22032024-ATR-01.qxd 3/22/2024 12:24 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY SKY MAX 31°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 18°C FAMILY OF YOUTH STUCK IN UKRAINE SEEKS DC’S HELP BLADE RUNNER ACTOR M EMMET WALSH DIES AT 88 SAIYAMI SAYS GULZAR'S POETRY TOUCHES THE SOUL Narayan Singh’s family sought help of Nawanshahr DC for his safe return from the conflict-hit nation. P2 M Emmet Walsh was a seasoned character actor who starred in over 150 films, including Blood Simple. P4 On the occasion of World Poetry Day on March 21, Saiyami Kher expressed her admiration for legendary poet . P4 » » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.43 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.30 AM FRIDAY | 22 MARCH 2024 | AMRITSAR ‘All eligible beneficiaries to get foodgrain under govt schemes’ Food Commissioner says pilferage of grains to be checked Tribune News Service VB arrests ATO for taking ~20K bribe Amritsar, March 21 The Vigilance Bureau (VB), Punjab, on Thursday arrested Munish Kumar, Assistant Treasury Officer (ATO), here for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe to clear a pension case. Disclosing this, an official spokesperson for the state VB said the accused has been arrested following a complaint lodged by Naresh Dogra, a resident of Bazaar Narsingh here. He said the complainant approached the VB while alleging that Munish Kumar was demanding a bribe of Rs 20,000 for passing his pension case. He further added that after the preliminary investigation of this complaint a trap was laid by a VB team and the accused was caught red-handed while accepting ~10,000 as a bribe. He said a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused who would be produced in a court. — TNS Gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria acquitted in murder bid case Lack of evidence raises a question mark over investigation Amritsar, March 21 Newly appointed Food Commissioner Bal Mukand Sharma paid obeisance at the Golden Temple here on Thursday and stated that his priority would be to check the pilferage of food grains meant for various categories. Sharma said that he would try to ensure that all categories of beneficiaries, including Anganwadi children, schoolchildren, BPL families and other categories get food grain of proper quality and in proper quantity. Sharma also held a meeting with the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) here today during which he asked the officials to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries get the benefit without any delay or irregularities. The meeting was also attended by the District Food and Civil Supplies Commissioner and Managing Director, Markfed. Sharma said that Amritsar district has a total of 1,700 food depots. He asked the officials to ensure that regular inspections Dallewal asks farmers to join protest at Haryana border PETA volunteers promote vegan diet, Minister Bhullar begins poll raise awareness on water conservation campaign from Tarn Taran Amritsar, March 21 Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) president Jagjeet Singh Dallewal visited Gagomahal village near here on Thursday. He was here to address a gathering of farmers in connection with the union’s plans to increase the strength of the protestors during the ongoing agitation at Haryana borders. While speaking to the farmers, Dallewal stated that legal guarantee for the minimum support price is the only way to save the agrarian sector. Farmers are committing suicides in Punjab and elsewhere as they are trapped in debt, he said. He said agriculture has become a loss-making venture as input costs in it is more than the output cost. He also asked farmers to visit the Haryana borders on March 23 to pay homage to martyrs like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. The BKU Sidhupur leader said farmers would pay tributes to the martyrs at all protest sites on March 23. — TNS Punjab State Food Commission Chairman Bal Mukand Sharma along with his wife pay obeisance at the Golden temple in Amritsar. VISHAL are conducted at all depots. The records of these depots should also be inspected to ensure that all beneficiaries get the benefit of state and Central government schemes, he added. WORLD WATER DAY Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 21 A man taking shower in broad daylight, on the busiest routes in the city and in front of a major shopping mall, raised eyebrows, catching attention of the passersby. But trust People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India to add some shock value to their messaging. In a recent campaign to raise awareness on water conservation, and asking people to go vegan, PETA volunteers set up an open shower area, with one of their volunteers taking bath behind a curtain that read, “1 kg of meat = 1 year of showers. Clean your conscience: Go vegan.” The campaign was carried out to mark World Water Day (March 22). But what was the point? The best thing that people can do to save water and the environment is to go vegan. “It’s impossible to be truly eco-friendly without going vegan,” explained PETA Members of the PETA during an awareness campaign in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR India Campaigns Coordinator Utkarsh Garg. “Just by changing the way we eat, concerned people can save precious water resources and help protect the earth, our own health, and countless animals.” He added that the meat, egg and dairy industries put a serious strain on the world’s water supply, explained