11122024-ATR-01.qxd 12/10/2024 11:34 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST COLD WAVE JALANDHAR RURAL COPS BUST MULTIPLE CRIME NETWORKS GOODS WORTH CRORES GUTTED IN HOSHIARPUR GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS GOES ON TO GET INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM The Jalandhar rural police dismantled organised criminal networks involved in highway robberies, vehicle thefts. P3 A major fire broke at Batra Electronics, a large electronics showroom in Hoshiarpur's busiest marke. P3 Girls Will Be Girls is an evocative drama that has already won accolades at premier festivals. P4 » » MAX 18°C | MIN 03°C YESTERDAY MAX 18°C | MIN 02°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.20 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 7.20 AM » WEDNESDAY | 11 DECEMBER 2024 | AMRITSAR Dept cancels drug sales licence of chemist Poll din missing with just 10 days left for MC elections Amritsar, December 10 To check unethical sale and purchase of habit-forming drugs, the Zonal Licensing Authority, Drugs Wing, Food and Drugs Administration, has cancelled retail sale drug licences of Pal Medical Store located in Chungi Wala Bazar, Sultanwind Road, here. The action was taken after an inspection by Bableen Kaur of the drug wing along with police personnel, on October 31, following a request from CIA staff. During the inspection, eight types of drugs containing 761 capsules of pregabalin capsules worth ~17,760 were seized. The in-charge of the store failed to produce the purchase and sale records of these drugs. A separate FIR was registered against the proprietor of the firm for violating the orders of the District Magistrate, which had earlier banned the sale of pregabalin. As per the procedure laid out in the Drugs Rules 1945, a show-cause notice was issued to the firm, and action was taken after considering their reply, prioritising the health of public, added Bableen Kaur. — TNS Tribune News Service Manmeet Singh Gill No-objection certificate is mandatory for filing nominations Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Returning Officer-cum-SDM Archana at her office during the nomination process in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR ing their candidates, aspirants are keeping a low profile. The upcoming elections will also test the popularity of parties like the BJP and SAD, as they may contest separately for the first time. Previously, they had an alliance in all MC elections. Moreover, with the crisis deepening within the SAD, party workers need confidence to campaign for their candidates. The elections will be a significant milestone for Amritsar, with 85 wards up for grabs. The MC has a rich history, dating back to 1977, and has undergone several transformations over the years. As the city prepares for the polls, one thing is certain – the outcome Protest over Bangladesh atrocities would also be a litmus test for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. Over two dozen Congress councillors including Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu had switched their allegiance to AAP before the last assembly elections. With these turncoats being strong claimants for the party ticket, the old volunteers of the party are already expressing their anguish on social media platforms. A local political observer said, “If AAP gives tickets to these turncoats, it would certainly make its old volunteers angry and if they are denied tickets, there is no reason for them to stay with AAP .” Amritsar, December 10 Hundreds of aspirants for the civic body polls made a beeline to get an NOC from the Municipal Corporation at its office in Ranjit Avenue. The MC issued NOC to over 600 applicants till evening. Following the heavy rush of aspirants, Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh appointed superintendents area-wise to issue NOC to the election aspirants. He also asked them to sit in the main meeting hall, so that they do not face any inconvenience. The elections for the Municipal Corporation are going to be held on December 21 and only two days are left for the filing of nominations. The NOC is one of the requirements for contesting the elections. There is a long queue of aspirants seeking NOC in the Municipal Corporation office since morning in VISHAL KUMAR Amritsar, December 10 With elections to the Municipal Corporation just around the corner (December 21), the city’s political landscape remains surprisingly subdued. With just 10 days left before the polls, political parties are yet to announce their candidates for various wards, leaving campaigning for the elections eerily quiet. The nomination process has begun, but the delay in announcing the names of candidates has put the brakes on the usual hustle and bustle of electioneering. This is partly due to the prolonged delay in holding the elections, which has led to aspirants slowing down their activities. According to a two-time MC councillor, “Electing councillors is a costly and hectic process. The aspirants felt that