02112026-JTR-01.qxd 11/1/2026 11:28 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune K’THALA FARMER, SON CARVE NICHE IN VEGETABLE NURSERIES NURTURE TALENT, STRENGTHEN STATE’S SPORTING LEGACY SHAH RUKH KHAN RINGS IN 61ST BIRTHDAY Paramjit Singh transformed his family’s traditional wheat and paddy farming into a vegetable nursery business. P2 Promote women’s participation in sports, upgrade and maintain existing stadiums. P3 From chasing dreams to redefining stardom, Shah Rukh Khan’s journey continues to inspire. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 28°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 17°C SUNSET MONDAY 5:35 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:37 AM » MONDAY | 2 NOVEMBER 2026 | JALANDHAR Anganwadi workers to Environmentalists, activists to launch statewide movement protest in Dhuri on Nov 3 SAVING RIVERS OF STATE FROM POLLUTION AparnaBanerji Tribune News Service Flag repeated postponement of meeting with CM Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 1 Anganwadi workers and helpers have announced to protest in Dhuri on November 3 against repeated postponements of a meeting with the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to discuss their longpending demands. For the past several weeks, these Anganwadi workers and helpers are raising concerns over the disruption in the supply of nutritious food to children aged between 3 and 6 at 80 per cent of the Anganwadi centres across Punjab. The workers are attributing the unavailability of these feeds to the conditions imposed under the Poshan Tracker system. According to them, 25-day attendance of children visiting Anganwadi centres has been made mandatory for them to receive their share of meal under the Centre’s Supplementary Nutrition Programme. Apart from these concerns, the workers are also upset over the repeated postponement of a meeting with the Chief Minister. Nirlep Kaur, district presi- dent of the Anganwadi Mulazam Union Punjab, and its general secretary Krishna Kumari said a meeting with the Chief Minister had been scheduled for October 26 following a protest held in Sangrur on October 2. However, the meeting was postponed at the last moment, citing the Chief Minister’s busy schedule. The government has now fixed November 7 as the fresh date for the meeting. They claimed that the state Man held for tearing nagar kirtan poster PRTC contractual workers announce strike from Nov 16 Jalandhar, November 1 The Jalandhar Police have arrested a man for allegedly tearing a poster announcing an upcoming nagar kirtan outside a gurdwara in Model Town. The accused was identified as Swatam Soni, son of Rajinder Soni. Cops said they were also searching for his accomplices who were present at the spot during the incident. Considering the sensitivity of the matter, an FIR was registered under Section 298 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) which deals with injuring or defiling a place of worship with the intent to insult the religion of any class at Division No 4 police station. According to police officials, Gurmeet Singh Bittu, general secretary of the Gurdwara Sahib in Central Town, received a phone call at around 7 am on Saturday, informing him that an unidentified person had torn the flex posters announcing the upcoming nagar kirtan. Acting on his complaint, the police immediately registered an FIR and launched investigation, citing the incident’s potential to disturb the city’s atmosphere. Police teams examined CCTV footage from the surrounding areas and took technical assistance to identify those involved in the incident. — TNS Tribune News Service HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune has started 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. Anganwadi workers and helpers during a meeting. Jalandhar, November 1 Barely a week after calling off their four-day strike, contractual employees of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC (Pepsu Road Transport Corporation) have announced another three days’ strike from November 16, alleging that the state government had failed to fulfil its assurances provided during the previous negotiations. Commuters depending on these public buses for government had repeatedly put off the meeting despite workers requests for an opportunity to discuss their demands and resolve these through dialogue. The repeated delays had led to growing resentment among workers and helpers. The workers said they would raise these issues at the November 3 rally in Dhuri. Apart from this, they will press for a monthly remuneration of Rs 42,000, daily travel might face trouble again if the workers go ahead with the strike. During the previous four days’ strike held from October 21 to 24, around 158 buses had remained off roads in Jalandhar alone, disrupting government run bus services. The protest has been called under the banner of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers Union where workers said it had decided to intensify the agitation as the government had taken no concrete steps Grade III and Grade IV employee status in accordance with a Gujarat High Court ruling and gratuity benefits as per a Supreme Court ruling. District cashier Paramjit Kaur said Anganwadi workers and helpers played an important role in providing services to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers yet their own demands had remained unresolved for a long time. to regularise their services despite repeated meetings and assurances. The union said a meeting with the transport minister and officials of the personnel, finance and home departments was held on October 29. During the meeting, the government had assured employees that Punbus service rules would be placed before the Cabinet for approval, paving the way for the regularisation of contractual workers. However, the proposal is yet to be taken up, union leaders said. Jalandhar, November 1 The Chitti Bein Morcha, formed by Jalandhar and Punjab-based activists, has decided to take up strongly the issue of river and water pollution in the state across streams, rivulets and water bodies. A meeting convened by Ajay Pal Singh and Tejasvi Minhas of the Chitti Bein Morcha was held today in Jalandhar to discuss the alarming state of water pollution in Punjab, particularly in Kala Sanghian, Chitti Bein and the Sutlej River. The meeting was attended by dozens of environmentalists, social activists, farmers’ representatives and citizens concerned from across the state. After detailed deliberations, the participants unanimously resolved to establish a democratic state-level member committee, supported by regional committees in all affected villages to coordinate the movement and ensure wider public participation. It was also decided that the next meeting would be held at Malsian, at the confluence of Kala Sanghian with Chitti Bein. The participants expressed serious concern over the fact that successive governments, including those led by the Congress, AAP BJP , and Shiromani Akali Dal, had failed to effectively Yatra to spread communal harmony Jalandhar, November 1 The Bharatiya Janata Party Punjab SC Morcha President Sheetal Angural, sharing details of the party’s upcoming Samajik Samrasta Yatra (Social Harmony March), said its primary objective is to spread the message of mutual brotherhood and harmony. The yatra will begin from Jalandhar on November 18 and conclude in Varanasi on December 3. Sheetal Angural said the yatra would cover 2,558 km, passing through eight states Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.