03012026-JTR-01.qxd 1/2/2026 10:35 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune POLICE PERSONNEL CRUNCH WORSENS ACROSS PUNJAB YOUNG ARTIST FOLLOWS IN FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS DHURANDHAR FIRST FILM TO HIT A CENTURY IN WEEK FOUR Security guards remain deployed with political leaders, raising serious questions about public safety priorities. P2 I have reused the sculptures created by my father which were based on concepts from Ajanta Ellora caves: Manzil Zurff. P3 Dhurandhar has become the first Hindi film ever to cross the ~100-crore mark in its fourth week. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 14°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 14°C | MIN 9°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5.37 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:27 AM » SATURDAY | 3 JANUARY 2026 | JALANDHAR 204 owners given notice for ignoring cleanliness on plots Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 2 The district administration has issued notices to 204 plot owners, who did not keep their vacant land clean, and recommended 23 cases for marking red entries. The complaints regarding the matter were received by the administration on its Action Helpline WhatsApp number 96462-22555, launched to address public grievances. As many as 774 complaints related to civic issues were received with pictures and video shots. Taking immediate action, the administration intends to provide relief to the neighbours and also encourage residents to make efforts to keep the city clean. The notices to plot owners were issued after Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal chaired a review meeting on Friday regarding the disposal of complaints received on the Action Helpline. He said 473 complaints related to the cleaning of vacant plots received on the Action Helpline WhatsApp number had been resolved. Meanwhile, strict action had been initiated against the plot owners, who failed to get their plots cleaned, by issuing them notices. Dr Aggarwal stated that plot owners were cooperating in the drive launched by the administration. He said cleanliness-conscious indi- Red entry in 23 cases recommended A boundary wall being raised around a plot, which was being used for dumping garbage, by the owner upon intervention of the administration in Jalandhar. viduals are not only getting their plots cleaned but also constructing boundary walls. He directed other plot owners as well to ensure cleaning and boundary walls of their plots to prevent illegal dumping of garbage. He warned that if this is not done, the department would carry out the cleaning and recover the cost from the plot owner as a penalty, in addition to making a red entry in the land records. He emphasised that these steps were being taken to improve the city’s overall look. During the meeting, the DC also reviewed the campaign to remove hanging, loose, unusable, and damaged cables of telecom and internet service providers across the city. He said 60 such complaints received through the Action Helpline had been resolved. Similarly, complaints related to stray animals received on the helpline are being addressed regularly. So far, 241 stray animals have been shifted to gaushalas (cow shelters) from the city, including 88 animals transferred during November and December. He further said from April till now, a total of 340 stray animals had been relocated to gaushalas. The DC urged people to send complaints regarding illegal dumping of garbage in plots, along with the location, to the Action Helpline WhatsApp number 96462-22555. In addition, information or complaints related to industry or infrastructure in the Focal Point/industrial area can also be shared on the same helpline number. He said complaints received on the Action Helpline would be forwarded to the departments to ensure resolution. The meeting was attended by Assistant Commissioner (UT) Mukilan R, Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Sumandeep Kaur, and other officials. Scribes submit memo to Guv over FIR Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, January 2 A wave of anger has spread across the journalist community in Punjab following the registration of an FIR against journalists in Ludhiana a few days ago. Journalists across the state have strongly condemned the move, terming it an attack on press freedom. In this connection, journalists associated with the Hoshiarpur Press Club on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, Ashika Jain. Through the memorandum, they demanded the immediate cancellation of the FIR registered against journalists in Ludhiana. Press Club president Baljinder Pal Singh said the FIR lodged against journalists was condemnable and undemocratic. He stated that the government should immediately withdraw this decision and revoke the FIR. He warned that if the Aam Aadmi Party–led government failed to do so, journalists would be forced to chalk out a joint strategy and launch a large-scale protest in the coming days, the responsibility of which would lie entirely with the state government. Journalists, including Hajari Lal, Chetan Kashyap, and Amrik Kumar, also expressed resentment and stressed that intimidation of journalists would not be tolerated. They reiterated that a free and fearless press is essential for democracy. Mayor Vaneet Dhir and AAP leader Nitin Kohli inaugurate road work at Surya Enclave in Jalandhar. Road works worth ~ 5.89 cr in JIT colonies inaugurated Kohli opens Public Service Centre for Rama Mandi residents Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 2 Road development works worth Rs 5.89 crore, pending in Jalandhar Improvement Trust colonies of Surya Enclave, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Avenue, Guru Gobind Singh Avenue and adjoining areas, were inaugurated by Nitin Kohli, AAP’s Jalandhar central halqa in-charge. Jalandhar Mayor Vaneet Dhir was also present. Roads in the colonies had been in a dilapidated condition for long but now these will be reconstructed, providing residents with a safe and smooth traffic movement. Addressing a gathering during the foundation stone laying ceremony, Kohli stated that development works Nagar kirtan held ahead of Gurpurb Our Correspondent Jalandhar, January 2 Cold windy weather did not dissuade hundreds of devotees from participating in nagar kirtan held in the city to mark the Parkash Purb of Guru Gobind Singh. The nagar kirtan started from Gurdwara Guru Singh Sabha in Mohalla