10052025-LT-01.qxd 5/9/2025 10:09 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune NO CLARITY ON SCHOOLS’ CLOSURE LEAVES TEACHERS IN LIMBO MASTERING THE ART OF TYING TURBAN THIS SUMMER BOLLYWOOD CELEBS LAUD INDIAN ARMY FOR BRAVERY Confusion prevailed in govt schools due to the ‘lackadaisical’ approach of both DEOs over the closure of schools. P2 Young children are signing up for new type of tuition classes — on how to tie turbans. P3 Veteran actor Anupam Kher took to social media to share a video from his family’s home in Jammu. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 21°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7.11 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:34 AM » SATURDAY | 10 MAY 2025 | LUDHIANA Liquor vends remain open despite blackout order Manav Mander Tribune News Service Huge rush of vehicles at a fuel station; and (right) passengers, including migrants and students, wait for the trains for going back to their homes, at the Ludhiana railway station on Friday. ASHWANI DHIMAN & HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Panic among residents as tension escalates between India, Pakistan Long queues at petrol stations; heavy rush at grocery, chemist shops Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 9 Following escalation of tension between India and Pakistan in these times of war, tempers ran high and panic gripped city residents. Phones rang continuously and messages shared after every few minutes to know about the situation and on what would happen next till the wee hours last night. Despite the pleas made by the district administration to the people not to panic, residents looked worried and anxious. Petrol stations saw serpentine queues of residents for getting fuel for vehicles. The markets witnessed less foot- fall of customers, but those dealing in basic commodities, medicines, groceries, etc. witnessed “panic buying”. Ashok Sachdeva, president, Petrol Pump Dealers Association, here said that there was a rush at fuel stations because of panic. “Last night, we got sudden rush in the evening. Almost all petrol pumps saw serpentine queues of vehicles for fuel. Though there has been no shortage, still people want to be on safer side,” said Sachdeva. At the same time, shopkeepers in the markets rue that in the last two days there was very less footfall of customers in the market. Ayush Aggarwal, general secretary Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, here said that the markets did not witness normal rush of visitors because of the tension between India and Pakistan. “At the same time, the shops of essential commodities and medicines witnessed rush and residents were seen stocking necessary items,” said Aggarwal. The home makers too looked worried as during late night hours they called each other to ask if they should operate bank lockers to take out their valuables. “I called up my friend, who is working at a bank, to ask if we should get the valuables from the lockers in case war takes place, and she asked us to wait for another day or two. In case the situation escalates, we will take out the valuables from lockers,” said the worried woman not wishing to be quoted. At Ludhiana railway station, huge rush of passengers was witnessed in the evening while it was normal during the day. Ram Bhagat, a migrant labourer, said that he had gone to Jammu for work, but since the situation was very tense there, they had started back for the native places in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The trains coming from Jammu/Katra side were jam-packed with passengers going back to their homes. Many students from Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, were also travelling back to their homes following war-like situation. At the same time, rumour mongers also added to the panic. A local resident, Kiran, said that there was a preplanned get-together on the occasion of the birthday of a dear friend, but in the middle of the celebrations everyone started running towards the lift to get out. “Someone said that there was a bomb blast near Guru Nanak Bhawan, but all these were rumours, which created a lot of panic. We must be responsible enough not to circulate or believe such rumours,” rued the resident. Ludhiana, May 9 Although a black out was declared in Ludhiana yesterday night by the district administration, keeping in view the rising tension between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, but while cocking a snook at the authorities many liquor vends in the city were seen not complying with the orders. Not giving two hoots to the orders, liquor vends were seen open with all lights inside and outside these switched on and business running as usual. Blackout was announced at 10.20 pm and even after an hour, around 11.30 pm, vends were found open on Pakhowal Road, Sarabha Nagar, BRS Nagar, Lodhi Club Road and Vir Chakra awardee Lt Col HS Kahlon (retd) with a picture, showing him receiving the Vir