04052025-ATR-01.qxd 5/3/2025 11:23 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY GNDU VC PROPOSES TO SET UP NODAL VARSITY FARMERS DEMAND RELIEF FOR CROP LOSSES B-TOWN CELEBS ATTEND ANIL KAPOOR'S MOTHER’S FUNERAL The university will serve as an epicentre for promoting regional knowledge. P2 Farm leaders submit a memorandum highlighting damage caused by recent fires, hailstorms . P2 Nirmal Kapoor (90), passed away in Mumbai on May 2. Many Bollywood celebs attended her funeral. P4 » » MAX 29°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 17°C SUNSET SUNDAY 7.08 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5:48 AM » SUNDAY | 4 MAY 2025 | AMRITSAR Improvement Trust cancels land allocation for ~80-cr Unity Mall Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 3 The Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) has nixed the plan to come up with a Rs 80 crore commercial project, Unity Mall, on prime land in Ranjit Avenue. The decision in this regard was taken at a recently held meeting of the AIT. The 27-acre site was earlier earmarked for a sports complex. Last year, around 10 acres were allotted to Unity Mall. Due to the prime location and rising value of land, Rs 700 crore, the AIT passed a resolution not to proceed with any commercial activity at the site, which has been surrounded by controversies, ~700 crore market value of 10-acre prime site The AIT passed a resolution not to proceed with any commercial activity at the site. including court cases. Expressing its unwillingness to allocate such valuable land for commercial activities, the AIT has decided to explore alternative sites for the mall. The Sports Complex was a dream project of former Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, but the project was shelved after a change in government. Additionally, the AIT passed a proposal to construct luxury flats at two sites in New Amritsar. These flats will offer premium amenities and are expected to attract higher return on investment. Once the government’s nod is received, the AIT would prepare a blueprint and issue tenders. High-velocity winds disrupt power supply Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 3 Though showers and highvelocity winds on Thursday night gave respite from hot weather, residents of rural areas were left without electricity for two days. As large number of electricity poles were uprooted and transmission lines got damaged, employees of the power utility had a tough in restoring the supply. “On Thursday, power supply was shut due to harsh weather conditions. Next day, the supply couldn’t be restored. There was no potable water for humans and animals,” said Dalbir Singh, a resident of Manakpura village. The power corporation officials said supply to most villages was restored yesterday evening. Biometric entry to be introduced Dist sees 5% hike in wheat yield at Municipal Town Planning wing Bizman shot dead in Tarn Taran Got ~50L extortion call from gangsters Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 3 To enhance transparency and prevent unauthorised access, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation has announced to implement biometric entry system at its Municipal Town Planning (MTP) wing, starting next week. According to guidelines issued by Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, all visitors coming to the MTP wing for getting their work done would now be seated in a designated visitor room. The official concerned would meet them there instead of allowing direct access into the office. This move comes in response to complaints SAFETY OF RECORDS ❝ This step has been taken to ensure safety of departmental records and to maintain transparency. All visitors coming to the MTP wing will now be seated in a designated room. ❞ Gulpreet Aulakh, Municipal Commissioner about leakage and misuse of official records, especially in the absence of officers. There have been instances where outsiders reportedly entered the office, tampered with files and later used the information to blackmail or extort money from property owners under the guise of building violations. A staffer would also be deputed to maintain a visitor log. No visitor would be allowed to enter the office without proper verification. “This step has been taken to ensure safety of departmental records and to maintain transparency,” said Aulakh. He personally visited the MTP wing on Friday and instructed staff to strictly prevent unauthorised access. It has been noted that certain individuals enter the MTP office without valid reasons, especially in the absence of officers. These individuals allegedly tampered with sensitive documents, filed complaints against building owners and often demanded bribes to settle the matter. Amritsar, May 3 Amritsar district saw 5 per cent hike in average yield of wheat this harvesting season. The district authorities recorded a production of 5,350 kilo per hectare. Last year, the average production was 5,075 kilo per hectare, said the administration. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said they had procured a total of 6.26 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) wheat so far. Last year, the figure stood at 5.23 LMT. Fifty-six grain markets operational in the district registered an arrival of 6.32 LMT of wheat. The crop was cultivated on a total of 1.85 lakh hectares of land. “The government agencies have procured 84 per cent of the total recorded procurement last year. The harvest- Payments have been made for 93 per cent of the procured stock. ing is almost over and remaining produce will be purchased soon,” said the DC. She said 6.26 LMT had been procured by government agencies and only 39,502 by private traders. “The administration is also ensuring that the farmers get the payment for their procured crop within 48 hours. Payments have been cleared for 93 per cent of the procured stocks,” she said. The DC asked the procurement agencies to expedite lifting of stock from the mandis. Tarn Taran, May 3 A businessman was shot dead in the border village of Dubli on Saturday morning when he was in his office. The deceased has been identified as Jaswant Singh Bittu (45). He had been receiving threat calls from gangsters based abroad seeking extortion money of Rs 50 lakh which he was not in a capacity to pay. According to reports received, two armed operatives of the gangsters came to his residence in Dubli village on a motorcycle. One of the armed persons entered his office while his accomplice remained seated on the motorcycle outside the businessman’s office. The trespasser opened fire at him and both absconded from the spot on the motorcycle on which they had come. Jaswant Singh Bittu Jaswant Singh was taken to a private doctor who declared him dead. SHO, Patti Sadar, Sadar reached the spot