12032024-JTR-01.qxd 12-03-2024 00:47 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SSA OFFICE EMPLOYEES, SPECIAL TEACHERS PROTEST ANIMAL SMUGGLING RACKET BUSTED, 15 CATTLE RESCUED OPPENHEIMER DOMINATES AT 96TH ACADEMY AWARDS Members of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan office/Mid-Day Meal Employees Union protest outside the DC office.P2 Malerkotla police claimed to have busted an inter-state cattle smuggling racket and rescued 15 bovines. P3 Christopher Nolan’s film Oppenheimer dominated the 96th Academy Awards as it took home seven trophies. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 27°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 25.8°C | MIN 10.8°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.28 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:35 AM TUESDAY | 12 MARCH 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF BOY’S BURNT BODY FOUND, PROBE ON Phagwara: A partially burnt body of an unidentified boy was found near a drain near Khajurala here late on Sunday evening. Hands and legs of the deceased were tied with ropes. Mandip Singh, a villager, told the police that he, along with his friend Kuldip Singh, was on an evening walk when they spotted a body tied with ropes. The police registered a case and sent the body to the Civil Hospital for postmortem examination. OC PIPES STOLEN FROM HOSPITAL Phagwara: Copper pipes were reportedly stolen from Mother & Child Care Hospital, Phagwara, in broad daylight on Sunday. This is the second theft incident at the hospital within three months. The police are investigating the matter. No arrest has been made so far. OC MAN HELD WITH ILLICIT LIQUOR Phagwara: The police have arrested a liquor trader and recovered 57 bottles of illicit liquor from his possession on Sunday night. The suspect, identified as Sohan Lal, a resident of Rattanpura locality in Phagwara, was nabbed at a checkpoint. The police have impounded his scooter. A case has been registered. OC 55-YR-OLD MAN GOES MISSING Labourers block rail traffic Want their pending demands to be fulfilled; threaten to intensify protest Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Members of the Pendu Mazdoor Union block railway tracks in Jalandhar on Monday. MALKIAT SINGH placed under house arrest in their respective villages since previous evening. Several protesters who were on way to join the protest were intercepted while others were arrested. Instances of lathicharge by the police were also reported, they said. The leaders highlighted the disregard for labourers’ rights, particularly citing the widespread violation of the Land Ceiling Act 1972 in Pun- jab, which limits land ownership to 17.5 acres per family. They lamented the stark disparity where affluent landowners possess vast expanses of land while labourer families struggle to meet basic needs, including shelter. The union’s demands encompass reforms benefiting farmers and labourers, including the provision for permanent ownership rights to Dalits for one-third of panchayat lands, granting own- Behl regains hold in Gymkhana Club Elected as honorary secretary, defeats Sikka of Achievers Group Jalandhar, March 11 Adampur Congress MLA Sukhwinder Kotli today took up the issue of need to set up a degree college in his constituency during the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session. Kotli said the AAP government had promised to set up a college in the name of Dalit messiah Kanshi Ram, but not much headway had been done in this regard. Kotli said the Municipal Council of the area had already donated land for the purpose, but the government had not yet proposed any allocation in the new financial budget. Kotli demanded quick action on the matter from the government so that the youth from the area could be benefitted. — TNS ership rights to residents within demarcated areas, disbursing a monthly pension of ~15,000 to widows and disabled individuals and annulment of FIRs against labourers and farmers. The protesters said a meeting with the CM’s Principal Secretary had been scheduled for March 14. They were hopeful that their demands would be accepted. Else, they would be forced to intensify their protests. Two nabbed for attacking youth Phagwara, March 11 The police have arrested two youths on the charges of attacking and looting a person on Sunday night. The suspects have been identified as Ajay and Suraj of Khajurala village. The victim has been identified as Rohit Rajput, a resident of Madhya Pradesh and presently residing in Khajurala village. He told the police that about seven assailants entered his room, attacked him and snatched his belongings. — OC 2 BOOKED ON RAPE CHARGE MLA stresses need for college in Adampur Centrally sponsored project sparks frantic search for alternative sites Aparna Banerji Jalandhar, March 11 The Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab, along with the Bhoomi Sangharsh