02082025-LT-01.qxd 8/2/2025 12:53 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune BJP COUNCILLORS ACCUSE MAYOR OF BIAS, NEGLECT SHAH RUKH KHAN BAGS HIS FIRST NATIONAL AWARD Actor Shah Rukh Khan won his first National Film Award for best actor for the 2023 blockbuster Jawan. P4 Tensions flared at the MC office as 18 BJP councillors staged a protest against Mayor Inderjit Kaur. P2 » ASHUTOSH SPEAKS ON HUMARE RAM & RAVAN’S CHARACTER Actor Ashutosh Rana, known for intense screen presence & versatile acting, opens up about Humare Ram. P4 » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 29°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7.15 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:43 AM SATURDAY | 2 AUGUST 2025 | LUDHIANA LAND POOLING POLICY Attachment to land, lack of trust in govt assurances behind farmers’ opposition Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 1 A deep emotional bond with their land and lack of trust in government’s assurances are being cited as primary reasons behind farmers’ refusal to part with their agricultural land under the state’s land pooling policy. Former SAD leader and coloniser Manpreet Singh Ayali, whose 150 acres of land in three villages, Birmi, Kialpur and Dakha, falls under the land pooling scheme, opposed the policy, stating: “The government may chop off my head but I will never part with my land.” Ayali emphasised that land is not only a physical asset but also an identity for farmers. “A farmer has an emotional attachment to his land and he won’t give it up under any kind of pressure, unless he voluntarily chooses to do so,” he said. Sharing his experience as a WILL COME UP TO THEIR EXPECTATIONS ❝ We are chosen by the masses, we are among them, we stand by them and support them. Farmers need to build trust, at least for once, and we will come up to their expectations. — Deepak Bali, GEN SECY, AAP, PUNJAB ❞ coloniser, Ayali said when he acquires land from farmers, he compensates them generously — providing 8 to 10 times more land elsewhere, constructing homes for them, offering tractors and fulfilling other needs. “It is not easy for any farmer to part with his land. And the government thinks it can get the same easily by promising Rs 50,000 per acre after a year? That’s not how it works. The price of an acre would not be less than Rs 30-40 lakh in prominent Landowners should have right to decide how they want to use or sell their land, it’s not government’s prerogative, says a farmer. FILE areas,” he remarked. Simran Singh Dakha, a young landlord who has returned from Canada to pursue farming in his ancestral land, echoed similar concerns. “The Land Acquisition Act was designed to strip farmers of their rights. If I don’t sell, I’m restricted to farming only. If I give the land to the government, I lose it for at least eight years. Who knows what happens in the future? Land is everything for a farmer — why would he give it up for vague promises?” he questioned. Jaswant Singh Issewal, a farmer owning 10 acres in Issewal village, also voiced strong opposition to the policy. “No farmer will yield land under pressure, no matter what. Small farmers will be destroyed. Women in our households are actively involved in dairy farming. If land is pooled, their livelihood is gone. Why should a farmer hand over his security to the government?” he said. He said landowners should have right to decide how they want to use or sell their land. “It’s not government’s prerogative,” he said. The sentiment resonates across villages affected by the policy, where distrust towards government’s long-term promises and emotional attachment to land remain firm hurdles in implementing the scheme. Meanwhile, Deepak Bali, general secretary, AAP Punjab, how, ever, said if there was an emotional bond with the land, the government was not snatching away anyone’s land forcibly and they can use the same for agriculture basis but if they want to sell it for development then why not to their own chosen government? “We are chosen by the masses, we are among them, we stand by them and support them. They need to build trust, at least for once, and we will come up to their expectations,” he said. Key suspect in stock market tradermurder case nabbed Mahesh Sharma Ludhiana, August 1 The Ludhiana (rural) police claimed to have solved a murder case in which a stock market trader of Jagraon, Jaskirat Singh Jassa, was killed brutally by armed miscreants when he was returning home in Kothe Sherjang on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday night. The miscreants had also burnt his SUV on the fateful night. Though the assailants were reported to be around seven, the police arrested the main suspect, Ramandeep Singh Raman, of Adarsh Colony, Jagraon, when he was trying to leave the region on Friday. The police have also seized a .45 bore pistol, Tata Xenon Crew vehicle (bearing registration number PB10D Z 4168), a bottle filled with petrol and a mobile from his possession. SSP Ankur Gupta said a joint team of police officials, supervised by DSP (D) Inderjit Singh Boparai, Jagraon DSP Jasjyot Singh and SHO (City) Varinderpal Singh, had nabbed main suspect Ramandeep Singh Raman, who, along with his other