Chakra. ASHWANI DHIMAN ‘Fight war only to protect people’ VETERANS’ TAKE Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 9 “Deh shiva bar mohe eh hai, Subh karman te kabh na taron. Na daro aar so jab jaye laro, Nischay kar apni jeet karon” (O Akaal Purakh, give me this boon, may I never ever shirk from doing good deeds. That I shall not fear when I go into combat. And with determination, I will be victorious), is how Lt Col H.S. Kahlon (retd), who was decorated with Vir Chakra for his courage and valour in the 1971 war, starts the conversation with The Tribune today. It took a little effort to persuade Col Kahlon to speak about the current situation as he was disheartened. “War is no solution and should be fought only if the welfare of the people is involved, like in the case of 1971 war. One should never step back from laying down his/her life for the sake of the country. Nation comes first and everything else after and this is what the Army and my religion has taught me,” he says. Commenting on the current escalating situation between India and Pakistan, Kahlon said that after the Pahalgam attack, the strike by India was justified, but it should be stopped now as none of the countries can afford war at present. War should be fought only if people of the country are in danger and not to settle political scores, he says. “The Indian armed forces are very powerful and can deal with any situation,” he says. He recalled that he was also posted at the J&K border during his service. “We often used to gun down terrorists trying to infiltrate, but that was only on the border. Such situations should be handled at the border and not involve the entire nation into it. Years have passed, but the sad reality is that the situation still remain the same, especially in PoK,” he said. Mandi Ahmedgarh/ Raikot, May 9 While the administration has cautioned the people and traders to avoid any type of panic buying and hoarding, residents still could be seen buying essential items, including grocery and medicines, to remain prepared during the ongoing Indo-Pak tension. However, supplies of almost all categories of consumables were noticed to be normal and scarcity of no item was reported from this region falling under Malerkotla and Ludhiana districts, respectively. Office-bearers of outfits of various business communities have also cautioned members of their organisations to follow guidelines of the administration and refrain from unethical practices to exploit the situation for earning extra profit. Tarsem Garg, an officebearer of a shopkeepers’ association at Ahmedgarh acknowledged that villagers, including farmers, small traders and employees, had started purchasing perishable goods, keeping in view probable arrival and stay of their relatives settled in border areas. “As making higher purchases during the post-harvest period is a normal practice in this part of Malwa, we can call the extra purchases as ‘panic buying’,” said Garg while maintaining that all shopkeepers had been asked to refrain from any unethical practice, normally adopted during war times with the intent to exploit buyers. Deputy Commissioner Viraj S Tidke has assured the residents that the adminis- at a department store said that people came to his shop to buy grocery in bulk. “Huge rush was witnessed on Wednesday and today. People were picking up packets from the shelves in a hurry and so many got torn in the process,” she said. Scattered sugar and pulses on the floor seem to be telling the tale. Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana Himanshu Jain has appealed to residents to avoid panic buying and hoarding of groceries. He has assured the public that there was no shortage of essential goods and that the situation was completely under control. They were also reminding residents that such actions could lead to black marketing and that strict action would be taken against anyone found hoarding essential items. Despite blackout order, some liquor vends remained open with lights on. Expecting relatives from border areas, villagers stock up consumables Mahesh Sharma Dugri Road. When one of the workers at the vends located at Lodhi Club Road was asked if he was not aware of the orders, he said that he was doing his duty and had received no instructions from his boss, so he was carrying on as usual. Another liquor vend at BRS Nagar was all lit up with all fancy lights and shutter open. Kulwant Singh, a senior citizen who lives nearby, said that he requested them to shut the vend or at least switch off the lights, but they did not bother to listen and continue their work as usual. “These kinds of people also put the security of other people at risk,” he said. Meanwhile, huge rush was witnessed at grocery and department stores and fuel stations. One of the salesmen tration had already made adequate arrangements for facing any situation arising due to tension between India and Pakistan. “While we have appealed to the public not to believe in