23092026-JTR-01.qxd 9/22/2026 10:44 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune 20 HELD, 17 FIRS REGISTERED IN NAKODAR ANTI-DRUG DRIVE GARBAGE, STRAY CATTLE RAISE SANITATION CONCERNS IN HAJIPUR NATIONAL AWARDS: YAMI, KARTIK &MAMMOOTTY WIN TOP HONOURS The operation was led by DSP Nakodar Onkar Singh Brar, with police teams carrying out searches in hotspots. P2 Accumulation of waste has become a potential health concern for residents living near the dumping spots P3 At the 72nd National Awards, Yami Gautam, Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty were awarded by President Droupadi Murmu. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 22°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.23 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:16 AM WEDNESDAY | 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 | JALANDHAR Fresh row over giant rides near Medical claim rejection costs BSNL ~5.55 lakh homes at Sodal ground in city issued a valid retiree family health card by the telecom company, under which the family claimed entitlement to medical reimbursement. According to the complaint, Ashwani was first admitted to Nasa Brain and Spine Centre (NBS), Jalandhar, in a serious condition. As his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana. He was later shifted to Capitol Hospital, Jalandhar, where he died on January 26, 2020. After his death, the family approached the BSNL with the medical bills, seeking reimbursement. However, the telecom company rejected the claim, stating that the hospitals where he had received treatment were not on its approved panel. In its defence, the BSNL also questioned the maintainability of the complaint and argued that its medical reimbursement scheme required treatment in empanelled hospitals. Rejecting the objections, the commission said medical records, including an emergency certificate and discharge summaries, established that the treatment was undertaken in a life-threatening emergency. It observed that a patient or attendant cannot be expected to first ascertain whether a hospital is on the approved panel before seeking immediate treatment. Relying on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Shiva Kant Jha vs Union of India, the commission headed by president Harveen Bhardwaj along with member Jyotsna, held that reimbursement could not be denied merely because emergency treatment was taken at a nonempanelled hospital. It set aside the BSNL’s rejection of the claim and held that the refusal amounted to deficiency in service and unfair trade practice. The commission directed the BSNL to comply with the order within 45 days of receiving its copy. 3 of family injured as house roof collapses Site finalised for Amit Shah’s Jalandhar rally Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 22 Residents of Mohalla Sodal Nagar have raised safety concerns over the installation of giant amusement rides at Nehru Garden, popularly known as the Sodal Ramlila Ground, ahead of the annual Baba Sodal Mela. They point out that several houses are located in close proximity to the park where the rides are being set up. The concerns have resurfaced after the Municipal Corporation granted an NOC on September 22 for the installation of amusement rides on the ground from September 24 to 27. The approval came days after the civic body had revoked permission for the rides, citing violations of the conditions attached to the original approval. Rajnish Gupta, a resident, said, “For the past one week, we have been objecting to these giant rides. The MC had cancelled the permission after taking note of our concerns and directed the police to remove the ferry rides from the park on Thursday. Despite this, the organisers did not clear the site. I subsequently submitted a complaint to the Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar, on Tuesday, but later came to know that the corporation had granted permission again. This has left us worried as the rides are being installed very close to our houses.” The latest NOC, issued by the MC’s Tehbazari branch, carries several conditions, including that no government or Municipal Corporation property should be dam- Giant ferry rides being installed at Nehru Garden near Sodal Chowk, Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH aged at the venue. It also requires the organisers to obtain a PWD safety certificate before operating the rides, failing which the NOC would be treated as cancelled. Residents, however, alleged that public property had already been damaged during the installations. They said decades old trees had been cut, while the park’s footpath, fountain and entrance gate grill demolished to make space for the rides. They also alleged that the park’s soil had been ploughed and grassy areas cleared for the installations. The MC’s condition that no civic property be damaged has, therefore, become a VIOLATIONS OF NOC ■ The latest NOC, issued by the MC’s Tehbazari branch, stipulates that no government or municipal property should be damaged at the venue ■ Residents alleged that public property had already been damaged during the installations ■ Decades old trees had been cut, while the park’s footpath, fountain and entrance gate grill had been demolished to make space for the rides ■ They also alleged that the park’s soil had been ploughed and grassy areas cleared for the installations prominent concern for residents, who are questioning how the corporation will ensure compliance when, according to them, damage has already been caused to the park. The NOC also makes arrangements for a fire brigade and ambulance mandatory and requires the police to ensure arrangements for around 2,000 people. It further states that public movement and traffic should not be obstructed. The safety concerns also come against the backdrop of an earlier accident at the Baba Sodal Mela. Residents also cited a 2019 accident during the Baba Sodal Mela, when four persons, including two children, were reportedly injured after a swing carriage became detached. According to reports, some victims fell from the moving ride while the detached carriage landed on other visitors. The residents said they had repeatedly raised concerns with the corporation over the installation of rides as tall as 40 to 52 feet barely a few metres from residential houses. With the giant structures coming up in such close proximity to homes, residents questioned who would be held accountable if a ride malfunctioned or any mishap during the mela. Jalandhar, September 22 The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jalandhar, has directed Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to pay Rs 5.55 lakh to the family of a retired employee after rejecting his medical reimbursement claim on the ground that the treatment was taken at nonempanelled hospitals. The commission also directed the BSNL to pay 6 per cent annual interest on the medical expenses from the date of rejection of the claim till realisation. Besides the Rs 5.15 lakh medical expenses, the BSNL has been directed to pay Rs 25,000 compensation for mental harassment and Rs 15,000 as litigation expenses. A complaint was filed by Rajiv Sharma, son of the deceased retired BSNL employee Ashwani Kumar Sharma, seeking reimbursement of the amount spent on his father’s treatment during a serious medical emergency. Sharma was a retired BSNL employee and