and collected information about the crime incident. The SHO said that further proceedings would be initiated on the basis of statement recorded by the family of the deceased businessman. Will eradicate drugs NCB nabs 2 pvt hospital owners Two arrested with illegal weapons from state: Minister Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, May 3 Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar today said the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government would eradicate drugs from the state. Addressing members of gram and ward defence committees during “Pind de Pehredaar” event organised at the Police Lines, he said stern action would be taken against drug smugglers. The minister administered oath of de-addiction to all those present and warned drug smugglers to either stop this business or leave Punjab. AAP working president Amansher Singh, alias Sheri Kalsi, appealed the people to spread awareness about the ill effects of drugs in villages and wards. Deputy Commissioner Rahul asked the residents to inform the police about drug smugglers. Amritsar, May 3 A day after the arrest of a pharmaceutical firm owner by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) following the seizure of psychotropic drugs, the central agency has nabbed two private hospital owners in the case. Identified as Jatinder Malhotra and Rajan, they were produced in the court which sent them to judicial custody. According to information, the NCB didn’t sought their police remand. The NCB had seized around 2,000 tablets of tramadol from each one of them and they didn’t had the requisite licence to keep such quantity of psychotropic drugs. Earlier, the NCB had arrested a pharmaceutical firm owner Amit Bhandari and confiscated over 30,000 psychotropic tablets. With this a number of private hospitals in the city and adjoining areas have also come under scanner of the central agency. Apart from the firm owner, the NCB also booked his brother, a journalist and several others, including Malhotra and Rajan. Sources said the NCB had seized records of several hospitals and more heads may role during further course of investigation. “More than 30,000 intoxicant tablets were seized while the suspects had failed to produce the pertinent record. There have been discrepancies in the documentation which raised suspicion,” the official said. He said efforts were on to nab the remaining accused. The NCB has taken around eight year’s record for scrutiny. Bhandari was arrested on Friday and is currently in the police remand. — TNS Amritsar, May 3 The CIA Staff has seized two country-made pistols from the possession of Amritpal Singh of Nangali village and Akash Kumar of Navi Abadi. The duo was produced in the court, which remanded them in the police custody. “The CIA Staff seized two .32 bore country-made pistols along with four cartridges from Amritpal and Akash,” said Harminder Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Investigations). He said the police got a tip-off that the The accused in custody of the CIA Staff on Saturday. duo was involved in criminal activities and were waiting near the Housing Board Colony to deliver weapons. He said police personnel conducted the raid and nabbed them. A case under the Arms Act has been registered against Amritpal and Akash. — TNS Iranians urge PM Modi to facilitate their return from Attari border Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Attari, May 3 Caught in the web of the IndoPak conflict are Iranian tourists who have been stranded at the Attari border for the past over a week, awaiting nod from the Indian Government to allow nationalities other than Pakistan citizens to cross over the border. Staying in their small vanity van, “home on wheels”, they have parked themseves near the border waiting for the clearance. At least three vans are visible. All of these arrived in India separately to tour different destinations, tourist sites and see various colours of life in India. In one of these is staying a couple who are reluctant to speak to mediapersons. They urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the immigration authorities at Attari to facilitate their passage to Iran via Pakistan. Parked near Atari village “wheel on home” is the only refuge for retired Iranian teacher Elham Destani, who has been solo travelling India for the past nearly three months, said the authorities at the Attari border. The security officials said they had not been allowing them to cross over to Pakistan as they did not have orders or notice for other nationalities, except Pakistan citizens, to cross over the international land route. Elham Destani felt sorry at the killing of tourists in Kashmir and expressed her condolences to their families, adding that the conflict between the two neighbours was unfortunate. “It is amazing that Iran is not an issue, yet its nationals cannot return to their home country. I am happy that Indians were allowed to return to their country, while Pakistani nationals were Elham Destani on her way to Attari on Saturday. VISHAL KUMAR c m y b allowed a cross-over.” She has been freshening up, washing her clothes, cooking meals and doing all kinds of necessary chores in the van. Narrating her daily ordeal, she said her daily meal consisted of brown bread and curd. Now, she is fed up eating the same stuff every day. She added that quality eatable stores are situated far in the city. Leaving nothing to chance, she daily queues up her van outside the gates of international land route, awaiting nod from the authorities. At night, she cannot go to the city to buy essentials as her van runs on solar energy. For larger part of the day, they have to park their vans under the sun to charge it, which heats up the interiors making it unfit to sit inside. So they look for shade to rest and escape heat. The solo traveller from Teheran had sold off her flat to buy the van for sightseeing places in India and Pakistan. An extrovert, she is the only one ready to talk to media. She has been stuck here for the past nine days. Left with only a week-long visa to stay in India, she is keen to go across the border to reach her home. She had arrived in India through land route on February 10. This is the only land route to gain entry to India from her country. Commencing her journey from Teheran by crossing MirJaveh-Taftan, shared border between Iran and Pakistan, she visited different cities and locations in Pakistan to reach Lahore to enter India from the Wagah-Attari border. The objective of her visit was purely tourism during the course of her stay in India to see Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi, Agra, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Ajanta Caves. She likes Indian homes, their loving and caring nature, besides their colourful life.