07112024-ATR-01.qxd 11/6/2024 11:03 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MODERATE FOG INDUSTRIALISTS SEEK SECURITY AT FOCAL POINT 'GOOD WORK WILL FIND ITS WAY' I AIM TO EVOLVE WITH EVERY SONG, SAYS KARAN AUJLA Have taken serious note of firing at factory of an entrepreneur by gangsters seeking money. P2 Ritvik Sahore, who is seen in Highway Love 2, says it's the storyline that decides which project he chooses. P4 MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C Singer Karan Aujla has given many hip-swaying numbers, making him one of the best Punjabi singers. P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 5.36 PM » SUNRISE FRIDAY 6.52 AM THURSDAY | 7 NOVEMBER 2024 | AMRITSAR Governor visits border areas to meet people, learn about issues Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, November 6 Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria addressed a meeting of members of the village defence committees (VDCs) at DAV Senior Secondary School in Bhikhiwind today to know about the problems being faced by the people in border areas and said he would invite them to Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh to discuss their problems. Stressing on quality education for girls, he said that girls play a key role in the progress of society. Talking about basic infrastructure in the border area, the Governor emphasised on providing better roads, transport, modern and quality education, employment, better drinking water and health services. The Governor said that the role of women was important in eradicating drug menace from society. Promoting sports is also a good way to wean the youth away from drugs, he said. Kataria appreciated the services of the members of the village defence committees who were assisting the BSF and police in tackling drug traders by informing them about their activities. The Governor also enjoyed a volleyball match at the BSF camp in Bhikhiwind. Additional Chief Secretary K Shiva Prasad, Principal Secretary VK Meena, Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal, DIG Ranjit Singh Dhillon, Deputy Commissioner Rahul and SSP Abhimanyu Rana were among those present on the occasion. MC vehicles sans reflectors, lights & registration plates pose a threat Low visibility a worry with onset of winter season, officials promise rectification Garbage-lifting vehicles of the municipal corporation sans reflectors, rear lights and registration plates in Amritsar on Wednesday. PHOTOS: VISHAL KUMAR Charanjit Singh Teja ‘WILL GET THEM INSTALLED’ Tribune News Service Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria with players at the BSF camp in Bhikhiwind on Wednesday. Health Dept asks hospitals to prepare for seasonal diseases Smog cover over city likely to persist over next few days Manmeet Singh Gill Amritsar, November 6 In a respite to the farmers facing the shortage of DAP (Di-ammonium phosphate) due to defunct cooperative societies, the district administration has asked them to get it from their nearest cooperative society. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney during a meeting with the farmers here on Wednesday said that the state cooperative department has already issued overlooking of rules by government departments. A number of accidents are reported every year in the absence of reflectors and rear lights on heavy vehicles. The traffic police often conduct a drive to install reflector tapes on tractor-trailers, carts and load-carrying vehicles. However, government agencies such as the MC, violate the rules without taking care of public safety. “It is a major violation and negligence on the part of senior MC officials. Even vehicles of other government departments violate the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act. The traffic police should impound all PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Smog cover continued to engulf Pandhori village area in Amritsar on Wednesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR must take extra precautions and consult a physician. Though health officials have reported only a marginal increase in the number of such cases at hospitals, they remain sceptical as the sky is not expected to get clear in the next few days. “There is not much significant increase in the number of cases due to poor air quality as was expected after Diwali. However, it is just a matter of time and such cases might increase in the next one or two days,” said Dr Sumit Pal Singh, ENT specialist at Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial (JBMM) Civil Hospital. The air quality index (AQI) for the city continues to be poor for the last few days. On Wednesday, an AQI of 224 was reported. Burning of crop residue in the district is already in its last phase as harvesting of paddy is almost over and farmers have started sowing their wheat crop. The Punjab Remote Sensing Centre reported only six farm fire incidents from the district today. Now, farmers to get DAP from nearest operational co-op society Tribune News Service Dr Rama, in-charge, auto workshop, said, “We feed the data of each vehicle every day and registration number is the main identity of vehicles. The number plates should be installed in each vehicle. But if these are missing, I will verify and get them installed. The lights and reflectors would also be installed.” Dubai-based youth among 3 held with heroin Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 6 Sunlight remained elusive on Wednesday as the city remained enveloped in a thin cover of smog all through the day raising concerns over its impact on the health of residents, especially those suffering from respiratory ailments. With residents and medical experts worried about the poor air quality, the district health department conducted a meeting here today to ask all hospitals to prepare for seasonal diseases. Civil Surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur said that along with rising pollution, seasonal changes are also a cause of ailments such as cough, cold, chest condition, flu, fever, trouble in breathing and even diarrhoea. She said that residents are also advised to take precautions like wearing masks. The civil surgeon said that residents with breathing troubles, especially small children and elderly, might face difficulty in breathing when they are out of their homes and on roads. She said that such patients Amritsar, November 6 With foggy season round the corner, a large number of vehicles are sans reflectors, rear lights and even registration plates. Ironically, trucks of the Municipal Corporation and other government departments, including garbage-lifting vehicles, do not have registration plates. While senior MC officials are unaware of this gross violation, the traffic police also adopt a lenient approach towards such vehicles to prevent accidents,” said advocate PC Sharma, a social activist. Dr Rama, in-charge, auto workshop, said, “We feed the data of each vehicle every day and registration number is the main identity of vehicles. The number plates