Committee, staged rail blockades across three locations in the district to highlight their long-pending demands. Rail traffic to Delhi was halted at the Kartarpur railway crossing, while trains bound for Ferozepur were stopped at Lohian and those heading to Ludhiana were halted at Nakodar. The ‘rail roko’ protest lasted for four hours from 12 pm to 4 pm. It led to delay, diversion and short-termination of trains. The protest, led by Tarsem Peter, state president of the union, along with Kashmir Singh Ghugshore, secretary, and Mukesh Maloud, chairman of the committee, aimed at drawing attention to the persistent neglect of workers’ demands by both Central and Punjab governments. The leaders claimed that the protest, which was to be held peacefully, turned violent due to police action. Several union members and protesters were Phagwara: A 55-year-old man, a resident of Bopa Rai Kalan village, has been missing for the past three days. Surjit Singh told the police that his brother Paramjit Singh, who was mentally upset, left the house without informing anyone, but did not return. He was. Investigating officer Janak Raj said a missing report had been registered. OC Phagwara: The Nakodar Sadar police have booked two persons, including a woman, on the charge of raping a minor girl. Investigating officer Inspector Kamlesh Kaur said that the suspects had been identified as Harpreet Singh, a resident of Sango Wal village falling under the Bilge police station, and Usha Rani, a resident of Nakodar city. In her complaint to the police, the victim’s said the suspect forcibly raped her minor daughter by threatening her. When she got pregnant, Usha, a quack, performed the abortion. A case had been registered. OC Civil Surgeon’s office directed to make way for Critical Care Centre Sandeep Behl, who was re-elected as the honorary secretary of the Jullundur Gymkhana Club, celebrates with his family members and friends in Jalandhar on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 11 In a clash of titans involving two past honorary secretaries of Jullundur Gymkhana Club, Sandeep Kuki Behl of the Progressive Group regained his hold by defeating Tarun Sikka of the Achievers Group. The polling was held yesterday and the results were declared late last evening. Behl polled 1,590 votes, while Sikka trailed with 1,311 votes. Two posts of honorary secretary went in the kitty of the Progressive Group, while two went for the Achievers Group, equalising power for both sides. From the Progressive Group, Anu Matta won the post of Joint Secretary polling 1,638 votes against Sumit Sharma of the other group getting 1,275 votes. From the Achievers Group, Amit Kukreja won with the highest margin. For the post of junior vice-president, he polled 1,815 votes against Raju Virk, who got 1,097 votes. Saurabh Khullar of the Achievers Group won the post of treasurer polling 1,524 votes against Gurpreet Kochar of Progressive Group, who got 1,389 votes. Vipin Jhanji, Nitin Behl, Mahinder Singh, Inderpreet Goldy, Shalini Kalra, Shaleen Joshi, Rajeev Bansal, Atul Talwar, Vinnie Sharma Dhawan and Jagjit S Kamboj were elected as executives. The club has 4,005 members. Of this, 2,935 members cast their votes yesterday. The administration had appointed PCS officer Amarjit S Bains as the returning officer, who presented certificates to the winners after the completion of the counting process. Respite for motorists as damaged Jalandhar-Adampur road repaired Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 11 Commuters traversing the Jalandhar-Adampur road heaved a sigh of relief as the dilapidated one-km stretch near Chuharwali has finally been repaired. The much-needed repairs came to fruition of the heels of the inauguration of the new terminal building at the Adampur Airport on Sunday. The inauguration ceremony, graced by Central and state ministers, MPs, MLAs and other dignitaries, prompted swift action to mend the neglected road just days prior to the event. Sunil Kaushal, a commuter, said: “I am glad that this event took place because it led to the repair of potholed and broken patches. It’s unfortunate that complaints of the common man are often ignored. Whenever there’s a political event or any government programme, things are done within days”. Pawan Mishra, another commuter, said the AAP made promises regarding improvement of roads and taking up the issue of Adampur flyover during the by-elections, but nothing had been done. “While immediate repairs offer temporary respite, a long-term strategy is essential to ensure the safety and convenience of commuters along the roads,” commuters said. c m y b Jalandhar, March 11 Ninety staff members, including the Civil Surgeon, along with countless district records dating back to the 1940s, have no designated place for them to shift amidst the proposed demolition of the Civil Surgeon’s office in Jalandhar in place of which a Critical