13032026-LT-01.qxd 3/13/2026 12:55 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune CONVOCATION CEREMONY AT SCD GOVT COLLEGE Degrees conferred upon 218 PG and 283 undergraduate students during the annual event. P2 » INT’L FENCING MEDALLIST DONS COACH’S JERSEY LEADING LADIES TURN FILM PRODUCERS Ravinder Kumar is running an academy in city to train the next generation of fencers. P3 From Shehnaaz Gill to Deepika, woman actors are building production houses and backing stories that matter. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 18°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6:29 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:34 AM FRIDAY | 13 MARCH 2026 | LUDHIANA payment LPG crisis worsens as shortage e-POS machines forlaunched of taxes on doorsteps fear triggers panic buying in city Tribune News Service Demand rises by 30%, teams formed to check hoarding, no need to panic, says DC Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 12 Even as the government and the district administration claim that there is neither any shortage of LPG cylinders nor any reason to panic, residents and restaurant owners say the situation is entirely different on the ground. They maintain that panic persists as several gas agencies are not accepting bookings from domestic consumers while some restaurant owners are even planning to shift to cooking on wood-fired tandoors. Appealing to both domestic and commercial LPG consumers, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain reiterated that there was no need for panic. “It is nothing but panic buying. Since everyone started booking cylinders online at the same time, the systems crashed. The demand of LPG cylinders as increased by 30 per cent. We have issued strict instructions to gas agencies to accept bookings over the phone if the online system is not functioning. Besides, several teams have been constituted to visit different areas to ensure that there is no black marketing or hoarding of LPG cylinders,” he said. Meanwhile, some restau- Gas agencies told to accept bookings over phone if online system not functioning. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN ‘MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS LEAD TO BLACK MARKETING’ Gas dealers claim that the existence of multiple LPG connections in the same name or address has encouraged black marketing. A gas agency operator said if there are 100 genuine consumers, the number of connections could go up to 150–180. rant owners admitted that the uncertainty had prompted them to consider alternatives such as traditional tandoors. Vishal Malhotra from Reboot, an eatery, said preparing gravies, curries and sauces takes considerable time and consumes more gas. “At least we should start using gas cylinders judiciously,” he said. In a related development, the Mid-Day Meal Society has written to District Education Officers (DEOs) across the state, seeking details of schools where mid-day meals are prepared and the number of LPG cylinders required for cooking. Though meals in many schools are still prepared on wood, several institutions also rely on LPG. Sonu, a homemaker, said she was worried as the gas agency was unable to book her LPG cylinder. “As a commoner, we are in a panic situation. We hope the situation improves soon. Earlier, we were allowed to book a cylinder after a gap of 20 days but now we are facing inconvenience in getting the supply, which is causing anxiety,” she said. At the same time, several homemakers have started switching to induction cooktops to reduce LPG consumption. A gas agency operator in the city said there were thousands of consumers who possessed multiple LPG connections — either in the same name at different addresses or in different names at same addresses, and the government had little control over them. “They, along with some delivery persons, have started black marketing of domestic cylinders, where we cannot help,” he said. He said if there were 100 genuine consumers, the number of connections could go up to 150–180. Another gas dealer from Khanna, Ravjot Singh, said the gas supply had certainly been affected as most petroleum products were imported. “In coming days, we believe the crisis will ease as the government is taking every possible step to control the situation,” he said. Gas dealers claim that the existence of multiple LPG connections in the same name or address has encouraged black marketing. According to them, the number of cylinders in circulation is much more than the actual number of connections, making the monitoring difficult and enabling illegal resale of domestic cylinders. Ludhiana, March 12 In a major boost to digitalisation and facilitating residents in paying their dues on their doorsteps, Mayor Inderjit Kaur and Senior Deputy Mayor Rakesh Prashar launched e-POS machines at the MC’s Zone D office in Sarabha Nagar here on Thursday. With this, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has become the first civic body in the state to start accepting digital payments through e-POS machines on the doorsteps of residents. Besides cash, the residents would be able to make digital payments through cards and UPI. Zonal Commissioner Jasdev Singh Sekhon and Zonal Superintendent Vivek Verma were among other officials who were present. The civic body officials said till now, residents had to visit civic body offices for making payments but now, civic body teams would also move to field with e-POS machines. It would not only save the time of the residents but will also encourage transparency in accepting payments. Not only property tax, they will also be able to pay trade licence fee and rent of MC properties online through the machines. Payments can be made through cards and UPI and receipts generated through the machines would be handed over to the residents. Training of the field staff is going on and the teams with e-POS machines will move to the field in coming few days. The Mayor and the Senior Deputy Mayor said in total, 48 e-POS machines were being provided to staff (12 in each zone of the MC). They said the civic body had been working to promote digitalisation and the initiative would further improve transparency and efficiency. Directing the officials to expedite the recovery of dues from the residents, the Mayor said the civic body would also be organising camps in different parts of the city to facilitate the people in paying their dues. Pay property tax by March 31 to avoid penalty Mayor Inderjit Kaur appealed to residents to pay their dues, including property tax and water sewer bills, on time to avoid penalty. The civic body officials said the residents would have to pay a 20 per cent penalty and 18 per cent annual