had been Jalandhar, September 22 Three members of a family were injured after the roof of their house collapsed in Dhann Mohalla, Jalandhar, reportedly while they were sleeping. Deepak, one of the injured, told mediapersons that he was sleeping with his wife and son when the roof collapsed, leaving all three injured. “I panicked when I saw blood on my head. My wife and son are undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital and are now out of danger,” he said. Area councillor Amit Dhall said the three family members were out of danger and they all belonged to financially humbled family. — TNS Gymkhana Club apologises after Gurbani row 3 arrested with 1 kg opium, Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 22 A controversy has erupted over the alleged improper rendition of Gurbani during a musical and devotional evening organised by the Jullundur Gymkhana Club on Sunday evening. The issue came to light after a video surfaced on social media purportedly showing club members danc- ing during a bhajan sandhya in which singer Angad Talwar was performing. The programme had been organised by the Gen Z Club. Harjinder Singh Jinda of the Awaaz-e-Qaum submitted a memorandum to the Jalandhar Police Commissioner on Tuesday, seeking action against those responsible. “During the programme, the singer was performing songs and bhajans. In between, he recited lines from Gurbani while people continued dancing. Sikhs do not tolerate such acts,” Jinda said. He said legal action would be sought against both the singer and the organisers. “One cannot insert lines from Gurbani while singing other compositions. Despite repeated requests to organisers to maintain maryada, such incidents continue to occur,” he added. Amit Kukreja, honorary sec- retary of the Gymkhana Club, said, “We had hired the singer for Radha Ashtami. While he was singing bhajans, he also sang two lines from Gurbani. We stopped him there and then. Talwar has apologised to the Sikh community. We too went to a gurdwara today and expressed apologies as it happened at our venue. There was no intention of anyone to hurt the religious sentiments of any community”. 5,000 intoxicating tablets Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 22 The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police on Tuesday arrested three persons and recovered narcotic substances and drug money from their possession. During a police nakabandi and checking operation, one accused was apprehended with 1 kg of opium. During interrogation of the accused, the police arrested two of his associates as well. A total of 1 kg of opium, 5,000 pregabalin tablets and ~22,000 drug money were recovered from the possession of the three accused. The main accused in the case is Shubham Sharma of Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Nagar. All three accused are around 25 years of age. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the consignment of intoxicating tablets was being brought from another state. The police are also conducting technical and forensic examination of the mobile phones of the accused. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 22 Having finalised the venue for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s September 30 rally to be addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the party will hold a bhumi pujan at the site on Wednesday before formally commencing preparations. The venue has been identified on the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway in a stretch of open fields adjoining Lilly Resorts. BJP leaders and workers are scheduled to gather at the site on Wednesday morning for the ritual, according to district BJP president Ashok Sareen Hickey. The four ongoing Nasha Mukt Yatras being taken out all across Punjab will be culminating at Jalandhar on September 30. Though an official confirmation is still to come, Shah will also pay obeisance at Shri Devi Talab Mandir on the day before proceeding to the rally site. Ishank begins door-to-door campaign Jalandhar players carry hopes at Asian Games Chabbewal, September 22 Chabbewal MLA Dr Ishank Kumar today led the Aam Aadmi Party’s door-to-door awareness campaign in Ghumiala village as part of its statewide “Mann Da Munafa” drive. The campaign, launched by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at Dhuri yesterday, seeks to highlight the benefits of various state government schemes. Dr Ishank, accompanied by party workers, visited households in the village and interacted with residents. He highlighted schemes relating to free power, financial assistance for women, healthcare and education, claiming that an average Punjabi family was saving up to Rs 1.82 lakh annually through various government initiatives. Residents also raised local issues with the MLA during the interactions. Dr Ishank Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Chabbewal MLA Dr Ishank during campaigning in Ghumiala. said he noted their grievances and directed the authorities to take action. The MLA said the door-todoor campaign would be extended to other villages in the Chabbewal constituency. He said the exercise was aimed at informing people about government schemes. “The campaign is about direct interaction with people. Listening to their problems and ensuring follow-up action is equally important,” Dr Ishank said. — OC Jalandhar, September 22 As India competes at the Asian Games in Japan, Jalandhar has a strong presence in the national contingent, with several players from the city and other districts representing the country in hockey and athletics. In the Indian men’s hockey team, Sukhjeet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Hardik Singh are carrying the hopes of their hometown on the international stage. Their presence has added a special sense of pride in Jalandhar, a city known for its contribution to Indian hockey. Among them, Manpreet Singh remains one of the most experienced members of the national side. The former India captain recently became the country’s most- c m y b The star players from Jalandhar (L-R ) Hardik Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Manpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh, showing their medals after their win at the Paris Olympics. FILE capped hockey player, underlining his longevity and importance to the team. He continues to play a key role in India’s campaign, bringing valuable experience to a squad aiming for success at the continental event. Sukhjeet Singh’s journey has particularly been inspiring. The Jalandhar-born forward battled back after suffering partial paralysis several years ago and fought his way into the national team. His determina- tion took him all the way to the Paris Olympics, where he was part of the Indian team that won a bronze medal. His journey from adversity to the international podium has made him an inspiration for aspiring sportspersons. Jalandhar’s representation extends beyond hockey, with Gurindervir Singh and Rashdeep competing in athletics. Expectations are particularly high from Gurindervir, regarded as India’s one of the best 100 metre sprinters. His participation gives athletics fans in the city another reason to closely follow India’s campaign. Apart from this, in hockey, Harmanpreet Singh and Dilpreet Singh, who are from Amritsar, have a Jalandhar connect as well. They have played here at the Surjit Hockey stadium.