rumours and panic, shopkeepers and traders have been cautioned against illegal hoarding of essential goods for speculative purposes,” said Tidke. The authorities at government and private healthcare organisations, however, have been asked to make extra arrangements to meet any exigency. Mischievouspersons fly sky lanterns, violate ban Mandi Ahmedgarh, May 9 It seems that some mischievous persons of the region are yet to take the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan seriously. Though most of the residents, including office-bearers of various social organisations, have starting following protocol and guidelines being given by the administration after the escalation of tension between India and Pakistan, there are still some elements who don’t hesitate from compounding the issues by violating the ban on bursting of crackers and flying sky lanterns just for fun sake. Residents of the Dehliz Road were shocked to see crimson red projectiles passing over their houses late on Thursday, which they misunderstood to be missiles. However, later investigations revealed that some mischievous elements had allegedly bought sky lanterns and flown them with intent to scare people of the area. Occasional bursting of crackers was mistaken by residents as sounds of blasts. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Viraj S Tidkey has promulgated prohibitory orders banning bursting of crackers, besides flying of drones during festivities and wedding celebrations. — OC Opposition stages walkout; Mayor passes staff-related agenda Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 9 The General House meeting of the MC today was a complete showdown after both Congress and BJP councillors staged a walkout, protested, raised slogans and alleged that the AAP government was breaching all protocols and working on its whims and fancies. Police force was also present, which tried controlling the agitating councillors as they raised slogans against the AAP government. After walkout, the opposition councillors sat outside the venue and raised slogans. Reacting to the allegations of not providing copies of the agenda, the Mayor said, “enigam has been implemented and the meetings of the General House will now go paperless. Gradually, e-office will also be implemented in the civic body offices for ensuring transparency and efficiency,” she said. The Mayor further said that the general house has also implemented e-nigam in the civic body. Under this initiative taken to promote digitisation, the meetings of MC General House and Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) will go paperless on the lines of Punjab Assembly. An online record will also be maintained for future use. This time too, the agenda of the F&CC meetings held in the past was also shared with the councillors on WhatsApp. Meanwhile, the General House held under the chairmanship of Mayor Inderjit Kaur at Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan on Friday approved c m y b Councillors of the opposition stage a protest. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN resolutions for regularisation of around 800 over-age employees and around 470 beldars, gardeners, drivers, etc. The resolution for taking over different LIT scheme areas for maintenance, including Maharishi Valmiki Nagar, Rajguru Nagar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar Nagar, Bharat Nagar Extension, Sant Ishar Singh Nagar and Sukhdev Enclave was also approved. Another resolution for providing jobs to next of kin of deceased employees on com- passionate grounds was also okayed. A number of other resolutions regarding promotions/welfare of employees also got the nod. Meanwhile, both Congress and BJP councillors alleged concealment of over 1,000 development agendas passed in the recent F&CC meeting. Leader of Opposition Shyam Sunder Malhotra said that the 1,500-page agenda of the meeting was given a day before in the evening and was sent only to the Leader of Opposition, while no councillor was given a copy. “How one can read 1,500 pages in a few hours. When the Mayor was questioned on this, she said that the agenda was never sent in advance,” he said. Opposition councillors also said despite present tension this meeting was called. Ludhiana Congress Committee (Urban) president Sanjay Talwar als condemned Friday’s General House and questioned the emergency of passing the agendas when the country was going through a difficult time. “There was no transparency and no councillor knew how much fund had been allotted to his/her ward for development. The meeting was held just for the sake of holding one,” said Talwar. Rajneesh Dhiman, district BJP head, said that if only the Mayor and councillors had to take all decisions, then there was no need for a General House. “The agenda of the meeting was sent to a few at 11 pm on WhatsApp for the meeting next morning. All agendas were passed without discussion and there was no need for a meeting,” he said.