03012026-ATR-01.qxd 1/2/2026 11:58 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST FOG IN MORNING MINISTER ETO HANDS OUT AID TO NEEDY FAMILIES MANZIL ADDS NEW COLOURS TO HARIVALLABH SAMMELAN DHURANDHAR FIRST FILM TO HIT A CENTURY IN WEEK FOUR Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO distributed approval letters to 42 families for construction of houses. P2 Manzil and a team of 15 other artists worked for days together to create the perfect set-up. P3 Dhurandhar has become the first Hindi film ever to cross the ~100-crore mark in its fourth week. P4 » » MAX 14°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 14°C | MIN 9°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5.38 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7.30 AM » SATURDAY | 3 JANUARY 2026 | AMRITSAR Passenger traffic at city airport shows signs of recovery after May decline CM Health Insurance: Registrations from Jan 15 Tribune News Service Charanjit Singh Teja Amritsar, January 2 To provide improved healthcare facilities to the general public, the Punjab Government is set to implement the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme effectively in the district, with registrations scheduled to begin from January 15. In this regard, a meeting was convened by the district nodal officer of the scheme, Dr Amandeep Kaur, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban Development), Amritsar, at her office here on Friday. The meeting was attended by all Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), the District Medical Commissioner, all Senior Medical Officers (SMOs), managers of Common Service Centres (CSCs) and other government representatives. During the meeting, Dr Amandeep Kaur provided detailed information about the scheme. She said every resident of Punjab is eligible to avail its benefits. She said under the scheme, health insurance cover of up to Rs 10 lakh per family would be provided. Tribune News Service The house of a drug smuggler being razed in Patti on Friday. Drug smuggler’s house demolished in Patti Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, January 2 The district administration, with the assistance of the district police, on Friday demolished the house of a drug smuggler in Patti after it was found to have been constructed illegally. The demolished house belonged to Mewa Singh, a resident of Ward No. 2, Patti, who was allegedly involved in drug smuggling and was illegally occupying government land. Acting on this violation, the district administration carried out the demolition drive. Speaking on the occasion, SSP Surendra Lamba said that two cases under the NDPS Act have been registered against Mewa Singh by the Patti police. He said the accused had been involved in drug smuggling activities for a long time. The SSP added that the illegal construction raised by the accused on government land was demolished as part of the administration’s action against drug-related crimes. SP (Investigation) Riputapan Singh and other senior police officials were also present during the demolition. Amritsar, January 2 Passenger traffic at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport rebounded to the three-lakh mark in November 2025, signalling a gradual recovery after a prolonged mid-year slump. According to monthly data released by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the airport handled 3,00,146 passengers in November, marginally higher than the 2,97,130 passengers recorded during the same month last year. As per the data, total passenger traffic from January to November 2025 stood at 28.77 lakh, reflecting a decline of 6.7 per cent compared to 30.85 lakh passengers during the corresponding period in 2024. The overall decline can be traced to a significant setback beginning in May, when airport operations were disrupted due to the India-Pakistan conflict. The situation led to a temporary closure of the airport and prolonged cuts in both domestic and interna- A view of Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport . FILE tional flight frequencies during the peak summer season. While the first four months of 2025 recorded strong year-onyear growth ranging between 7 and 19 per cent, May alone witnessed a steep 43 per cent drop in total passenger numbers. This decline was largely driven by a nearly 50 per cent fall in domestic traffic. Passenger volumes remained JAC launches statewide protest against power reforms Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 2 The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of power sector employees, engineers and pensioners on Friday held a zonal protest dharna in front of the Border Zone office of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) here. The protest was organised following a call given by various power sector organisations, including engineers’ associations, junior engineers’ councils, accounts, IT and HR officers’ bodies, pensioners’ associations and employees’ unions. A large number of power employees, engineers, pensioners and representatives of farmers’ unions participated in the protest. The agitation was held against the proposed sale of Powercom-owned land and properties, the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, and in