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P4 » » » SUNSET SATURDAY 7.39 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5.30 AM SATURDAY | 4 JULY 2026 | AMRITSAR Chemical factory faces action for polluting sewer network Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 3 The Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) has disconnected the water supply and sewer connections of a chemical factory and initiated legal action after an inquiry into complaints of contaminated drinking water in Ward No. 35 found that untreated industrial effluent was being discharged into the civic sewerage network. Acting on the directions of Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill, the civic body’s field team conducted an emergency inspection following complaints from local residents. According to MC officials, the inspection revealed that Amar Color Chemicals was releasing untreated chemical wastewater directly into the municipal sewer line, leading to contamination of the drinking water supply in the surrounding area and posing a serious public health risk. The MC said it has begun cleaning and flushing the affected water pipelines to remove contaminated water and restore a safe drinking water supply. Household water connections in the affected locality are also being inspected, while water tankers have been deployed until normal supply is fully restored. Women queue up at Seva Kendras after first welfare scheme payment Pawan K Jaiswar FIRST INSTALMENT BOOSTS CONFIDENCE Tribune News Service Municipal Corporation workers employ a JCB to disconnect a sewer line of a chemical factory in Amritsar on Friday. In an enforcement action carried out under the supervision of Superintending Engineer Harpreet Singh, the factory’s water supply and sewer connections were disconnected. The operation was conducted by SDO Rajesh Kumar and JE Gurjit Singh in the presence of Makboolpura SHO Amandeep Kaur and a police team. The municipal corporation has referred the matter to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for legal action under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It has also initiated proceedings for the registration of an FIR against Amar Color Chemicals for allegedly discharging untreated industrial effluent into the municipal sewerage system and endangering public health. Municipal Commissioner Shergill said the MC was following a zero-tolerance policy against any individual or industrial unit found polluting the city’s sewerage or drinking water infrastructure. He said strict legal action would be taken against those responsible and that the administration was continuously monitoring the situation on priority to ensure the early restoration of safe drinking water in the affected area. The MC also appealed to residents to immediately report any instance of drinking water contamination or the illegal discharge of chemical waste by industrial units so that prompt action can be taken to protect public health and the environment. Amritsar, July 3 With the release of the first instalment of funds under the Punjab Government’s Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana, more women are approaching Seva Kendras and anganwadi centres for registration under the scheme. However, staff involved in the process are facing difficulties due to repeated server outages that are disrupting online services. District administration officials confirmed that the successful transfer of financial assistance into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries has significantly increased public confidence in the scheme. Earlier, many women were sceptical about receiving financial assistance under the welfare initiative. According to officials, nearly 1.88 lakh women have already received the first instalment of financial assistance since the launch of the scheme. Following the transfer of funds on July 1, women have been visiting registration centres in large numbers to ensure they receive benefits in the next phase. ■ Public confidence in the Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana has increased following the successful transfer of the first instalment into beneficiaries’ bank accounts ■ Repeated server outages disrupted online registration, forcing many applicants to wait for hours or return without completing the process ■ Around 1,900 anganwadi centres across Amritsar district are helping women complete documentation and online registration under the scheme << People wait for their turn at a Seva Kendra in Amritsar on Friday. PHOTO VISHAL KUMAR Pawandeep Kaur, a homemaker, said applicants had to wait for hours for registration on Thursday. However, repeated server outages and disruptions in online services left both applicants and employees involved in the registration process hassled. She said she had to return emptyhanded despite waiting for several hours. Anuradha, another applicant, said her form had been filled, but the staff asked her to return on Monday to com- plete the registration process. She said she was initially uncertain whether the scheme would actually be implemented or if the promised financial assistance would reach beneficiaries. Several other women expressed similar views. However, after seeing relatives, neighbours and other eligible women receive the first instalment directly into their bank accounts, they decided to complete their registrations. They now hope to receive the benefit in the upcoming instalments after completing the registration process. Long queues of women were witnessed on Thursday at the Seva Kendra located in the District Administrative Complex (Mini Secretariat) as well as at several other Seva Kendras across the city. Around 1,900 anganwadi centres across Amritsar district have been actively assisting women with registrations. Anganwadi workers and helpers are helping ~600 cr earmarked for flood preparedness Scooter rider crushed to death across state, says Ajnala MLA Dhaliwal by truck on Sultanwind Road Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 3 Ajnala MLA and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Friday claimed that the Punjab Government has allocated Rs 600 crore for advance flood protection measures across the state, including the flood-prone Ajnala constituency, ahead of the monsoon season. Interacting with residents of border villages, including Balarwal, Abadi Baba Gam Chukk Sahib, Abadi Harnam Singh and Vadda Fatehwal, which were severely affected by last year’s floods, Dhaliwal said the state government had directed all Deputy Commissioners and Drainage Department officials to ensure comprehensive flood preparedness. He said the funds are being utilised to repair and strengthen the 23 breaches in the Ravi river embankment that occurred during last year’s floods in Ajnala, construct stone spurs, desilt rivers, drains Aam Aadmi Party chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal talks to people at a village near Ajnala on Friday. and seasonal streams, strengthen flood protection infrastructure and deploy specialised machinery capable of operating in waterlogged areas. Launching a political attack on the BJP Dhaliwal termed , the party’s decision to send delegations to flood-affected districts a “political drama”. Referring to Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon’s announcement of visits to flood-hit areas, he alleged that the BJP had failed to secure any meaningful financial assistance for Punjab from the Centre despite repeated promises. Dhaliwal recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas last year and later announced a relief package of Rs 1,600 crore, although the Punjab Government had estimated losses at around Rs 13,000 crore. He alleged that even after more than a year, not a single rupee from the announced package had been released to the state for flood relief and rehabilitation. He also referred to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s visit to flood-affected Ajnala last year, saying the minister had described the situation as “a catastrophe rather than a flood” and assured support after being presented with a memorandum highlighting infrastructure and crop losses estimated at Rs 2,000 crore. Dhaliwal alleged that those assurances had not translated into any concrete assistance. The AAP leader urged the Punjab BJP leadership to press the Centre for the release of the pending Rs 1,600-crore flood relief package, the Rural Development Fund and other funds allegedly withheld from the state instead of organising what he described as symbolic political visits. Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 3 A man was killed in a road accident after a speeding sandladen tipper allegedly hit his scooter on Sultanwind Road here on Friday. The victim died on the spot after being run over by the heavy vehicle. The deceased was identified as Gursimran Singh, a resident of Drummawala Bazaar. According to eyewitnesses, the overloaded tipper was being driven rashly. The driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into the scooter. The impact threw the rider onto the road, where he was crushed under the vehicle’s wheels. The incident sent shockwaves through the locality as residents rushed to the spot. The tragic death of Gursimran Singh has left his family in deep grief and cast a pall of gloom over the area. The police reached the spot soon after receiving information and took the tipper driver into custody. The vehicle has also Family members of the victim at the accident spot in Amritsar. been seized. The victim’s body was shifted to the Civil Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem. A preliminary investigation suggests that overspeeding and negligent driving by the tipper driver may have caused the accident. The police are examining CCTV footage and recording statements of eyewitnesses to establish the sequence of events. Officials said further legal action would be taken against the accused driver after the post-mortem report is received and the investigation is completed. 2 held with grenades; BJP condemns demolition of gurdwara in Pakistan police begin probe Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 3 The Amritsar Rural Police have arrested two persons for allegedly possessing highintensity hand grenades that were allegedly meant to target police establishments. According to the preliminary investigation, the duo was working at the behest of their ISI-backed, Pakistan-based handlers. In the evening, both accused, including a juvenile, were produced before a local court, which sent them to five days of police custody for further questioning. A police official privy to the investigation said efforts were underway to trace Anmolpreet Singh, a resident of Chak Mishri Khan village, who is suspected of possessing another hand grenade and an improvised explosive device (IED). The police identified the arrested accused as Harjot Singh, a resident of Kuttiwal village in Bhindi Saidan, and a 17-and-ahalf-year-old juvenile from Chak Mishri village. Amritsar, July 3 District BJP president Harvinder Singh Sandhu has strongly condemned the reported demolition of a more than 125-year-old historic gurdwara at Farooqabad in Pakistan’s Sheikhupura district, alleging that the incident reflects the unsafe condition of minority religious sites in the neighbouring country. In a statement, Sandhu alleged that the historic gurdwara at Mandi Sakrana in Farooqabad was demolished by some people in an attempt to grab the property. Describing the incident as an attack on Sikh heritage, he said Pakistan had failed to protect religious sites associated with the Sikh community. Gurpartap Singh Tikka and Jaspal Singh Shantu were also present during the media interaction. Sandhu said Pakistan is home to several historic gurdwaras and Sikh heritage sites linked to the Sikh Gurus and the community’s history, which are places of faith for Sikhs across the world. He said the responsibility for pro- c m y b tecting and preserving these sites rests with the Pakistan government and the local administration. Describing the demolished structure as a historic shrine dating back to the Singh Sabha movement, Sandhu said it was associated with significant memories of Sikh history. He alleged that the local administration and the Pakistan government had failed in their responsibility to safeguard minority religious heritage. The BJP leader urged the Pakistan government and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) to conduct an impartial investigation into the incident and take stringent action against those responsible. He also called on the authorities to rebuild and preserve the historic gurdwara, saying concrete measures should be taken to protect Sikh religious heritage and prevent such incidents from recurring. Meanwhile, the Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) has also appealed to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to take up the matter diplomatically with the Pakistan government. In a memorandum, the organi- sation urged the Ministry of External Affairs to press Pakistan to identify, arrest and punish those responsible for the demolition and ensure the reconstruction of the historic gurdwara in accordance with Sikh faith, maryada and traditions. The memorandum, signed by Principal Kulwant Singh Ankhi and Manmohan Singh Brar, said the incident had deeply hurt the sentiments of Sikhs across the world and sought India’s intervention to ensure accountability and the restoration of the shrine. applicants complete documentation and online formalities to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries are covered under the scheme. The sudden surge in applications has also put considerable pressure on the online registration portal, resulting in temporary technical glitches at some centres. However, registration services continued despite intermittent delays, while technical teams worked to restore normal functioning. Court to decide on Majithia’s bail plea today Amritsar, July 3 A local court has reserved its order until Saturday on anticipatory bail proceedings involving former Punjab minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader in a case related to the alleged storming of the Majitha police station in an attempt to secure the release of his supporter from police custody, during which official documents were allegedly torn and the mobile phone of a SubInspector was snatched. During the hearing, counsel for both the prosecution and the defence presented detailed arguments before the court. The defence questioned the police investigation on several aspects, including the demand for CCTV footage from 22 cameras installed at the police station on the day of the incident as evidence supporting the allegations against Majithia. The defence also informed the court that although Majithia had earlier been granted anticipatory bail in the case, he was allegedly made to wait for several hours both outside and inside the police station when he appeared to join the investigation. The lawyers further alleged that they were not allowed to accompany their client inside the police station during the investigation process. The case stems from the arrest of SAD worker Jobanpreet Singh in a case registered during the municipal council elections in Majitha. Following the arrest, Majithia, accompanied by his supporters, reached the Majitha police station demanding his release. A protest was staged outside the police station and, according to the prosecution, Majithia and his supporters later entered the premises, after which a case was registered against them under various sections of the law. — TNS