19082025-LT-01.qxd 8/19/2025 12:55 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune MASSIVE CRACKDOWN ON DRUG HOTSPOTS SCHOOLS CLOSED DUE TO RISING WATER LEVELS SWIFT REACTS TO RUMOURS ABOUT HAPPY GILMORE 2 Over 350 cops carried out a large-scale CASO in localities previously identified as drug hotspots. P2 Schools in Baupur area will remain closed for another week as flood-like conditions persist in the region. P3 Taylor Swift has put an end to all the rumours that she had a cameo as a bear in Happy Gilmore 2. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.00 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:53 AM » TUESDAY | 19 AUGUST 2025 | LUDHIANA Civic body deploys street light patrolling Pay property tax dues by Aug 31 without penalty, residents told teams to tackle monsoon outages Tribune News Service Employees will conduct daily inspections, coordinate with private company Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 18 In response to a surge in complaints about non-functional street lights, especially during the monsoon season, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has deputed 24 patrollers across the city to monitor outages and ensure timely repairs. The staffers will conduct daily inspections and coordinate with a private firm contracted for maintenance, using a dedicated software system to log faults and track resolutions. With over one lakh LED street lights under the firm’s care, the civic body aims to reduce downtime and improve public safety, particularly in areas vulnerable to water damage. Rain often disrupts electrical connections and bulbs, leading to spikes in complaints during this season. To streamline the grievance redressal, residents can report faulty lights by calling Ludhiana, August 18 After the state government extended the one-time settlement (OTS) policy for pending property tax till August 31 for the welfare of residents, Municipal Corpo- MC chief says take max benefit of OTS policy; staff directed to expedite recovery of dues Non-functional street lights pose a threat to residents, especially senior citizens, in Ludhiana. FILE PHOTOS toll-free number 1800-121484848, which is displayed on street light poles. According to MC officials, complaints registered through the number are expected to be resolved within 48 hours. If not addressed within the stipulated time, action will be taken against the responsible officials or contractors. The patrolling teams will cover all city constituencies — East, West, North, South, Central, and Atam Nagar. Prominent localities under surveillance include Rishi Nagar, Dugri, BRS Nagar, Urban Estate, Dhandari Kalan and Giaspura, along with highfootfall areas such as Rakh Bagh and the railway station. Sunita Mehra from Dugri said: “Street light outside our block has been non-functional for three nights. I have called the officials twice already. Now that patrollers are on duty, I hope they finally fix the same.” Rajiv Arora from BRS Nagar said: “Dark streets are risky, especially for senior citizens. The MC needs to act fast and keep the lights functioning.” A senior MC official acknowledged the seasonal spike in outages. “Daily patrolling helps us catch faults early. Our goal is to ensure no street light stays off for long, regardless of the weather,” he said. With this initiative, the civic body hopes to enhance urban safety and restore public confidence in its infrastructure systems. MC chief holds a meeting with officials in Ludhiana on Monday. ration (MC) Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal has appealed to residents to take maximum benefit of the policy and submit pending tax without any penalty or interest by August 31. The MC Commissioner held a meeting with the officials concerned regarding the recovery of the pending property tax in MC’s Zone D office in Sarabha Nagar on Monday. The officials have been directed to reach out to the public and spread awareness among them, so that they can avail maximum benefit of the policy and submit the pending tax without any penalty. MC Additional Commissioner Paramdeep Singh, Joint Commissioner-cumZonal Commissioner (Zone D) Abhishek Sharma, Assistant Commissioner-cumZonal Commissioner (Zone A and B) Neeraj Jain, Assistant Commissioner-cum-Zonal Commissioner (Zone C) Gurpal Singh, zonal superintendents among other officials were present in the meeting. The 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 tax, a 20 per cent penalty and 18 per cent annual interest on the pending amount was charged by the civic body. Under the OTS policy, the residents can now submit the tax by August 31 without any penalty or interest. The pending tax can be submitted at suvidha kendras situated in zonal offices of the civic body. Later, the MC chief also held a meeting with the building branch officials wherein the assistant town planners (ATPs) concerned of all four zones were directed to expedite the recovery of the dues from the residents. Further, they were also directed to act strict against illegal constructions. Man nabbed with 6 kids rescued from begging, 1-kg heroin, three admitted to govt schools pistols, cartridges Our Correspondent Our Correspondent A demolition drive of the Municipal Corporation in progress in Ludhiana. MC building branch cracks whip on 8 illegal buildings Ludhiana, August 18 Taking stern action against illegal constructions, the building branch of the Municipal Corporation (MC) took action against eight illegal constructions in Model Town Extension, Model Town, Jawaddi road area and Sarabha Nagar and Jawahar Nagar Camp here on Monday. Of these, one building was sealed in Model Town while three shops were sealed in Model Town Extension. Further, the building branch demolished illegal portions of a building in J Block of Sarabha Nagar and two buildings on the Model Town-Jawaddi road. One illegal commercial construction has also been demolished in the Jawahar Nagar camp area. Working on the directions of MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, action has been taken by the building branch of the MC’s Zone D office. Civic body officials said encroachments done by the owner of a residential build- ing on the road portion in the Aggar Nagar area had also been removed. The building branch officials said working on the directions of the MC Commissioner, action was taken against illegal buildings on a regular basis. They appealed to