support of the demand for setting up two supercritical 800 MW thermal units at the Ropar The Joint Action Committee of power sector employees, engineers, and pensioners stage a protest dharna at the Border Zone office of PSPCL in Amritsar on Friday. power plant under the state sector. The organisers described it as the first instance of a joint agitation by power sector employees, engineers, pensioners and farmers’ unions. Addressing the gathering, leaders including Ajaypal Singh Atwal, general secretary of the PSEB Engineers’ Association and secretary of the Joint Action Committee, along with representatives of junior engineers, technical services unions and pensioners’ associations, criticised the state government’s policy decisions related to the power sector. The Joint Action Committee alleged that the Punjab Government was planning to sell Powercom-owned land in various cities in the name of monetisation. It said these lands could be utilised in the future for establishing substations, field offices and stores to meet the growing electricity demand in the state. The committee demanded an immediate halt to the sale process and the formulation of a long-term utilisation plan. The JAC also highlighted that while the Central Government has approved two 800 MW supercritical thermal units at Ropar, the state government has not taken concrete steps to implement the project. It said increasing the state’s own power generation capacity was essential to meet future electricity requirements. Expressing concern over the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, the committee warned that its passage would open the electricity distribution sector to private players, thereby limiting the role of state governments. The JAC urged the Punjab Government to submit its objections to the Centre at the earliest and, if required, pass a resolution against the Bill in the state Assembly. below 2024 levels from June through October before stabilising in November. The recovery during November was supported by growth in both segments, with domestic passenger numbers rising from 2,01,125 to 2,04,087 and international passengers inching up from 96,005 to 96,059 compared to November last year. However, aircraft move- ment data presents a contrasting picture. Between January and November 2025, total aircraft movements at the airport declined by 11.5 per cent year-on-year. The analysis has been compiled by Sameep Singh Gumtala, convener of the FlyAmritsar Initiative, based on AAI’s official passenger traffic statistics. Gumtala noted that the increase in passenger numbers despite fewer flights points to improved load factors, with airlines operating fuller aircraft on reduced schedules. International connectivity faced multiple disruptions during the year. Air India suspended its Amritsar-London Gatwick service in June following a Boeing 787-8 crash at Ahmedabad, resuming operations only in November. Italian carrier Neos Air suspended its Milan service from October, resulting in the loss of connectivity with Milan, Rome and Toronto. Additionally, AirAsia reduced and Batik Air suspended services on the Kuala Lumpur route, although AirAsia has since restored its four-times-aweek winter schedule. Domestic operations were also affected, with airlines such as IndiGo cutting frequencies on several routes after May. Although services are gradually stabilising, domestic route frequencies and aircraft movements continue to remain well below last year’s levels. The data further shows that March 2025 emerged as the busiest month ever for the airport, with 3,43,384 passengers, before operations were disrupted. Despite the November recovery, total passenger traffic for calendar year 2025 is unlikely to match or surpass the 34.25 lakh passengers recorded in 2024. At present, Amritsar airport offers international connectivity to Dubai, Sharjah, Doha, Birmingham, London Gatwick, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, while domestic destinations include Delhi, Mumbai, Srinagar, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune and Kullu. MP Tewari pays obeisance at Golden Temple, prays for peace Amritsar, January 2 The Former Union Minister and Member of Parliament from Chandigarh, Manish Tewari, on Friday paid obeisance at the Golden Temple on the occasion of the New Year, seeking blessings for world peace, prosperity and a better year ahead, with special prayers for Punjab. Speaking to mediapersons later, Tewari said he had visited the holiest Sikh shrine to pray for the well-being of all. “We have sought the blessings of Waheguru so that the year 2026 brings happiness to the world, the country and Punjab,” he said. Referring to the prevailing global situation, Tewari said the world was witnessing growing internal conflicts and an atmosphere of unrest. “Keeping this in mind, we have come here along with other Congress colleagues to pray Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari (middle) along with other Congress leaders pays obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Friday. for peace in the world, progress in our country and that Punjab always remains in ‘Chardi Kala’ (high spirits),” he added. Responding to a query about the losses suffered by Punjab last year, particularly