— TNS A polluted river in Punjab. FILE address the continuing pollution of Punjab’s rivers. They also raised concerns over recent changes to environmental enforcement provisions, alleging that the dilution of penalties and treatment of certain pollution-related violations as civil offences, rather than criminal offences, had weakened deterrence against polluting industries. The meeting highlighted the grave public health and environmental concerns arising from contaminated water, including the growing cancer burden in Malwa and neighbouring Rajasthan. Participants stressed that heavy-metal contamination posed a particularly serious challenge, as effective removal and remediation remained difficult. Prevention of pollution at its source, rather than relying sole- ly on downstream treatment, must therefore be the priority. The participants resolved to pursue all available legal remedies, organise protests and undertake sustained ground-level action until effective measures were taken to stop the pollution. It was further decided that any Red Category industry found violating environmental laws and pollution-control requirements would face opposition across Punjab. The gathering emphasised that the movement would remain democratic, non-partisan and focused solely on protecting Punjab’s rivers, environment and public health. The objective was to bring together affected communities, environmentalists, social organisations and concerned citizens under a common platform to demand accountability and concrete action. Body of missing youth recovered from Bein river Phagwara, November 1 The recovery of the body of an 18-year-old youth from the Bein river along the Sultanpur Lodhi-Bhusowal road near Gurdwara Sri Ber Sahib has sent shockwaves in the area. The deceased was identified as Pradeep Singh, son of Hardeep Singh, a resident of Bhago Araiyan village. He had reportedly been missing for the past few days. According to available information, Pradeep Singh had gone missing from his home nearly two weeks ago. It is alleged that before his disappearance, he was held captive and assaulted, while serious allegations were also levelled against him. Following the incident, he reportedly went missing. In connection with the case, the Sultanpur Lodhi police have registered a case against four persons under relevant legal provisions relating to abetment to suicide, based on a statement given by the victim’s grandfather. Police teams are conducting raids at various locations to apprehend the accused. After receiving information about the recovery of the body, a police team reached the spot, took the body into custody and initiated investigation. The incident has raised several questions about what happened to the young man before his disappearance and the circumstances that led to his death. — OC Moulding happiness A potter at work for the Diwali festival in Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJHIT SINGH BJP leader goes barefoot with lantern to fight drug menace Tributes paid to Ghadar Our Correspondent Talwara (Hoshiarpur), November 1 With political activity gathering pace ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, BJP leader Paramjit Thakur has launched an unusual doorto-door campaign in the Dasuya Assembly constituency. Walking barefoot and carrying a burning lantern, he is seeking to draw attention to the drug menace and question the state government’s claims of making Punjab drugfree. Thakur’s campaign has been drawing attention for its distinctive approach. For the past nearly three months, he has been travelling from his ancestral village Haled in Talwara to different villages and urban areas in his constituency. He sets out in his vehicle barefoot and continues his public outreach Reaches out to households across Dasuya constituency ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections AWAKENING SOCIETY Thakur’s campaign has been drawing attention for its distinctive approach. For the past nearly three months, he has been travelling from his ancestral village Haled in Talwara to different villages and urban areas in his constituency. He sets out in his vehicle barefoot and continues his public outreach throughout the day without wearing shoes or slippers. I For the past two months, he has also made a burning lantern an integral part of his campaign. He says the lantern symbolises his effort to awaken the government and society to the continuing problem of drug abuse in I throughout the day without wearing shoes or slippers. For the past two months, I Punjab. Thakur said that although the state government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, had been making claims about making Punjab he has also made a burning lantern an integral part of his campaign. He says the c m y b drug-free, much more needed to be done at the ground level to tackle the problem effectively and create public awareness. lantern symbolises his effort to awaken the government and society to the continuing problem of drug abuse in Punjab. Thakur said that although the state government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, had been making claims about making Punjab drug-free, much more needed to be done at the ground level to tackle the problem effectively and create public awareness. He said he had pledged not to wear footwear until he completed his door-todoor outreach in every village and town falling under the Dasuya Assembly constituency. Accompanied by party workers, Thakur visits different localities daily, interacts with residents and discusses political strategy with BJP workers in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections. His barefoot campaign and the use of a burning lantern to highlight the drug issue have become a talking point in the constituency. heroes, freedom fighters Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 1 Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President and MLA Pargat Singh attended “Mela Ghadri Babeyan Da” at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall today and paid tributes to the Ghadar heroes and freedom fighters who struggled for the country’s independence. During his visit, Pargat Singh toured various book stalls set up at the festival. He explored books on different subjects and purchased a few, expressing his interest in literature. He was particularly pleased to see a large number of visitors, especially youngsters and children, at the book stalls. He said such festivals played an important role in preserving literature and cultural heritage. The encouraging turnout at the book stalls reflects that people continue to seek good literature, purchase books and expand their knowledge through such events. The growing interest among children and young people in reading books is particularly encouraging and a positive sign for the future of literary awareness. Pargat also met members of the management committee of Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall and discussed the organisation, activities and historical significance of the festival. He spent time interacting with visitors and learned more about different aspects of the event. He said he had attended the festival on previous occasions as well and always felt happy and deeply connected whenever he visited the place.