residents to start construction works only after getting building plans approved from the civic body, otherwise strict action would be taken against illegal constructions. — TNS Ludhiana, August 18 The Ludhiana police claimed to have nabbed a drug peddler who was waiting for his client at a tube well near the boundary wall of Sacred Heart Convent School on Sunday evening. A rich haul of drugs and arms and ammunition were seized from the possession of the suspect, identified as Mukkal Mattu of Mohalla Fatehgarh, near Le Plaza Hotel, here. Three pistols, 21 cartridges and 1.05 kg of heroin were seized from the man. Perusal of Daily Crime Report revealed that the police, led by Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma, had nabbed the suspect, who had also been involved in several criminal cases registered at various police stations of the Police Commissionerate. RECENTLY BOOKED IN ANOTHER CASE Preliminary probe revealed that the suspect had recently been booked for threatening whistleblowers against peddlers. The suspect was arrested from New Moti Nagar on Sunday evening by police officials, led by ASI Raj Kumar of the Moti Nagar police station. The man was standing near a tube well room near the boundary wall of Sacred Heart Convent School on Sunday evening when he was nabbed by the police. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had recently been booked for threatening whistleblowers against drug peddlers. Jagraon, August 18 The district administration claimed to have rescued at least six minor children who were being exploited by their parents for begging at localities falling under the Jagraon and Raikot subdivisions. The rescued children were admitted to various government schools near their localities to stop their exploitation by parents. District Child Protection Officer Rashmi said special teams from the department had been deployed to check incidents of begging in their respective regions. “Having received instructions from Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, we had launched a campaign to check exploitation of children for begging, which resulted in a steep fall in the number of incidents of seeking alms,” said Rashmi, adding that six children were found begging in the presence of their parents at different localities falling under the Jagraon and Raikot subdivisions. As the parents had cited non-admission of their wards at government schools in their localities, the officials facilitated admission of the rescued children at government schools of the region. Officials conduct a survey at a locality in Ludhiana on Monday. Agri varsity’s Digital Agribusiness Lab powers rural dreams Court declines cops’ Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 18 In a state where agriculture is both heritage and livelihood, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is sowing seeds of a new kind of empowerment. The agricultural university’s School of Business Studies (SBS) recently launched its Digital Agribusiness Lab, a platform designed to transform rural farmers into confident entrepreneurs. For years, the School of Business Studies has quietly mentored budding agripreneurs — guiding them through product development, branding, packaging and marketing. Its physical laboratory PAU’s School of Business Studies launched its Digital Agribusiness Lab in Ludhiana recently. has served as a hands-on space where farmers and students could explore value-added agricultural products and understand market dynamics. Now, with the lab going digital, that support is set to reach far beyond campus walls. Empowering unseen entrepreneurs The digital lab offers mentorship, product showcases and business-building resources — all accessible via smartphone. It’s a response to the growing need for visibility, confidence and connectivity in the agri-enterprise space. It is designed to serve farmers and rural youth who may lack access to formal training or urban networks. It offers virtual mentorship, product showcases and business development resources — all tailored to realities of rural enterprise. With grow- c m y b ing smartphone penetration and social media use in villages, the lab provides a window into possibilities many hadn’t dared to imagine. Dr Ramandeep Singh, Director of SBS and a veteran in agribusiness development, called the initiative “a bridge between knowledge and livelihood.” He emphasised that rural entrepreneurs often have ideas and drive — but need guidance to turn those into viable ventures. Dr Navneet Kaur Gill, teaching assistant and the architect of the digital transition, spoke from lived experience. “Many farmers hesitate to step into agribusiness because they have never seen it done. This platform lets them visualise success, con- nect with mentors and build confidence,” she said. A collective push for change Faculty members, including Dr Sandeep Kapur, Dr Mohit Gupta and Dr Rakesh Rathore, hailed the lab as a tool for inclusive growth. “This isn’t just about business — it’s about dignity, self-reliance and rural transformation,” said Dr Kapur. By digitising its agribusiness lab, the PAU is not only modernising its infrastructure — but also democratising opportunity. In a state where agriculture is both livelihood and legacy, the initiative could help rural communities reimagine their future as farmers and also entrepreneurs. plea for 2-day police remand of bizman Ludhiana, August 18 Judicial Magistrate Arman Sandhu on Monday declined the request of the police for granting two-day police remand of businessman Sunil Maria, owner of the Sunil Maria Group. After hearing arguments from both defence counsel and the prosecution, the court ordered that the suspect be sent to 14-day judicial custody. Maria was arrested on Sunday by Division Number 8 police in connection with a case registered against him for allegedly breaking Municipal Corporation seals on locks of an unauthorised office, located in Dhaulagiri Apartments, Mall Road. The building had been sealed by the Municipal Corporation’s Building Branch over three months ago after officials found that the owner had allegedly illegally converted a residential block into a commercial office. According to SHO Amarjit Singh, the case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Town Planning Department of the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, following which Maria was taken into custody. — OC