30112024-LT-01.qxd 11/30/2024 12:43 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune 30-YR-OLD PATIALA YOUTH SHOT DEAD AT CREMATORIUM REWARD FOR CINEMATIC EXCELLENCE Prima facie the killing appears to be a fallout of property dispute, said SP Sarfaraz Alam. P3 Australian director Phillip Noyce bags Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the 55th IFFI in Goa .P4 » MASSEY BAGS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD AT IFFI The 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) ended with a grand closing ceremony in Goa. P4 » FORECAST MODERATE FOG MAX 25°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5.22 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:00 AM » SATURDAY | 30 NOVEMBER 2024 | LUDHIANA Finally, new int’l airport gets ready, flights to begin shortly ~58-crore project took three years, missed 13 deadlines to complete Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 29 Come New Year, Ludhiana will be on the global air map as the new international airport at the Halwara airbase is almost ready and will take off anytime in early next year, the government has said. With the balance work inside the civil terminal enclave premises in advanced stage of completion, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has fixed December 31 as the deadline to complete the job under its territory. The Rs 5,822.12-lakh much-awaited and muchdelayed big ticket project took three years and missed at least 13 deadlines to see the light of the day. While the integrated civil enclave and cargo terminal building, sub-station and toilet block at the Air Force Station in Halwara, which is one of the oldest frontline airbases of the IAF close to Ludhi, ana, had already come up, the allied civil works of the major civil aviation project have also been completed. With all pending nods having been procured, the work on all other components, which faced long delays in the past for want of statutory approvals, has also been finished. Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal told The Tribune, here on Friday that the civil construction work had already been completed and the IAF, which owns the airbase on which the airport had been built, had also finished 80 per cent work to widen link taxiways within PROJECT REPORT (SOURCE: AAI) 161.28 acres 2,000 sq m ~3,876.65 lakh ~1,131 lakh Total area: Terminal area: Awarded cost: Boundary wall, approach road Missed deadlines: January, June 2022, June, July, August 15, August 30, September 30, October 30, 2023, February 29, March 31, May 15, July 31, Sept 30, 2024 Fresh deadline: December 31 Allied works on the premises of the IAF base have also been completed 80 per cent so far. the IAF campus. Following which, the airport would become operational. Jorwal said the IAF had assured to complete the pending work under its territory before December 31. The DC said once the IAF completed the work under its jurisdiction, the minor finishing work at the level of the state government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) would be done simultaneously. “We will make the civil airport terminal ready in all respects by December 15 and hand it over to the Centre by December 31, before which the IAF will also complete its task,” Jorwal said. Divulging the component- wise status, the DC said the construction of the interim terminal building, sub-station and toilet block had been completed. These three components of the new airport were being given the finishing touches before handing them over to the AAI. While the bridge at the entry of approach road has been constructed, components of balance works, including apron, taxiway, internal roads, lighting and public health works and the upcoming approach road to the airport campus has been built 95 per cent. The allied works on the premises of the IAF base have also been completed 80 per cent so far. TURN OF EVENTS JAN 2024: Centre asks AAI to expedite work OCT 2023: Pending approvals from AAI, IAF received APRIL 11, 2023: Work for allied works allotted NOV 17, 2022: Work resumes NOV 9, 2022: Punjab Govt decides to take up project and release Rs 50 crore for balance work MAY 2022: Punjab Govt approached AAI to bear cost of balance work after GLADA failed to release funds MARCH 2022: Both contractors stopped work for want of payments DEC 9, 2021: Work awarded to construct interim airport terminal at Rs 2,272.5 lakh NOV 8, 2021: Work of internal roads and allied infrastructure awarded at Rs 1,604.15 lakh. OCT 22, 2021: AAI accorded formal nod to construct new interim terminal building at Rs 4,691.12 lakh. OCT 26, 2021: Punjab Civil Aviation Secretary issued administrative approval for release of Rs 4,290.42 lakh through GLADA. Jorwal said the widening of link taxiways A and D was currently in progress in coordination with the IAF. The work on link taxiway D was currently in progress following the completion of the culvert construction by the Military Engineer Services (MES). However, the 80-m stretch of the link taxiway was yet to be handed over to the PWD for execution. “This work will also be completed forthwith once this portion is given to us,” the DC