Indian Swachhta League: Ludhiana residents come together for sustainable future

Ludhiana MC, non-governmental organisations (NGO), students, self-help groups participated in drawing competitions, cleanliness drives, street play among other activities

Looking to execute the first Indian Swachhta league, announced by the Union government, to perfection, the municipal corporation (MC) on Saturday organised an array of activities at the Nehru Rose Garden.

Children participating in the Indian Swachhta League events at the Nehru Rose Garden in Ludhiana. (Harvinder Singh/HT)

The civic body has been participating in the league under the banner of Ludhiana Lions. A large number of non-governmental organisations (NGO), students, self-help groups participated in drawing competitions, cleanliness drives, street play among other activities.

A cycle rally was also organised from the Sidhwan canal waterfront leading up to the rose garden. Children with disabilities from the Eknoor Foundation also presented a dance performance.

MC officials said over 1,800 cities from across the country participated in the league. The cities will be rated on the basis of the scale of youth engagement through volunteer registration, innovativeness of the activities and impact of the activities. After the evaluation, 10 best teams will be shortlisted by the Union government.

Officials added that the city was ranked 11th in terms of registration. The civic body has been encouraging residents to register themselves on the link provided by the government - https://innovateindia.mygov.in/swachhyouthrally/ .

Self-help groups displayed different handicraft and items made out of waste, especially plastic, before appealing from the public to save the environment and water.

Ludhiana West legislator Gurpreet Gogi, mayor Balkar Sandhu, MC commissioner Shena Aggarwal among others also visited the rose garden and appreciated the participants’ efforts.

MC joint commissioner Poonampreet Kaur and zonal xommissioner Jasdev Sekhon, meanwhile, lauded the residents and NGOs for stepping up to ensure clean surroundings.

Other news in brief:

Residents flag safety concerns as burglars target six houses near AAP legislator’s house

Ludhiana A gang of burglars targeted six houses next to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Atam Nagar legislator Kulwant Singh Sidhu’s residence during the wee hours of Saturday. While complainants only reported minor thefts, the incident did manage to raise questions over the security and police vigil in the posh neighbourhood. Inderpal Singh Chawla, a resident of Model Gram, said the burglars barged into his house after scaling the boundary wall and decamped with some cash and a mobile phone. Another resident of the neighbourhood, Harvinder Singh, meanwhile, said the burglars have stolen only one mobile phone from his house before adding that the burglars also broke into the houses of his neighbours Rajesh Narola, Kawal Kumar Dureja and Rajinder Singh.Inspector Jasvir Singh, station head officer at the Division number 5 police, said police have already initiated an investigation and are recording the statements of the residents

Locally displaced persons’ (LDP) scheme scam: Day after arrest, 4 suspects sent to vigilance custody

Ludhiana A day after four people, including two Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) and a municipal Corporation (MC) official were arrested in the Locally Displaced Persons’ (LDP) Scheme scam case, a local court remanded them to two days in vigilance custody for questioning. Those who were arrested include LIT executive engineer Jasdev Singh, LIT junior engineer (JE) Inderjeet Singh, MC JE Mandeep Singh and one Kamaldeep Singh of Model Town Extension. The Vigilance Bureau (VB) in the court stated that they are yet to recover documents regarding allotted residential plots to unauthorised persons under the LDP Scheme. Moreover, some of the accused including former LIT chairman Raman Balasubramanium are yet to be arrested.

VB said during the investigation of the case, it has been found that officials of the LIT with corrupt practices and in connivance with others, had allotted residential plots to unauthorised persons under the LDP scheme. Though some of the allottees had already died, their plots were reallotted by the LIT officials to unauthorised persons, violating prescribed rules and taking huge bribe money from the beneficiaries.

17 rounded up during search ops in city

Ludhiana Police teams on Saturday conducted cordon and search operations in various parts of the city led by additional director general of police (ADGP) Anita Punj, At EWS Colony on Chandigarh Road, at least 17 people were rounded up for various offences and one was also arrested with a stolen auto. Police commissioner Kaustubh Sharma, joint commissioner of police (JCP, rural) Ravcharan Singh Brar and additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP, city 2) Suhail Mir also took part in the search operations.

Three Covid cases reported

Ludhiana Three fresh Covid cases were reported from Ludhiana district on Saturday. Till now, 1,13,508 people have tested positive in the district, of which 1,10,432 patients have recovered and 3,016 succumbed to the virus. There are 60 active cases currently, of which 57 are under home isolation.