the government would further delay the elections, but after the ruling party’s victory in the assembly bypolls, they seem enthusiastic and the MC elections were announced suddenly.” However, with parties still finalis- Election aspirants form long queues at MC office for NOC A huge rush of aspirants to get the NOC at the MC office in Ranjit Avenue in Amritsar on Tuesday. view of the polls. Till now, no political party has issued a list of its candidates. This time, four main political parties including the Congress, BJP Aam , Aadmi Party and Akali Dal are contesting the elections. A series of meetings is being held by these four parties to select their candidates. It is expected that the list of candidates will be released by this evening or tomorrow morning. With only two days left for the filing of nominations, candidates will have to face difficulties in filing their papers. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has received applications from 750 aspirants willing to contest elections from 85 wards of Amritsar while the Congress has received 450 applications and the BJP 425. All the aspirants willing to contest the elections approached the Municipal Corporation office to get the NOC. Yester- day, the MC had issued NOC to about 200 aspirants. Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh said that in view of the increasing number of people seeking NOC since morning, five superintendents were appointed wardwise. He said that for the convenience of the people, officers of all departments of the Municipal Corporation sat in the MC meeting hall to issue NOCs. 2 illegal cinemas sealed BJP declares candidates for 85 wards for civic body elections Congress announces first list of 37 candidates Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Officials of the district administration seal an illegal cinema in Amritsar on Tuesday. Members of the Sri Durgiana Temple Committee and religious leaders protest the acts of atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR NGOs hold ‘Rosh March’ to express disapproval over govt policies Amritsar, December 10 After a probe, two small screen cinemas being run illegally were sealed by the district administration on Tuesday. The cinemas were being run in Chattiwind area without any valid licence. As part of the special campaign launched by Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney to crack down on illegal activities in the district, Tehsildar Jagsir Singh led a team and sealed the two illegal cine- mas running in Chatiwind area of Amritsar and initiated legal action against them. SDM Gursimran Singh said following a tip-off, a team under Tehsildar Jagsir Singh visited the spot and found two illegal places. Films were being shown in small halls. He said violating the Cinema Act, the illegal cinemas were showing movies in public without a licence. He said the team started the process by sealing both the movies. — TNS Amritsar, December 10 The Congress and BJP issued a list of their candidates for the Municipal Corporation elections late in the evening. While the BJP has issued a list of all 85 candidates, the Congress released its first list of 37 candidates. Most Congress candidates are former councillors or their relatives. Former councillor Navdeep Singh Hundal will contest from Ward number 18, Seema Rani from 19, Antarpreet Kaur from 21, Sujinder Bidean from 22, Kulwinder Kaur from 23, Satnam Singh Sabha from 24, Monika Sharma 25, Mithu Madan from 28, Shalinder Singh from 30, Baldev Singh Sandhu from 36, Gurpreet Kaur from 37, Monika from 39, Balwinder Singh Billa from 40, Sukhwinder Kaur Marimegha from 41, Gagandeep Sehjra from 42, Jaswinder Singh Shergill from 44, Sukhbir Kaur Mamanike from 45 and Navpreet Singh (Navi Jaura) from 46, Parveen Kaur Jaura will contest from ward number 47, Ashwani Kaleshah from 48 , Ritu Kundra from 49 , Rajesh Kumar Danny from 50, Sarita from 51, Vikas Soni from 52, Komal Shah from 53, Amit Kumar Vicky from 54. Kulbir Kaur from 55, Mahesh Khanna from 56, Manju Mehra from 57, Iqbal Singh Sherry from 58, Gurmeet Kaur from 59, Sunil Shamra from 60, Mamta Rani from 63, Anita Kumari from 67, former Deputy Mayor Yunas Kumar from 68, Gurpreet Kaur from 69 while Kuldeep Singh will contest from ward number 73. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its list of 85 candidates for Amritsar Municipal Corporation elections. This marks the first time that the BJP will contest elections independently in all 85 wards of the city, following its separation from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The list of candidates includes women candidates Parkash Kaur, Sonia Chohan, Seema Sharma, Kriti Arora, Amandeep Aery, Sheetal, Sangeeta Lajjy, Shruti Vij and Gurpreet Kaur. Other candidates include Gautam Arora, Kapil Sharma, Rajesh Sol, Dr Rajeev Dev, Karambir Singh, Salwinder Kaur, Gurender Pal Singh and others. Meanwhile, only one candidate filed nomination papers on Tuesday. Tribune News Service Sessions Judge visits Goindwal Sahib jail VISHAL KUMAR Amritsar, December 