22032024-JTR-01.qxd 3/22/2024 12:24 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune 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 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 15°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.40 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.27 AM » FRIDAY | 22 MARCH 2024 | JALANDHAR Poll code in force, but hoardings, wall paintings continue to dot city The sealed restaurant. Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service MC takes action against illegal construction Jalandhar, March 21 The Municipal Corporation’s building branch today took action against Deck 5 restaurant at Empire Hotel for not following construction laws. As per the information, a bar was being run from the hotel’s fourth floor that was constructed in violation of norms, officials said. The hotel was sealed and a notice was pasted on its wall. “This property has been sealed by the Municipal Corporation,” the notice read. It was informed that similar action against the property was taken four two years ago also. After which the owner had said that the excess construction would be demolished. “But, in all these years, they did not demolish the illegally constructed portion,” said a MC official. — TNS Jalandhar, March 21 Despite imposition of the Model Code of Conduct for Lok Sabha election, hoardings and posters from both ruling and opposition parties still pepper the city landscape. A tour to different locations of the city revealed banners of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) showcasing CM Bhagwant Mann and touting their developmental efforts such as Sadak Surakheya Force (SSF), employment opportunities etc displayed in areas like Burlton Park, Maqsudan, Urban Estate Phase II and Basti Bawa Khel. Additionally, flags and posters from all political parties adorn government and private buses, auto-rickshaws and roadside kiosks. Similarly, BJP posters featuring local leaders and PM Narendra Modi are visible around Bank Enclave and Cheema Chowk. Local BJP leaders have also inundated the city with congratulatory messages and Holi festival Posters from all political parties can be seen on buses, autos and roadside walls. wishes, evident on 120 Feet Road and Rama Mandi. Despite directives from the Election Commission, images of Punjab CM Mann remain at Aam Aadmi Clinics, although officials assure their removal was underway on a constituency-wise basis. As per information procured, the municipal corporation’s four teams were patrolling to combat defacement of public and private properties in compliance with the Model Code of Conduct. MC assistant commissioner Rajesh Khokhar said these teams were deployed in the four constituencies West, Central, North and Cantt, and they have removed approximately 1,290 publicity materials from public areas in the past six days. He said the teams are daily visiting different areas in all four constituencies, and ensuring complete compli- SARABJIT SINGH ance with the Model Code of Conduct. Officials also urged the public to report such violations via the cVIGIL app launched by the EC, citing its efficiency in addressing complaints within 100 minutes. They said, of the 35 complaints received, 28 have been resolved and these were primarily of illegal hoardings or posters defacing public or private property. Kirti Kisan Union holds protest against police raid Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 21 The Kirti Kisan Union held a protest against a raid by the Jalandhar police at the union’s state office. The union members alleged today that the raid on March 11 at their state office was carried out on instructions of the Punjab government, wherein their office was searched during the raid, the office staff was misbehaved with and detained and the office was locked up. The union members today demanded strict action against the police officials responsible. Under the leadership of the union members, farmers gathered in the courtyard of the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall in Jalandhar today and Farmers duing a march in Jalandhar on Thurday. MALKIAT SINGH held a rally. They also marched to the office of the Deputy Commissioner after the rally and handed over a demand letter addressed to the Chief Minister of Punjab. Addressing the gathering, state president of Kirti Kisan Union Nirbhai Singh Dhudike and general secretary Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala asked the Punjab IKGPTU students unhappy as education verification goes offline Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 21 IKG Punjab Technical University passed-out students, who have been seeking admission in higher education courses or have applied for jobs in Canada and the US, are facing trouble as the university has withheld provision for online verification of educational credentials. For nearly the past one month, varsity authorities have not reportedly released payment to its online service provider. Owing to which, the online verification was held up and the students were left with only option of applying manually. The students have alleged that the process was taking longer and their admission and job prospects were getting affected. IKGPTU VC Susheel Mittal said the education credential verification services would be made online again in a week. “We are on the job and will get it done shortly,” he said. The IKGPTU is doing verification through Worldwide Education Services (WES) for which the students have to pay a heavy amount. The online service was started in 2018-19, before which it was manual and the transcripts were being mailed via postal or courier services. The same manual process is being followed again ever since the online mode has gone off. Another issue that the students are confronting is that the re-evaluation charges being levied by IKGPTU have been increased by nearly three times. While the students had to pay Rs 700 for reevaluation, the charges have now been increased to Rs 2,000 per subject that too when applied within 21 days. “For those applying within 22-36 days, the charges being levied are Rs 3,000...,” said a college principal from Jalandhar. On the issue, VC Mittal said: “...if the students are facing a pinch, we can think of reviewing the charges.” government whether the Kirti Kisan Union was a banned organisation. He said that locking the union office and entering and searching inside was a provocative move by the Jalandhar police. The union members said such bold actions are being taken against the union to silence it as it raises pertinent issues for the farm- ers — including the demand to open India-Pakistan trade through Punjab’s road corridors and the protection of Punjab’s waters. The union members also reminded the Punjab government that the history of Kirti Kisan Union is over half a century old and is replete with struggles and sacrifices. Addressing the gathering, state vice-president Jatinder Singh Chhina and state leader Satbir Singh Sultani said the organisation’s office was targeted at a