01072026-JTR-01.qxd 6/30/2026 11:01 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES REVIEWED IN KAPURTHALA PUNJAB LOSING WAR AGAINST SINGLE-USE PLASTICS CONG PROTESTS RISING THEFT CASES IN GARHSHANKAR The district administration reviewed its preparedness to tackle any flood-like situation during the monsoon. P2 Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar are the primary drivers of the crisis, generating thousands MT of waste daily.P2 The protesters raised slogans against the Punjab Government and the police, demanding immediate action. P2 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 29°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 30°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.36 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:27 AM WEDNESDAY | 1 JULY 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 MIGRANT BOOKED FOR KIDNAPPING Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked a migrant youth on the charge of kidnapping a minor girl. The accused has been identified as Pachu Sahni of Bihar and residing at Uggi village. The mother of the victim, residing at Uggi village, complained to the police that the accused kidnapped her minor daughter and confined her somewhere. OC 'DRUG PEDDLER' ARRESTED Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a person on the charge of selling intoxicating tablets. Sixteen tablets were recovered from the possession of the accused Sandip of Uggi village. A case under Sections 22/61/85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused. OC PO ARRESTED IN DRUG CASE Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) absconding since last year. The accused has been identified as Ajay Kumar of Shahjahanpur village in Kapurthala. The accused is wanted in a case of drug peddling. OC Power cuts, staff strike compound consumers’ woes Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 30 Amid frequent power outages during the peak summer season, residents are facing a double whammy as several consumer services at Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) offices remain disrupted due to the indefinite strike by outsourced employees posted at Nodal Complaint Centres (NCCs), Customer Relationship Centres (CRCs), stores and metering labs since June 16. Residents visiting the PSPCL offices to lodge complaints related to power outage or avail routine services are encountering long delays and inconvenience, with many offices are functioning with minimal staff. The strike has adversely affected the corporation’s complaint redressal mechanism, particularly at a time when electricity demand has surged. Under the existing system, complaints registered through the 1912 helpline are routed to employees at NCCs, who verify them and assign them to the linemen concerned or field staff based on the feeder or service area. While PSPCL officials maintain that essential consumer services are continuing through regular employees, sources said many of them are not trained to handle specialised consumer service operations such as complaint registration, service request processing and complaint allocation. This has slowed service delivery and increased the workload on the available staff. The outsourced employees launched the indefinite strike, alleging that the government and PSPCL management failed to honour their assurance of bringing all outsourced workers under direct contract. Kuljit Singh, state president of the Outsource Employees Federation Punjab (PSPCL), said, “Last year, the PSPCL Board of Directors agreed to absorb all outsourced employees under direct contract. However, on May 9, the decision covered only CHB workers, leaving rest of them out of its ambit.” Following a protest from May 21 to 24, the federation claimed that Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond assured its representatives on May 24 that the remaining outsourced employees would also be brought under direct contract by June 15. The union is now looking towards the Cabinet meeting scheduled for July 1, hoping the issue will be resolved. Until then, it has maintained that the strike will continue. Gulshan Chutani, Deputy Chief Engineer, PSPCL said, “We have deployed regular staff to handle consumer services. However, they are not adequately trained to assign or close complaints with the same level of efficiency. There is a gap, but we are managing the situation.” 110-year-old Jalandhar Cantt station gets ~99-cr makeover Minister Bittu highlights heritage, modern features at revamped rly station Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 30 After years of delays, the 110year-old British-era Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station has finally undergone a major transformation. Unveiling its upgraded look through a video shared on social media on Tuesday, Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Bittu showcased the redeveloped station, highlighting improved passenger amenities and modernised infrastructure. The video, titled “Jalandhar Cantt da Shaandar Railway Station”, attracted widespread attention online, with commuters and residents welcoming the makeover of one of Punjab’s key railway junctions. According to officials, the station is currently handling the movement of over 62 trains, including Vande Bharat. The redevelopment has been carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 99 crore. The officials said the upgrade has reshaped the Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station, introducing wider platforms, archedshaped roofing and improved passenger movement areas. Platform number 1 has been expanded nearly four times to ease congestion and improve movement during peak hours. All three plat- forms have been completed under the redevelopment plan, with staircases improving access across levels. Passenger mobility has also been enhanced with the addition of lifts and escalators, aimed at improving accessibility for elderly passengers and those with reduced mobility. Waiting facilities have been upgraded with expanded seating areas and air-conditioned waiting rooms. As part of the redevelopment plan, several passenger-focused amenities have also been introduced, including modern ticket counters, food plazas, retail kiosks, and luggage scanning systems to improve security and convenience. Separate dormitory facilities for male and female passengers have also been added to support long distance travellers, requiring rest facilities, the officials said. The station’s exterior and interior have also been significantly upgraded, featuring a redesigned main entrance with dome style architectural elements improving lighting and ventilation. Heritage themed installations at the entrance showcase Punjabi cultural motifs and traditional artwork, giving the station a distinct regional identity alongside its modernised infrastructure. Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station has undergone a major facelift. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH BKU (Rajewal) stages protest against erratic power supply Calls it off after PSPCL’s assurance At 100, Partition survivor says he has ‘no regrets’ Jalandhar, June 30 Jalandhar resident and former railway employee Kundan Singh Madaan will celebrate his 100th birthday on Wednesday, marking a remarkable journey from the trauma of the Partition to a life he describes as one with “no regrets”. Born on July 1, 1926, Madaan attributes his long and healthy life to simple living, a vegetarian diet, regular walking and a positive attitude. Madaan was born in Kasoor tehsil of Lahore district, now in Pakistan and was among the millions displaced during the Partition in 1947. Forced to leave behind his home and belongings, he came to India and began rebuilding his life from scratch. He joined the Railways on October 31, 1947, and served the department for nearly 37 years before retiring on June 30, 1984. Looking back, he says the railway pension has given him financial security and the independence to lead a dignified life after retirement. Even at 100, Madaan says the secret to good health is simple: eat vegetarian food, avoid alcohol and other intoxicants, walk regularly and stay positive. He has never learnt to ride a bicycle and preferred walking throughout his life. — TNS Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 30 A day after farmer unions called off their protest following assurances from PSPCL officials regarding adequate power supply, members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) staged a dharna on Tuesday outside the office of the Chief Engineer of the department in Jalandhar, demanding uninterrupted electricity for paddy cultivation. The protesting farmers raised slogans and took up Farmers during a protest in Jalandhar on Tuesday. SARABJIT SINGH issues with the Chief Engineer (North), PSPCL, stating that erratic electricity supply was severely affecting irrigation and crop management during the peak paddy season. The Chief Engineer assured them that efforts would be made to ensure better power supply. “I can give you assurance that you will get power supply. There are power cuts in the industry as well,” he said. The farmers said the government had promised to provide eight-hour uninterrupted power supply during the paddy season. However, they alleged that for the past 10 days, the PSPCL has been imposing power cuts, leaving them with only three to four hours of electricity daily. Following the protest, the farmers submitted a memorandum to the Chief Engineer, reiterating their demand for an uninterrupted eight-hour power supply during the paddy season. The union members claimed that the Chief Engineer gave a written assurance that farmers would be provided eight hours of electricity supply. The protesters subsequently called off the dharna after receiving the assurance. Among those who participated in the protest were BKU (Rajewal) president Mandeep Singh Samra, Punjab vicepresident Mukesh Chander, Jalandhar vice-president Major Singh, and others. SKM holds protest in Hoshiarpur The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) staged a protest outside the office of the Chief Engineer, raising several issues related to electricity supply in Punjab. Farmer leaders demanded that during the paddy season, farmers should receive at least 16 hours of uninterrupted power supply every day for agricultural tubewells so that irrigation of crops is not affected. They also urged the government to ensure 24hour uninterrupted electricity supply to all domestic consumers across the state. The protesters demanded the immediate replacement of damaged transformers. They said transformers connected to agricultural motors and 24hour power supply should be replaced within 24 hours of developing a fault. — OC Sherpur is NC chief of Nakodar NAKODAR, JUNE 30 AAP leader and Ward no. 2 Councillor Pardeep Singh Sherpur was elected Nakodar Nagar Council (NC) president today, while his party colleague Ward no 4 Councillor Ashwani Kohli was elected senior vice-president and Vijay Maddas vice-president. Seventeen newly elected councillors were sworn in at the meeting. Nakodar SDM Simranjit Singh conducted the proceedings. AAP had won 7 of the 17 seats, the Congress 4, Independents 5 and BJP 1 seat in the House. Sherpur received 11 votes and his opponent 7 votes. Nakodar MLA Inderjit Kaur voted for Sherpur. — OC Refunds remain a distant dream for JIT allottees after 20 years Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 30 After waiting nearly two decades for flats that never became livable, scores of senior citizens, who invested their lifetime savings in the Jalandhar Improvement Trust’s (JIT) Indrapuram (Master Gurbanta Singh Enclave) housing scheme, are still struggling to recover their money despite securing favourable consumer court orders, directing the Trust to refund their deposits with interest and compensation. Launched in 2006 as an affordable housing project, the scheme has turned into a prolonged legal battle for many allottees, several of whom are now in their 80s. Even after winning cases before consumer courts, they continue to await the release of their dues. According to orders of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, the controversy began in 2009 when the JIT offered only “paper possession” of the flats despite these being unfit for human habitation. The records reveal there was no electricity, drinking water, sewerage network or proper approach road at the time of possession. The commission also noted allegations of substandard construction and observed that the JIT deposited over Rs 10 lakh with the PSPCL only in August 2012 for installation of power infrastructure. Elec- JIT flats at Gurbanta Singh Enclave (Indrapuram), Jalandhar. tricity reached the colony only in February 2013, nearly four years after symbolic possession was offered. The prolonged delay triggered a series of consumer c m y b complaints, with the commission repeatedly holding the JIT guilty of deficiency in service and directing it to refund the deposited amount with interest and compensation. Among them is 85-year-old Usha Kapoor, whose late husband JC Kapoor was allotted LIG Flat No 108 (Ground Floor) in 2006. He filed a consumer complaint in 2023 but died in September 2024 before the verdict. In March this year, the commission directed the JIT to refund the amount to Usha Kapoor with 12 per cent annual interest and pay Rs 40,000 as compensation and litigation costs, taking the total dues to nearly Rs 15 lakh. Similarly, 83-year-old Sohan Lal Arora, who was allotted a flat in 2008, after depositing Rs 4.70 lakh, also secured relief from the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. In its February 11, 2026, order, the commission directed the JIT to refund the entire deposited amount with 9 per cent annual interest, besides Rs 30,000 as compensation and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses. The total amount payable is estimated at around Rs 16 lakh. Similar relief has been granted to 80-year-old Resham Kaur, who had deposited Rs 3.76 lakh for the flat and 82year-old Raksha Devi, whose late husband Hem Raj Jindal was allotted a flat in 2006 after depositing about Rs 3.91 lakh. Both have secured favourable consumer commission orders. But the payments are yet to be released. For the ageing allottees, the battle is no longer about getting possession of a flat, but recovering the savings they invested nearly two decades ago. Even after winning in consumer courts, many continue to wait for the relief ordered in their favour.