24022026-LT-01.qxd 2/24/2026 12:54 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune GARBAGE ISSUES PILE ON, IRK CITY RESIDENTS Municipal Corporation pins hopes on ~1,144-crore solid waste management project. P2 » ‘PARENTS, TEACHERS SHOULD REGULATE KIDS’ SCREEN TIME’ EAT PUNCHY COTTAGE CHEESE DISH AT SIDHU’S RESTAURANT Experts say uncontrolled digital exposure can harm health, behaviour and learning. P3 Situated in Sector 25, Panchkula, Sidhu’s Restaurant is winning hearts with dishes curated with passion. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 27°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 26°C | MIN 12°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.17 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:53 AM TUESDAY | 24 FEBRUARY 2026 | LUDHIANA Another three-year-old child brutally attacked by stray dog Victim stable; Civil Hospital reports over 1,400 dog-bite cases in Jan alone Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 23 The stray dog menace in the city continues unabated with the Civil Hospital reporting nearly 500 dog-bite cases every month. In January alone, over 1,400 cases were recorded, reflecting the alarming rise in attacks by canines across Ludhiana. In a horrific incident occurred at Govindgarh Jogian on Sunday, a stray dog brutally attacked a three-year-old child, Chandni, while she was playing outside her house. The dog mauled the child’s head and face, leaving her profusely bleeding. She was rushed to the Civil Hospital in a critical condition, where doctors administered nearly 35 stitches to treat her deep wounds. The victim’s father, Chandan, said he was at work when he received a call from his wife informing him that their younger daughter had been severely bitten by a dog. According to him, the children were playing in the street when the canine pounced on Chandni and mauled her head and face. By the time residents rushed to rescue the victim after hearing her screams, she had already suffered serious injuries and was bleeding heavily. Doctors at the Civil Hospital described her condition as extremely critical when she was brought in. “The DOG-BITE CASES IN LUDHIANA YEAR 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 CASES 13,728 13,488 9,461 8,601 6,115 The victim who was attacked by a stray dog in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN attack was so brutal that flesh was hanging from multiple parts of her head and face. The wounds were deep and required around 35 stitches,” said a doctor on duty. Though her condition has now stabilised and she has been shifted to the ward, the child and her fam- ily remain traumatised. Emergency staff told The Tribune that the girl had been referred from Sahnewal in a critical condition. Timely medical intervention helped stabilise her condition. While reported cases represent official figures, many victims seek treatment at private clinics. Such cases go unrecorded. The growing stray dog menace continues to haunt residents, with children emerging as the most vulnerable targets. The district has come up with a dog sanctuary where about 60 dogs are kept but in the absence of proper government funding, it is becoming difficult to manage and maintain it. ‘Buyer be aware’drive launched against defaulting colonisers GLADA has recovered ~52 cr from defaulters in 6 months Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 23 After receiving many complaints from buyers that they purchased plots in colonies which are unauthorised and faced many issues such as registration, basic sanitation services, approval of building plans, GLADA has started the ‘Buyer be aware’ campaign along with strict action against defaulting colonisers. GLADA has recovered approximately Rs 52 crore from defaulting colonisers during the past six months under an ongoing drive against illegal constructions. However, some colonisers failed to deposit government dues/fees within the stipulated time and now, GLADA, in accordance with provisions of the PAPRA Act and rules of the Punjab Government, has initiated legal proceedings against the defaulters for recovery of the dues. Under the proceedings, action will be taken to mark lien in favour of GLADA on their properties and to initiate attachment/seizure of movable and immovable properties. Further, public notice boards indicating outstanding dues and restrictions on registrations would be displayed outside the colonies concerned as well as the GLADA office. In a press release issued here it mentioned that besides, registrations/power of attorney in respect of colonies of defaulting builders have already been restricted. Further, recovery proceedings have been initiated through the Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, for recovery of the outstanding dues as arrears of land revenue under relevant provisions