Care Centre is to come up. In a clear case of red tape and deplorable planning, the CS office staff has been left seeking space from various other departments and blocks. The Critical Care Centre is a proposed Centrally sponsored, multi-crore, fivestoreyed, 100-bedded building which will come up at the site of the present CS office. The Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, has written to the Director, Health, Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner and Medical Superintendent on the issue. Officials from the PWD said the tendering process of the project will soon be initiated but so far, CS office employees have no other place to go. The branches currently being run from the Civil Surgeon’s office include — National Health Mission, Statistical branch (which handles birth and death records), Health branch, Reimbursement branch, Establishment branch, Accounts branch, Food branch, Epidemiologist (IDSP), Malaria branch and Dental branch. Along with Programme Officers, Senior Assistants, Superintendents, Epidemiologists, Health and Family Welfare staff, the CS office also houses clerks, drivers, computer operators, Class IV employees etc who in total are 90. Additionally, the CS office building also houses a record store and at least 90 almirahs The Critical Care Centre will come up at the site under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. — 80 of which comprise just the birth and death records of the district dating back to 1945. These records include not just Jalandhar but neighbouring districts also. The Critical Care Centre which will come up at the site under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 33.28 crore. None of the alternative sites proposed for the shift are big enough to house all these departments. Alternative sites being considered include the premises of the derelict Old Age Home at the rear end of the hospital which currently lies locked up; 5-7 rooms spared from the Mother and Child Care (MCH) Centre; several rooms in the Civil Hospital’s basement and some rooms on the top floor of the deaddiction unit. However, except the Old Age Home (in dire need of repairs and paint), no other rooms or buildings have been vacated, nor are they big enough. In a letter to the Medical Superintendent, Jalandhar, the Civil Surgeon recently sought space for 31 rooms and parking of 40-50 vehicles. Spaces reviewed at the CHC Dada Colony, Urban CHC PAP , De-Addiction Centre in village Sheikha, CHC Khurla Kingra and Basti Gujan, were also found inadequate for shifting the CS office there. Barring this, the current CS office also houses parking of vehicles of all these staff members as well as the many government vehicles and ambulances parked there. Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, Dr Jagdeep Chawla said, “The sites currently being offered are not big enough to house the entire CS office. None of the alternate spaces have been vacated either by the respective staff. We are searching for an alternate space which will hopefully be made available soon.” XEN, PWD, Gurmeet Singh said, “We are awaiting approval on the tendering process of the unit. The approval is expected within a day or two after which the tendering process will take 21 days to a month to complete, following which the work will start.” Director, Health and Family Welfare, Adarsh Pal Kaur said, “A requisite alternate arrangement is being made for the CS office staff to shift to. The building will not be demolished until the alternate site is made available. This is being taken up at the highest level.” City stinks as contractors stop lifting waste Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 11 It seems that city’s waste management problem is not going to be resolved soon. The city is already in a mess as there are piles of garbage everywhere. Private contractors recently declared that they would stop lifting garbage. Garbage was not again lifted today as the contractors did not get work orders. As per information, the contractors had been holding meetings with the Municipal Corporation to get work approvals. “Several meetings have been held with MC officials, but nothing has been done. We can’t execute work till we get approval,” said one of the associates involved in waste lifting process in the city. The waste would not be lifted from dumps at Nangal Shama, Rama Mandi, Maqsuda, Vikas Puri, Dakoha, BMC and Model Town. When the contractors decided not to lift waste last month, officials told them that they would be given work orders within a week. “Even after 25 days, we are yet to get work orders. We will not lift garbage till we get due payments and work orders,” said one of the contractors. Garbage dumped on the Nakodar road; and (below) Guru Nanak Pura road in Jalandhar on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: MALKIAT SINGH
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