01082024-LT-01.qxd 7/31/2024 11:56 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune DSR FINDS ALMOST NO TAKERS THIS KHARIF SEASON ANOTHER AAM AADMI CLINIC BURGLED AT ABOHAR CURLY HAIR, ONCE CONSIDERED ‘UGLY’, NOW IN VOGUE Over 2.56 hectares have been put under paddy with less than 5 per cent growing basmati varieties. P2 Thieves targeted Aam Aadmi Clinic in Patel Park in Abohar and made away with goods worth thousands. P3 It’s time to embrace curls. Times change and so do trends. Curly hair, once considered ‘ugly’ is now in vogue. P4 » » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 29°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 29°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7.16 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:42 AM THURSDAY | 1 AUGUST 2024 | LUDHIANA After 46 days of protest, state’s costliest Illegal building being built under civic body ’s nose Ladhowal toll barrier opens amid security ture Commuters paying hefty fee, some farmers rounded up, released later Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 After 46 days of protest by farmer unions at the state’s most expensive Ladhowal toll barrier, it has been opened and now, commuters cannot pass the barrier free of charge as they have to pay hefty toll fee now. A large number of police personnel was deployed since early this morning at the barrier. Only a few farmers had reached the toll plaza and they did not even try to stop the operation of the toll barrier that was made functional from Wednesday morning. Despite a call given by Punjab president of the Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Union Dilbagh Singh that farmers and other people should reach the toll barrier on Wednesday morning to prevent the NHAI from opening the toll barrier, only a few farmers reached the spot. Farmer leaders Dilbagh, along with a few other leaders, were rounded up by the police near the toll and lat- A farmer leader being detained by the police from the Ladhowal toll plaza; and (right) vehicles pass through the barrier. ASHWANI DHIMAN HC ISSUED ORDER RECENTLY The Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently issued an order for reopening of the toll plaza. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had moved the high court, demanding resumption of toll collection at the plaza. The state government had sought four week’s time for the reopening of the same. er, they were released. Interestingly, the barrier was thrown open early this morning and staff of the toll company had already started charging toll fee from commuters even before BKU representa- tives could reach the spot. Farmer leader Dilbagh Singh had earlier reiterated that even if the high court orders would come against farmer unions, they would not allow the NHAI to open the toll and would not let them to charge hefty fee from commuters. Notably, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently issued an order for reopening of the toll plaza. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had moved the high court, demanding resumption of toll collection at the plaza. The state government had sought four week’s time for the reopening of the same. Farmers have been demand- ing decrease in the toll fee and had said they would not allow toll collection till the NHAI agreed to reduce it to Rs 100 or Rs 150 for multiple rides within 24 hours. ADCP (Crime) Amandeep Singh Brar said about 10 farmers, including Dilbag Singh, were rounded up from the toll barrier and after a meeting with other union members, they were released. The farmers had decided to fight the case in the high court. MC officials came to take action, raze only portion of struc Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 Despite a multi-storey illegal building was being built at Bhadaur House opposite AC Market right under the nose of the Municipal Corporation’s Zone A office for over a week, MC officials, who woke up from their slumber on Wednesday, came to demolish the building. However, they had to return empty-handed as they managed to demolish only a portion of the building by using an earth mover. Though Bhadaur House is just 250 m to 300 m away from the MC’s Zone A office, officials have failed to notice the ongoing violation. Interestingly, the building was being constructed after covering it with big hoarding having a picture of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, wishing Happy Independence Day on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party. The hoarding was allegedly put up to carry on the illegal construction and to give an impression that the owner enjoys close rapport with A portion of the illegal building being razed by MC officials at Bhadaur House. INDERJEET VERMA ruling party leaders. The Bhadaur House area was built by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) under the booth scheme where only construction of the ground floor is permitted. However, in the entire Bhadaur House area, 99 per cent buildings are multi-storey. These are built in violations of the building bylaws. Still, they were allowed to be constructed, reason