of law. Colonisers who are willing to deposit the outstanding dues against their respective colonies may coordinate with the office and deposit the balance amount at the earliest. Failing which, proceedings will be initiated against the defaulting colonisers under the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995, including initiation of criminal action/FIR as per law. Residents have been cautioned by GLADA officials and advised to exercise due diligence before purchasing, selling or entering into any transaction with respect to any plot/property in illegal colonies. GLADA shall not be responsible for any financial loss or consequences arising out of such transactions. Cleanliness drive: Zonal Commissioners West Bengal woman Threenabbedwith conduct field inspections in city areas found hanging at 1.4 kg of heroin house in Jagraon Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 23 With a major cleanliness drive going on across the city under the guidance of Local Bodies Minister Sanjeev Arora, Zonal Commissioners are now conducting field inspections to take stock of the situation at the ground level. Working on the directions of Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Neeru Katyal Gupta, Zonal Commissioner (Zone A) Abhishek Sharma and Zonal Commissioner (Zone C) Gurpal Singh conducted inspections in their respective areas on Monday. The inspections were conducted on the Daba road, near Harkrishan Public School, at Bhora village, Partap Chowk, among other areas. A schedule has been prepared and the Zonal Commissioners of all four zones have been directed to conduct field inspections in their respective areas. Besides ensuring cleanliness in their respective Our Correspondent Senior officials had been directed to conduct field inspections on a daily basis to take stock of the situation at the ground level, in Ludhiana. areas, health branch officials and staffers have also been directed to spread awareness among masses regarding solid waste management. The MC Commissioner said cleanliness drives were being taken up across the city. Besides main roads, the civic body officials had been directed to focus on internal areas and entry points of the city too. The officials had been directed to ensure proper working of static compactor sites and lifting of green waste from parks/green belts, etc. Dr Gupta stated that senior officials, including the zonal commissioners, had been directed to conduct field inspections on a daily basis and she would also conduct inspections in coming days to take stock of the situation. Jagraon, February 23 The police have initiated a probe into the alleged mysterious death of a woman whose body was found hanging with the ceiling in her house at Mohalla Partap Nagar in Jagraon late on Sunday evening. The deceased, identified as Ashma Begum, a native of West Bengal, was rushed to a private hospital in Jagraon by her family members, led by her husband Sheikh Ajijula, where she was declared dead. The police are yet to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the alleged suicide by the victim. According to her husband, the victim had gone to her room after serving food to him and their children on Sunday evening. It was after a long time that the door was broken and she was found hanging from the ceiling. The police were supposed to be called to the spot. The authorities at the private hospital also violated the norms by allowing the family to take away the body that bore hanging marks. The family had alleged harassment by the Civil Hospital authorities as they did not allow to keep the body in its mortuary whereas the same could have been in custody of the police. It was after the matter was reported to the bus stand police chowki that they took the body in their custody and handed over the same to her kin on Monday after conducting the postmortem examination. The police said further action in the case would be taken on the basis of the autopsy report. Strings of tradition: Kathputlicomes alive at Swadeshi Mela Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 23 The rhythmic clatter of puppets and their painted faces glowing under lights, drew children and adults alike at the ongoing Swadeshi Expo at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here. Devotion of Bhatt community of R’sthan ensures that folk tradition survives tides of time At the centre of the spectacle stood Vicky Bhatt, a proud torchbearer of the ancient art of Kathputli. Bhatt has received a national award certificate in 2018 by the Ministry of Textiles for his craftsmanship and contribution to the development of the art. “I learnt the art from my ancestors and doing shows Vicky Bhatt, an artiste, performs with his puppets during Swadeshi Expo at the PAU. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN since the age of 15,” he said, his voice carrying both reverence and responsibility. The Bhatt community of Rajasthan is believed to be the original custodian of puppets, having nurtured it for nearly 1,500 years. Their devotion ensured that the folk tradition c m y b survived the tides of time. Today, artistes such as Vicky hailing from Rajasthan continue to dedicate their lives to puppets. Children at the mela watched wide-eyed as the puppets danced, fought mock battles and enacted tales of kings and queens. The fascination was palpable, a reminder that in an age of digital entertainment, the tactile magic of puppetry still holds sway. “It is hard work, but it is our life,” said Vicky, his words echoing the quiet dignity of generations who have kept the heritage alive. “Kathputli is more than performance; it is storytelling in its purest form. Through the puppets, we narrate folk tales, mythology and moral lessons. The aura of a show lies in its ability to transport audiences into a world where strings guide destiny and every gesture carries a meaning,” adds Bhatt. As the puppets swayed and clashed in playful battles, children in the audience were spellbound. One young boy, his eyes wide with delight, exclaimed: “I once saw a puppet show at my friend’s birthday and really loved it. Watching it again here was such a nice experience.” His words captured the innocent wonder that puppets continue to inspire across generations. In the hands of artistes such as Vicky Bhatt, puppets are not just entertainment; they are living archives of heritage, a dialogue between the past and present. In a world rushing forward, these strings tug gently at hearts, urging people to pause and listen to stories that have remained for centuries. Ludhiana, February 23 The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) unit, Ludhiana, claimed to have broken the supply chain of two gangs of drug traffickers. The police seized 1.453 kg of heroin from the suspects, identified as Sandeep Singh of Bhilla village in Kapurthala district, Maninder Singh of Kapurthala and Gurnek Singh of the Hoshiarpur region. The investigating team expected more recoveries and arrests on the basis of information extracted from the suspects. DSP ANTF Ajay Verma, , , said the suspects had been arrested from different places on the basis of inputs and investigation conducted under the supervision of AIG Vatsala Gupta. In the first incident, 753 gm of heroin was seized from the possession of Sandeep Singh and Maninder Singh who were nabbed during a coordinated action on the Jalandhar-Kapurthala road. Though the exact antecedents of the suspects were yet to be ascertained, preliminary probe revealed that Sandeep had earlier been booked under the Arms Act. Gurnek was nabbed in a separate incident from Majari toll plaza situated on the BalachaurGarhshankar road on the basis of a tip-off and 700 gm of heroin was recovered from his possession. Verma said intensive investigation had been launched to ascertain identities of other accomplices of the suspects after registering FIRs under the NDPS Act. — OC Three weeks after recovery of dog skins, police register case Mahesh Sharma Ludhiana, February 23 Three weeks after activists of an animal welfare organisation noticed several skins of elite breed dogs dumped in a deserted place, the Daba police have initiated a probe into allegations levelled by the complainant, Kavita Sharma, an office-bearer of the Silent Furrow Association working for the welfare of canines. The probe was initiated after registration of a case under Sections 325 of the BNS and 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act on Sunday. Kavita Sharma of BRS Nagar, Ludhiana, alleged that some antisocial elements had allegedly showed cruelty to dogs by various ways and dumped their skins in a deserted place near Dhillon Nagar here. Had some activists of her Animal Welfare Organisation not noticed skins of several dogs, suspected to be stolen pet dogs, on February 1, the suspects could have contin- ued their sinful activities. While talking to The Tribune, Sharma alleged that circumstances suggested that a gang of dog thieves was active in the city. They are suspected to be using dog meat for preparing eatables. Sharma said the case had come to light after owners of a lost dog launched a search for it and came to know about the recovery of dog skins from a vacant plot. Former minister Maneka Gandhi had to intervene in the matter to get a case registered in the matter. Investigating officer Gurcharan Jit Singh claimed that the police had initiated a probe into allegations regarding cruelty against dogs. However, allegations regarding the use of dog meat in eatables would be verified by the the Health Department. The investigating team has initiated a process to collect footage of CCTV cameras installed in the region.