26032025-LT-01.qxd 3/26/2025 12:55 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune STUDENTS TURN KINNOW PEELS INTO PURIFIERS 'STAY CONSISTENT, BUT FLEXIBLE': HIMANSHU OSCAR-WINNING PALESTINIAN DIRECTOR BALLAL ARRESTED A group of schools use kinnow peels for water purification by developing ‘bio-enzymes’. P3 Malhotra, who has done films like Shershaah, Wajah Tum Ho and Hum Chaar, is a fitness enthusiast. P4 Hamdan Ballal, oscar-winning director ofa documentary on Israel-Palestinian conflict, has been arrested. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 15°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.37 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:19 AM » WEDNESDAY | 26 MARCH 2025 | LUDHIANA Of 13 doctors allotted for dist, Civil Hospital gets only one Govt has allotted 255 docs across healthcare institutions of state Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 25 The state government has allotted stations/postings to 255 doctors as part of the bonded government service across various public healthcare institutions of the state, post-completion of their PG courses. Of the 255 doctors, the district got 13 doctors but in the share of the overburdened Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, came only one. The post of Medicine Specialist had fallen vacant after the lone specialist, Dr Amanpreet Kaur, was promoted as Health and Family Welfare Officer and now one medicine specialist will be posted here. This is the only specialist that will be posted in the city while the remaining will be posted in periphery areas. A total of six medicine specialists have been appointed, of which one will be posted at the Ludhiana Civil Hospital, one at the Raikot sub-divisional hospital, one at the Samrala The Civil Hospital in Ludhiana. FILE HOSPITAL OPD WITNESSES OVER 1K PATIENTS DAILY “The OPD of the Civil Hospital witnesses around 1,000-1,500 patients daily and it caters to the entire district. Patients from across the district are referred here and it would have been allotted more doctors,” a doctor at Civil Hospital said. Sub-Divisional Hospital, one at the Sudhar Community Health Centre, one at the Jagraon Community Health Centre and one at the Khanna Community Health Centre. The Sub-Divisional Hospital at Khanna and Community Health Centres at Maloud and Dehlon will get one surgeons each. Sub-Divisional Hospitals at Raikot and Samrala will get an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist each. The Khanna Sub-Divisional Hospital will get a radiologist while an ophthalmologist has been appointed for the Raikot SubDivisional Hospital. The post of forensic expert still remains vacant at the Civil Hospital as no appointment has been made and the hospital will continue working without the expert which, in turn, is giving a tough time to the hospital administration. Daily, 7-10 cases arrive for post-mortem examinations and at present, it is taking one day’s time to prepare the final report. Dr Charankamal was posted at the hospital in 2021 and he was the lone forensic expert here. In August 2024, he was transferred to Kharar, following which the hospital was left without a forensic expert. Left with no other option, the forensic expert from Khanna is called here to conduct autopsies. Along with him, specialists from the Civil Hospital are also conducting the same. A doctor from the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, said of the 13 new appointments, All smiles the Civil Hospital has got only one doctor. “The OPD of the hospital witnesses around 1,000-1,500 patients daily and it caters to the entire district. Patients from the entire district are referred here and it would have been allotted more doctors,” he said. “In the backdrop of current specialist doctors’ shortage and tepid responses to walk-in interviews in the recent past, situations like this are the need of the hour, as the services provided by these young specialist doctors in the near future will eventually benefit the poor and the needy,” said Dr Akhil Sareen, president of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA). The current move coupled with another round of walkin interviews for specialist doctors should potentially address the issue of specialist doctors’ shortage, thereby ensuring seamless specialist services across the state, he added. Properties of 33 notorious drug peddlers attached Raikot, March 25 As part of their continued efforts to combat the drug menace in the region, the Ludhiana (rural) police have attached movable and immovable properties owned by 33 notorious drug peddlers of the region booked under 19 cases registered in the past. The attached property as per police records is valued at Rs 14.99 crore. The attached