31122024-LT-01.qxd 12/31/2024 1:12 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune HARIVALLABH SAMMELAN ARTISTES STRANDED TWO HELD FOR ~1.59 CR CYBER FRAUD IN ABOHAR DITCH THE CHILL WITH COZY NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS Several artistes were stranded at the Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station due to the Punjab bandh. P3 A team of the Sriganganagar police station has arrested two persons for ~1.59 crore cyber fraud. P3 Presenting some innovative recipes which can elevate your dining experience at home. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 16°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 16°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5.33 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:18 AM » TUESDAY | 31 DECEMBER 2024 | LUDHIANA Blockades on highways irk commuters Bus, train services affected, PUNJAB BANDH Stranded motorists ask protesting farmers not to harass them passengers bear the brunt Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, December 30 The Punjab Bandh call given by farmers’ Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha over the Centre not acting on the farmers’ demand for a legal guarantee for the MSP evoked criticism from commuters against the growers. The motorists alleged that farmers harass the common man to make their voice heard but the practice was illegal. However, emergency vehicles, people going to airport or attend cremation were allowed to pass. Commuters stuck on highways blamed the police for failing to stop farmers from blocking the roads, which caused inconvenience to the public. They also alleged that the police acted as a mute spectator as no effort was made to pursue the protesters to stop the agitation. The commuters also exchanged heated arguments with farmers on a national highway in Khanna where they had erected a blockade. “Why the public is being harassed by you, if you want to make your voice heard then go and challenge the politicians or authorities directly, don’t harass the people,” a turbaned man told farmers at a blockade in Khanna. “I had to reach Ludhiana to Members of farmer unions block a highway near the Ladhowal toll plaza in Ludhiana on Monday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN buy a medicine but due to the farmers’ protest I am forced to wait on the road till 4 pm. Being a common man why I am being forced to suffer,” he alleged. “We are with the farmers and their demands are genuine but they should not harass commuters or the common man. If they protest in such a way, the public will not support them. Sit outside politicians’ residences or offices of the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister in protest to force them to fulfil their demands,” the commuters said. Meanwhile, the farmers told the commuters that it was a peaceful protest and they urged the latter to stand with them and make the bandh call successful. Sourav Shukla, a resident of Lakhimpur UP said he had to , reach Himachal Pradesh to buy medicine for his mother but due to the protest on a highway near the Ladhowal toll bar- rier he got stuck in the traffic. Sources said a car-borne person rammed into a farmer at a blockade on the highway in Ladhowal, following which the former apologised to the victim. Shopkeepers, farmers exchange arguments As the city’s prominent ‘Chaura Bazaar’ was not closed by shopkeepers, a group of farmers reached to ask them to close their shops. After which, the traders exchanged heated arguments with the farmers. “Who will pay salaries of staff and repay loans taken from banks if we close ours shops due to the farmers protest,” said a shopkeeper while holding arguments with the farmers. Later, the protesters had to return empty handed as shops which were closed were also opened by other shopkeepers. Notably, most of the markets in the city were open. Ludhiana, December 30 Bus and train services were affected badly due to the Punjab Bandh call given by farmers. Passengers were at the receiving end as they were stranded at the bus stand and railway station. Though railways and bus transportation unions had announced the suspension of services in advance, people who were unaware of the bandh call reached the bus stand and railway station to catch their buses or trains. “We did not know that trains services will be affected due to the farmers’ protest, hence we reached the railway station to catch a train for Delhi. Now, we will catch the train after 4 pm,” said Abhishek Kumar, a city resident. Some of the people who came to know about the affected train services after reaching the railway station returned home. It was noticed that there was no movement of buses at the stand. However, some people stayed in waiting rooms till the services resumed. Bus operators said due to the bandh call, the bus services were suspended till 4 pm but only a few buses resumed services after that time. They, however, alleged that due to the bandh call, the transport authorities suffered huge losses. — TNS People walk in the absence of public transport on a road; and (below) stranded passengers at Ludhiana railway station. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Industry, shops bear losses worth ~ 1,400 cr: Mandal Shivani Bhakoo NORMAL LIFE CRIPPLED Tribune News Service Trucks stuck in a traffic jam on the Ludhiana-Delhi highway on Monday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, December 30 The Punjab Bandh call given by farmer unions in the state evoked a mixed response from the industry and shopkeepers in the city. But it hit the industry in a big way. Industrial organisations and the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal said the industry (including shops, factories and business establishments) incurred losses to the tune of about Rs 1,400 crore in a single day as no raw material could be purchased and finished products could not be sent due to road blockades, funds in banks could not be rotated and there was no footfall of customers also due to the protest. On the call given by the farmers, a few markets, ■ On the call given by the farmers, a few markets, schools and colleges remained shut. The routine work was hit in the morning as residents, at many places, could not get regular supply of milk and vegetables. ■ Congested