interest, if they fail to pay property tax for the current financial year (2025-26) by March 31. Mayor Inderjit Kaur and other officials launch door-to-door collection of taxes through e-POS machines, at the MC's Zone D office in Sarabha Nagar on Thursday. MC cracks down on illegal constructions Minor goes missing from Doraha orphanage Fifth such incident at the facility in past few years, case registered Tribune News Service Lovleen Bains Ludhiana, March 12 Continuing action against unauthorised constructions, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has sealed an illegal under-construction structure in a 600-sq yard area of Manna Singh Nagar. Further, action has also been taken against construction of an illegal colony in the Piru Banda area, near Salem Tabri. The construction work has been stopped. Working on the directions of MC Commissioner Neeru Katyal Gupta, action against illegal constructions has been taken by the building branch of the MC’s Zone A office. An under-construction structure being sealed by civic body officials in Manna Singh Nagar. Building branch officials said the illegal colony was being constructed in around 2,200 sq yards area. The work has been stopped at the site and the owner has been directed to pres- ent relevant documents. Further, the construction work in Manna Singh Nagar was also going on in violation of the building bylaws, due to which the building has been sealed. Civic body officials appealed to residents to commence works only after getting building plans approved from the MC, otherwise strict action would be taken against illegal constructions. Doraha, March 12 A minor inmate has gone missing from Heavenly Angels, an orphanage in Doraha. The boy is the fifth person who gone missing from the orphanage since it came into existence. Karan (16), went missing when he was playing in the ground of the orphanage with his fellow inmates on February 8. It is stated that he jumped over the wall and escaped from the place. Officials of the orphanage complained to the police, which after verification, have registered a case against unidentified suspects, who might be involved in his escape. DGM (operations), Heavenly Angels, Amita Sharma, told this correspondent that Karan, the boy who went missing, was admitted to the orphanage through the Child Welfare Committee of Ludhiana on September 8, 2025. “Since then, he had been provided the best facilities at the home. He was put into academics as well as games. But from Day 1, Karan refused to mix with other inmates and wanted to go away from the place. On February 8 when all of them were playing in the ground, he jumped the wall of the orphanage and managed to escape,” she said. General manager of Heavenly Palace, Brigadier Satinder Singh Aulakh (retd), said it was yet to be clarified whether Karan was lured or instigated by someone. “As far as the security lapse is concerned, we are looking into what went wrong,” he said. SHO, Doraha, Akash Dutt, said a case in this regard had been registered post verification on Wednesday. “We are trying to trace whereabouts of the boy through various Rotten vegetables pile up at wholesale market, pose health hazards Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 12 City’s wholesale vegetable market presents a picture of utter neglect and civic failure. Piles of rotting tomatoes, onions and greens lie scattered across the ground, mixing with plastic bags, discarded crates and stagnant puddles of dirty water. “The stench of decay hangs heavy in the air and attracts swarms of flies, posing a direct threat to public health. The market, meant to be a hub of trade and livelihood, has instead turned into a dumping ground,” said Satish, a visitor. The absence of proper disposal systems and sanitation measures had created conditions ripe for disease outbreaks. Food waste left to rot in the open was not only a breed- Absence of proper disposal systems creates conditions ripe for disease outbreaks ing ground for insects and rodents but also a source of contamination that could seep into nearby water supplies, said a vegetable wholesaler. Experts warn that such negligence could lead to severe consequences. Gastrointestinal infections and vector-borne diseases could spread if immediate action was not taken. Beyond health hazards, the market’s filth undermines the city’s image and discourages trade, threatening the livelihood of farmers and vendors who depend on it. “The situation demands urgent intervention. The authorities must enforce strict waste management protocols, ensure daily cleaning and provide designated disposal points. Without decisive action, Ludhiana’s wholesale market has become a symbol of civic apathy, “ said Gurvir Singh, a visitor. Meena, a nearby resident, said the stench of rotten fruits and vegetables become unbearable and the situation worsens during the rainy season and it becomes impossible to pass from the stretch. Market committee secretary Harinder Gill said garbage was lifted every day from the market. Sometimes it gets delayed due to huge piles of trash. “We regularly create awareness among vendors to dispose off vegetable and fruit waste at one spot rather than littering the entire place,” he said. Garbage and vegetable waste lying unattended on the premises of wholesale vegetable market in Ludhiana. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA c m y b sources,” he added. Two of the inmates had escaped in December 2019 but were spotted by a resident of Doraha in an isolated corner near railway lines in the town. They had accused orphanage staff of bad behaviour. They had also complained that they were given odd tasks. They too had jumped from the wall, and, when traced, refused to return to the place. They had even pleaded to be shifted to some other orphanage. It is also learnt that two other inmates had went missing from the home earlier. Youth dies in hit-&-run Ludhiana, March 12 A youth, a resident of the ATI Road area, was killed following a road accident that occurred on Gill Road in the afternoon on Thursday. The deceased, identified as Goldy (28), was the only son of a ailing widow. Though the police are yet to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the death of the youth, preliminary probe from the spot revealed that some heavy vehicle had hit Goldy, after which the twowheeler he was riding slipped and he fell on the road. Officials from the Shimla Puri police station reached the scene after receiving information from a passer-by and took the body to a mortuary. They said further action would be initiated after receiving a formal complaint from kin of the deceased. The mishap occurred when he was returning home after his duty at a private firm. — OC