through a cycle – by watering crops that farmed animals eat, providing billions of animals with drinking water each year, and cleaning the filth from farms, trucks and slaughterhouses. According to the statistics provided by Water Footprint Network, it takes 322 litres of water to produce 1 kilogram of vegetables. In contrast, the production of animal-derived food uses Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 21 Notorious gangster Jagdeep Singh, alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, has been acquitted in yet another case due to lack of evidence raising a question mark over the investigations carried out by the Amritsar Rural Police in the case. The case pertained to cross firing between Bhagwanpuria and a team of the Amritsar Rural Police in September 2014 at Sohian Kalan village falling under the Majitha police station. The police had arrested an Uzbekistan woman, Dilnoza, at that time from the spot while Bhagwanpuria had fled the spot taking advantage of darkness. So far, he has been acquitted in around 18 criminal cas- much more water: 1 kilogram of milk requires 1,020 litres, 1 kilogram of eggs requires 3,265 litres, 1 kilogram of poultry requires 4,325 litres, 1 kilogram of pork requires 5,988 litres, 1 kilogram of mutton requires 8,763 litres, and 1 kilogram of beef requires a staggering 15,415 litres. According to PETA statistics, the meat and dairy industries are also incredibly polluting: the world’s top five meat and dairy corporations alone are responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions that exacerbate climate change – particularly through the methane emitted from cattle and other ruminant animals used for food – than major oil and gas companies. And while 224.3 million people are undernourished in India and 91 million people in the country lack suitable access to water, the production of meat, eggs and dairy uses a third of the world’s freshwater resources and a third of the world’s cropland – which could be used to feed humans instead of farmed animals. Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. FILE PHOTO es out of about 50 cases registered under various offences, including murder, attempt to murder, robbery and NDPS cases, at various police stations in Punjab, said his counsel advocate Amandeep Singh Pahwa. “The police failed to produce the bullet shells recovered from the spot during cross-firing or the weapon used in the crime before the court during the trial to prove him guilty in the case,” he said. The police had claimed that they had also fired several rounds in selfdefense after Bhagwanpuria fired when he was signalled to stop his car. The police team could not produce bullet shells of their weapons also, he added. Giving details, Pahwa said the Amritsar Rural Police had claimed that they got specific input regarding the movement of gangster Bhagwanpuria that he was travelling in a Verna car (PB-02-AX-6607) from Amritsar to the Fatehgarh Churian side. The police set up a naka at Sohian Kalan and signalled his car to stop. However, Bhagwanpuria who was driving the car started firing at the police party while a woman was sit- ting alongside him in the car. He said the police claimed to have retaliated the firing in self-defence after which he turned the car towards Amritsar. He said the police teams chased him and intercepted his car near RB Garden. He said the accused fled the scene leaving the car behind after firing at the police party. The police arrested a woman, Dilnoza, of Uzbekistan from the car. A case under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC and sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act and Sections 3, 34 and 20 of the Indian Passport act and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act in this regard. Pahwa said Dilnoza was later granted bail and later declared a proclaimed offender after she did not appear before the court. Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar along with his party ministers, MLAs and other leaders at Darbar Sahib in Tarn Taran on Thursday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, March 21 Laljit Singh Bhullar, Cabinet Minister, Punjab and the AAP candidate from Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, started his election campaign from Tarn Taran today after seeking blessings at the Darbar Sahib on Thursday. He was accompanied by his colleague Harbjajan Singh ETO, Cabinet Minis- ter, MLAs Manjinder Singh Lalpura (Khadoor Sahib), Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal (Tarn Taran), Sarwan Singh Dhunn (Khemkaran), Dalbir Singh Tong (Baba Bakala), Naresh Kataria (Zira) and other party leaders. Talking to this correspondent, Minister Bhullar said that he has been working for the cause of the people and if he gets elected as Member of Parliament, he would continue to fight for the rights of Punjab in Parliament. He appealed to the people to ensure an AAP win from all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. He said that as seven of the total nine Vidhan Sabha constituencies were with the AAP in Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, he was confident of his win with a thumping majority. Nurses who complained about Majha House poetry fest begins with ode to stories of hope unequaldutyhours,gettransferred Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 21 Two nurses who had blown the lid off the illegal and unethical practice of appointing favourites as ‘Acting Sisters’, at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital have been ‘rewarded’ with a transfer and deduction in pay by marking them absent despite both of them marking their attendance on the biometric attendance machine regularly. The two nurses had objected to the alleged system adopted by the Nursing Superintendent Jasbir Kaur and Nursing Matron Paramdeep Kaur Buttar for appointing ‘Acting Nurses’ from among the staff nurses without any government provision. The sources further stated that no criterion was followed for appointing some nurses as ‘acting nurses’ and only those who were close to senior nursing officials were given these relatively ‘easy and comfortable’ duties. HAD OBJECTED TO ADOPTED SYSTEM The two nurses had objected to the alleged system adopted by the Nursing Superintendent Jasbir Kaur and Nursing Matron Paramdeep Kaur Buttar for appointing ‘Acting Nurses’ from among the staff nurses without any government provision. Sources in the hospital further stated that these ‘acting nurses’ were exempted from evening and night shifts. While other nurses had to undergo morning, evening and night shifts, these acting nurses were assigned morning duties only. “Usually, the morning and evening shifts are of six hours each and the night shift is of 12 hours. In this way, these ‘acting nurses’ were working less number of hours per week than the others,” said an insider. After the issue got highlighted, the Director Principal of Government Medical College had written to the Nursing Superintendent to cancel all duties of the staff nurses as act- ing nurses. The letter stated that only Nursing Sisters should be given the charge of wards. When contacted, Jasbir Kaur said that the practice of ‘acting nurses’ was adopted to overcome the shortage of staff. She added that there was a shortage of nursing staff in the hospital When asked about the victimisation and transfer of the two nurses who had filed a complaint, Jasbir Kaur said that transfers were done because they were indulging in indiscipline. Contrary to the claims of the employees, the Nursing Superintendent claimed that the employees were served notices before marking them absent. — TNS Amritsar, March 21 The inaugural session of Majha House Festival of Literature, Performance and Film was dedicated to stories of hope and resilience, through poetry aptly, as the world observed International Poetry Day. The three-day festival is being hosted by Majha House in collaboration with Kuldip Nayar Trust and Film South Asia. Preeti Gill, founder, Majha House, described the inaugural session with eminent writers, poets and scholars in attendance, as an attempt to share the stories of conflict, pain, grief, hope and resilience and a desire to share these narratives to make them ours. She opened the session by reading excerpts from ‘Knotted Grief’ by Naveen Kishore, “It is mainly on Kashmir but works everywhere,” she said. The evening had readings by Nirupama Dutt, Vinaya Dutt, c m y b Syeda Hameed addresses a gathering on the opening day of the three-day Majha House festival in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR Sanjoy Hazarika, Priyanka Chhabra, Syeda Hameed, Mandira Nayyar, Gurpratap Khairah and Kanak Mani Dixit. These included short poems and excerpts from writings on Punjab, Manipur and Palestine. The Punjab Story Nirupama Dutt and Vinayak Dutt, author of ‘The Punjabi Hindu’, explored history in context to the past, present and future, in their session on the ‘Punjab Story —- Then and Now’. While Nirupama traced the history of the Unionist Party of Punjab, founded by Sir Fazli Husain, Sir Chotu Ram and Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan in 1923, which rose through the nationalist movement for its anti-divisive stance on Punjab and its fall overlapping with Jinnah’s pro-Pakistan ideology, Vinayak explored the various decades in history and present context, observing that Punjab has always gone through phases of mass hysteria due to conflict, yet never been able to arrive at a solution to attain the status of normalcy or prosperity. Priyanka Chhabra, a filmmaker, who has been working to document and archive the inter-generational trauma of Partition, through structure of memories, whether it’s behind the lens or through prose, read excerpts from her upcoming book on the subject. This segment ended with Jasmeet Nayyar’s spirited rendition of Faiz’s now iconic nazm, ‘Hum Dekhenge’. Manipur, Mizoram and tales of betrayal Syeda Hameed, eminent artist, author and founder trustee of the Women’s Initiative for Peace in South Asia (WIPSA), talked about her eyewitness experience of travelling to conflict-ridden Kuki and Meitei districts, which have seen continued incidents of ethnic violence between the Meitei and KukiZo tribal communities since last year. “Every newspaper, every journal talked about Manipur but through our travel, we have presented a compendium of four reports on Manipur trauma and violence, which is ongoing,” she said. Calling it not a stand-out incident of ethnic violence in the country, she read out excerpts from her report, when she travelled to conflict-torn districts of Kukidominated Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Tenggol. “There is a sense that I am in a foreign country with barricades visible as it is a war zone,” she read as she talked about how people in the state have become disillusioned with the elected government and the systemic violence that has brought Manipur, considered as a jewel of the continued on page 2
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