better known to officials. When this new construction of a multistorey building started over a week ago, no official paid heed towards it. The owner had been doing the construction work during night so that he could escape from legal action. The lintel of the first floor of the building was already built and now, the preparation were on to lay the lintel of the second floor. When asked about the reason behind not demolishing the entire building despite taking a JCB along, Maninder Bedi, Assistant Town Planner, Zone A, said due to space constraint, the earth mover could not demolish the entire structure rather a portion of a side wall on the first floor was demolished. Now, a manual drill machine would be sent to demolish the illegal structure. Bedi said the hoarding of CM Bhagwant Mann put up on the building was also removed by the MC team. Man gets 20-yr RI for sexually exploiting minor Minister for coordination among depts Legal Correspondent Ludhiana, July 31 The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Ravi Inder Kaur Sandhu has convicted Pappu Yadav, a resident of Focal Point, Khanna, on the charges of sexually exploiting a three-and-ahalf-year-old girl. He was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 20 years under the POCSO Act and also ordered to pay Rs 1,00,000 as fine for indulgence in such a heinous crime. The complainant had stated to the police that the accused took away her daughter, alluring her to go with him for some eatables. Then he sexually exploited her. When the condition of the girl deteriorated, she was taken to the Civil Hospital. Doctors at the hospital reported the matter to the police. Thereafter, a case against Police attach drug smuggler’s property worth ~ 8.41 crore Ludhiana, July 31 The Ludhiana police today attached a property worth Rs 8.41 crore of a drug smuggler. Senior police officials, led by DCP Jaskiranjit Singh Teja, ADCP Shubham Aggarwal, ACP Guriqbal Singh and Ladhowal SHO inspector Harpreet Singh Dehal, went to a village falling in the Ladhowal area and put up the property attachment notice on the main gate. In a statement issued, CP Kuldeep Singh Chahal stated that the accused was identified as Amritraj Singh Deol of Dhola village. He was booked by the Ladhowal police in March and then 260 gm of heroin, a .32 bore pistol and a Toyota Fortuner were seized from him. It further stated that during the probe, it came to light that the smuggler had made property with the proceeds of the drug money. Now, the property was seized. The attached property includes a house, a plot and some vehicles. He said besides, properties of other smugglers would be attached soon as 32 such cases were already sent to the competent authority in New Delhi. — TNS the accused was registered at the Khanna City police station on May 29, 2022, following the statement of the father of the victim girl. However, during the trial the accused pleaded innocence and claimed false implication by the police. But after appreciating the evidence on record, the court found him guilty. 5 held in police post attack case Ludhiana, July 31 The Ludhiana police claimed to have arrested five persons who had attacked police officials at the Dharampura police post on the intervening night of July 2728. They have been identified as Sarabjit, Gulshan, Dina Nath, Sahib and Kanwaljit. They had alleged that the police had beaten them under the influence of alcohol and a high-level probe should be initiated in the case. — TNS to contain vector-borne diseases Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh on Wednesday directed officials of Health, Local Government, Rural Development and Panchayats departments to work in tandem to prevent and contain vectorborne and water-borne diseases in the district. Chairing a district-level meeting to review the preparedness for prevention and control of water and vectorborne diseases in Ludhiana, Dr Singh stressed the importance of seamless coordination among officials of the departments. He emphasised that every official should have all details of cases, hotspots, samples and other vital information readily available. He also highlighted the collective responsibility in pre- Health Minister Balbir Singh interacts with officials during a meeting in Ludhiana on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO venting and controlling water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitisA and vector-borne diseases, including malaria, dengue and chikungunya. In case of an outbreak, the minister directed the Municipal Corporation/ municipal councils and other agencies concerned to identify and rectify faults, leading to water contamination promptly at first. “Until the fault is rectified, clean drinking water should be provided to the public to prevent further escalation of cases. Door-to-door surveys should be conducted and necessary medicines should be delivered to affected areas,” he asserted. The minister also stressed the importance of holding an awareness drive by the Health Department to make people aware of identifying Underage driving still a common sight outside schools in city Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 Though the traffic police have been holding extensive awareness campaign in schools to sensitise students to the implementation of Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019, from August 1, underage driving is still a common sight outside the schools. During visit to various schools in the city in the morning and afternoon hours, students were seen riding twowheelers with impunity. Some of them were also seen driving cars to their schools. However, Ludhiana traffic police personnel said they would not simply start extensive challaning from August 1, instead, the officials would visit every school to make students and school authorities aware of new provisions of law. It was also observed that Schoolchildren ride two-wheelers in violation of traffic rules outside schools in Ludhiana on Wednesday. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN Traffic cops to focus on awareness first, challans to follow students using two or fourwheelers did not park their vehicles inside the schools as the institutes are not allowing them to do the same. They usually park their vehicles outside the schools. The school authorities shirk their accountability by saying that they were not allowing underage students to enter schools on their vehicles. However, during visit to a school in Shastri Nagar on Wednesday, it was noticed that earlier a large number of two- wheelers used to be parked alongside the outer wall of the school but today, the number was quite less. It may be due to the awareness or instructions regarding the traffic rules being passed on to pupils by the school management or some students might be parking their vehicles in residential areas or markets. c m y b Even the number of twowheelers parked outside a school in Kitchlu Nagar was also found to be less than usual. Still, many students who were not having driving licence were seen using vehicles. A similar situation was noticed at some other schools. When asked if the police are going for extensive challaning from August 1 onwards, ADCP (Traffic) Gurpreet Kaur Purewal told The Tribune here on Wednesday that the police would not start challaning drive straightway from tomorrow as a lot of awareness was needed so that parents could make the adjustment. “It’s just a week now that traffic officials have been conducting daily seminars in schools about the new rule. Till we cover all schools, the traffic police will not start the extensive challaning drive. But the officials will set up nakas and if any underage student or anyone is found driving rash, at high speed or using modified silencers on motorcycles, a challan of Rs 25,000 will be issued and parents will also face punishment,” the ADCP said. Purewal said students using battery-operated vehicles did not require a driving licence and after obtaining permission from the RTA, they could go to schools. But if they drive carelessly, action would be taken against them. What the rules say Underage driving: Parents of minors in the state to face up to three years in prison and Rs 25,000 fine. As per the newly inserted Section 199 A in the amended Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019, the guardian of the minor or owner of the vehicle gives vehicle to the juvenile for going to school, the former will be considered guilty of breaking the rules and will be punished accordingly. There is also a provision that a minor who commits the offence would be barred from getting a driving licence till the age of 25, followed by cancellation of registration of the vehicle, used by the minor, for 12 months. larvae and checking water containers in their houses daily. “The drive should also target educational institutions to educate students about larvae, as they can play a vital role in sensitising people around them to help prevent the breeding of mosquitoes in their surroundings,” he said. Besides, the health minister also reviewed the functioning of Aam Aadmi Clinics, OOAT centres and drug deaddiction and rehabilitation centres and medicine availability. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney informed the Health Minister that daily monitoring of the situation was being conducted and all departments were submitting water-sampling reports in the evening to her. “Immediate rectification measures are implemented where reports are found unsatisfactory,” she said. Newborn’s body found outside temple Ludhiana, July 31 The body of a newborn baby was found in an empty sack of rice at the threshold of a temple on the Tajpur road here today. Some unidentified person wrapped the body in a gray shirt and kept it in an empty sack of rice outside the Shani temple. Temple head Mukesh Khurana said he was in the temple since this morning. A cleaning work was going on at the temple. Later, a sanitation worker saw the body and raised the alarm. The police took the body to the Civil Hospital mortuary for autopsy. The police are scanning the CCTV footage of the area to identify the suspect. SHO, Police Division 7, inspector Bhupinder Singh said it appears that the child was a newborn baby. — TNS