accomplice, had assaulted Jaskirat with sharp weapons when he was returning home on Tuesday night. “Though we have received vital information about other suspects too, its disclosure at this stage may affect further progress in the case,” Gupta said and appreciated the investigating team had prevented the main suspect from fleeing the region. The critically injured Jaskirat was rushed to a hospital where he died during the treatment. Preliminary investigation revealed that around six bikeborne assailants carrying sharp weapons had attacked the victim, who was going in a Mahindra Scorpio to his residence at Kothe Sherjang on Tuesday night. While circumstantial evidence suggests old enmity behind the murder, the investigating police are yet to ascertain the exact reason and sequence of events leading to the crime. Jagdev Singh, father of the deceased, had informed the police earlier that his son had been attacked with a sharp weapon by Raman, his associate Kuljit Singh of Atam Nagar, Jagraon, and around five other persons after being dragged from his SUV on Tuesday night. The suspects had burnt the deceased’s SUV before attacking him. The complainant said the suspects fled the scene in a SUV (PB 10 DZ 4168) when he raised the alarm. Two brothers booked for murdering man Ludhiana, August 1 The Haibowal police have initiated a probe into a murder case in which two miscreants had allegedly killed a man after calling him on the pretext of reaching a compromise in a day-old confrontation. The deceased was identified as Ravi (28), a tenant at a vehra near Sangam Chowk in Haibowal, and the suspects as Munish and his brother Shubham, who are also residents of the vehra. SHO Jasvir Singh said the police had tightened noose around Munish and Shubham who had allegedly attacked Ravi after calling him on the pretext of resolving an issue related to payment of rent of their rooms to the landlord of the building in which they were staying. Preliminary investigation revealed that Shubham had a scuffle with Ravi when he had asked him for the rent of their room as desired by the owner of the building. It was after sometime that Ravi received a call from Munish, the main suspect, who proposed to resolve the issue amicably at a place near a gurdwara. But the suspects attacked him at the spot with sharp weapons and fled after leaving the victim in an unconscious state. Later, he succumbed to his injuries. The police registered an FIR on the statement of Ravi’s wife Suman and initiated a probe into the case, the SHO said. — OC Police officials address mediapersons in Jagraon on Friday. OTS policy extended till August 15 Over 60 JEs go on strike over dept action against three employees Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 1 Providing a major relief to residents, the state government has extended the onetime settlement (OTS) policy for property tax till August 15. Consumers face 10-hour outage under Aggar Nagar Division Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Mayor appeals to residents to avail max benefits, submit pending property tax without penalty Mayor Inderjit Kaur has appealed to residents to avail maximum benefit of the policy and submit pending property tax without any penalty or interest. The Mayor stated that as per the policy notified by the government in the past, residents could submit pending property tax with- Residents submit property tax at a suvidha kendra in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA out any penalty or interest by July 31. However, for facilitating the residents at large, the state government has extended the policy and now, they could submit pending property tax without any penalty or interest by August 15. Civic body officials stated that the property tax had to be paid on a self-assessment basis every year. If the property owner fails to pay the same, a 20 per cent penalty and 18 per cent annual interest on the pending amount were charged by the civic body. Under the policy, the residents can now submit the pending tax by August 15 without any penalty or interest. The pending tax can be submitted at suvidha kendras situated in zonal offices of the civic body. Ludhiana, August 1 Over 60 Junior Engineers (JEs) of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) went on a strike on Thursday, protesting disciplinary action taken against three employees, who were allegedly involved in unethical practices causing financial losses to the department. As a result, power consumers under the Aggar Nagar Division faced major inconvenience when electricity remained suspended for around 10 hours. A major snag in the transformer at Rishi Nagar worsened the situation and due to the ongoing strike, the department had to arrange alternate staff to restore supply, causing further delays. Sources in the department revealed that the three employees were allegedly involved in malpractice of issuing two meters on a single account to consumers to obtain additional security deposits. The action reportedly caused substantial financial loss to the department with an official probe currently underway to assess the total damage. Social activist Kimti Rawal had also flagged the issue, stating that around 300 meters were