21092024-LT-01.qxd 21-09-2024 00:10 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune ENCROACHMENTS IN CITY MARKETS IRK COMMUTERS Encroachments by shopkeepers in city markets have been a persistent problem over years. P2 » ALL SET FOR INTERNATIONAL INDIAN FILM ACADEMY AWARDS Nora Fatehi will be seen setting the stage on fire with her performance at the 24th edition of the IIFA. P4 » MYSTICISM, EMOTION COMBINE IN WORKS OF ARADHANA TANDON An audio-visual presentation, Shades of Life, at Alliance Francaise, showcased paintings by artist Aradhana Tandon.P4 » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 35°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6:20 AM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:11 AM SATURDAY | 21 SEPTEMBER 2024 | LUDHIANA Ambulances to have advance features 72-year-old man falls prey to ~11 lakh cyber fraud to check maternal deaths in transit Tribune News Service In dist, 50 deaths were reported in 2023, of which 11 occurred in transit Manav Mander REFERRALS TO BE HASSLE-FREE Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 20 The state Health Department is upgrading its ambulances and soon, these will be equipped with ballon technique and pneumatic compression devices. All these measures are being taken to control number of maternal deaths occurring in transit. According to official sources, in Ludhiana district, 50 maternal deaths were reported in 2023, of which 11 occurred in transit. This year, 20 maternal deaths have occurred in the district so far while the review of in-transit deaths is yet to be done for the current year. Director, Health, Hitinder Kaur, said referrals would become easy and hassle-free for expectant women with modern devices in ambulances. “The transportation of pregnant women to an appropriate health facility plays a pivotal role in preventing maternal deaths,” she said. Director, National Health Mission, Abhinav Trikha, said many steps were being taken by the department to curb the number of maternal deaths and special emphasis was being laid on the deaths occurring during transit. “The department has decided to equip ambulances with the ballon technique and pneumatic com- 2 miscreants set jeep afire Ludhiana, September 20 A mysterious incident occurred in the Gobind Nagar area on Pakhowal Road here on Thursday night, where two unidentified youth set a Willys jeep on fire. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras. Francis Xavier, a resident of Gobind Nagar, said he had parked his Willy Jeep in the vacant plot adjacent to his house. Around midnight, his family noticed flames emanating from the vehicle and informed the police. He, along with his family, tried to extinguish the fire but the jeep was completely charred within minutes. After getting information, officials from the Dugri police station reached the scene and after recording the victim’s statement, registered a case against A CCTV grab shows the vehicle on fire in Gobind Nagar. unidentified miscreants. Upon seeing the footage from CCTV cameras installed at his house, Francis discovered that two individuals entered the plot around midnight and fled the scene within minutes after setting the vehicle ablaze. The police have taken possession of the CCTV footage and initiated a probe in the matter. The motive behind the incident remains unclear. Meanwhile, the jeep owner had told the police that he was shocked over the incident as had no enmity with anyone. — TNS pression devices that will help control bleeding in an expectant mother which ultimately leads to her death,” he said. He said there were various Patwari caught taking ~25K bribe Ludhiana, September 20 Ahead of the paddy harvest, the administration on Friday imposed a complete ban on the burning of paddy straw in the district. The order issued by the Additional District Magistrate would come into effect from October 1 and will remain in force till November 30. The order has been issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, (BNSS). “The state government had already issued a notification under Section 19 of the Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1981, to impose a complete ban on the burning of crop residue across the state,” it reads. — TNS Ludhiana, September 20 The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Friday, apprehended a patwari, Anil Narula, posted at the revenue halka, Jassian village, in Ludhiana, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000. An official spokesperson for the state VB said here this evening that the patwari had been arrested on a complaint lodged by Major Singh, a resident of New Amar Nagar, here. He said the complainant had approached the bureau and had alleged in his complaint that the suspect had demanded Rs 25,000 for providing a 25-year revenue record for mutation of Property tax: Suvidha Kendras to remain open today, tomorrow Ludhiana, September 20 The seventh meeting of the board of directors of Ludhiana Urban Water and Wastewater Management Limited was held under the chairmanship of Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal at the MC’s Zone D office here on Friday. The meeting was held through videoconferencing and MC Joint Commissioner Inderpal, Chief Engineer Ravinder Garg and DDF Naman Bhatia were among those other present in the meeting. At the start of the meeting, the MC Commissioner, who has recently assumed the charge, was appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the water utility company. The officials discussed the functioning and the structure of the water utility company, which had been formed for improving water supply infrastructure and implementation of the World Bank and AIIBfunded canal-based water supply project in the city. The civic body has already signed a contract with the firm for taking up the water supply project and a survey is going on for establishing a world-class water treatment plant (WTP) at Bilga village in Sahnewal. — TNS Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 20 With September 30 being the last date to avail 10 per cent rebate on payment of property tax for the current financial year (2024-25), the Municipal Corporation (MC), Ludhiana, has decided to keep Suvidha Kendras open on Saturday (September 21) and Sunday (September 22). The decision has been taken to facilitate residents in submitting the pending property tax and avail 10 per cent rebate. The suvidha kendras will remain open till 5 pm. Civic body officials stated that over 85,000 building Mumbai, Delhi and Rajasthan. Khanna, who was suffering from a leg fracture, somehow, managed to reach out to the AU Bank branch on Mall Road and stopped further payments. He said even the bank’s so called robust cyber security system could not avert the transactions, adding that he did not receive any call from bank’s cyber security department, which could avert the fraud. He has urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to direct Google for removing fake websites of LPG companies and the firms should spread awareness about such sites. He has also urged the authorities concerned to give banking licence to only those banks which were having a strong cyber security