29042025-ATR-01.qxd 4/28/2025 11:11 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR AIT CHAIRMAN LEADS MAJOR CLEANLINESS DRIVE SALMAN KHAN POSTPONES UK TOUR SMART GLASSES ARE WHERE TECH MEETS HIGH FASHION Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) Chairman Karamjit Singh Rintu spearheads a cleanliness drive in the city. P2 Salman Khan announced postponement of his highly anticipated UK tour, following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack. P4 MAX 40°C | MIN 20.2°C YESTERDAY MAX 41°C | MIN 20°C If you still think glasses are just for seeing better, think again. Modern smart glasses are like mini-computers on your face. P4 » » SUNSET TUESDAY 7.09 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:45 AM » TUESDAY | 29 APRIL 2025 | AMRITSAR Drug peddler held with 3 kg heroin Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 28 The Counter Intelligence wing of the city police confiscated 3 kg of heroin and arrested a drug peddler identified as Balvir Singh of Attari here in this connection on Monday. However, his accomplice Harpreet Singh of Mahant Mohalla in Attari is still on the run. Efforts were on to arrest him, said the police. Balvir was produced in a local court today which sent him to two-day police remand for further investigation. The police said a patrol party was present at Ranike village when its member got a tip-off that Balvir Singh and his accomplice Harpreet Singh were in direct contact of Pakistan-based drug smugglers. The police patrol party also got information that the accused had retrieved a huge consignment of contraband and were going to deliver it to someone. Following the tip-off, the police laid a naka on the Attari-Gharinda road and intercepted Balvir Singh from whom six packets containing 3 kg of contraband were recovered. The packets had attached copper rings. This indicated that packets were smuggled via drones from across the international border. Preliminary investigation revealed that heroin was smuggled through Dhanoe Khurd border village. 2 criminals injured in encounter at Ramdas, another at Verka bypass Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 28 Two operatives of the USbased-gangster-turned-terrorist Jeevan Fauji were among three miscreants who were injured in separate encounters in the Amritsar rural and city police commissionerate area here on Monday. They suffered gunshot injuries on legs and were admitted to a hospital for treatment. Lovepreet Singh (22) and Vishal Masih (23) of Jafarkot village in Ajnala were injured during an encounter with CIA staff of the Amritsar (Rural) police in the Ramdas area, while Shivam Singh, alias Babblu (24) of Uttarakhand, now residing at 88-foot-road on the Majitha road was injured in an encounter in the Verka bypass area. Sharing operational details Maninder Singh, SSP Amrit, sar (Rural), said the CIA staff received a tip-off about movements of Jeevan Fauji’s operatives in the Ramdas area for carrying out some criminal activity. He said immediately, CIA teams led by inspector Manmeetpal Singh was dispatched to the area. He said the police teams signalled One of the accused in custody of the police at Ramdas in Amritsar. two scooter-borne persons going on a secluded road to stop, but the accused took a U-turn and fled from the spot. The police teams chased accused in their vehicles. During chase, when the police surrounded the accused, the duo hid behind trees. The accused fired at the police team in order to escape from the spot. For 15 minutes, both sides exchanged fire during which the two accused were injured. The police recovered two pistols and two mobile phones from possession of the accused, while the scooter on which they were travelling, was impounded for further probe. The two accused were admitted to a hospital for treatment. The SSP said both the accused did not have any previous criminal record against them. He said, “The police are probing roles of the accused in the recent hand grenade blasts on police establishments for which Jeevan Fauji claimed responsibility. It is also being ascertained whether they are involved in making extortion calls to local residents.” In another incident, a notorious criminal identified as Shivam Singh, alias Babblu (24), who was arrested by the Amritsar police commissionerate a week ago, was injured in an encounter in the Verka bypass area. He was taken to the spot for recovery of a c m y b weapon. Police Commissioner (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said after the recovery of a .32 bore pistol, the police team was busy in documentation when the accused requested officials to ease himself. The CP said when Babblu was taken at secluded place nearby, he tried to snatch senior constable’s service pistol which led to a scuffle. The CP said meanwhile, ASI Kewal Krishan sensed danger and fired at Babblu who suffered a bullet injury on his leg. The CP said Babblu had four cases, including two of attempt to murder, registered against him, besides one of the Arms Act at a police station in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The CP said Babblu had planned two murders of rival gangsters. He wanted to gain supremacy in criminal gangs, the CP said. Besides Babblu, earlier the police arrested Navdeep Singh, alias Nav (25), a resident of Gopal Nagar located on Majitha Road, Ujjwal Hans (24), a resident of the PWD Complex on Batala Road and Jasandeep Singh, alias Jassa (21), a resident of Dhoopsari village located on the Verka bypass on April 21. The police had seized five pistols from their possession at that time of their arrest. Now, pay penalty for delay in trade licencerenewalfromMay1onwards Over 55,000 commercial establishments under scanner Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 28 Starting from May 1, business owners who fail to renew their trade licences will face a 25 per cent penalty. Additionally, from July 1, a 10 per cent fine will be imposed on delayed payments of conservancy charges. According to estimates, over 55,000 commercial establishments in the city fall under the ambit of this regulation. Although there are a large number of businesses in the city, due to staff shortage in the Municipal Corporation (MC) and the absence of a comprehensive field survey, only 15,801 traders renewed their trade licences and paid conservancy charges last year. The current charges are Rs 500 for renewal of a trade licence and Rs 300 for annual conservancy fee. A significant hurdle is that most traders, pressed for time, are unable to visit the corporation office to renew their licences. On the other hand, the Municipal Corporation does not have enough personnel to conduct field visits for issuing or renewing licences. Notably, no updated survey has been conducted to accurately assess the number of businesses requiring a trade licence. Back in 2006, around 25,000 The office of the Municipal Corporation in Amritsar. trade licences were issued. At that time, after the abolition of the Octroi system, all inspectors were sent to the licensing branch, leading to a notable increase in registration of business establishments. However, in later years, these inspectors were reallocated to other departments. Sanitary inspectors have been assigned the task to renew and issue trade licences, but due to their engagements in maintaining city’s sanitation, they are unable to focus adequately on their new work. At present, the trade licence wing of the Municipal Corporation functions with just two inspectors and has no clerical staff, further compounding the challenge to work efficiently. From April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, the Municipal Corpo- ration collected conservancy charges along with renewing 14,950 trade licences, generating Rs 1.96 crore in revenue. In 2024-25, 15,801 licences were renewed, bringing in Rs 2 crore in civic body’s exchequer, an increase of only 851 new licences compared to the previous financial year. Municipal Commissioner Gurlpeet Singh Aulakh said, “The civic body is focusing on increasing staff in the Trade Licence Department.” He appealed to business owners to renew their trade licences on time. He said trade licence could also be renewed online. The corporation’s portal for depositing trade licence fee and conservancy charges was reactivated last week after a 20-day closure. The portal has been upgraded for the new financial year.