reportedly installed unethically by a few employees. Speaking to The Tribune, Chief Engineer Jagdev Singh Hans said, “One person, Manpreet, has been terminated, while two others — Satnam Singh and Amandeep Singh — have been suspended. Their role in issuing two meters per account cannot be overlooked. The move appears to have been aimed at collecting extra security deposits from consumers, but it has, instead, led to a significant loss for the department.” He said instead of flaying the malpractice, JEs chose to go on a strike to pressure the department to revoke the disciplinary action. “Under such pressure, our functioning is affected, especially when technical faults arise in any circle,” he said. Meanwhile, Aggar Nagar residents held a late-night protest over the prolonged power outage, expressing anger and frustration over the situation. South City underpass turns into a pool after rain, commuters hit Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 1 A short drive towards the South City underpass paints a grim picture. Commuters approaching the underpass are met with a troubling sight — floating number plates, dislodged bumpers and broken flaps of cars and scooters, Exposes serious flaws in city’s drainage infra which were swept away in the accumulated water. Though the area received Motorists navigate the flooded South City underpass. ASHWANI DHIMAN only light showers on Friday, the South City underpass remains heavily waterlogged following the two days of downpour, exposing serious flaws in the city’s drainage infrastructure. What was designed to ease congestion turns into a recurring hazard after every major spell of rain. Several residents have reported vehicle breakdowns and financial losses due to the accumulated water. As vehicles approach the South City underpass, many motorists try to reverse vehicles on spotting the waterlogged stretch — creating sudden traffic chaos and confusion. The fear of getting stuck runs deep among commuters. “I once got stranded right in the middle of a road during a downpour,” recalls Rajeev Malhotra, a local businessman. c m y b “My car engine failed and I had to wade out in knee-deep water. Since then, I don’t take chances as reversing the vehicle is far better than reliving that nightmare,” he said. Pawan Sharma, a city resident, shared his ordeal: “My automatic car stalled right in the middle of the underpass. The water was so deep that it reached the doors. I had to spend a hefty amount to get it repaired.” Two-wheeler riders have faced equal distress. Ritika Verma, a college student, said: “I tried crossing the underpass on my scooter but the engine gave up halfway. I had to push the two-wheeler out with help. It’s risky and frustrating — it happens every monsoon.” The situation has sparked concern among local residents, many of whom question the planning and execution of the underpass project. While the Municipal Corporation claims to be addressing the issue, there are not much improvement in the situation. A senior MC official said: “Our teams are at the site and working to pump out the water using suction machines. We’re monitoring the situation closely.” “New bridges and flyovers are being built to improve the traffic flow, which is welcome, but what about maintaining the older infrastructure?” asked a resident. “The South City underpass is a prime example of poor planning and neglect. Recurring problems after rain show that we not only need development but also smarter maintenance of what already exists,” he said. However, residents argue that temporary fixes are no longer enough. The recurring flooding at the South City underpass — despite Ludhiana’s Smart City status — points to a deeper need for structural upgrades and a dedicated storm water drainage system. DC reviews arrangements for I-Day event Ludhiana, August 1 Deputy Commissioner (DC) Himanshu Jain on Friday conducted a comprehensive review of arrangements for the district-level 79th Independence Day celebrations, set to take place at PAU grounds. During the meeting, Jain meticulously discussed important aspects, including the hoisting of the Tricolour, security measures, traffic management, parking facilities, cultural programmes, uninterrupted power supply, sanitation and medical services. He engaged with heads of various departments to coordinate efforts and assigned senior officials to oversee preparations, ensuring the event was celebrated with patriotic fervour. A committee was also appointed to prepare cultural performances by students from schools and colleges across the district, aiming to showcase local talent and diversity. The DC directed the Municipal Corporation to maintain cleanliness around the venue, including regular water sprinkling on access roads to control dust and ensure provision of temporary urinals and mobile toilets for attendees’ convenience. Additionally, he also asked the Commissionerate Police to take robust security measures to ensure law and order throughout the event. Rehearsals for the cultural programmes and other activities are scheduled to commence on August 9. Prominent attendees included ADC Rakesh Kumar, SDM Jasleen Kaur Bhullar, Assistant Commissioner Payal Goyal and other key stakeholders. — TNS