08062026-LT-01.qxd 6/8/2026 12:53 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune CONGRESS ON VERGE OF EXTINCTION: SAINI RETIRED TEACHER LEADS GROUNDNUT REVIVAL IN STATE WHEN RAM CHARAN STOOD UP FOR JANHVI KAPOOR Haryana CM accuses Congress of exploiting Punjab during its rule and said it “increased corruption”. P2 He moved to UP about 13 yrs ago, where he successfully cultivated groundnuts on nearly 20 acres of land. P2 Actor Ram Charan tried to stop director Buchi Babu from objectifying Janhvi's character in Peddi. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 42°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 41°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET MONDAY 7:21 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:21 AM MONDAY | 8 JUNE 2026 | LUDHIANA Despite anti-malaria drive, mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water puddles Residents raise question over seriousness of campaign; MC to launch cleanliness drive from today Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 7 Barely days after the Health Department launched its anti-malaria campaign on June 2, stagnant puddles of water continue to mock official claims of preparedness. A startling example lies right outside the Municipal Corporation’s indoor stadium, where puddles of water have accumulated, with swarms of mosquito larvae. The sight has left residents questioning the seriousness of the drive, which was meant to pre-empt vector-borne diseases before the monsoon. Ironically, the corporation is set to launch a massive cleanliness drive from Monday. Under the initiative, city areas will be divided into 10km stretches, each assigned to an official responsible for ensuring cleanliness from rubble removal to clearing sewer blockages and garbage. The MC has promised accountability, with officers tasked to monitor hygiene in their respective zones. The district administration had also launched an antidengue drive backed by 321 anti-larvae teams spreading Mosquito larvae breed in stagnant water outside the civic body’s indoor stadium in Ludhiana. TRIBUNE PHOTO awareness across the district. Between March 30 and May 31, the teams inspected over 5.5 lakh houses, finding dengue larvae in 57 homes. The administration had urged citizens to keep their surroundings clean, avoid stagnant water in coolers, tyres and containers and cooperate with the teams. Yet the reality on the ground tells another story. Social activist Arvind Sharma, who has repeatedly flagged civic lapses, pointed to puddles of water outside the stadium. “It is the heart of the city and if mosquitoes are breeding in the area in the open, how people have faith in the campaign? It shows negligence under the nose of the MC,” he said. Rajesh Kumar, a shopkeeper from Model Town, said: “We hear announcements about fines and inspections but when we step out, we see waterlogging and garbage. Quenching thirst The gap between words and action is glaring.” A homemaker, Sunita Rani, said: “Children play near such areas. We are scared every monsoon because dengue and malaria cases rise but the authorities seem to wake up only after hospitals start reporting malaria and dengue cases.” But the juxtaposition of promises and present neglect has left citizens skeptical. “If the MC cannot keep its own stadium surroundings clean, how will it manage entire stretches of the city?” asked Sharma. Public health experts warn that vector-borne diseases thrive in such bad conditions. Clean water left stagnant in tanks or puddles is a breeding ground for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the carrier of dengue. The Health Department’s own data underscores the risk, despite lakhs of inspections, larvae are still found in several homes. Campaigns and drives must translate into visible action on the ground. For now, the stagnant water outside the stadium stands as a reminder that the war against malaria and dengue cannot be won with announcements alone. Award-winning teacher directs film to spread awareness A short film, titled ‘The Threat of Dengue’, written and directed by a state and national award-winning teacher, Karamjit Singh Grewal, was recently released by the Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, Dr Ramandeep Kaur with performances by child artistes from Government High School, Kheri Jhameri. The film aims to raise awareness about dengue, a serious and potentially life-threatening disease, by making the public aware about its causes, symptoms and preventive measures. Grewal emphasised that the purpose of the film was to empower citizens to protect themselves and their families by adopting simple yet effective practices such as avoiding stagnant water, maintaining cleanliness and seeking timely medical care. As an innovative public health initiative, ‘The Threat of Dengue’ highlights how creative storytelling can inspire communities to take preventive action and contribute to a healthier society. Residents flag poor quality of road restoration work in city Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 7 Months after residents endured traffic congestion, dust and damaged roads due to the laying of pipelines under the 24x7 canal-based water supply project, fresh concerns have emerged over the quality of road restoration work being carried out across the city. Want quality checks on restored stretches conducted, defects rectified before monsoon While the Municipal Corporation has directed project agencies to restore roads to their original condition after the completion of the pipeline work, residents and commuters allege that several stretches have not been repaired properly. The stretch from Fountain Chowk to the Mayor’s House is among those roads where restoration work is currently underway. According to civic officials, the project tender includes a provision requiring agencies to restore roads in the same condition as they existed before excavation. However, road users claim that the repaired stretches were uneven and did not match the original road level. The restored College Road was allegedly uneven at many portions, making driving uncomfortable and increasing risk of accidents. College Road, one of the busiest commercial corridors in the city, has become a major point of concern. Commuters said the restored stretch was