system. Ban imposed on burning of paddy straw Officials discuss ways to improve water supply infra owners were yet to pay property tax for the current financial year and they could avail 10 per cent rebate on payment of the same by September 30. They said the residents could also avail 10 per cent rebate on payment of watersewer user charges for the current financial year by September 30. For facilitating the residents in submitting the water-sewer user charges, additional staff had also been deputed in Zonal MC offices. MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal said the decision to keep zonal suvidha kendras open on Saturday and Sunday had been taken reasons leading to maternal deaths and obstetric emergencies during transportation of women was crucial. “Most maternal deaths during transit could be prevented if women experiencing complications get quality emergency obstetric care in a timely manner. Both these devices will help in this direction,” he said. Director, Health, Hitinder Kaur, said referrals would become easy and hassle-free for expectant women with these devices in ambulances. “The transportation of pregnant women to an appropriate health facility plays a pivotal role in preventing maternal deaths,” she said. Ludhiana, September 20 A 72-year-old man lost his hard-earned savings of his life as he fell victim to a cyber fraud of Rs 11 lakh. Taking swift action, the Ludhiana cyber cell police registered a case under Sections 319 (2) and 318 (4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against unidentified miscreants on Wednesday. The incident occurred on the evening of September 17 when the victim, Rakesh Khanna, a resident of Dr Sham Singh Road, here, who was staying alone, tried to lodge a complaint about inordinate delay in the delivery of a LPG cylinder. Since the helpline 1906 was not working, he searched online for help and landed in a trap of online fraudsters, who posed themselves as customer care executives from Indane. During the conversation, the fraudster won the trust of the senior citizen and told him to share Rs 10 for the KYC fees, stating that the payment was part of a latest government guideline for availing subsidy and delivery of a cylinder. The fraudsters sent a particular link to him on WhatsApp. Soon after making an online payment of Rs 10, Khanna found Rs 11 lakh deducted from his bank account. The money was transferred into 22 accounts (Rs 50,000 each) of different banks, including Bandhan Bank, Axis Bank, NSDL Payment Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Central Bank of India, Union Bank, Indian Bank and HDFC Bank. The money was withdrawn majorly in Assam, to facilitate the residents in submitting the tax as heavy rush of visitors was being witnessed at the kendras. For avoiding long queues, they could also submit the tax online by visiting mcludhiana.gov.in. Besides working days, the suvidha kendras will remain open on September 21 (Saturday), September 22 (Sunday), September 28 (Saturday) and September 29 (Sunday). He appealed to residents to submit the pending tax in time to avoid penalties as the collected amount was used for providing basic amenities to them and taking up development works in the city. Residents stand in queues to pay property tax at a Suvidha Kendra in Ludhiana. c m y b Tribune News Service The suspect in custody of the Vigilance Bureau sleuths in Ludhiana on Friday. his ancestral land. “After a preliminary inquiry of the complaint, a VB team from the economic offences wing (EOW), Ludhiana unit, laid a trap and the suspect was caught red-handed while accept- ing the bribe of Rs 25,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses,” he said. The spokesperson said a case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act had been registered Two-day Eco-mela to begin today against the patwari at the EOW police station of the Vigilance Bureau in Ludhiana. He would be produced before a competent court tomorrow and further investigation in the case was under progress, he said. 21-yr-old factory worker suffers burns due to electric shock Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 20 For encouraging residents to reduce, reuse and recycle waste, the Municipal Corporation (MC) would be organising a two-day Eco-mela at Nehru Rose Garden here from Saturday. It is being organised under the ongoing ‘Swachhta Hi Sewa’ campaign. Paintings competitions, exhibitions and cultural events would be held during the two-day event for spreading awareness among residents. On the first day of the fair, painting competitions would be held for students of different age groups and visitors could also participate in the contests. Stalls would also be set up to display things made from waste, home composting techniques, etc. On the second day, a cultural event would also be organised. MC Assistant Commissioner Jasdev Singh Sekhon said the Eco-mela was being organised on the directions of MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal. He appealed to residents to participate in the event and take steps to reduce, reuse and recycle waste in their households. An MC team carries out a cleanliness drive in Ludhiana. Civic body continues cleanliness drive Challans issued to building owners for dumping construction waste Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 20 Working on the directions of Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, the civic body continued the massive cleanliness drive launched across the city on the second day on Friday. Cleanliness drives were conducted across various municipal zones of the city under the supervision of the MC’s zonal commissioners and challans were also issued to a number of building owners for dumping of construction waste on roads outside their respective buildings. On Friday, Zone A teams continued the cleanliness drive on the old GT Road and in nearby areas while Zone B teams conducted the drive around Samrala chowk, GLADA road near Vardhman mills (leading to Tajpur road from Chandigarh road) and nearby areas. Zone C teams conducted the drive in areas around the Dholewal chowk and Zone D teams conducted the campaign in Ghumar Mandi and Rani Jhansi Road area, among other places. Some temporary encroachments were also removed from the roadsides. Ludhiana, September 20 A 21-year-old factory worker, Rahul Yadav, sustained serious burn injuries due to an electric shock at a unit in Shahpur village on Amloh Road, Khanna. Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the youth has been employed at the factory for the past nearly a year. Victim’s condition stable, says doc The victim said the incident occurred when he tried to switch on a factory machinery in the morning, triggering a short-circuit. “I was trying to start the machine when I suffered a severe electric shock,” he said. Several co-workers were present when the incident occurred. Rahul was rushed to Government Hospital in Khanna. “Rahul Yadav’s condition is stable but due to the severity of the burns, we provided initial treatment and referred him to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala for further care,” said Dr Frankie, who was on emergency duty.