21032025-JTR-01.qxd 3/20/2025 11:01 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune KAPURTHALA HERITAGE FESTIVAL BEGINS BOLLYWOOD ACTRESS LISA RAY CRITICISES AIRLINE SERVICE Lisa expressed her frustration with Air India for denying the waiver despite submitting all documents. P4 MAINLY CLEAR MAX 30°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 11°C NANDITA DAS AND RANDEEP HOODA SHOWCASE THEIR WIT The fest, organised by govt with the aim of showcasing the state's rich heritage, will prove to be a guiding path. P2 FORECAST Speaking at the second edition of the Cinevesture International Film Fest, she opens up about her journey. P4 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.39 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:29 AM » FRIDAY | 21 MARCH 2025 | JALANDHAR Uproar mars first MC meet, agenda passed in 45 sec Mayor upset with Opposition on repeated interruptions in House Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 20 The most-awaited first General House Meeting of the Municipal Corporation was held here today amid uproar. The meeting that formally started after 3 pm ended in less than an hour and all agendas were passed in less than 45 seconds while deafening voices filled the hall of Red Cross Bhawan, the meeting venue. Congress councillors Pawan Kumar and Bunty Nilkanth stole everyone’s attention even before the meeting started as they entered the hall wearing white T shirts with words, “Aurta da 1,000×36 (36,000) kado’ (When will you give the promised Rs 1,000 to women). Mayor Vaneet Dhir, who was accompanied by Senior Deputy Mayor Balbir Singh Bittu and Deputy Mayor Malkit Singh, started the meeting by addressing the media and councillors and listing the works he has done in last 70 days. He started, “Manpower, machinery-related problems are there in the corporation and sewage has taken a ‘Vikral roop’. For that, cleaning of main lines using supersuction machines will be done. Grab machines, jetting machines (8 each) will be brought by the MC. To maintain cleanliness on roads, 56 km of main lines in the city will be cleaned using road sweeping machine.” Kanwar Sartaj Singh, councillor of Ward No. 18 said, “Our responsibility is towards every citizen and we must fulfil basic requirements of all residents. In the AAP and Congress councillors argue during the first MC meeting in Jalandhar. PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH agenda, mostly the councillors of ruling party would be benefited,” he said. 110 Baleros to pick garbage One of the most important points he mentioned on his list was getting 110 Baleros for councillors so that waste from garbage dump could be lifted. The moment Dhir mentioned that, councillors Pawan, Bunty Nilkanth and Sherry Chadha interrupted him, saying that why was he (Mayor) speaking and why there was no debate on these points as they also had right to raise their points. They all started speaking so loudly that for several minutes, nothing could be heard. Even the agenda got passed in less than 45 seconds amid deafening voices. Sr Dy Mayor takes a photo dig at councillor The Senior Deputy Mayor asked them to stop and sarcastically said, “Bass kro, press ne photo bahut krliya. (Now that the media has clicked your pictures, you can now stop behaving like this)” To this, Pawan Kumar replied, “Meri photo bahut vaar aayi hai, tusi pehli vaar aaye ho, tuanu photo di zyada lod hai. (My photos have got published several times. You are new here, you need it more than anyone else). At the meeting, Dhir kept on saying that he would start zero hour and then the councillors could raise their points, but every argument was snubbed in the chaotic environment. After the meeting got over and Dhir moved out, a few councillors of the Opposition started raising slogans against the Mayor. Mayor Dhir also released a statement, saying that when he was trying to tell city residents of the plan he has for them, a few councillors didn’t allow him to speak. “It clearly tells their motive, their real faces have been exposed,” he said. Women councillors dominate House Of 85 councillors in the city, 52 per cent are women members and 48 per cent men. Also 68 per cent councillors are first timers. Heroin smuggling racket busted, 3 held Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 20 In a crackdown on drug trafficking, the Commissionerate Police, Jalandhar, has arrested three persons involved in heroin smuggling. The operation, carried out under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur, led to the seizure of 30 gram of heroin and the registration of a case under the NDPS Act. Commissioner Kaur said a team from the CIA was stationed at Y-Point, Bhagat Singh Colony as part of routine checks aimed at curbing illegal activities. The police were conducting document verification and monitoring movement in the area when they intercepted three sus- pects. During questioning, the persons were found to be in possession of heroin. The arrested persons have been identified as Rohit Arora, Rakesh, alias Keshi, and Sandeep, alias Baba alias Lalu, all residents of Amritsar. Following their arrest, an FIR was registered. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused have multiple criminal cases against them, indicating their involvement in illicit activities. “Police teams are now focusing on identifying the source of the seized heroin and mapping its distribution network. We suspect the involvement of a larger drug syndicate and further arrests may follow as the investigation progresses”, police officials said. MC levels uneven manhole cover THE TRIBUNE IMPACT Jalandhar, March 20 After ‘Jalandhar Tribune’ highlighted the risk posed by an unevenly covered manhole on Ladowali Road, the MC swung into action and resolved the issue. The report, published in these columns on Wednesday, brought the attention to the danger the uncovered and unevenly covered manhole posed to commuters and the recent accidents that took place, prompted a swift response from the civic body on Thursday morning. A team from the MC, including the Junior Engineer and sewer maintenance staff, spent nearly half a day addressing the issue. The team not only cleaned the blocked sewer but also properly placed the manhole cover and cemented the surrounding elevated area to ensure the problem did not recur. Officials acknowledged the urgency of the matter and said necessary action had been taken to eliminate the potential threat to commuters. Meanwhile, the cleaning and repair work has come as a major relief for daily commuters and local vendors, who had been struggling with the issue for a long time. Kamal Kumar, a local resident, appreciated the prompt action. “This was a serious accident risk, especially at night. Now, with the cover properly placed, we feel much safer,” he said. Mahesh Singh, a street vendor, also welcomed the move. “People on foot, cyclists and even two-wheelers were at risk because of the uneven surface. We had been complaining about it for a long time. Thankfully, the authorities took note after the news report and we expect similar action will be taken at other spots too,” he said. “Commuters on Ladowali Road had raised concerns over uneven and open manholes, which posed a threat to both pedestrians and motorists. With the civic body finally addressing the issue, we hope that similar hazards across the city will be dealt with promptly to prevent mishaps”, said Dinesh Kumar, an employee working in a private office on Ladowali road. — TNS c m y b Traders upbeat as Shambhu, Khanauri cleared Jalandhar, March 20 Several industrialists and traders have hailed the decision of the government to evict farmers, who had blocked the Punjab border at Shambhu and Khanauri for the past over a year. President of the Focal Point Association Narinder S Sagoo said, “The reports of clearing of the road has come as a big relief for us. We have already met CM Bhagwant Mann on the issue a few weeks back, asking him to resolve the issue so that they clear the passage. Punjab and its industry has faced losses estimated at Rs 1 lakh crore in the past one year as no one wants to do business or trade with Punjab owing to frequent protests. Punjab has earned a tag of being the ‘state on protest’ nationally as well as internationally. This image of Punjab needs to be changed for the better now”. Likewise, Ravinder Dhir, sports goods manufacturer and president of Khel Udyog Sangh, has said, “We too hail the move of the government and it will boost the trade. Our customers had stopped reaching out to us. Farmers have the right to protest but they cannot block roads and highways. Punjab’s image has tarnished. We expect the situation to improve all over again”. — TNS Nawanshahr MC vice-prez poll put off, Cong cries foul Deepkamal Kaur NUMBER GAME Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, March 20 The much-awaited election to the post of vice-president of the Nawanshahr Municipal Committee was postponed at the last moment on Tuesday. The Balachaur SDM was stated to be unwell and unable to conduct the proceedings. The postponement, however, annoyed Congress leaders, who alleged that the election had been put off as the ruling Aam Aadmi Party failed to build consensus on any councillor’s name. There are 19 wards in the MC with the 20th vote vested with BSP MLA Nachhatar Pal. Of the 20 voters, one councillor had passed away. The Congress has nine councillors, of whom one is currently abroad. The SAD has three, AAP has four and BSP has two councillors and one is Independent. The election is important even as just one year of the MC tenure is left. Owing to the defunct MC, the condition of the roads has been deteriorating and garbage lifting has been erratic. It has been over three years since the MC chief Sachin Dewan of the Congress had been placed under suspension. The vice-president ■ The delay annoyed Congress leaders, who alleged that the election had been put off as AAP failed to build consensus on councillor’s name ■ There are 19 wards in the MC with the 20th vote vested with BSP MLA Nachhatar Pal. Of the 20 voters, one councillor had passed away. The Congress has nine councillors, SAD three, AAP four and BSP has two councillors and one is Independent. relinquished his term of one year and no election has been held to the post even though the Director Local Bodies had passed orders in this regard in September 2022. Ever since the Executive Officer of the MC had been conducting meetings and works worth Rs 1 crore had been cleared by him through House meetings. The Congress councillors had taken the matter to the court. The party councillors, led by ex-MLA Angad Saini, lodged a protest on Tuesday over the cancellation of election. He alleged that the administration was playing into the hands of the AAP and was deliberately stalling the election. He even went live on social media taking up the matter with the administration. Akali councillors also joined him in the protest. On January 18, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered, “No such power was vested with the EO whereby he becomes enabled to convene a meeting of the MC”. The court had ordered that the EO was empowered only to conduct the administrative functions of the court and the proceedings embarked are required to be quashed and set aside. The court had ordered that the election to the post of vice-president be conducted for convening the House meetings. But the HC order has not been implemented in two months. Lalit Mohan Pathak, AAP councillor and halqa incharge, Nawanshahr, said, “The Congress is deliberately making an issue out of the postponement of election. The SDM was unwell and could not conduct the elections. Since the officials have now got busy with Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom day event to be held at Khatkar Kalan on Sunday where CM Bhagwant Mann is coming, the new election date has not got announced.”