uneven at several locations, making driving uncomfortable and increasing risk of accidents. They also complained that loose material and poor-quality repair work generate large amounts of dust, particularly during peak traffic hours. Rajesh Kumar, a commuter who uses College Road daily, said residents had faced inconvenience for several months in the hope of improved water infrastructure. “Roads remained dug up for a long time and traffic movement was badly affected. Now, after restoration of the road, the surface is still continued on page 3 Special camps at 2,927 polling Cases filed against 9 booths to boost voter mapping firms for GST fraud Tribune News Service A man drinks water amid the scorching heat at the railway station in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 7 On the directions of the Election Commission and Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, special camps were organised on Sunday at all 2,927 polling booths across all Assembly constituencies by booth level officers (BLOs) to accelerate the progress of mapping remaining voters under preSIR voter mapping. Additional Deputy Commissioner (G)-cum-Additional Electoral Officer Poonam Singh conducted inspections at polling booths in various Assembly constituencies to check the presence of BLOs and reviewed the voter mapping work being carried out Ludhiana, June 7 The Ludhiana police have launched a major crackdown against GST fraud following complaints from the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department. Cases have been registered against nine companies and their owners across different police stations in the city. Preliminary investigations revealed that several firms allegedly obtained GST registration numbers using fake documents, false information and even mobile numbers and bank accounts belonging to other individuals. These registration numbers were then Officials during the special camp in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA by them. She visited booths 2, 3 and 4 under Ludhiana Central at Kamla Lohtia Sanatan Dharam College, near Bajwa Nagar, booths 52, 53, 54, 55 and 56 under Ludhiana West: at Government Elementary School, College Road, Civil Lines, booths 132, 133, 134, 135 and 136 under the Ludhiana continued on page 3 misused to issue bogus bills and claim wrongful Input Tax Credit (ITC), causing loss to the state exchequer. Based on departmental complaints, the police have booked Alpha Trading Company and its owner Ramandeep Singh at the Daresi police station, CK Industries at Sahnewal, Pooja Enterprises and Shree Radhey Trading Company at Daba, Sitam Enterprises, also at Daba, Ganpati Packers Industries and its owner Amit Kumar at Shimlapuri, Benipal Industries at Division No 6, Krishna Traders and its owner Krishan Kumar at Tibba and Khalsa Enterprises and its owner Sohanjeet Singh at continued on page 3 Tiger Safari draws crowds again, courtesy Badal, Bijli Two sons booked Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 7 The Tiger Safari near Jalandhar Bypass, which had lost sheen over past years due to lesser number of animals, has emerged as a major attraction for the people following the arrival of Badal and Bijli, a pair of male and female tigers. They have become the centre of attraction for the visitors. Since June 2, the zoo authorities have opened the tiger enclosure to the public from 2 pm to 5 pm, drawing a steady stream of wildlife enthusiasts and families eager to catch a glimpse of the big cats. A caretaker at the zoo said the visitor footfall had increased by nearly 20 to 25 per cent over the past few days. Despite the scorching heat, people are bringing their children to show the tigers. The safari currently houses a leopard, a pair of jackals and the newly arrived tigers. The tigers were brought to the zoo a few days ago but were initially kept away from public view to help them acclimatise to their new surroundings. The diet According to the caretaker, the male tiger consumes around 9 kg of mutton daily while the female eats about 5 kg. The leopard is fed approximately 4 kg of meat every day while the jackals consume around 3 kg of the same. Fresh meat is provided regularly to the animals and a team of 15 to 20 caretakers is engaged in their upkeep and feeding. Tigers brought from Nagpur Zoological Park Badal and Bijli, both under five years of age, were brought from the Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Their arrival marks the return of tigers to the safari after a gap of 17 months following the death of its lone tiger in December 2024. The Zoo authorities are also exploring the possibility of bringing a gharial, a fish-eating crocodile known for its distinctive long snout. With temperatures soaring, special care is being taken to ensure the animals remain comfortable and healthy. The authorities are monitoring their well-being closely and considering additional cooling arrangements to help them cope with the intense summer heat. Visitor footfall increased by nearly 20 to 25% in past few days, says caretaker for abetting man’s suicide, probe on Mahesh Sharma Despite the scorching heat, people are bringing their kids to Tiger Safari to show the newly arrived big cats. c m y b Ludhiana, June 7 The Jamalpur police have initiated a probe into an incident in which a septuagenarian man was abetted to die by suicide allegedly by his two sons from his first wife on Saturday. The victim hanged himself from girders at the house to end his life. The suspects have been identified as Lovpreet Singh and his brother Harpreet, at present staying at Baba Jiwan Singh Nagar Patti in Taran Taran while the deceased was identified as Gurdev Singh of Mahavir Colony, Bhamian Khurd, located under the jurisdiction of the Jamalpura police station. DSP Inderjit Singh Boparai said the duo were booked under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the BNS on the statement of Kiran Devi and further investigation had been initiated in view of circumstantial evidence. Though the police were yet to reveal details of the probe, preliminary investigation revealed that a dispute over property was the major reason behind the incident. As Gurdev has asked the suspects to leave his house, they threatened to burn it, which prompted the victim to end his life on Saturday.