property included agricultural land, residential and commercial buildings. The police claimed that investigations had revealed that many of the properties were used for drug trafficking by the drug peddlers. Ludhiana Rural SSP Ankur Gupta said police officials, led by by SP (D) Parminder Singh and DSP (D) Guriqbal Singh, besides DSPs at Jagraon, Dakha and Raikot, had cautioned the public through notices regarding attachment of properties owned by the 33 notorious drug peddlers booked at the Jagraon, Dakha, Hathur, Sudhar and Jodhan police stations in the past. “Having received orders Cops put up notices on drug peddlers’ properties in Dakha. from the competent authority, we deployed police officials to display notices at on the properties concerned,” said Gupta. Gurpreet Singh Gopi of Rasulpur Malha, Gurmit Singh of Daherka, Gurtej Singh of Hathur, Krishan Singh of Rasulpur Malha, Gurmail Singh, Baljit Singh, Saudagar Singh, Jora Singh (all four of Bhamipur Kalan, Lakhvir Singh of Buraj Hari Singh, Jaspal Singh of Nathowal, Prem Singh of Talwara, Jaswinder Singh of Aitiana, Kaka Singh of Nathowal, Gurdeep Singh of Boparai Kalan, Piara Singh of Boparai Kalan, Manjinder Trader held captive, murdered at shop Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 25 Ram Dhani, owner of a furniture shop, was murdered by unidentified persons on Monday night in Durga Colony, Dhandari Khurd area. According to informa- tion, unidentified persons entered the shop late on Monday night, held him captive and attacked him with a brick following which he died. Dhani used to sleep in his shop only. His feet and hands were tied and he was attacked with a brick. In the morning, Dhani did not reach home, due to which his wife got suspicious. She called up her husband but there was no response. The son of the victim called up a nearby vendor to enquire about him. The latter went to his Work hard, remain patient to achieve success: Justice Palli to young lawyers Rajneesh Lakhanpal Girls in a jubilant mood after receiving degrees during the convocation at the GCG in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN P2 Industry pins hopes on state Budget, seeks reinstatement of trade ties with Pak Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 25 Traders and industrialists in Ludhiana have high hopes for the state Budget, which will be presented on Wednesday. As they pin their hopes on the state government, they have demanded a reinstatement of trading ties with neighbouring Pakistan. Talking to The Tribune, general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal Ayush Aggarwal said prior to the ties being severed in 2019, Punjab and Pakistan were doing business to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore per annum. “But then bitterness developed between the two countries, India snapped all business ties with Pakistan. This is not in our favour as our community used to export products such as yarn, vegetables, garments, edible oil, etc, and get good returns. But ever since the trade ties were cut, there Singh of Kotli Dakha, Gurcharan Kaur of Kotli, Gurdev Singh of Bhaini Gujjran, Manoj Paswan of Balak Nath Nagar, Gurtej Singh of Mullanpur, Harpreet Singh of Mullanpur, Swaranjit Singh Sunny of Braich, Jaspreet Singh of Braich, Sukhwinder Kaur of Gujjarwal, Jaspreet Singh Jassi of Jodhan, Gurmeet Singh of Khadoor, Jarnail Kaur Jailo of Latala, Virpal Singh of Narangwal Kalan and Arvinder Singh of Narangwal Kalan village were among those whose property was attached after receiving orders from the competent authority. — OC Industrialists say the Budget should identify key sectors and lay emphasis on the same. FILE were neither profits to the government nor manufacturers or traders,” said Aggarwal. He said since the state Budget is to be presented on Wednesday, the state government should come up with some proposal to reinstate business ties with Pakistan. The traders demand that the Budget should focus on expanding the market base of all indigenously produced products, which it can attain by opening the border with Pakistan. Punjab has a location disadvantage, being a border state and away from the port, but opening the border will bring a boom to the industry. Meanwhile, expecting a relief, president of the Association of Trade and Industrial Undertakings (ATIU), Pankaj Sharma, said the Budget should lay focus on having long-term planning for the state. It should have policies to make a clear roadmap in matching the national GDP growth forecast of 6.6 per cent, if not more. “This time, it must not be based on providing freebies to any section of society. If at all the government wishes to provide freebies, its burden should not be put on the industry. The Budget should