15042026-JTR-01.qxd 14-04-2026 22:56 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune GUV HONOURS MERITORIOUS STUDENTS AT DAV COLLEGE VACANT DEO & BPEO POSTS RAISE CONCERNS OVER EDU SYSTEM SAVOUR DELICIOUS SNACKS AT SHIMLA’S RESTAURANT CHINATOWN He applauded the founders of Arya Samaj and DAV College Management Committee for their commitment to value-based education.P2 In the primary education wing, 19 out of 21 BPEO posts have reportedly been lying vacant for a long time. P2 Restaurant Chinatown at Middle Bazaar in Shimla offers mouthwatering Chinese snacks at affordable prices. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 34°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.56 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:58 AM WEDNESDAY | 15 APRIL 2026 | JALANDHAR HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your health-related queries. Please mail your questions (not exceeding 40 words) at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your healthrelated concerns. INBRIEF 6 BOOKED FOR ASSAULT IN TANDA Hoshiarpur: The police have booked six persons for allegedly attacking Dharaminder Singh of Gandhowal village. The accused have been identified as Dilpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Gopi, Navdeep Singh, Jasdeep Singh and Kalu. According to the complainant, the accused intercepted and attacked him with sharp-edged weapons and sticks, causing multiple injuries. The accused fled the spot after the incident. OC MAN DIES IN ROAD ACCIDENT Hoshiarpur: A 56-year-old man Jeet Ram lost his life after being hit by a speeding motorcycle near Adampur Chowk. A complaint was filed by his son Kamal Kumar of Adampur. The police have booked the accused Neeraj of Sundarnagar for rash and negligent driving. The victim succumbed to injuries during treatment at the Civil Hospital. OC TWO BOOKED IN DOWRY CASE Hoshiarpur: The police have registered a dowry harassment case on the complaint of Pushpa Devi of Purhiran. The accused have been identified as her husband Jatinder Kumar and brother-in-law Amritpal Singh. The complainant alleged harassment and physical assault. The case has been registered following an inquiry by the Women Cell. OC SIX BOOKED FOR MURDER BID Hoshiarpur: The police have registered an attempt to murder case on the complaint of Ranjit Singh of Mount Avenue, Purhiran. The accused include Brij Kishore, Aman, Ajay Kumar, Navi Pandit, along with two unidentified persons. The complainant alleged that the accused attacked him with weapons inside a shop with an intent to kill. All accused are absconding. oc MAN HELD WITH INTOXICANTS Hoshiarpur: The police arrested Rajinder Kumar, alias Raja, of Fatehpur. The accused was apprehended during checking when he tried to throw away a packet containing 72 intoxicating tablets. oc TWO HELD IN NDPS CASES Hoshiarpur: The police arrested two persons in separate NDPS cases. Akashdeep Singh of Nangal Shahidan was booked after his dope test turned positive. Lakhwinder Singh, alias Lakhu, of Haibowal, was arrested with 62 tablets. oc WOMAN HELD WITH ILLICIT LIQUOR Hoshiarpur: The police arrested Asha Devi of Sherpur Bahatian village. The police recovered 84 bottles of illicit liquor from her house. A case under the Excise Act has been registered. oc 458 buses diverted for Adampur event, commuters bear the brunt Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana Two Jalandhar depots send 96 buses Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 14 As many as 458 buses of Punjab Roadways and Punbus were requisitioned for the launch of the state-level Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana at Adampur on Tuesday, leaving thousands of commuters, including students and women passengers, across the state struggling to reach their destinations. According to an official letter issued by the Director, State Transport, Punjab, on April 13, 458 buses were mobilised from multiple depots across 13 districts, including Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur and Pathankot. The diversion came at a time when the commuter rush was already high due to Baisakhi, further worsening the situation on the ground. The scale of the impact was most visible in Jalandhar, where two depots contributed 96 buses despite having a fleet of just 152. Amritsar saw 91 buses diverted while Hoshiarpur sent 54 buses. Ludhiana and SBS Nagar contributed 35 buses each, Batala 33, Pathankot 32, Tarn Taran and Moga 19 each, Ferozepur 13, Rupnagar and Jagraon 10 each and Sri Muktsar Sahib one. With such large numbers of buses diverted, several routes were left either thinly served or completely without service. Office-goers, students and daily wage earners bore the brunt of the disruption, with many left waiting for hours at bus stands. The few buses that did arrive were heavily overcrowded, forcing several passengers to turn to costlier private transport to reach their destinations. Kamaljit Kaur at Jalandhar bus stand said, “I am Women in jubilant mood at Adampur on Tuesday. PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH. Women