time when every member of the union was busy preparing for the Mahapanchayat being held in Delhi by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. They alleged that the police searched every floor of the office. The police officials mis- behaved with the office staff and detained them. He said the union had expressed its protest against this action of the police to the senior officials at the time, but it went unheard. Union state press secretary Raminder Singh Patiala and Finance Secretary Jaswinder Singh Jhabelwali objected to the RSS calling the farmers’ struggle a struggle of separatists, terrorists and anarchists. They demanded that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat apologise to the farmers for this resolution. State press secretary of Rural Labor Union Punjab Kashmir Singh Ghugshore, district president of Indian Farmers Union Kadian Amrik Singh were among others who addressed the gathering. Voters’ awareness campaign held Jalandhar, March 21 Aiming to create maximum awareness among youngsters about their voting rights, an awareness drive was held today across educational institutions here. The programme was held under Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme. Campus ambassadors today gave message of right to franchise so that a large number of youngsters could be sensitised to use their voting right. They also urged youngsters to ensure their maximum participation in the biggest festival of democracy by making Jalandhar a leading district in terms of voting turnout. Notably, the Election Commission has launched a mission to achieve over 70% polling across the country. The students were also asked to create awareness at their homes and societies to transform this campaign into a mass movement. Earlier, the youngsters were administered oath to exercise their franchise in coming elections. —TNS Youth Congress leaders at the youth convention in Hoshiarpur. Cong to offer 30L jobs if voted to power, says Mohit INDIA VOTES 2024 Hoshiarpur, March 21 The Congress will start an employment revolution in the country by creating job opportunities if voted to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Mohit Mohindra, Punjab Youth Congress president, said here today. He was launching “Yuva Nyay” programme in the state at a youth convention in Chabewal, Hoshiarpur. He said the Congress guarantees to create 30 lakh jobs in central govt, while 10 lakh sanctioned posts were already lying vacant. Pointing towards a proposed law to ensure integrity and fairness in the conduct of public examinations, he said the law would prevent paper leaks from destroying the future of crores of youth. “There has been 41 paper leaks over the last five years in the recruitment exams across 15 states that ruined ambitions of 1.4 crore applicants.” Besides, he said the Congress would start “Yuva Roshni” in which Rs.5,000 crore corpus will be created. —OC Pingla Ghar celebrates Holi Students celebrate Holi with children of Pingla Ghar in Jalandhar on Thursday. Clean canal water starts flowing into Chitti Bein Water conservation need of hour: Expert WORLD WATER DAY Tribune News Service Sultanpur Lodhi, March 21 On the eve of World Water Day, clean canal water was released from Simbli village in Chitti Bein. The clean water flow in Chitti Bein, the breather of Doaba, will bring up the underground water in this region. Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal described it as a historic occasion, and said when the world celebrates Water Day on March 22, the sound of clean water would be clearly heard in Chitti Bein after decades. He said the long-held dream has come true. Seechewal, thanking Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan, said he had laid the foundation stone for making the regulator in the presence of dignitaries on May 8, 2023 to release clean water in Chitti Bein. After about nine months, the dream of the people of Doaba came true. Superintendent of Drainage Department Gurpinder Singh and XEN Davinder Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service MP Balbir Singh Seechewal. Water being released into Chitti Bein. TRIBUNE PHOTO Singh said 20 cusecs of water has been released in Chitti Bein. “It will be gradually increased. Eventually, 200 cusecs of water is to be released in Chitti Bein. Drains were being cleaned to carry water to Chitti Bein,” Gurpinder Singh said. Seechewal said today when he said the water table of Punjab was going lower for which this will be a meaningful start c m y b to raise the level of underground water. Seechewal said earlier, clean water had started flowing in the sacred Kali Bein, leading to rise in the water table in the adjacent areas. He said the same phenomenon would follow with Chitti Bein, too. The residents of the area and especially farmers thanked Seechewal for this historic gift. Farmers Gurwinder Singh Boparai, Tega Singh, Pyara Singh, Lakhwinder Singh and others said even when Seechewal was not an MP he , was engaged in the work of saving water, trees, flowers and the earth and were giving demand letters letter to the officers. For the last 10 years, efforts were being made by Seechewal to make clean water flow in Chitti Bein. After becoming a member of Rajya Sabha, he released a grant of Rs 1.19 cr for the regulator built at Simbli village and has spent a large part of his discretionary funds for water conservation, said a farmer. Jalandhar, March 21 An expert, on the eve of World Water Day, today emphasised on the urgent need for sustainable water management amid mounting pressures exacerbated by climate change and population growth. Lupinder Kumar, sub-divisional soil conservation officer of Jalandhar, stressed the criticality of water conservation, particularly within the agricultural sector, given the alarming increase in over-exploited water blocks in the state. He said groundwater resources of the state were declining at an alarming rate with 117 out of 150 blocks comprising nearly 80% of the state’s geographical area already under overexploited category. With groundwater levels plummeting and substantial financial burdens on both the state and farmers due to inces- sant deepening of borewells, Kumar underscored the need to explore alternative surface water-based irrigation methods while maximising canal water utilisation to halt depletion of groundwater resources. Highlighting the efficacy of micro-irrigation techniques in not only conserving water, but also reducing energy consumption, he advocated for its widespread adoption, citing its suitability for various crops, including sugarcane and sugar beet. “The state’s commitment to promoting micro-irrigation is evidenced by plans to cover over 60,000 acres in the next five years, supported by financial assistance from the Horticulture department,” he said. Furthermore, Kumar highlighted the utilisation of treated wastewater from Sewage Treatment Plants for agricultural irrigation, aligning with the government’s water conservation agenda.
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