29092024-LT-01.qxd 9/29/2024 12:19 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune AHMEDGARH MC TO PROVIDE SPECIAL FACILITIES FOR ELDERLY AISHWARYA RAI TAKES HOME LEADING ACTRESS AWARD SUDHAR LEHAR LEADERS FLAYED FOR CAMPAIGNING FOR BJP SAD lambasted Sudhar Lehar leaders for campaigning for BJP during the J&K and Haryana elections. P2 Senior citizens and differently abled will be provided special facilities on all premises of Municipal Council. P2 At the 24th edition of the IIFA, she was honoured for her captivating portrayal in Ponniyin Selvan: II P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 35°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET SUNDAY 6.10 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6:15 AM » SUNDAY | 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 | LUDHIANA Lion safari work abandoned midway, ~2.31 crore spent CAG indicts Forest Dept, PIDB, PWD for wasteful expenditure Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 28 The failure of the Forests and Wildlife Preservation (FWP) Department and Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) to provide requisite funds for the completion of work as well as lapse on the part of the Public Works Department (PWD) to start the work without ensuring the deposit of sufficient funds led to midway abandonment of the lion safari work, which rendered Rs 2.31 crore spent on the project as wasteful. This observation was made in the 2024 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on compliance audit-I for the year ended March 31, 2022, which was tabled in the Punjab Assembly recently. The report, a copy of which is with The Tribune, said the FWP Department had accorded administrative approval to the construction of the lion safari at the Mattewara forest in Ludhiana for Rs 4.14 crore in July 2016. The work was to be executed by the PWD and it was decided that funds for the work would be provided by the PIDB. “Test check of records showed that PWD Chief Engi- The Mattewara forest in Ludhiana. FILE neer, Central, technically sanctioned the estimate of the work for Rs 4.03 crore in July 2016,” the audit report mentioned while stating that the work included civil work (construction of interpretation centre building, kitchen block, public toilet block, ticket counters and main gate), water supply, sewerage, sanitary and electrical services. The work was allotted in November 2016 to a construction company at Rs 3.78 crore for completion within six months by May 1, 2017. The audit revealed that the progress of work was slow due to non-provision of ade- quate funds by the PIDB. “Against the execution of the work valuing Rs 2.31 crore as of January 2018, the PIDB provided/ released in November 2016 Rs 1.01 crore only for which utilisation certificate was submitted in March 2017,” it pointed out while stating that the executive engineer demanded further funds from PIDB as well as Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Ludhiana, but no funds were provided/ released. In June 2017, it was decided in a meeting of the PIDB held under the chairmanship of the then Chief Minister that Caught unawares due to shortage of funds with the PIDB, administrative departments may identify other sources of funds and departmental schemes to meet the liabilities of their projects. “But no such source was identified by the FWP Department to complete the project,” the CAG reported. Due to non-payment, the contractor approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, claiming his outstanding payments against the executed work and the court ordered in April 2018 for making payment to the contractor. Accordingly, the executive engineer made pay- Keki N Daruwalla The association also recollected that since his college days, Daruwalla had love for literature and a niche for writing poetry and had published many articles in the college magazine, ‘The Sutlej’. He had written 12 books and his poetry had become part of the curriculum in schools too. He was awarded by the Sahitya Akademi in 2014. Ludhiana, September 28 In response to rising dengue cases in the district, Civil Surgeon Pardeep Kumar Mohindra has assured the public that the situation was under control and there was no need to panic. The Civil Surgeon said as of today, a total of 74 dengue cases had been reported in Ludhiana, of which one patient was currently admitted to a hospital and there had been no confirmed deaths due to the disease. During inspections by Health Department teams, mosquito larvae were found at 1,228 locations and the Municipal Corporation (MC) has issued 671 challans in this regard. 74 cases reported in dist so far; Health Dept continues spraying, awareness drives Dr Kumar said the department was making every possible effort to prevent the spread of dengue with ongoing spraying campaigns. He reassured that most cases were mild and patients were recovering well. The department was closely monitoring the situation and advising the people to take necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Additionally, under the “Har Shukarvar Dengue te Vaar” campaign, the Civil Surgeon’s anti-larvae team, led by District Epidemiologist Sheetal Narang, visited the DMCH. The team provided instructions on dengue prevention measures to ensure safety in high-risk areas. The Civil Surgeon shared further details about preventive actions being taken by the Health Department to make Ludhiana dengue-free. He said ongoing awareness drives were spreading awareness about necessary health precautions. Cleaning campaigns were also being conducted in residential and other areas to ensure that potential mosquito-breeding grounds were identified and eliminated. Dr Kumar has urged people to visit their nearest health centres or hospitals for check-ups, if they notice any dengue symptoms. Health workers check a cooler to check dengue larvae during a drive in Ludhiana. Congress chief raises issue with DC Ludhiana, September 28 Pankaj, a resident of the Tibba road area, was arrested by the Moti Nagar police for carrying 100 kg of poppy husk. The police were patrolling near the T-point of Transport Nagar when they saw a person carrying a plastic bag. They stopped the person and seized 100 kg of poppy husk, one mobile and Rs 500 from him. In another incident, the Police Division Number 7 have arrested Deepak Mauriya and Ajay Kumar and seized 250 gm of hashish from them. The police stopped the duo, who were riding a motorcycle, and seized the drug powder. — TNS Ludhiana, September 28 Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and MP from Ludhiana, held a meeting with the newly appointed Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana, Jitendra Jorwal, to address serious concerns over the delay in issuing no objection certificates (NOCs) to aspiring candidates for the upcoming panchayat elections in the state. Warring raised the issue that while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)backed candidates were being given clearances on time, Independent and non-AAP-aligned candidates were being deliberately delayed, giving AAP an unfair advantage in the entire electoral process. The PPCC chief also criticised AAP’s manipulation of the election process, citing a recent move in the Vidhan Sabha where it was mandated that no candidate could campaign using an election symbol. “It is because they know that any candidate with the AAP symbol will lose miserably in the state. Now, rumours are swirling that a performa is being prepared, where victorious sarpanches will be asked which political party they align with. It is to weed out non-AAP supporters and pressure them to join hands with AAP to inflate their victory claims. Such level of Youth nabbed with heroin Properties of 4 drug smugglers freezed Alumni remember Keki Daruwalla as elegant literary person, IPS officer Ludhiana, September 28 The Alumni Association of SCD Government College here has mourned the death of Padma Shri Keki N Daruwalla, a poet, writer and former IPS officer, who had died at a Delhi hospital on Friday. He was 87. In a meeting held here, former students and colleagues of Daruwalla remembered him as one of brilliant and illustrious alumni of the college. “Keki spent six years in the college as a student to obtain his master’s degree in English literature in the 1950s, taught English literature for a while and then selected as an IPS officer,” they recalled. Tribune News Service 3 nabbed for carrying poppy husk, hashish Girls cover themselves with a dupatta during rain in Ludhiana on Saturday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Tribune News Service ment of Rs 1.3 crore in January 2019. The audit noticed that the work remained standstill since January 2018. After waiting for over three-and-ahalf years, the Chief Engineer in August 2021, on the recommendation of the Superintending Engineer, ordered the closure of the agreement due to the nonavailability of funds or nonproviding of funds by the funding agency. “At a time of closure of agreement, the work to the extent of 58 per cent was completed at an expenditure of Rs 2.31 crore,” the report said, adding that the lion safari could not be made functional till August 2022. The matter was referred to the state government in October 2022 but its reply was waited till February 2024. Indicting the FWP PIDB , and the PWD for failure and lapse that led to midway abandonment of the lion safari work, rendering Rs 2.31 crore spent on the project wasteful, the CAG recommended that the department should ensure to provide/ obtain requisite funds for completion of the work prior to its start to avoid midway abandonment of the project. Dengue situation under control, no need to panic: Civil Surgeon “An IPS officer of repute and integrity, he often contributed to several newspapers on current issues facing our nation,” they said. Those present included English poet Prof Ashok Kapoor, Surinder Singh Bhogal, Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon IAS (retd), Prof PK Sharma, Col Pardeep Jawanda (redt), Principal Manjit Singh Sandhu and KB Singh. A former principal Dr Dharam Singh Sandhu and the current officiating principal Prof Satya Rani have also sent their deep condolences at the demise of the finest and brilliant alumni of the college, who made the alma mater proud. Brij Bhushan Goyal, organising secretary of the college alumni association, said: “Keki Daruwalla last visited the Ludhiana college in 2019. He had then recalled his times of 1950s’ era when teachers used to come to the college in black gowns.” He further recalled that in his interaction then, Keki had asked students to memorise the poetry they loved. Daruwalla, in May this year, had sent 12 books authored by him for the college alumni-authored book shelves through his daughter Rookvain Sorabji. “A void created by Keki’s demise is difficult to fill as he was a down to earth man, besides keeping elegance as a literary person and a police officer,” the association added. c m y b DELAY IN ISSUING NOCS TO ASPIRING CANDIDATES FOR PANCHAYAT POLL Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 28 The Crime Branch III after getting a tip-off nabbed Ganesh Singh, a resident of Banda Bahadur Colony, Subhash Nagar, here, and seized 265 gm of heroin from his possession. While patrolling near Decent School, Karamsar Colony, the police saw a youth sitting on a motorcycle. On suspicion, the police nabbed him and seized the drug. The interrogation of the suspect is on to know from where did he got the drug and to whom he was going to supply the same. A case under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered by the Tibba police. political dishonesty is shameful, and we will not stand for it.” Warring emphasised that the Congress was committed to a free and fair election and announced the creation of a helpline by the PPCC. “We have launched a helpline for anyone — whether they are linked with the Congress or not — who is facing trouble with documentation for the upcoming panchayat elections. The local district-level Congress leadership will provide assistance, ensuring that no one is blocked from participating in the democratic process.” He added that there was a dire need for the rejuvenation of the Buddha Nullah, Cops put up attachment notice on a smuggler’s property in Ludhiana. Ludhiana, September 28 Cracking a whip on drug peddlers, the Police Division Number 3 freezed properties of four suspects against whom cases were registered under the NDPS Act. The police have attached the property, worth over Rs 1.51 crore, of Gurmeet Singh. A case was registered against him in 2022. The property, worth Rs 17.20 lakh, of Gagandeep Singh and a Wagon R vehicle were also attached. In other incidents, a property worth Rs 37.57 lakh of a drug smuggler, Sarabjit Singh, and a property worth about Rs 76 lakh of Amit Sachdeva were attached by the police. — TNS a critical issue that affects Ludhiana and its residents. “This is not just a political issue but a matter of public health now,” he said. Speaking about the resignation of Sunil Jakhar from the BJP Warring said it was , his own wish to resign and whenever the party needs him, he leaves it. When the Congress needed him the most, he left the party and the BJP gave him an important place and now, again, he has tendered his resignation.“I do not know, to which way Jakhar will be going. I tweeted yesterday, asking him: “Now which way you are going,” he said. — TNS Two elderly women duped of gold, ~11K Ludhiana, September 28 Posing as cloth sellers, two persons robbed two elderly women at their house in Hasanpur village, Jagraon. As per information, the suspects entered the house and made the two women smell some intoxicating substance and duped them of valuables and cash. Manpreet Singh complained that he had gone for some work and his mother and grandmother were in the house. Two persons came and started showing ladies suit material to them. The duo made the victims smell some intoxicating substance and stole Rs 11,500 in cash and a pair of gold earrings. After sometime when the women gained consciousness, they called Manpreet and informed him about the incident. A case jhas been registered. — TNS