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P4 SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:17 AM » SATURDAY | 27 DECEMBER 2025 | LUDHIANA All 33 proposals passed amid stormy MC House meeting Cong, BJP councillors raise issues, sanitation workers stage dharna outside venue Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, December 26 The General House meeting of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) turned stormy on Friday at Ambedkar Bhawan here, after Congress councillors staged a protest demanding that ‘Zero Hour’ be held first to raise local issues before discussion on the agenda. Mayor Inderjit Kaur insisted that the agenda be taken up first, followed by Zero Hour, sparking a sharp opposition. Congress councillors accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs of running the House instead of the Mayor. Four MLAs, Madan Lal Bagga, Ashok Parashar Pappi, Daljit Grewal Bhola and Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina, were present, with Bagga demanding monthly House meetings and Pappi urging that the House should function like a family, giving equal opportunity to all. Not only inside but the atmosphere turned stormy outside also. Municipal Corporation sanitation workers karamcharis staged a dharna at the meeting venue, demanding regularisation of their jobs. The employees raised slogans, burnt an effigy of minister Ravjot Singh and pressed for long-pending service security. The agitating workers raised slogans against the civic body and said they would never let a private company to lift garbage and make them job- Cong’s Sham Sunder Malhotra raises a point during MC House meeting; and (left) sanitation workers stage a protest in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN DIRTY WATER BJP councillor Poonam Ratra dramatically carried a bottle of contaminated water into the House, symbolising the drinking water crisis faced by residents. Her gesture underscored public anger over unsafe water supply and added to the stormy atmosphere of the meeting. less. They have been doing the work since years. Meanwhile, in a significant development, the Municipal Corporation’s General House meeting passed all 33 proposals, including the expansion of the corporation’s limits. It was only the third such meeting of the year, following the last session in May. Mayor Inderjit Kaur announced that while the proposals had been approved, their implementation would be delayed for two years as boundaries would remain frozen from January 1 due to the upcoming Census. Congress councillor Sukhdev Bawa alleged that even sanitation workers were ignoring elected representatives, claiming that they only listen to AAP volunteers. “If our voices are not heard, take our resignations and hand over power to your party members,” he said. BJP councillor Ruchi Gulati complained that despite approvals, no street lights or interlocking tiles had been installed in her ward. AAP councillor Gurpreet Babbar cautioned against manhandling officials while councillor Paraminder Kaur defended her husband Inderjit, recently acquitted by court, leading to a heated argument between Congress and AAP members. Congress councillor Gaurav Bhatti lashed out during the meeting, remarking that while Ludhiana ranks first in tax collection, it also tops the charts in filth. He objected to AAP MLAs answering questions inside the House, insisting that responses should come from the Mayor and the Commissioner. The Mayor defended the MLAs, saying they were worthy of respect and had executed development works that was why they were responding. During the meeting, MLA Pappi raised the issue of the Shivaji Nagar drain, alleging that its problems were the result of political interference. He pointed out that marriage palaces and dyeing units had been constructed along the drain and urged the Municipal Commissioner to take strict action against encroachments. MC Commissioner Aditya Dachalwal assured that continued on page 3 Police vow to continue action against anti-social elements Mahesh Sharma Ludhiana, December 26 The Ludhiana Commissionerate Police had announced to continue its action against anti-social elements, including cross-border smugglers of illegal weapons, drug peddlers and those disrupting peace of the region ahead of the New Year. The police have also resolved to ensure safety and security of residents by taking proactive preventive measures to strengthen the law-and-order situation. The announcement was made by Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, Swapan Sharma, after highlighting achievements made during the present year in various avenues of policing. “As maintaining law and order needs an exemplary diligence on the part of every member of police force, we have advised rank and file in the department to continue putting their best in fight against drug trafficking and CP highlights achievements made during the year in policing other criminal activities,” said Sharma, while appreciating that coordinated efforts made by the Commissionerate force had resulted in arrest of a record number of miscreants and seizure of arms and ammunition, explosive and huge quantities of contrabands during the year. AS many as 99 weapons, including three grenades, besides 311 cartridges and 28 magazines were recovered from 58 miscreants arrested in connection with 32 cases registered under the Arms Act and the Explosives Act. Besides apprehending 381 proclaimed offenders during the year, officials posted at various police stations of the Commissionerate arrested 3,824 suspects whose arrest was pending in connection with 5,865 cases. The police claimed to have registered about 1,200 cases under the NDPS Act while over 1,530 suspects were arrested during the year. Record stocks of drugs and narcotics, including 25.312 kg of opium, 535.8 kg poppy husk, 3.98 kg charas, 58.87 kg ganja, 23 g of cocaine, 32.639 kg of heroin, 64 g of ICE, 1.263 kg of intoxicant powder, 27.1 kg of poppy plants, 32,272 habit-forming tablets and capsule were seized during the year. Scientific and technical investigation