Gobindgarh this afternoon and culminated at Gurdwara Dewan Asthan in Central Town. The nagar kirtan passed through PCM SD College, Railway Road, Mandi Fentonmganj, Central Town, Milap Chowk, Phagwara Gate, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk, Panj Peer Chowk, Fire at liquor shop at Partap Bagh MP Kang reviews works, welfare schemes Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 2 A major fire erupted in a liquor shop at Partap Bagh in the wee hours on Friday. The fire is believed to have started due to a short circuit. The fire quickly spread and the inferno led to breaking of alcohol bottles. The broken splinters of the glass bottles flew outside from the vend along with flame and smoke. A salesman present at the premises had a providential escape. He immediately alerted the Fire Department. Fire teams reached the spot and battled hard for hours to douse the flames. Nawanshahr, January 2 Lok Sabha MP from Sri Anandpur Sahib Malwinder Kang on Friday reviewed the progress of various ongoing development projects and welfare schemes in the district. He directed officials to expedite the pace of work and ensure the completion in time. Presiding over a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting held at the District Administrative Complex, the MP took stock of nearly 35 programmes, encompassing a range of development works and pub- Thursday. Rajya Sabha MP and Chancellor of the LPU Ashok Mittal attended the event as the chief guest and inaugurated the office. A large number of party leaders, social workers, traders, the youth, women and local residents were present. Establishing this office was part of that commitment that Kohli had made to the people so that they would not have to commute to a longer distance to raise their concerns and could get speedy resolutions. Kohli stated that the office would remain open to the public and every issue brought forward would be taken seriously. It would also serve as a centre for public dialogue, awareness activities, and development-related suggestions. One killed, another injured in accident Khingra Gate, Mai Hiran Gate, Patel Chowk, Old Jail Chowk and Rainak Bazaar areas. Devotees washed the entire route with water and wipers as the bedecked palanquin of Guru Granth Sahib passed through. The Panj Pyaras in traditional attire led the nagar kirtan. The display of gatka, a Sikh martial art, performed by a nihang jatha drew a lot of attention. Ragi jathas sitting in trolleys recited hymns ‘Waho waho Gobind Singh aape gur chela’. There were stalls of chhole kulche, milk, tea, pakoras, jalebis, laddoos and other eatables all through the route of nagar kirtan. Tribune News Service would be extended to every colony and every street of the constituency. Dhir said with coordinated efforts between the Municipal Corporation and the constituency in-charge, development works were being completed at a fast pace in Jalandhar. Members of the Shri Ram Mandir Committee, including Pramod Bansal (president), Principal ML Aeri, Satish Aggarwal, Gulshan Aggarwal, Pawan Setia and Rahul Tandon, also attended the inauguration. At the conclusion of the programme, local residents expressed gratitude for the road development works. Meanwhile, Kohli also opened a Public Service Centre to hear grievances of residents of Rama Mandi on Panj Piaras lead the nagar kirtan to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in Jalandhar on Friday. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH lic welfare schemes. Engaging in discussions with officials on Central and state government schemes, Kang stressed that no delays must occur in their implementation. He underscored the importance of ensuring that the benefits of welfare schemes reach every eligible beneficiary. The meeting was attended by MLAs Dr Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi and Dr Nachhattar Pal, DC Ankurjit Singh, SSP Tushar Gupta, and other senior officials. The MP reviewed fund allocations under various projects, progress to date and recently completed works. He instructed that MPLAD funds be utilised promptly and utilisation certificates submitted to the authorities without delay. He also assessed initiatives for providing drinking water in rural areas, including the installation of new tubewells. In the health sector, he reviewed programmes such as the Janani Suraksha Yojana, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme, and measures to prevent water-borne diseases. Additionally, the MP evaluated progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission, including Open DefecationFree villages and Pradhan c m y b Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. He directed officials to raise public awareness about the National Social Assistance Programme, covering old age, widow, disabled, and family benefit pensions, to better facilitate beneficiaries. During the session, Kang also reviewed the National Food Security Act and Smart Ration Card Scheme, besides discussing advancements under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, and other flagship programmes. He urged officials to guarantee that all projects are executed without any procrastination and completed on schedule. Phagwara, January 2 One person has lost his life while another sustained serious injuries during a road accident occurred on the Amritsar GT Road near Dhilwan in Kapurthala district. The incident took place near village Hambowal late last evening where a Swift car and a Thar vehicle collided head-on. The collision was so severe that both vehicles were badly damaged. The Subhanpur police reached the spot and initiated investigation. The body of the deceased was taken into custody and kept at the mortuary of the Civil Hospital, Kapurthala. Dr Chirag Gupta, posted in the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital, Kapurthala, said Tajinder Singh, a resident of RCF was brought to , the hospital. He was travelling in the car and was critically injured. After first-aid, he was referred to a higher medical centre due to his serious condition. According to people accompanying the injured, the deceased has been identified as Mandeep Singh, a resident of Batala, who was travelling in the Thar vehicle. The police have kept the body in the Civil Hospital mortuary for the postmortem examination. Foggy de(light) Dense fog blankets Jalandhar on Friday, forcing commuters to navigate city road with extreme caution due to poor visibility. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH