, proper strategy and rules, say residents. P2 Passengers panic and jump from the train as it approaches the Sirhind railway station. P3 It marks the reunion of Salman Khan with Sajid Nadiadwala after Kick, which was released in 2014. P4 » » » MAX 30°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 17°C SUNSET MONDAY 5.38 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6.50 AM MONDAY | 4 NOVEMBER 2024 | AMRITSAR Three officials chargesheeted for negligence Minister ETO urges new panches, sarpanchesto work without prejudice Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, November 3 Three officials have been charge-sheeted for their negligence in handling farm fire cases in their respective areas. This was stated by a senior official of the administration here on Sunday. The officials revealed that despite all-out efforts being made by the district administration, there was no stopping of farm fire incidents in the district. Rather such incidents have been increasing for the last four days. Sources in the police said 55 farm fire cases were reported in the district on Friday and 40 on Saturday. Out of the 40 cases registered on Saturday, 21 cases have been registered against unknown persons and the remaining 19 by name. Of the 19 farmers who have been identified for violating the norms, five farmers have been arrested. All five farmers have been arrested by the Sadar police (Patti). The police said cases under Section 223 of the BNS have been registered against the accused. Smog continues to engulf city areas, residents suffer Tribune News Service Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO (fourth from right) felicitates the elected panches, sarpanches of new panchayats in Amritsar on Sunday. Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 3 Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO has asked the panches and sarpanches of the newly elected panchayats to work in a systematic manner to achieve comprehensive development of villages. He asked them to carry out development projects without any discrimination and speed up the pace of development. During a visit to the villages falling in his Jandiala Guru constituency, the Cabinet Minister felicitated the sarpanches, including Dr Gurdeep Kotla of Kotla Bathungarh village, Dr Sarabjit Singh of Nawan village, Jagbir Singh of Saran Talwandi, Paramjit Singh, a member, and others. He thanked the voters. The Cabinet Minister discussed with people the blueprint for the development of villages. He announced that the villages would now have pave- ments, streets, drains, sewerage, water supply, lighting, clean drinking water supply, etc. Apart from cleaning ponds, building community centres and widening roads leading to villages would be taken up. There is a need to do a lot more. Aam Aadmi Clinics are providing quality basic health facilities to people closer to their homes. Transport facilities have been provided for girl students of government schools. Amritsar, November 3 Smog continued to engulf parts of the city areas on Sunday, especially during morning and evening hours. A day after the city AQI touched the 369 mark, remaining in the ‘very poor’ category, the AQI came down to 261 on Sunday. It improved the air quality, but it still falls in the poor category. Smog reduced the visibility inconveniencing commuters a lot. It was more visible on the outskirts where vehicles were being driven at a slow speed to avoid any untoward accident. The holy city, a popular tourist destination, has shown minimal progress in improving air quality over the years. Disappointing ambient air quality is witnessed here every year following paddy harvesting, which aggravates around A thick layer of smog hovers over Majitha Road area in Amritsar on Sunday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR RAIN ONLY SOLUTION: EXPERTS Environmentalists say that pollutants will disperse in the environment once the wind velocity or rain lashes the region. The condition would persist for the next few days. In this scenario, rain will be the only way out, experts said. Diwali. Clean air and water are the basic requirements of people, said environmentalist Rupinder Singh. It assumes more significance when a large number of floating population visit here for tourism purpose. Residents fear that the smog cover may cause irritation in the eyes and other respiratory diseases. Aged and BSF recovers two MC deploys sprinkling machines to tackle dust, smog drones, heroin from border area villages Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 3 The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered two drones and heroin from various locations in Amritsar, Pathankot and Tarn Taran districts. BSF officials in Amritsar said that on Saturday evening, while acting on the basis of information about the presence of a drone in the border area of Amritsar district, troops launched a search operation in the suspected area. At about 5:50 pm, BSF troops successfully recovered a small drone from a farming field adjacent to village Kamirpura, in district Amritsar. The recovered drone has been identified as a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic. Meanwhile, the BSF made yet more recoveries of Pakistan-based drone and heroin packets in two different incidents in the border area of Pathankot and Tarn Taran districts today in the afternoon. A China made DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone was recovered at about 4:40 pm from a sugarcane field adjacent to village Akhwara of district Pathankot. Before that, a packet of suspected heroin, weighing 426 grams, was recovered by BSF troops at about 2:25 pm from a harvested field adjacent to village Wan Tara Singh of Tarn Taran district. The narcotic was found wrapped with yellow adhesive tape and a copper wire loop attached to the packet. Amritsar, November 3 With the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Amritsar reaching the 350 mark, the Municipal Corporation began spraying of water with sprinkling machines to tackle the situation. On the directions of Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, the MC deployed three spray machines to settle dust and smog. These machines were operated today around the railway station, bus stand, Golden Gate and Hall Gate area. MC Commissioner Aulakh said that these three machines will run continuously in the city. Aulakh stated that dust and other particles spread in the air and create smog. With the help of these anti-smog machines, the MC will try to control pollution to some extent. He said that the air quality index of Amritsar city is quite high and steps are being taken to deal with it. He said that the health wing of The MC conducts water spray with a spraying machine in Amritsar on Sunday. TACKLING AIR POLLUTION ■ Amritsar was listed along with Ludhiana and Jalandhar among the 'non-attainment cities' under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which means the holy city does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). ■ MC received Rs 19 crore to improve air quality under NCAP and make city-specific action plan the Municipal Corporation has issued guidelines for run- ning these three machines in different areas of the city. It may be mentioned that the city was listed, along with Ludhiana and Jalandhar among the non-attainment cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which means the holy city does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The Amritsar Municipal Corporation received Rs 19 crore to improve air quality in the city under NCAP and make city-specific action plan. Initially, the MC planned to install air monitoring systems, air purifiers, water fountains at roundabouts and water sprinkling machines but fund was later diverted for recarpeting of roads. Three sprinkling machines were procured under the NCAP in 2023. “Even after spending a huge amount under NCAP , the city witnessed no change. Even the air pollution is increasing day by day. The administration failed to implement any city-specific plan,” said SK Sharma, a local activist. kids are vulnerable to smog and may fall sick as had been seen in previous years. Environmentalists say that pollutants will disperse in the environment once the wind velocity or rain lashes the region. The condition would persist for the next few days. In this scenario, rain will be the only way out, experts said. Illegal arms, ammunition seized from car; two held Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, October 3 A team of the local CIA staff led by Sub-inspector Charanjit Singh arrested two carborne miscreants with illegal arms and ammunition on Saturday near Punia village. The sub-inspector said that the accused have been identified as Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Talwandi Mutsda Singh village and Nitin Kumar Nannu of the local Chander Colony. He said that the police team saw a car moving around in the area under mysterious circumstances and signalled it to stop. The police searched the car and recovered a revolver and five live cartridges. The accused have been booked under the Arms Act by Patti Sadar police. Nehru Shopping Complex sans Farmers advised to Farmers’ union demands justice single operational lift for 16 years demand receipt of for victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots purchased fertilisers Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 3 Even as a provision for installing four lifts was made by the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) in its major commercial project, Nehru Shopping Complex, it managed to install only one in its 25 years of existence. To facilitate the mobility of customers in the multistorey complex which is situated in a prime shopping area of the city, an elaborate provision for installing lifts was made. According to people running their stores in the complex, the place has a provision for four lifts but the authorities concerned installed only one. The solitary lift never functioned smoothly ever since it was installed some years back. Consequently, a number of SCOs (Shop-cum-offices) on the top two floors are lying closed. The AIT is blamed for this condition of the market. Proper arrangements for sanitation are also lacking. This shopping complex on prime land where Lawrence Road intersects Mall Road has failed to see much business for shopkeepers as there is not much mobility for visitors inside the complex. Store owners complain that ample parking space helps bring a large number of motorists but they seldom are seen stepping on to the stairs to reach its upper floors. On the other hand, commercial complexes developed much later in Ranjit Avenue area have managed to prosper as customers prefer to visit there. A shopkeeper, Surjit Singh, said there was a proposal for the installation of a cube lift worth Rs 12.50 lakh in early 2010s but the plan never took off. Raised in late 1990s, the multi-storied shopping complex has 376 shops but a large number of visitors avoided going to the upper storeys due to non-operational lifts. “We have been losing business while store owners in private malls are earning well,” he rued. Many shops on the second and third floors are lying locked. A majority of the shopkeepers blame the non-functional lift for the flop show of the complex. According to them, the lift service has never been operational since its inception. In the absence of easy access, customers do not show interest in visiting the upper storeys. Hence, investors do not dare to invest money in opening shops and offices on the upper floors. Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 3 In an appeal issued to the farmers, Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney has asked them to take receipts of the seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other chemicals purchased by them. The DC has also asked the farmers to report if any shopkeeper refuses to give receipts so that action can be taken against him or them. Sawhney said farmers can file their complaints in writing with their respective Block Agriculture Officers or the Chief Agriculture Officer. The official stated that receipts would ensure that shopkeepers are selling good quality products. She said in case of any complaints regarding quality at the later stage, the receipts c m y b Members of the Kirti Kisan Union demand justice for the 1984 Delhi riots at Guru Ka Bagh in Amritsar. Amritsar DC Sakshi Sawhney Tribune News Service would ensure that farmers get justice as they would be able to prove that they had purchased a product from a shopkeeper which failed to give the desired results. The DC asked the farmers to consult the agriculture officers in their area regarding problems faced by them. She said the administration is keenly watching distribution of DAP to ensure that all farmers get it as per their requirement. Amritsar, November 3 Farmers’ organisation Kirti Kisan Union (KKU) on Sunday staged a protest at Guru Ka Bagh accusing the government of denying justice to the victims of the 1984 Delhi riots. The event was held as part of the 40th anniversary of the killings in Delhi. The union leaders stated that Sikhs and other minorities in the country are often targeted by fascist forces and every time the victims are denied justice. KKU vice-president Jatinder Singh Chinna said, “Even as the government has changed in the country, political parties have failed to address the issue.” He said many innocents were killed mercilessly and women raped during the 1984 riots. “Along with leaders of the Congress, members of the RSS had killed thousands of Sikhs, but no punishment has been given to any of the culprits so far,” said Chinna, while blaming the BJP for the injustice. KKU district president Sat- nam Singh Jhander said, “Leaders of the ruling government too are busy spreading hate against minorities.” He said the government is pushing the country towards fascism. Religious places of minorities too are being targeted. The farmer leaders said the policies of the BJP are a threat to the unity and diversity of India. In a press note issued by the KKU, they said to pursue its fascist goals, the government is targeting minorities, intellectuals, writers and political opponents.