due to floods, the Chandigarh MP said the state had faced immense hardships not just recently but over centuries. “Yet, it is the strength of Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiyat that despite every challenge and difficulty, people have shown remarkable courage and resilience. There is hope for better days ahead,” said Tewari. — TNS Mohali immigration firm owners Controversy erupts over postal staff’s inability to read Punjabi booked for cheating man of ~ 21L Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 2 The Amritsar Rural Police have booked the owners of a Mohali-based immigration firm for allegedly duping a local resident of Rs 21 lakh on the pretext of sending his two sons abroad. A case has been registered under Sections 318(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 13 of The Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act, 2014, against the accused. They have been identified as Rakesh Rikhi and his wife, Prabha Rikhi, residents of Sector 48, Senior Citizen Society, Chandigarh. No arrests have been made so far, the police said. The couple were booked following a probe into a complaint lodged by Ajit Singh of Jodhnagari village in Tarn Taran district in June last year. The police said the case was The couple were booked following a probe into a complaint lodged by Ajit Singh of Jodhnagari village in Tarn Taran district in June 2025. registered after applications were examined and a detailed inquiry was conducted by the DSP (Headquarters). The inquiry report, received through official channels, found substance in the allegations made by the complainant. According to the complaint, the accused, who run a travel agency named Venture of Pacific dealing in visa and education services in Mohali, took Rs21 lakh from Ajit Singh after promising to send his sons, Sahajpreet Singh and Amritpal Singh, abroad. However, neither were the promised services provided nor was the money returned. The police said further investigation is underway. — TNS Amritsar, January 2 A controversy erupted after a video from the General Post Office (GPO), Amritsar, went viral on social media, showing a postal employee unable to read Punjabi while dealing with a customer. The incident has triggered a wider debate over the alleged neglect of the Punjabi language in Central Government offices functioning in Punjab. According to the viral video, a customer had visited the GPO to post a letter addressed to a Punjab Government department. The address on the envelope was written in Punjabi. The postal assistant, identified as Vishal Singh, a resident of Delhi, reportedly told the customer that he could not read Punjabi and asked him to read out the address and explain it in Hindi. The customer objected, expressing concern that an c m y b A view of the General Post Office in Amritsar. employee working in Punjab, where the majority of customers are Punjabi-speaking, was unable to understand the local language. He further stated that even though the department functions under the Central Government, knowledge of Punjabi should be essential for officials posted in the state. The video also shows that other staff members at the post office stepped in to assist the customer. However, the customer alleged that Punjabi was not displayed on any signboards inside the post office and accused the Postal Department of ignoring the language altogether. Responding to the controversy, Vishal Singh said he has been posted at the Amritsar GPO for the past four years, but since it is a Central Government department, learning Punjabi is not mandatory for him. Following the video going viral, the issue drew strong reactions on social media. In this backdrop, leaders and workers of Akali Dal Waris Punjab De submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, protesting the alleged neglect of the Punjabi language and what they described as a constitutional violation by Central Government departments operating in Punjab. Speaking on the occasion, Sukhchain Singh, uncle of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, said Punjab is a Punjabi-speaking state and, under the Punjabi Language Act, 2008, the use of Punjabi is mandatory in all government offices located in the state, irrespective of whether they function under the Centre or the state government. He alleged that in several Central Government offices, including the Amritsar GPO, officials involved in public dealing refuse to communicate in Punjabi and instead compel citizens to converse in Hindi. Party leaders further claimed that signboards, directions and public information in many Central Government offices are displayed only in Hindi or English. They said this was a direct violation of the Punjabi Language Act, 2008, and reflected linguistic discrimination against Punjabis. They also criticised the Punjab Government’s silence on the issue and accused BJP leaders in the state of adopting a dual stance. The party asserted that Articles 29 and 350-A of the Indian Constitution guarantee citizens the right to protect and use their mother tongue. It warned that if the alleged injustice towards the Punjabi language is not addressed immediately, the party would intensify its agitation from the streets to government institutions.