15042026-ATR-01.qxd 15-04-2026 00:29 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR 458 BUSES OF STATE TRANSPORT DIVERTED FOR ADAMPUR EVENT POSTER LAUNCH OF ZAKHMA TOH CHARDIKALA TAK SAVOUR DELICIOUS SNACKS AT SHIMLA’S RESTAURANT CHINATOWN Around 458 buses of state transport were diverted for the launch of Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana at Adampur. P2 Actors Ammy Virk and Roopi Gill came together to unveil the poster of Zakhma Toh Chardikala Tak. P4 Restaurant Chinatown at Middle Bazaar in Shimla offers mouthwatering Chinese snacks at affordable prices. P4 » » » MAX 34°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.59 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.00 AM WEDNESDAY | 15 APRIL 2026 | AMRITSAR Cops bust cross-border arms smuggling module Expert Kuldeep Singh links Punjab’s water dispute to historical decisions, political unrest NEWSMAKER OF THE WEEK Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Charanjit Singh Teja Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, along with other officials, addresses mediapersons in Amritsar on Tuesday. drones from across the border, and the accused used to pick up consignments and supply them to criminal elements, he said. The DGP said that further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages to dismantle this entire network. Sharing operational details, Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that in a targeted operation based on secret information, police teams arrested suspect Mangal Singh, alias Manga, and recovered one .30 bore pistol from his possession. On his disclosure, co-accused Pranav Sharma, alias Laddu, and Gaurav Rana were arrested and five additional pistols were recovered from their possession, he said. The Police Commissioner continued on page 2 Amritsar, April 14 Eminent political expert Kuldeep Singh, former Head of the Department of Political Science at Guru Nanak Dev University, has shed light on the long-standing Punjab river waters dispute, linking it to historical decisions, political developments and the concerns of farmers. His recent book “Punjab River Waters Dispute in South Asia: Historical Legacies, Political Competition, and Peasant Interests” is being discussed in academic circles. Kuldeep Singh said that the issue of militancy in Punjab is often discussed, but its roots can be traced back to the river waters dispute. He pointed out that on December 31, 1981, an agreement was signed by the government led by Indira Gandhi involving three states. This agreement was strongly opposed by the Akali leadership in Punjab, leading to a Eco Stan firm Citizens urged to follow Dr BR asked to speed up legacy waste Ambedkar’ path of equality s disposal in city He worked for upliftment of the underprivileged: DC Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 14 Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill on Tuesday reviewed the progress of legacy waste processing and disposal at the Bhagtanwala dump site, directing the executing agency to accelerate operations and ensure timely completion of the project. During the inspection, officials informed that by March 31, this year, a total of 3,57,907 metric tonnes of legacy waste had been processed and disposed of. Additionally, between April 1 and 12, around 36,173 metric tonnes of waste was processed, reflecting a steady pace of work at the site. Cumulatively, approximately 4,94,600 metric tonnes of waste has been processed so far, out of which nearly 3,94,080 metric tonnes scientifically disposed of. The project has also witnessed a significant rise in daily processing capacity, with disposal exceeding 4,000 metric tonnes on several days. Reviewing the progress, MC Commissioner Shergill instructed Eco Stan Company to deploy adequate manpower and machinery to further speed up the operations. He emphasised that clearing the dump site within the stipulated timeline remains a top priority, keeping in view environmental protection, public health and long-term solid waste management goals. Representatives of Eco Stan Company assured that the work is progressing as per schedule and that all necessary measures are being taken to meet the deadline. Shergill stated that the Amritsar Municipal Corporation is closely monitoring the project and remains fully committed to the scientific and sustainable management of legacy waste. He warned that any negligence in the execution of the project would not be tolerated. (Lopoke) Khushpreet Singh, District Social Justice and Empowerment Officer Pallav Shreshtha, along with other district officials, paid floral tributes by offering flowers at the portrait of Dr BR Ambedkar. Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner called upon the residents of the district to follow the ideology of Ambedkar and contribute towards building an equal and progressive society. He said that walking on the path shown by Babasaheb is the most appropriate tribute to him. Highlighting the contributions of Dr Ambedkar as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, he said that he dedicated his entire life to Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 14 Under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjeet Singh, the district administration on Tuesday celebrated the 135th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, with great enthusiasm at the District Administrative Complex here. On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjeet Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Rohit Gupta, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Parmjeet Kaur, SDM-1 Alka Kalia, SDM-2 Gurminder Singh, SDM equality, fraternity and humanity and made significant efforts for the upliftment of the underprivileged sections of society. He further stated that Dr Ambedkar’s vision of social and political equality remains as relevant today as it was in the past. Describing Dr Ambedkar as a global personality of great stature, the Deputy Commissioner urged citizens to draw inspiration from his life and work towards building an inclusive and just society. He added that the district administration will continue to make sincere efforts towards realising the vision of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and ensuring the upliftment of the weaker sections of society. Expert Kuldeep Singh, former Head of the Department of Political Science at Guru Nanak Dev University, in Amritsar on Tuesday. political agitation that gradually escalated and contributed to unrest in the state. Explaining the origins of the dispute, he said that at the time of the partition of India in 1947, river waters were not divided according to natural principles. Rivers like the Indus and its tributaries originate in Indian regions such as Kashmir Himachal Pradesh and Tibet and flow into Pakistan, eventually merging at ‘ Panjnad’ before reaching the sea. By natural logic, India is the upper riparian and Pakistan the lower riparian and both countries should have jointly managed these waters. However, political decisions led to an “unnatural” division, giving three rivers to Pakistan and three — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — to India. He further referred to the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960, under which India sought to establish full utilisation of its share of waters. He noted that a significant portion of unutilised water from the Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, April 14 The Sadar police have busted a four-member gang responsible for stealing electric wires from the fields of farmers in the area. The police have arrested two accused. ASI Rajpal Singh said here on Tuesday that farmers Sukhdev Singh and Sukhjinder Singh of Sheikhchak village in a complaint lodged with the Sadar police said that electric wires were being stolen from their fields. The police took action and arrested the two accused who have been identified as Paramjit Singh, alias Hero, and Lovejit Singh, alias Love, of Kalha village, while Husanpreet Singh, alias Lada, and Sajan Singh of Kalha village are absconding. The police said that the gang was continuously stealing electric wires from the fields of farmers. The police have also recovered some stolen electrical wires from the possession of the accused. The police have registered a case under Section 303 (2), 3 (5) of the BNS against the accused. CM Mann to launch renovation of 121 link roads in Attari on April 17; DC inspects site Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 14 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will lay the foundation stone for the renovation of link roads at the Attari Dana Mandi, over 36 km from Amritsar, on April 17. He will also address a rally during the state-level function. To review the preparations for the event, Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh on Tuesday held a meeting with district officials at the Attari Dana Mandi. He directed all departments to ensure that arrangements for the state-level function are completed well in time. The Chief Minister is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the renovation of 121 major link roads in the Attari Assembly constituency. The Deputy Commissioner Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh chairs a review meeting with district officials in Attari on Tuesday. instructed officials to make adequate arrangements for the convenience of people attending the rally. He emphasised the need for proper seating arrangements, availability of sufficient drinking water and provision of other basic amenities. He further directed that adequate parking facilities be arranged near the venue. The Deputy Commissioner also stressed that all duties related to the Chief Minister’s visit should be treated as a priority and completed within the stipulated timeframe. Baisakhi celebrated with fervour in city Agri Dept officials inspect units to check urea misuse in district Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 14 For Punjabis, Baisakhi, colloquially known as Vaesakhi, is far more than a harvest festival. Rooted deeply in history, faith and collective memory, it carries religious and political significance that has shaped the region for centuries. Two defining moments in history lend Baisakhi its profound meaning. On this day in 1699, the 10th Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Khalsa, giving a new identity and direction to the Sikh community. Centuries later, the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre left an indelible scar, when hundreds of unarmed civilians were gunned down by British troops. These events not only transformed Punjab’s sociopolitical landscape but also inspired resistance. First against the Mughals under Banda Singh Bahadur and later against British colonial rule, eventually contributing to PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR BHAGTANWALA DUMP PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Amritsar, April 14 The Amritsar Commissionerate Police have busted a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module with the arrest of three persons and recovered six sophisticated pistols from their possession here on Tuesday. Those arrested have been identified as Mangal Singh, alias Manga (30), a resident of Kajikot village in Tarn Taran; Pranav Sharma, alias Laddu (24), a resident of Orchid Valley in Chheharta, Amritsar; and Gaurav Rana (25), a resident of Guru Nanak Avenue in Amritsar. The recovered pistols include two (Made in China) .30 bore, one Zigana .30 bore and three .30 bore pistols. Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were in contact with Pakistan-based smugglers through social media platforms. The illegal weapons were being sent through Ravi and Beas rivers, around 8 million acre-feet (MAF) out of 17 MAF was allocated to , Rajasthan, which remains a major source of conflict. Discussing riparian law, Kuldeep Singh explained that Rajasthan is not a true riparian state, though a small part of it lies within the Indus basin. This has created a major imbalance, as Rajasthan receives around 8 MAF of water, while Punjab, a major riparian state with a larger share of the basin, gets only about 3.5 MAF “Such an . imbalance naturally leads to disputes,” he said. Highlighting the present situation, he said that Punjab no longer has surplus water. Only during the monsoon season does excess water flow, which is then released downstream. He added that the current dispute between Punjab and Haryana is limited to about 1.5 MAF However, Modi-led . Central Government claimed that additional water, currently flowing to Pakistan, could be diverted, which is practically very difficult. Kuldeep Singh emphasised that the core issue remains continued on page 2 Gang of thieves busted in Tarn Taran, 2 held A devotee takes a dip in the holy sarovar at the Golden Temple on the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas and Baisakhi in Amritsar. India’s freedom struggle. Today, Baisakhi embodies a blend of joy, devotion, sacrifice and hope. From bustling fairs in towns and villages to vibrant cultural performances, the festive spirit is unmistakable. Bhangra and giddha echo through open grounds, as men and women celebrate the harvest season with unrestrained enthusiasm. For the devout, the day begins with a holy dip at the sacred sarovar of Golden Temple. Thousands of devotees throng the shrine in the early hours, seeking blessings and offering prayers. Yet, amid the celebrations, a subtle concern lingers. Traditionally, Baisakhi marked the completion of the wheat harvest, a sentiment beautifully captured in the works of Dhani Ram Chatrik. His celebrated c m y b poem “Vaisakhi” portrays farmers rejoicing after reaping their crops. However, changing climatic conditions have altered this rhythm. In parts of the Majha region, many farmers are still waiting for their crops to ripen, highlighting the shifting agricultural cycle. Echoes of the past still resonate in folklore. A popular couplet; “Datri nu lvade gungru, harhi wadu gi barabar tere” recalls a time when women joined men in harvesting, turning labour into a shared celebration. At local exhibitions, traditional farming tools stand as silent witnesses to the grit and toil of earlier generations, even as modern machinery dominates the fields today. Meanwhile, pashu melas add to the festive charm, with special focus on horse trading during Baisakhi. Visitors admire and adorn their animals with colourful ‘haar’, ‘hamelan’ and ‘ghungru’, reflecting Punjab’s enduring bond with its livestock. Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 14 The Joint Director of Agriculture (Engineering), Jagdish Singh, along with his team, conducted an inspection in the district on Tuesday to check alleged misuse of subsidised urea in dyeing and plywood industries. The team included Agriculture Officer Dr Bakshish Singh, ADO Ketan, and other district agriculture officials. During the visit, several industrial units were checked to verify whether subsidised urea, meant only for agricultural use, was being diverted for industrial purposes. Jagdish Singh said that the consumption of urea in Punjab has been rising continuously. There are indications that subsidised urea may be used in industries, which is illegal. He added that a statewide drive is underway to prevent such mis- Officials of the Agriculture Department conduct inspection at an industrial unit in Amritsar on Tuesday. use and similar inspections are being carried out across districts, including Amritsar. Chief Agriculture Officer, Amritsar, Dr Gursahib Singh instructed all fertiliser dealers to clear their stock through POS machines and ensure that fertilisers are sold strictly according to farmers’ needs. He warned that unnecessary sale of urea must be avoided and strict action will be taken against any dealer found supplying fertilisers to industrial units. During the visit, the Joint Director also held a meeting with block-level agriculture officers. He directed them to carry out regular inspections of fertiliser shops, feed units and plywood industries.