25122024-ATR-01.qxd 12/24/2024 11:21 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune CONG WORKERS PROTEST AT DAC IN TARN TARAN PADDY RESIDUE REPURPOSED AS SEATING FOR PILGRIMS Paddy residue is being repurposed as eco-friendly seating for pilgrims attending the Shaheedi Jor Mela. P3 FOG IN MORNING MAX 20°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 19°C | MIN 6°C FOR THE SLICE OF HAPPINESS The Congress held a protest in front of the DAC against Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar. P2 FORECAST Bakery shops in Ludhiana have come up with a range of mouthwatering plum cakes. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.33 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 7.28 AM » WEDNESDAY | 25 DECEMBER 2024 | AMRITSAR Gang of robbers Dysfunctional fountain at Nehru busted, four held with illegal Shopping Complex an eyesore Use of inferior quality material in construction alleged weapons Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Tarn Taran, December 24 The Chabal police have busted a five-member gang of robbers by arresting four of its members with illegal weapons. One of the members of the gang managed to escape from the spot during a raid conducted by a police party led by Assistant SubInspector (ASI) Jatinder Singh here on Monday. On receiving a secret information, ASI Jatinder Singh said a raid was conducted at the Chabal grain market where the gang was planning to commit some crime and the police managed to arrest four of the gang members. Those arrested have been identified as Pargat Singh of Thathgarh, Raghwinder Singh Rahul of Pakka Qilha (Chabal), Sanju and Jashandeep Singh, both of Emma Kala. The police recovered one country-made pistol with four live cartridges, one kirpan (sword) and two datars. The absconding robber has been recognised as Sukha of Gali Church Wali at Chabal. The Assistant Sub-Inspector said the robbers were on Tuesday produced in a court, which remanded them in police custody for two days. A case under Sections 310 (4) and 310 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered against the robbers. Amritsar, November 24 The defunct fountain at the Nehru Shopping Complex here has become a symbol of misplaced priorities and wasteful expenditure of public funds. The fountain, the cost of building which is estimated in lakhs, stopped functioning within a month and has since become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, with algae visible in its stagnant water and trash accumulating inside. Located behind the statue of India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the fountain was intended to beautify the area. However, it has instead become an eyesore, with visitors and locals alike expressing frustration over the waste of resources. The shopping complex, situated at a prime location on Lawrence Road, attracts a large number of visitors daily, but the fountain’s neglect has dimmed the overall aesthetic appeal of the area. The Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT), responsible for the fountain’s construction, has faced criticism for its handling of the project. AIT Chairman Ashok Talwar had promised to repair the fountain, but no action has been taken so far. During a visit to the complex several months ago, Talwar had assured that the fountain would be repaired soon, citing that the brass material used was stolen by unscrupu- Will use it on central, side verges of highways to grow greenery Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service A defunct fountain on the Lawrence Road in Amritsar. SUNIL KUMAR lous elements. However, lack of progress in the repair work has raised suspicion about the trust’s intentions. The situation highlights the neglect of basic facilities at the shopping complex, which is in dire need of attention. The complex lacks proper maintenance, with broken tiles, crumbling infrastructure and inadequate waste management. The fountain’s failure has also raised concerns about corrupt practices and the use of inferior quality materials in its construction. A frequent visitor to the complex, Advocate Kuljeet Singh Malawali, pointed out, “This hints at the use of inferior quality material while constructing the fountain. It Residents hope New Year will make city a better place to live in also reeks of corrupt practice. The matter should be inquired into, and those found guilty should be punished.” The incident has sparked widespread outrage among locals, who demand accountability from the authorities responsible for the project. The decision of the AIT to construct the fountain has been questioned by many, who argue that the funds could have been better utilised to address the pressing infrastructure needs of the complex. The incident serves as a reminder about the need for transparency and accountability in public spending, ensuring that resources are utilised efficiently and effectively. Video clip lands Delhi resident in trouble, cops file two cases Our Correspondent Garbage dumped outside a government school in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 24 In 2024, the residents of Amritsar city continued to fight with problems arising due to non-lifting of garbage, poor sanitation, contaminated water supply, choked sewer and damaged roads. Ironically, there was no MC General House, where public representatives could take up these issues. Moreover, the Municipal Corporation Commissioners were transferred thrice in one year. Harpreet Singh was appointed as the MC Commissioner on January 29, 2024 and transferred on September 12, 2024. Harpreet Singh was replaced by Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, who joined office on September 24, but was transferred two days later. The government then appointed Rahul Chabba as the MC Commissioner but he did not join. Aulakh was then appointed again to lead the civic body on October 4. The Municipal Corporation elections were conducted on December 21 but there were some civic issues which had haunted the residents all the year round. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got only 24 seats out of 85 following a poor performance on the development front and slackness in addressing the civic issues. Amritsar’s civic infrastructure continues to grapple with perennial problems, leaving residents frustrated and disillusioned. The city’s sanitary conditions, in particular, took a turn for the worse, with the garbage-lifting vehicles of the solid waste management firm wearing out, leading to irregular waste collection and piling up of garbage. The heaps of legacy waste at Bhagtanwala dump are getting larger. On December 3, the MC started bio-remediation with a promise to process all the 20 lakh tonnes of waste lying in the NHAI starts lifting processed waste from Bhagtanwala dump dumping ground. Meanwhile, the issue of choked sewers in the West constituency remained in the headlines. The Chheharta area bore the brunt of choked sewers and accumulation of water in the streets, making life miserable for residents. The promise to enhance the capacity of sewer treatment plant (STP) was not fulfilled and people were forced to reside in hell-like conditions. The promised funds for road and street recarpeting failed to materialise, leaving the city’s roads in a pathetic condition, causing inconvenience to commuters and pedestrians alike. On a positive note, the canalbased water supply project, aimed at providing clean drinking water to the city’s residents, is progressing, albeit at a slow pace. However, the menace of stray animals continues to trouble city residents, with no tangible solution in sight. As Amritsar ushers in the New Year, its residents can only hope that the authorities will take concrete steps to make the city a better place to live in. Tarn Taran, December 24 The police in Chohla Sahib and Sarhali have registered two different criminal cases against one Vibhor Anand, a resident of Delhi, for posting a video online stating the views of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to be allegedly against the Constitution of the country. Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Billanwala village (near Sarhali), in his complaint to the Chohla Sahib police, stated that the accused Vibhor Anand released an alleged fake video clip which showed Arvind Kejriwal speaking against the Constitution which he never did. Sukhdev Singh claimed that the release of the video clip was just a move to create hatred between the SCs/STs and other sections of society. Sukhdev Singh said that it amounted to cheating by the accused Vibhor Anand. Chohla Sahib police have registered a case under Section 192, 336 (4), 352 and 353 (2) of the BNS and under provisions of the SC/ST Act and the IT Act. Atul Soni, DSP , Goindwal Sahib, is further investigating the complaint. Meanwhile, the Sarhali police, following a complaint lodged by Harmanjit Singh, a resident of Usman (Dhotian), also registered a case under the same sections of the BNS and other Acts on similar grounds. Further investigation in the matter has been initiated by Deputy Superintendent of Police, Patti, Gurkirpal Singh. c m y b Amritsar, December 24 Finally, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started lifting the processed waste from the Bhagtanwala dump after signing an MoU with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation. The NHAI will use it on the central and side verges of highways to grow greenery. MC Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh said for the last several years, garbage from the entire city was being collected at the Bhagtanwala garbage dump. As a result, large heaps of garbage were formed at the dumping ground. He said the work of processing garbage was started at the dump from December 3. He stated that during the last 21 days, heaps of garbage were being removed from the dump after processing it with a machine. He said so far, around 16,000 tons of garbage has been processed. The MC Commissioner said after processing the garbage, the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and other materials obtained from it can be used to build new roads. He said as he was Officials of the municipal corporation and the NHAI at the Bhagtanwala dump in Amritsar on Tuesday. attending a meeting in Chandigarh today, he had asked MC Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh to take all necessary action in consultation with officials of the NHAI and visit the dump with all the officials. The MC Additional Commissioner said as per the directions of the MC Commissioner, a contract was signed with the NHAI officials. He said today, he visited the dump along with the officials of the NHAI, health officials of the MC and Averda company officials. He stated that after processing the garbage every day, the authority will take away the RDF and other material derived from the dump. He said the NHAI is constructing new roads and the processed material will be used in their construction. He said the NHAI has taken away about 100 tonnes of material from the dump today. In the coming days, 100 tonnes of material will be taken away by the NHAI every day. MC Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh said instructions have been issued to the firm to increase the number of machines for processing. He said the company has promised that by January 5, one more machine will be installed for processing. On the occasion, MC Health Officer Dr Kiran Kumar said after processing, RDF and other materials will be picked up by the NHAI regularly. Besides, manure is being procured after processing the wet garbage. He said so far, over 1,500 bags of manure have been collected.