should be installed in each vehicle. But if these are missing, I will verify and get them installed. The lights and reflectors would also be installed.” Health officials of the MC claimed that they will ask the solid waste management firm to install the lights, directions in this regard. She said to help operational cooperative societies meet the increased demand from farmers where societies are defunct, the administration has increased their supply and revised instructions have been forwarded to the fertiliser suppliers. A few days ago, The Tribune had highlighted that at least 56 agricultural cooperative societies in the district are either defunct or bankrupt. The government had earlier allocated 60 per cent of the DAP quota for sale through cooperative societies. The remaining 40 per cent quota has been allocated to private fertiliser dealers. However, amid the ongoing shortage of DAP in the market, farmers in villages where cooperative societies were defunct were facing a double whammy. The Deputy Commissioner said apart from making efforts to ensure availability of DAP , farmers are being educated about the use of alternative fertilisers, such as TSP SSP , and NPK along with urea. neighbouring districts, DGP said, while adding that drones were being used by Pak-based smugglers to influx narcotics into the territory of the state. He said Karandeep was in touch with foreign-based Gangster Gurdev, alias Jaisal, a key operative of Canada-based gangstersturned terrorists Lakhbir, alias Landa, and Satbir Singh, alias Satta, who were behind the rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attack at the police station in Sarhali. They were also behind various plots to commit targeted killings in Punjab. Manjinder was a taxi driver and his taxi was used for transporting drugs, said Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar. An FIR under the NDPS Act was registered at the Airport police station and investigations were on to establish backward and forward linkages, he added. Amritsar, November 6 With the arrest of three persons, the city police on Wednesday busted a transborder drug smuggling racket, leading to the seizure of 1kg heroin and 1 kg ‘ice’ (methamphetamine), a popular party drug. The contraband was smuggled from Pakistan through a drone. The cartel was linked to foreign-based gangster Gurdev Jaisal, who originally hailed from Tarn Taran. A Dubai-returned youth, identified as Karandeep Singh (22) of Bhakna, was among three persons arrested by the police in this connection. He also stayed in Moscow before returning to India several months ago. The other two arrested include Jeevan Singh (19) and Manjinder Singh (22), both residents of Chohla Sahib in Tarn Taran. Taking to X, the Punjab Police DGP said in a major breakthrough against trans-border narcotic smuggling networks, Amritsar Police Commissionerate apprehended three persons and seized 1 kg ‘ice’ (methamphetamine) and 1 kg heroin. “Preliminary investigation revealed that Karandeep was earlier living in Schools told to ensure proper mid-day meal Woman’s body found near Rly Colony, autopsy report awaited Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 6 The police have been awaiting the autopsy report of an unidentified woman whose burnt body was found near Railway B Block Colony here on October 25 even as her identity was yet to be ascertained. The police are awaiting the postmortem examination report to establish whether she was murdered and later her body was dumped and burnt or the victim had committed suicide. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishaljit Amritsar, November 6 In order to check anomalies in mid-day meal scheme being implemented in government primary schools, education department Punjab has issued strict instructions to the District Education Office (Elementary) to remain more vigilant and ensure if the mid-day meal being distributed amongst continued on page 2 c m y b Three accused in the custody of the Amritsar police in Amritsar on Wednesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Dubai (UAE) and Moscow (Russia) before coming back to Punjab and was connected with Pakistanbased smugglers,” the DGP said. Karandeep had established his contacts with the Pak-based drug smugglers using various social media apps and started smuggling narcotics from across the border to further supply them in Amritsar and COPS STILL CLUELESS Earlier, the police had flashed the message to every police station in the state seeking any missing woman report to find clues about her identification. Nevertheless, the police were still clueless about her identity. Singh said the report is likely to reach by tomorrow which would help the police find the possible cause behind her mysterious death. Earlier, the police had flashed the message in every police sta- tion in the state seeking any missing woman report to find clues about her identification. Nevertheless, the police were still clueless about her identity. “Once her identity is established, it would help crack the case,” said the ADCP . The body of a middle-aged woman was found burnt near the Naiya Wala road adjacent to Railway B Block colony. The incident came to light when there was a smell of flesh burning in the area. They searched and found the body of the woman. — TNS reflectors and number plates on garbage-lifting vehicles. Maninderpal Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said, “We are planning to start a drive to check the violators as mornings and evenings are now hazy and there are possibilities of accidents in case vehicles are sans reflectors and rear lights. We are aware that registration plates are missing from the MC vehicles. We will not tolerate violation by any one. Action would be taken against government vehicles too.” Three bodies found from drain in Tarn Taran village Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, November 6 Bodies of three unidentified men were found from Kasur drain near Bainka village by the Bhikhiwind police here on Wednesday. One body was decomposed and the remaining two had injury marks. The bodies seemed to be of migrant labourers, but it is yet to be confirmed. Were killed after brutally tortured as bodies had injury marks: Cops Preetinder Singh, DSP , Bhikhiwind, said the decomposed body was packed in a bag and the other two, tied in a blanket, were thrown into the drain. While one of them (decomposed body) appeared to be around 35 years, the other two were believed to be around 40 and 60 years of age, respectively. The bodies have been sent to the mortuary of the Civil Hospital, Patti, for a postmortem after 72 hours of recovery of the bodies. The DSP said from the injuries marks on the bodies, it seemed that they were killed after brutally tortured as all the parts of the bodies were bearing injury marks. The Bhikhiwind police led by Inspector Manoj Kumar, SHO, have started the process to examine the footage of CCTV cameras in the area. The police would register a criminal case against unknown persons in this regard soon.