10 Members of different non-government organisations (NGOs) came together to carry out a ‘Janta Rosh Convention’ to express disappointment over human rights violation by the Union government at Bhandari railway over-bridge here on Tuesday. They demanded repeal of three criminal laws and ensure that there is no misuse of Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations. The NGOs raised their voice against three criminal laws including the UAPA, FSPA, NSA, Labour Code and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Addressing the protestors, Dr Parminder said under the 1948 United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, every citizen is given the right to absolute freedom, development, equality and social justice. But the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre is using laws to suppress populist movements, he alleged. A farmer leader Rattan Singh Randhawa, in his address, accused the Modi gov- Activists of the ‘Janta Rosh Convention’ protest against human rights violation by the Union Government in Amritsar on Tuesday. ernment at the Centre of pursuing a fascist agenda and Hindutva and targeting Muslims, tribals, Dalits and leftists. Communal hatred and fascism are spreading in the country through planned violent attacks. Public institutions, agriculture and the common people are being deprived of their democratic rights to education, health, employment, electricity, clean water and a clean environment, he said. Among others, the Tarksheel Society Punjab, Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, Bharati Kisan Union (Ekta), Kirti Kisan Union, All India Kisan Sabha, Kirti Kisan Union Punjab, Punjab Kisan Union, PWD Electrical Outsourcing Employees Union Punjab, GNDU Pensioners Association, Punjab State Pensioners and Senior Citizens Welfare Association, 1158 Assistant Professor Front Punjab, Medical Practitioners Association, DTF Punjab, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujwan Sabha, Kisan Sangharsh Committee, PSU (Shaheed Randhawa) and ATK members joined the protest in large numbers. Tarn Taran, December 10 On World Human Rights Day, District and Sessions Judge Kanwaljit Singh Bajwa visited the Central Jail, Goindwal Sahib, here on Tuesday where the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) organised a medical camp and Aadhaar card camp for the inmates. Addressing the jail inmates, the judge said to make the inmates self-sufficient and selfdependent under the Rural Self Employment training, the inmates were being given training in 64 trades to make them eligible to earn their livelihood while they would be freed from the jail to live a peaceful life. The judge listened to the grievances of inmates and ordered the jail officials to redress these. He visited the barracks and the kitchen to check sanitary condition in the jail premises. — OC c m y b Creating sustainable model of higher education my aim, says new GNDU VC Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 10 Prof Karamjeet Singh, an eminent academician and founder Vice-Chancellor of Jagat Guru Nanak Dev Punjab State Open University, Patiala, today assumed the position of Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University. Upon his arrival, Prof Karamjeet Singh expressed his gratitude and shared his vision for taking the university ahead to mark its global presence. Prof Karamjeet Singh said it was a homecoming for him. “As an alumnus of the university and as someone who belongs to the district, I feel it’s a blessing that I have been given this opportunity. Despite our achievements, the gross enrollment ratio of Punjab in higher education is only 29.10 per cent, which means very few students Dr Karamjit Singh who joined office as the new Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar on Tuesday. VISHAL KUMAR here get a chance to pursue higher education. My aim aligns with the Government of India’s target of achieving a gross enrollment ratio of 50 per cent. My focus would be to change that and include every student in creating a sustainable model of higher education,” he said. Calling the recent surge in higher education courses in the state a golden opportunity, Dr Karamjeet Singh said that this was the right time to tap into the student pool of Punjab and retain them as future workforce. “The surge in enrollment in undergraduate and postgraduate courses due to curbs by Canada must be seen as a golden opportunity. We need to introduce skill-based courses, Artificial Intelligence or AI-based courses to ensure employability and entrepreneurship among our students.” Acknowledging the pivotal role of research and innovation, he stressed upon the need to excel in both scientific and social sciences research, fostering innovation that addresses contemporary challenges. He said that special focus will be given to extending online education to students in remote areas, as well as providing higher education opportunities to marginalised groups, including the underprivileged, differently-abled and jail inmates.