said. He has directed all departments to finish pending jobs before December 15 positively. “Once the IAF also completes the work, the airport will be ready to take off,” Jorwal said. Recently, the AAI and the IAF had granted in-principle approvals to undertake the balance work at the upcoming airport. Since the new integrated civil enclave and cargo terminal are coming up at the Air Force Station in Halwara, the formal nod of the IAF was mandatory to undertake the work inside Air Force-governed areas. Two verticals The construction work of the project was divided into two verticals — construction of internal roads, estate public health services and campus lighting in the interim airport continued on page 2 Three miscreants attack youth, 1 held Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 29 The police on Thursday registered an FIR against three youths on charges of assault and tossing turban of another youngster. One of the suspects, identified as Mohd Aijaz, a resident of the Tajpur Road area, was arrested by the police. The victim, Sahilpreet Singh, a resident of the Tajpur Road area, told the police that when he was spending time with his friend Manjeet Singh near E-Canadian School on Tajpur Road on November 28, three youths came on a bike. Afterwards, they had arguments with him. Later, they started abusing and beaten him up. The victim’s turban was also tossed during the incident. The suspects snatched his silver chain and Rs 4,500 from his pocket. During investigation, the police found that Aijaz had called two of his friends and beaten up Sahilpreet. The police registered an FIR in the case under Sections 298, 304, 115 (2), 127 (1), 351 (2) and 3(5) of the BNS against the suspects. ACP Sumit Sood said the probe was on in the case and action would be taken as per law. After the incident, several Nihangs had gathered and they started searching for the accused as they had been claiming they would take revenge by themselves. However, the police calmed them down and arrested the key suspect and assured to arrest his companions. 34-yr-old woman dies by suicide Ludhiana, November 30 A woman staying in Gurusar Kaunke village, near Jagraon, died by suicide by hanging herself. The deceased has been identified as 34-year-old Rajwinder Kaur, a resident of Gurusar Kaunke. As soon as the incident came to light, the Sadar Jagraon police reached the spot, sent the body to a government hospital for autopsy. The deceased’s husband told the police in his statement that he was a daily wager and he was not earning much. His wife was upset due to their poor financial condition and they were unable to feed their two daughters and a son. At the time of the incident on Friday, he was not present in the house. Meanwhile, the police said after autopsy, the body was handed over to her family. Suspecting no foul play, inquest proceedings were initiated after recording the statement of the victim’s husband. — TNS Three of snatchers’ gang nabbed Ludhiana, November 29 The Focal Point police on Friday claimed to have arrested three members of a snatchers’ gang and recovered six mobile phones and a motorcycle from them. The suspects were identified as Gurpinder Singh, Davinder Singh, both residents of Dhanansu, and Atal Kumar, a resident of Gobindgarh. SHO, Focal Point, Inspector Amandeep Singh Brar, said on November 11, the suspects had snatched a mobile phone from Kulwant Singh. After receiving a complaint from the victim, when the police started investigation, the suspects were identified. On Friday, after getting a tipoff about the location of the suspects, the police team conducted a raid and nabbed The suspects in police custody in Ludhiana on Friday. them. A motorcycle used in the crime was also seized. Brar said now, the police remand of the trio would be sought from court so that in further investigation, more members of the gang could be nabbed and more recovery of looted valuables be recovered from them. The police would also probe their involvement in past unsolved snatching and loot incidents. The SHO said it was being suspected that the suspects had also sold some snatched mobile phones to some shopkeepers and the latter would also face action for buying the same from them. — TNS Civic body chief, JE, contractor Centre raises questions over ~840-cr booked on corruption charges Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 29 A case was registered against Kamaljit Singh Ladhar, president of the Khanna Municipal Council, JE Ajay Kumar Gabba, and contractor Pawan Kumar at the Khanna City police station 2 under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, as well as Sections 13(1) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The complaint was filed by Charanjit Singh, Executive Officer of the Khanna Municipal Council, who alleged that a tender of Rs 4.20 lakh was issued for the construction of a street in Ward 25 but works worth only Rs 3.17 lakh was done. An investigation was conducted by the Khanna DSP and the suspects were found guilty of misappropriating funds. During the investigation, the DSP summoned Municipal Council president Kamaljit Singh Ladhar and Congress Councillor Amandeep Kaur’s husband Ranveer Singh Kakka to record their statements. Despite repeated summons, they failed to appear and the police registered a case after seeking legal advice from the District Attorney. According to the FIR, councillor Parampreet Singh Pampi from Ward 16 had raised the issue with the authorities concerned, alleging that a scam had occurred in the construction of a street in Ward 25. The Executive Officer then conducted a probe and found that the street had not been constructed with interlocking tiles as claimed. The investigation revealed that the suspects had misappropriated funds meant for the construction of the street. The police registered a case against them and are further investigating the matter. — TNS No headway in Sarabha 50-yr-old man booked college molestation case for violating minor Ludhiana, November 29 Suspects involved in alleged molestation of a student of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha College and Hospital in Sarabha village were yet to be identified by the police. On Thursday, students had staged a protest a day after a final-year nursing student was reportedly sexually harassed by outsiders on the college campus. The incident had occurred on Wednesday evening when three miscreants cornered a female student near the auditorium on the pretext of seeking medical help. She was alone when they grabbed her and tore her clothes. The college management was accused of not taking immediate action and hushing up the matter. The three unidentified suspects were booked by the Jodhan police on Thursday. On Friday, students did not observe any strike and attended their classes. The police assured them that suspects would soon be arrested. The police said three teams were formed by them to probe the case. — TNS Ludhiana, November 29 A case was registered against a 50-year-old man for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl. The suspect, Suresh Kumar, was arrested by the police after the girl’s mother filed a complaint. According to the complaint, the victim’s mother had brought her 14-year-old daughter from Uttar Pradesh to take care of her six-monthold baby. A few days ago, when the mother returned from work, her daughter was crying. When asked, she said Suresh Kumar, their neighbour, had entered their house and raped her. The police swung into action and arrested the suspect. His medical examination was conducted and he was produced before a court. The police registered a case against the man under Sections 64 of the BNS and the POCSO Act. ASI Harinder Pal Singh, said after registering a case, the suspect was arrested and further investigation was launched in the case. — TNS c m y b Ludhiana, November 29 The water quality of the Buddha Nullah and the Sutlej has deteriorated more in 2024 as compared to 2022, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has said. Water quality of nullah, Sutlej deteriorated, says CPCB The Union Government has expressed serious concern over the issue and has raised questions over the outcome of the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project involving an expenditure of Rs 840 crore. The project launched in December 2020 to rejuvenate the nullah turned out to be a futile exercise. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, had ordered the CPCB to test the water quality of the nullah and the Sutlej. The CPCB had informed the Centre that the water quality of both water bodies had further deteriorated in 2024 as compared to that in 2022. Mukherjee recently held a meeting with senior officials of the Centre and state gov- Centre-State joint action group chairman Manish Kumar (second from right) takes stock of the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project in Ludhiana. ernment, besides experts from various agencies. In a detailed presentation, Ludhiana MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal spoke about the inception of the rejuvenation project and its current status. At least two CETPs of 40 MLD and 15 MLD capacity were not complying with the prescribed discharge standards. The CPCB had also found that all effluent treatment plants were not meeting the prescribed discharge standards and issued directions for compliance on August 12. Dachalwal said against the expected norm for using discharged water for irrigation, all CETPs were discharging treated waste water into the Buddha Nullah in violation. There was also a proposal to release 200 cusecs of fresh water from the Sirhind canal into the nullah but it has not been consistent. Taking note, the Centre has mooted an action plan to clean and preserve the key Sutlej tributary, which passes through Ludhiana before it confluences with the river and enters Rajasthan. To undertake the timebound action plan within one month, a Centre-State joint action group of senior officials and experts has been constituted under the chairmanship of Director, Science, Technology and Environment, Manish Kumar. It has been asked to diagnose issues concerning persisting pollution in the nullah, evaluate the existing pollution abatement infrastructure to ensure optimisation and suggest action within one month.