have an outlay for research and development and should promote private investment in the sector. It will help make high-quality products in the state. We have a good infrastructure to produce garments, textiles and engineering goods. The Budget should identify key sectors and lay emphasis on the same,” said Pankaj Sharma. The industrialists added that the Budget should provide incentives for sustainable growth of green energy, keeping in mind low power generation and constant increase in electricity demand. c m y b Ludhiana March 25 Justice Arun Palli of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today exhorted young lawyers to work hard, diligently and remain patient to achieve success in the profession. “Hard work is the key to success. Young lawyers must respect their seniors, stay patient and keep moving forward. You are in the best profession of the world and no one can stop you from soaring high, if remains committed to hard work,” remarked Justice Palli while addressing members of the legal fraternity in the Bar Room during his visit to the district courts for an annual inspection. Earlier, he was accorded a warm welcome by District and Sessions Judge Harpreet Kaur Randhawa, ACJM Preeti Sukhija, CJM Radhika Puri, DBA president Vipan Saggar, secretary Himanshu Walia, vice- president Gagandeep Singh Bedi, joint secretary Rachin Soni and finance secretary Mayank Chopra on his arrival. Justice Palli received appreciation from the legal community after he acceded to several of their long-pending demands aimed at ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of the justice delivery system. One of the key assurances given by Justice Palli was the re-opening of the Inspec- Justice Arun Palli interacts with lawyers at court complex in Ludhiana. tion Cell on the third floor of the Judicial Complex, which had been closed for several years due to some reasons. Earlier functioning of the cell had proved beneficial for lawyers by providing a conducive environment for inspecting court records. “In the High Court, we have a separate inspection cell where files from different courts are made available to lawyers for inspection in a congenial atmosphere. A lawyer wins half the battle even before beginning arguments if the court file is thoroughly inspected,” Justice Palli emphasised. He also assured the legal fraternity that the vacant space on the first floor of the Lawyers’ Chamber Complex Part 1, where a canteen previously operated, would now be made available for use by the lawyers. He said the High Court’s Building Committee had passed a resolution earlier in the day, giving its nod for the utilisation of the space. Addressing the issue of space constraints, Justice Palli assured that he would take up the matter regarding the construction of an additional Lawyers’ Chamber Complex, multilevel parking for lawyers. He said the ADC, Ludhiana, had already initiated discussions with the Chief Administrator of GLADA to explore the possibility of utilising approximately 4 acres of vacant land adjoining the court complex for the purpose. Justice Palli also engaged in an open and candid dialogue with DBA executive members, patiently hearing their suggestions and addressing their concerns. shop and found Dhani lying in a pool of blood and informed his family members. After getting information about the brutal murder, residents gathered outside the shop. The police reached the scene and started a probe into the matter. VB probe sought into DEO’s caste certificate Ludhiana, March 25 The Department of Social Justice and Minorities has written a letter to its Director to get Vigilance probe conducted into the caste certificate of the serving District Education Officer (Elementary), Ludhiana, Ravinder Kaur, and submit a report to the department. The letter comes following the issue raised by a resident of Sangrur that the caste certificate of the official had to be probed. The letter is doing rounds on WhatsApp groups of teachers and other educationists. At the same time, The Tribune has the details regarding the same matter probed by the Education Department in March 2024 in which the then Secretary Kamal Kishor Yadav had stated that documents submitted by the DEO showed that she belonged to the SC category. Ravinder Kaur said earlier also on a similar matter, an inquiry was conducted and she came clean after submitting all required documents. “I am being targeted as I acted tough against those running scams in primary schools by getting more than stipulated grants and showing more enrolment of students. Though I am not even aware of any complaint filed recently, since I am not guilty of anything, any department can get a probe done and I will fully coordinate,” the DEO added. — TNS