Chandigarh/Sangrur, April 8:

Punjab Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak today held a review meeting with officials on the arrangements made for wheat procurement in 7 districts of Punjab including Sangrur district at the District Administrative Complex. He said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has given clear instructions that farmers, arhtiyas, laborers or any other stakeholder in wheat procurement process should not face any problem in any grain market during the entire season. He said that the mandis of Punjab are fully prepared to welcome the farmers bringing their produce and all the necessary arrangements for procurement, lifting, loading, crates and payment have been completed in the mandis.

Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said that during the meeting of the officers, good feedback has been received regarding the arrangements made in the mandis such as drinking water, sanitation, lighting arrangements, cleaning of washrooms etc. and this time too the wheat procurement season will be excellent. He said that there is a possibility of a bumper crop of wheat this year and a target of purchasing 124 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has been set. He also said that Punjab has arranged a Cash Credit Limit (CCL) of Rs 28,894 crore. He said that around 8 lakh farmers will bring their produce to the mandis of Punjab during the season and keeping it in view, as many as 1864 procurement centres have been set up. Apart from this, 600 temporary mandis have also been set up which will be used as per the requirement.

Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said that the state’s grain markets will start receiving a bountiful crop near Baisakhi and the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is fully committed to ensure the purchase of every grain of wheat coming to the markets and to make payment within 24 hours.

Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak instructed the District Food Supply Controllers, Food Supply Officers, District Managers of government procurement agencies of Sangrur, Bathinda, Mansa, Malerkotla, Fatehgarh Sahib, Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka districts that they will not take leave without any valid reason so that the farmers do not have to face any kind of problems in the markets.

Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Rishi, Additional Deputy Commissioner Amit Bamby, SP Navreet Singh Virk, SDM Charanjot Singh Walia, Deputy Director Food and Civil Supplies Patiala, Faridkot and Ferozepur Divisions were also present during the meeting.

Chandigarh, April 8:

Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government has prioritized improving the condition of government schools since assuming office, said Cabinet Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO in a press communique here today, while stressing that the Shikhya Kranti would transform Punjab’s image.

The Cabinet Minister said, “for the first time since India’s independence, our party had campaigned on education as a central platform. The public responded favorably, electing S. Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab government with 92 party candidates winning their seats”.

He acknowledged that upgrading more than 20,000 government schools across the state requires time, but affirmed that the government is proceeding with determination and integrity, with positive results beginning to emerge.

The Cabinet Minister said that opposition leaders who governed the state for over 70 years are displeased with the development work being undertaken by our government in public schools.

He informed that his assembly constituency has received funding worth crores for school development projects. On April 9, 2025, he will inaugurate development works at Government Elementary and Middle School Dhirekot, Government Elementary School Gehri (Jandiala Guru), Government Elementary and Middle School Bhangwan and Government High and Elementary School Tangra.

CHANDIGARH, April 8:

          Amidst the ongoing fight against organised crime launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) has busted a Lawrance Bishnoi-Rohit Godara gang with the arrest of the its two active operatives and recovered one .32 calibre pistol from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.

    Those arrested have been identified as Jashandeep Singh alias Jashan Sandhu, a resident of village 25ML in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan and Gursewak Singh, a resident of Sri Muktsar Sahib.

    DGP Gaurav Yadav said that accused Jashan Sandhu was wanted in a 2023-murder case took place in Ganganagar in Rajasthan and had been evading arrest by constantly changing locations across Georgia, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and Dubai. “Recently, on the directions of his handlers accused Jashan came back to India and landed in Nepal from Dubai before entering India by road in an attempt to escape law enforcement,” he said.

          The DGP said that preliminary investigations revealed that accused Jashan played a crucial role in providing logistical support to the gang. His interrogation has also led to the identification of overseas Hawala operators, travel agents, and the locations of fugitive gangsters hiding abroad—marking a significant step in dismantling these networks, he added.

   Sharing operational details, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban said that acting swiftly on a specific input about Jashan entered India by road after landing in Nepal, special operation teams of AGTF under the supervision of AIG Gurmeet Chauhan and led by DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar along with teams worked on inputs and successfully traced Jashan along with his associate Gursewak, leading to their arrest from Mohali. Police teams have recovered a .32 calibre pistol along with seven cartridges from their possession, he added.

    AIG Gurmeet Chauhan said that preliminary investigations revealed that accused Gursewak came in contact with Lawrance gang members through Jashan and was operating locally on their behalf. “Their disclosures also revealed that Rohit Godara was planning to eliminate some prominent individuals in Punjab and New Delhi,” he said, while adding that sensational crimes have been averted with their arrests.

          The AIG said that further investigation is ongoing to trace the forward and backward linkages in this case.

          A case FIR number 02 dated 07/04/2025 has been registered under sections 25 (6)(7) of the Arms Act at Police Station State Crime Punjab in SAS Nagar.

Chandigarh, April 8:

On the directions of Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, the Health Department has issued a detailed precautionary measures to protect the people from the upcoming heatwave in Punjab. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a heatwave is declared in plain areas when the maximum temperature reaches 40°C or more, or when there is a departure from the normal temperature by 4.5°C to 6.4°C. This high temperature disrupts the body’s temperature regulation system and can cause various heat-related illnesses.

Urging people to follow the advisory issued by the health department, Director Health and Family Welfare Dr. Hitinder Kaur said all the Civil Surgeons have been given strict instructions to ensure that all health facilities are fully equipped to manage patients suffering from heat related illnesses. Further, required beds have been reserved from District Hospitals to CHC level and PHCs where 24*7 health services are available.