across Punjab gather for scheme launch Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service CM Bhagwant Mann gives registration certificates to beneficiaries at Adampur in Jalandhar on Tuesday. PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH travelling to Amritsar to pay obeisance at Darbar Sahib on Baisakhi. Since morning, drivers and conductors here have been telling us that very few buses are running today as many have been sent for a government rally. Still I waited for over an hour but the buses that came were so crowded that I had to turn to a private bus and spend extra money. What is the use of making travel free in government buses when there are no buses available when we need them.” Similarly, Samaira, a JEE aspirant, said, “I travel from Phagwara to attend my classes in Jalandhar. I got late for my classes today as I was not aware of the bus crisis. It has now become a regular occurrence.” Meanwhile, union leaders said such disruptions have become frequent. Satpal Singh, district head, and Ranjit Singh, general secretary of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC contract workers union in Jalandhar, said, “The diversion of buses to Punjab roadways buses queue up at the rally venue at Adampur in Jalandhar on Tuesday. ferry people to government events has now become frequent. Just recently, buses were pulled off routes for a state-level function in Moga on April 4 and now again for this event.” Since December, buses have been diverted more than 20 times. Another diversion is already planned for a state event in Tanda on April 15, which will again disrupt daily travel for thousands of Teachers seek MP’s backing for Bill against TET condition Channi assures delegation, claims teacher union Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 14 Teachers under the banner of the Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha submitted a memorandum to MP and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday, seeking his support for a Rajya Sabha Bill aimed at safeguarding the services of teachers affected by mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) norms. The demand is linked to a private member’s Bill introduced by Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala John Brittas. The proposed legislation seeks to provide relief by relaxing or exempting inservice teachers from mandatory TET requirements, thereby protecting their jobs from being affected by policy changes introduced after their appointment. The issue stems from the existing rules which require teachers to clear TET within a fixed time-frame to continue in service. Failure to do so can lead to termination, a provision that has triggered con- cern among teachers already employed in government schools. Members of the delegation argued that such conditions overlook the experience and years of service of the existing staff, placing their livelihoods at risk. A delegation from Jalandhar, led by Surinder Kumar Puari and Karnail Phillaur, raised these concerns during their meeting with Channi. They stressed that many teachers, despite being qualified and experienced, are now facing uncertainty due to the retrospective application of eligi- bility norms. The teachers maintained that the rule is both impractical and unfair to those who have been serving for years. To address this, the delegation urged Channi to support the Bill and raise the matter at the appropriate level. Karnail Singh Phillaur, district president of the Government Teachers Union, said, “Channi assured the delegation of his support and promised to take up the issue at relevant forums. He added that the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) also figured prominently in the discussion.” c m y b passengers, they added. Gurinder Singh, General Manager of Punjab Roadways at Jalandhar depot 2, said, “There was no significant disruption reported regarding bus operations in Jalandhar as all routes within the state were largely managed. However, since my jurisdiction is limited to Jalandhar, I cannot comment on the overall bus services across Punjab.” 2,400 MT wheat arrives in district mandis Hoshiarpur, April 14 Wheat arrivals in mandis across Hoshiarpur district have touched nearly 2,400 metric tonnes with the procurement season getting underway. MLA Jasvir Singh Raja Gill inaugurated the procurement at the local Dana Mandi, assuring farmers of smooth and hassle-free arrangements. Highlighting government initiatives, he said uninterrupted eight-hour daytime power supply for irrigation and restoration of canals have significantly benefited farmers. He also urged farmers to avoid stubble burning and make use of subsidised machinery for crop residue management. A 101-quintal lot of wheat belonging to farmer Avtar Singh of village Madda was procured. DC Aashika Jain stated that the district has 78 mandis, including 65 permanent and 13 temporary procurement centres. She said around 3.16 lakh metric tonnes of wheat arrival is expected this season. Payments will be made within 48 hours. — OC P2 BUSES WERE OVERCROWDED Office-goers, students and daily wage earners bore the brunt of the disruption, with many left waiting for hours at bus stands. The few buses that did arrive were heavily overcrowded, forcing several passengers to turn to costlier private transport to reach their destinations. Jalandhar, April 14 An atmosphere of celebration filled Adampur as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched the Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana, drawing a large gathering of women from across the state. While general category women will get Rs 1,000, SC women will receive Rs 1,500. The venue buzzed with energy even before the Chief Minister’s arrival, coinciding with the 135th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar. The event took on the spirit of a cultural fest, with popular Punjabi songs like “Maarda Damame Jatt Mele Aa Gaya” and “Maru Maru Kyun Krda” setting the tone for the day. The highlight of the preevent celebrations was a performance by Punjabi singer Kulwinder Billa, whose energetic numbers had the crowd cheering and dancing. Women, who had arrived in buses from various districts since morning, were seen enthusiastically participating. Many attendees stated that the financial assistance would help them contribute to household expenses and support their families. ‘English Circles’ programme to continue in schools Jalandhar, April 14 In a renewed push to improve English learning, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has instructed government schools to continue the ‘English Circles’ programme for the new academic session. The programme aimed to strengthen students communication skills. As per official instructions issued by the council, the initiative, introduced in the previous academic session, will focus on improving students confidence, reducing hesitation in speaking English and enhancing their social interaction abilities. The programme will cover students from Class VI to VIII. The participation will be voluntary with students either opting in or being selected by teachers. English lecturers or subject teachers will act as in-charge of the activity in schools. Officials said the programme will include a mix of beginner and advanced level activities. Students who have already developed basic proficiency will take part in activities such as conversation, story reviews and editorial discussions. New participants will be engaged through basic exercises like ‘Show and Tell’, vocabulary drills, picture description, rhymes and pronunciationbased activities. Teachers have been asked to assign at least three topics per month for students to prepare and present during English periods. Schools have also been encouraged to recognise students through badges, notice boards and social media posts. Chander Shekhar, state resource person English, SCERT, Punjab, said, “This initiative will empower students to express themselves confidently and strengthen their communication skills. It will provide valuable exposure, enabling them to connect with global opportunities through a widely used language.” — TNS Women from economically weaker backgrounds said the funds would be used for essential needs and savings. Gagandeep Kaur from Baba Bakala, a block-level pardhan, noted a surge in interest among women. She said many had approached her for registration under the scheme. Kulwinder Kaur from Amritsar said the financial aid would help her support her son’s education as her husband works as a labourer. Another beneficiary, a student at ITI-Adampur learning sewing technology, said she planned to purchase a sewing machine with the assistance. During the event, three women were also felicitated on stage with certificates for their registration under the scheme, symbolising the initiative’s outreach and impact. Beero from Amritsar said her husband earns very little, making it difficult to manage household expenses. She expressed hope that the financial assistance under the scheme would help her contribute to the family income and support daily needs, enabling her to share responsibilities and ease the financial burden at home. Uncle-nephew duo drowns in Beas Our Correspondent Phagwara, April 14 A tragic incident marred the festive spirit of Baisakhi in Kapurthala, where two young men from village Butala lost their lives after drowning in the Beas while taking a holy dip. The deceased Ramandeep Singh (22) and his uncle Gurdev Singh (30) had gone to bathe in the river between Butala and Chakkoki Mand. According to witnesses, both men were bathing in the river when a strong current suddenly pulled one of them into deeper waters. The other tried to rescue him but he too was swept away by the flow. Despite immediate alarm raised by people present at the site, the duo could not be saved. The police from Dhilwan reached the spot and initiated a rescue operation with the help of NDRF teams and local divers. After nearly three-and-a-half hours of intensive efforts, the bodies were recovered from the river and later handed over to the family members.