and efforts of dedicated personnel resulted in a commendable conviction rate of 92.7 per cent in the FIRs registered under the NDPS Act. The police further said 319 persons were arrested in connection with 274 cases registered under the Excise Act. The recoveries included 203.75 liters of illicit liquor, 6,723.51 litres of unauthorised licensed liquor, 11,041.95 litres of English liquor, 85.58 litres of beer and 50 litres of lahan. Cops show weapons seized from suspects in a case recently. FILE Youth found dead near park Rights panel intervenes to release body from hospital Our Correspondent Ludhiana, December 26 The police have launched a probe into an incident in which the body of a 32-yearold youth was found lying near LIG park falling under the jurisdiction of the Division Number 7 police station. Though no external marks of injuries were noticed on the body, his limbs were tied with a rope, pointing towards a blind murder. Identity of the deceased was ascertained on the basis of an Aadhaar card issued in the name of Dinesh Tewari of Guru Arjun Dev Nagar. Having received information about the recovery of the body, police personnel, led by SHO Gagandeep Singh, shifted the body to a mortuary at the Civil Hospital. Footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area is checked to ascertain events leading to dumping of the body at a deserted place possibly under the cover of darkness on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, December 26 In a landmark case, the Punjab Human Rights Commission (PHRC) directed the release of a body from a hospital after the family was unable to clear pending medical dues. Commission member Baljinder Singh said it was the first such case in the state where the panel had to inter- vene to ensure the release of a patient’s body. The incident occurred at a local hospital where a patient admitted for a liver transplant passed away. Family members had been asked to pay Rs 17 lakh for the treatment. However, they managed to deposit only Rs 11 lakh and were unable to arrange the remaining money. Following the patient’s death, the hospital alleged- HOSPITALS CAN’T WITHHOLD BODY OVER UNPAID BILLS, SAYS PHRC Following the patient’s death, the hospital allegedly withheld the body due to non-payment of bills. Acting on the family’s plea, the PHRC issued an order clarifying that hospitals could not withhold a body over unpaid bills. ly withheld the body due to non-payment of bills. Acting on the family’s plea, the PHRC issued an order clarifying that hospitals could not retain a body over unpaid bills. Sonu Joshi, the brother of the deceased, said his sibling worked as a priest and had recently built a house after facing financial strug- gles. To arrange funds for the transplant, the family mortgaged the house and collected Rs 11 lakh. Despite efforts to seek help from relatives, they could not collect the remaining amount. The commission’s intervention brought relief to the grieving family, setting a precedent against hospitals withholding bodies over financial disputes. Three nabbed; stolen mobiles, bikes seized MC chief acts tough to expedite recovery of dues, eight illegal buildings demolished Our Correspondent Ludhiana, December 26 The police have arrested three miscreants who had been involved in snatching of cash and valuables, including mobile phones and vehicles. The suspects were identified as Raj Kumar, Abdul Kalam and Sandeep Kumar of Ludhiana city. Three motorcycles and 25 mobile phones, besides two sharp weapons were recovered from different places on the basis of information extracted from the suspects during police remand. ADCP (Investigation) Amandeep Singh Brar said the Tibba police had registered an FIR under Sections 309 (4), 304 (2), 3(5) and 317 (2) of the BNS against the suspects on the basis of information received from an informer. Having ascertained Officials told to submit ‘certificates’ to stop illegal constructions Police personnel with the seized stolen items in Ludhiana. antecedents and details about functioning of the suspects, police officials supervised by ACP (Special) Beant Juneja, nabbed the suspects when they were going to sell some mobiles in the market at cheap prices. The police are yet to ascertain identities of accomplice of the suspects, who facilitated them in preparing fake docu- ments of motorcycles. The investigating police have also initiated a process to identify those mobile dealers who usually purchase stolen mobilephones. c m y b Ludhiana, December 26 For expediting recovery of dues and stopping illegal constructions, Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal conducted a meeting with officials of the building branch at the MC’s Zone D office in Sarabha Nagar here. The building branch officials concerned of all four zones of the civic body have been directed to meet recovery targets, otherwise strict departmental action would be taken against them. Further, the officials have been directed to submit certificates that no building was being constructed illegally in their respective area. SE-cum-MTP , Assistant An illegal structure being demolished by the MC in Ludhiana. Town Planners (ATPs), head draftsman and building inspectors (BI) were among others present in the meeting. Continuing crackdown on violators, the building branch of the Municipal Corporation (MC) took action against 22 illegal buildings situated in different parts of the city. Assistant Town Planner (ATP Zone D) Harvinder Singh said three illegal buildings had been demolished in Himmat Singh Nagar and Preet Nagar. Further, 14 buildings/shops had been sealed, including five in the Dugri area (opposite Chamkila Samaadh), three on the cemetery road and six on the Jawaddi road. The MC Zone C team demolished four underconstruction illegal industrial buildings in the Giaspura area. An underconstruction illegal school building has also been demolished in the Lohara area. Owners had either started construction works without getting building plans approved from the civic body or were constructing the buildings in violation of the building bylaws. — TNS