markets and roads in the city, which remain crowded, looked deserted. Markets, including AC Market, Bhadaur House and Mata Rani Chowk, which usually remain shut on Mondays, were closed. schools and colleges remained shut. The routine work was hit in the morning as residents, at many places, could not get regular supply of milk and vegetables. Congested markets and roads in the city, which remain crowded, looked deserted. Markets, which, remain shut on Mondays, were closed, including AC Market, Bhadaur House and Mata Rani Chowk. This time, businessmen refused to close factories on the call of Punjab Bandh. Badish Jindal, president, FOPSIA, termed it as a “new kind of terrorism” where the industry and the traders are being deprived of their right to business and the state government becomes a “mute spectator”. President of the Association of Trade and Industrial Undertakings (ATIU) Pankaj Sharma said everything comes to a halt due to such bandhs. “There is no transportation, we cannot purchase raw materials, stocks are not sent to respective destinations and funds cannot be rotated by the industry during such bandh calls. Big corporate houses are not investing a single penny in the state and it is not noticed by the government. Bandhs have simply ruined the state industry,” he said. Ayush Aggarwal, state secretary, Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, said for how long would the government allow such kind of nuisance in the state? State general secretary and member of the National Traders’ Welfare Board Sunil Mehra and state secretary Ayush Aggarwal said due to anti-business policies of the new state government, over 1 lakh business units had relocated from the state and investments exceeding Rs 3 lakh crore have moved out of Punjab. The previous farmer’s protest resulted in losses of over Rs 5 lakh crore to the state business community and Ludhiana alone, being the industrial and commercial hub, suffered losses exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore. Punjab’s traders have started losing ground at international and national level. “On Monday, the farmers’ protest has again brought life in the state to a standstill. Ludhiana’s industrial units have suffered losses due to blocked roads, halted trains and closed borders,” Aggarwal said. City residents wait eagerly for today’s Diljit’s concert 8 booked for duping DC Jorwal, other officials from administration looking after elaborate arrangements made at PAU ground Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, December 30 Though many events and parties are being organised at several restaurants and hotels on the New Year’s Eve, most of the city residents seem interested in Diljit Dosanjh’s final live concert of Dil-Luminati, in Ludhiana on Tuesday evening. Elaborate arrangements are made at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) ground, where the concert will take place. Deputy Commissioner Jatinder Jorwal along with other officials from the administration are personally looking into the arrangements, though it is a private show. “We are here for safety and security purposes as thou- Preparations in full swing for the live concert of Diljit Dosanjh at the PAU ground. ASHWANI DHIMAN sands of people are gathering for the event here tomorrow,” said Jorwal. Besides, arrangements are made to ensure that there is no rush of passers-by on the overbridge along the PAU as the concert would be visible from the bridge going towards the Jagraon bridge. The last-minute sale of tickets was on for the Tuesday show. On the first and second day, the tickets of all the three categories were sold in black by many residents but when it came to the notice of law-enforcing agencies, the people stopped posting about availability of tickets on c m y b social media. As a result, many residents sold tickets on Monday incurring losses. Meanwhile, huge hoardings and banners of the concert had been put up across the city. At the same time, the live concert being held on December 31 has definitely cast a shadow on other New Year’s events. Jasdip Singh Bindra from Ombre said the concert had hit the business of hotels and restaurants in the city. “But our bookings are full as families have opted hotels. Most of the youngsters want to witness the live concert. However, those who wish to enjoy the New Year’s eve in a cozy atmosphere, have booked hotels and restaurants,” he said. Speculations are rife that some celebrities may join the Punjabi singer at the last leg of the tour. The names of Singer Mika and Sukhwinder Singh are also doing the rounds. BJP questions Cong’s silence on event Ludhiana BJP president Rajneesh Dhiman has questioned the silence of Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on the live concert of singer Diljit in the city. He said the Union Government had announced a seven-day mourning following the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh while the show will be organised here on Tuesday evening. Strangely, the Congress was also mum over the issue. realtor of ~1.12 crore Ludhiana, December 30 The Ludhiana police on Sunday registered a case against eight suspects who allegedly cheated a property dealer of Rs 1.12 crore. They posed as representatives of Tata Steel and showed fake documents to commit the fraud. The suspects have been identified as Satinder Singh, Parminder Singh, Daljit Singh, Baba Jaswant Singh, Anil Singh Saini, Bilal Ahmed, Ashutosh Gupta and Ram Singh Thapa. According to the complaint filed by Jagdish Lal, he was approached by Baba Jaswant, a resident of Amloh, who claimed to have connections with Tata Steel. He introduced Lal to other suspects. The suspects told him that Tata Steel was looking to set up a new unit in Ludhiana and needed a large piece of land. They promised Lal a hefty commission, if he could help them acquire the land. Lal, tempted by the promise of easy money, showed the suspects several properties. Later, they asked Lal to pay them Rs 1.12 crore to facilitate the deal. Lal paid the money but soon realised he had been cheated. The suspects stopped responding to his calls and Lal was left with no option but to approach the police. The police registered a case against the eight suspects on the charges of cheating and forgery. The police started conducting raids to arrest them. — TNS