“Refresher training and sensitization of Medical Officers and Specialists has been completed to ensure accurate diagnosis, as well as effective management of heat-related illnesses.” She added. Civil Surgeons have also been instructed to train and sensitize all paramedical Staff as well including ASHAs to ensure that advisories regarding heat wave reach up to the last mile in the community.

She advised that attention should be paid to local weather news through TV, radio, newspapers, etc. Apart from this, the latest weather information can be obtained from the website of the Meteorological Department [http://mausam.imd.gov.in/]. People should plan their daily activities according to predictions in the severe heat wave conditions.

Dr Kaur emphasized that new born babies, children, pregnant women, elderly persons, labourers, obese persons, people with any kind of mental sickness and immuno compromised persons especially suffering from heart diseases or hypertension should follow the advisory in more stringent manner as they are in higher risk of suffering from the heatwave.

Box:

DO’s AND DON’Ts TO PREVENT HEAT STROKE

DO’s:

* Do outdoor work in the cool part of the day i.e. morning and evening

* Drink water every half an hour, even if not thirsty. People with epilepsy or heart disease, kidney or liver disease who are on a fluid-restricted diet should consult a doctor before increasing their water intake.

* Wear light coloured full sleeved clothing when working outdoors. Try to wear only cotton clothes in summer

* Use umbrella, hat, towel, turban or dupatta to cover your head from direct sunlight

* People who work in the sun should rest in the shade or keep a wet cloth on their head to maintain the body temperature

* Always carry water when going out in the sun

* Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, oranges, grapes, cucumbers and tomatoes, as they are high in water content

* Offer water to people who come to your home or office for delivery of goods or food

* Use and increase the intake of homemade drinks like lemon water, lassi, coconut water

* Wear sunscreen to protect your skin and dark goggles to protect your eyes

* Eat small meals and eat more often

* Bath frequently in cold water

* Adding straw on roofs or growing vegetables keeps the temperature low

* If exercising, start slowly and eventually increase it over a few days to adjust to the rising body temperature

* Traditional remedies like onion salad and eating raw mango with salt and cumin seeds can prevent heat stroke

DON’Ts

* Do not go out barefoot, always wear shoes or slippers when going out in the sun.

* Avoid going out in the sun, especially between 12 noon to 3 pm.

* Avoid cooking during peak summer hours, keep doors and windows open to ventilate the kitchen area well.

* Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee, and carbonated and extra-sweetened beverages, as they actually deplete body fluids.

* Avoid fried food, do not eat stale food.

* Do not leave children or pets in a locked vehicle.

SYMPTOMS WHICH REQUIRES IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION

* Altered mental balance with restlessness, difficulty in speaking, irritability, ataxia, slurred speech, slurred speech, seizures etc

* Hot, red and dry skin

* When Body temperature rises to 40 degrees or higher

* Severe headache

* Anxiety, dizziness, fainting and mild headache

* Muscle weakness or spasms lasting more than an hour

* Vomiting (nausea)

* Rapid heartbeat

* Shortness of breath

 WHAT TO DO:

Remember, if you find someone with a high body temperature who is unconscious, confused, or has stopped sweating, call the 104 medical helpline immediately. While waiting for the ambulance, begin cooling them by moving them to shade, fanning them, and, if possible, applying cool water to large areas of the skin. Acting quickly can save a life.

Chandigarh, April 8:

Punjab Animal Husbandry Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian launched a deworming drive in the state on Tuesday, starting from the Lambi constituency of Sri Muktsar Sahib district.

S. Khudian stated that the Punjab government has purchased deworming medication for livestock at a cost of Rs. 7.78 crore. This medication will be distributed free of cost to farmers across the state.

While directing the officials to complete the deworming drive within this week, he further informed that the Animal Husbandry department has formed over 2000 teams to deliver the deworming medication directly to farmers. For those who miss the distribution, the medicine will be available free of cost at their nearest veterinary institute.

For the deworming of cows/buffaloes and calves in the entire state of Punjab, he said that the dewormers are being distributed under ASCAD scheme.

Notably, this is the second deworming campaign which is expected to have a positive impact on milk production and thus increasing farmers income. Last year’s campaign was well-received by livestock owners, who requested a repeat this year.

Mr. Rahul Bhandari, Principal Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development, has directed all department officials to ensure the timely delivery of dewormers to every household having animal with it. This will ensure that all animals in the state are dewormed which will help in boosting milk production and improving animal immunity.

Dr. G.S. Bedi, Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, mentioned that deworming animals before vaccination increases their immunity and improves vaccination effectiveness. He urged all animal owners to deworm their animals before the foot-and-mouth vaccination campaign, which will begin in the mid of this month, to create a healthy livestock and eradicate foot-and-mouth disease from the state. Dewormers are available at all Civil Veterinary Hospitals and Civil Veterinary Dispensaries throughout the state, and can be obtained free of cost from the nearest veterinary institutions.

CHANDIGARH, April 8:

          With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state entered 39th day, Punjab Police on Tuesday arrested 71 drug smugglers and recovered 1.8 kg heroin, 4.9 kg opium, 13362 intoxicant capsules/tablets and ₹9000 drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 5373 in just 39 days.

          The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 180 Police teams, comprising over 900 police personnel, under the supervision of 60 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 350 locations across the state leading to the registration of 43 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 404 suspicious persons during the day long operation, he added.

          The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced one person to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.

          Meanwhile, Police teams have also conducted checking at as many as 208 pharmaceutical shops in five districts including Sri Muktsar Sahib, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Moga and Fazilka to ensure that they are not selling intoxicant tablets or any other habit-forming drugs, and are adhering to the prescribed norms and regulations regarding the sale of medicines.