29082025-ATR-01.qxd 28-08-2025 23:54 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 26°C SAD EYES BYPOLL WIN, BADAL CALLS FOR ‘PANTHIC’ UNITY GURDASPUR KARATEKAS SHINE ON NATIONAL STAGE A LOOK AT STARS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT GAMES While addressing meetings in Tarn Taran, Sukhbir Badal slammed CM Mann over flood relief failure. P2 Players of the centre have so far won 90 gold medals at the national level and 10 at the international level. P3 Every year on Aug 29, India celebrates National Sports Day to honour legacy of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.P4 » » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.48 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:58 AM FRIDAY | 29 AUGUST 2025 | AMRITSAR Farmers seek relief for loss of crops Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran, August 28 The farmers of three villages whose standing basmati crop in as many as 300 acres has been inundated again in the last two months, said on Thursday that they would meet the Deputy Commissioner on Friday demanding compensation for the loss incurred. Nachhattar Singh, district president of the Kirti Kisan Union, while protesting at the site of the damaged crops, said that the rainwater of many villages in the surrounding area often accumulates in the fields of these villages. The farmer leader said that the paddy crop of the affected farmers that was damaged by rain two months back has again been inundated though they had planted basmati after that. The flood-affected farmers lodge a protest against their crop loss. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI The farmer leader said that those affected have been at the mercy of nature for the last many decades. They had, in fact, prepared a proposal to drain rainwater to the nearby drain. The proposal was forwarded to the state government by the drainage depart- ment for approval. He said that the proposal has not been implemented as of yet and as a result, the farmers were suffering heavy loss, not once but sometimes twice a year. Nachhatar Singh said that the farmers of the affected Soorwind, Bhaini Gurmukh Singh and Boor Chand villages, Gurbakhash Singh, Kashmir Singh, Swarn Singh, Gurchet Singh Shah, Surjit Singh Nambardar, former Sarpanch Satnam Singh, Sukhdev Singh Budchand and others would meet the Deputy Commissioner on Friday at his office and seek compensation. The affected farmers lodged a strong protest on Thursday and stressed on finding a permanent solution to the problem of draining out rainwater to the nearby drain. Homes lost, humanity found in flood crisis as relief pours in AJNALA AFFECTED Manmeet Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 28 Severe floods have recently caused widespread damage across the state, forcing families from atleast 40 villages to leave their homes and belongings behind in areas near Ajnala. The rising waters destroyed houses, crops and livestock, leaving people in a state of shock and helplessness. But in this time of crisis, a strong wave of support has come from individuals, organisations and religious and social groups who are working together to help the victims. The district administration too has set up three relief camps — Dana Mandi, Ajnala; Cooperative Sugar Mill, Bhalla Pind; and Gurd- wara Guru Ka Bagh. The administration officials informed that an animal shelter has also been set up in Ajnala, where feed and medical help for animals is also available. The administration has also issued helpline numbers for the public. Apart from the administration, residents of the surrounding areas have also opened homes for people of affected areas. Many residents have made posts on the social media platforms in this regard. Sarwan Singh Pandher of Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee said, “We are also setting up camps and langar at Fatehgarh Churrian-Ramdas road and Ajnala. The farmers are also helping the administration with their tractors and trolleys." Meanwhile, Balbir Singh Rajewal of Bharti Kisan Union has also issued directions to the members and leaders of the union to help people in this hour of need. “Atleast eight districts of the state have been affected and it is the duty of the residents of areas which remain unaffected to help those who have been affected,” he said. Local organisation, Voice of Amritsar (VOA) has also come forward to help the residents of affected villages. Seenu Arora of VOA said, “We have set up a collection centre where city residents can contribute help for the affected areas. These centres have been set up at Gurdwara Chevin Patshahi Ranjit Avenue, Krishan Dham Mandir Ranjit Avenue, Ajanta Senior Secondary School Dhab Khatika, and Gurdwara Baba Bhkhari Sahib Majitha road.” Situation grim, BSF jawans trapped: Aujla Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Gaggomahal (Ajnala), Aug 28 Terming the current arrangements for rescue operations in Ramdass and Ajnala border belt as inadequate, Member of Parliament (MP) from Amritsar Gurjit Aujla today urged the government to step up efforts apart from appealing to the Central government for its immediate inter- vention. Speaking to The Tribune, the MP said he had never seen such devastation caused by floods in the Ravi river. He said that the Dhussi Bundhs (earthen embankments) have broken and the situation has become grim. There has been devastation everywhere. "At present, the priority should be saving the lives of those stranded in the floods," he pointed out. "Around 360 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are also trapped in the posts built in Ajnala border belt and they should be rescued immediately," he said. Aujla along with former Ajnala MLA Harpartap Singh Ajnala today visited various villages in the constituency. They also visited two border out posts (BOPS) — Shahpur and Darya Mansoor — which were completely submerged and the jawans had climbed up at higher places. “Around 60 BSF jawans are stranded in BOP Darya Mansoor, 50 in Badai Cheema BOP, 32 in Kot Raizada, 40 in Chhanna BOP, 15 in Chhanna Pattan, 80 in Panch Garian, 80 in Dharamshala Niyal Nangal Sodh, nine jawans have climbed the Peer Baba Dargah on Chhanna Road, who went for rescue and got stuck there," he said. Around 5,000 residents were also stranded in Ramdass area. He said a number of NDRF teams apart from state disaster management teams should be pressed into service while more motor boats were required for the rescue operations. Religious organisations distribute langar to residents of villages affected by floods at Gaggomahal village in Amritsar on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Bajwa visits flood-hit Villagers blame lack of timely action by govt for floods areas, flays AAP govt Manmeet Gill Tribune News Service Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, August 28 Leader of Opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa today lambasted the AAP dispensation and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for their government’s “complete failure to provide relief and announce compensation to thousands of families devastated by the floods”. Bajwa visited his home assembly seat of Qadian and other areas of Gurdaspur and Dinanagar. He was accompanied by Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, ex-Gurdaspur Congress president Ashok Chaudhury, Dinanagar MLA Aruna Chaudhury and MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra. He met farmers and shopkeepers who had suffered huge losses in the floods. A livid Bajwa said, “The farmers of Punjab are staring at devastation. Fields remain submerged, homes are destroyed, and no relief has reached the people. The CM came here yesterday only for a photo-op. The reality is that his government is far removed from ground reality.” Bajwa reminded people that the AAP government had boasted of spending Rs 230 crore on flood-prevention measures and desilting rivers, yet villages are still inundated. “If even after such tall claims, families are left hungry and homeless, then the CM must answer where that money went. Relief announcements in press conferences mean nothing unless they translate into real aid on the ground,” he added. Congress leaders Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Pratap Singh Bajwa visit the flood-hit areas in Gurdaspur on Thursday. Amritsar, August 28 Just two months ago, farmers in several villages were demanding canal water for irrigation as their fields needed flooding for paddy crop. With no proper supply, they were forced to depend on tube-wells to save their crops. Ironically, the same villages are now submerged in floodwater, leaving residents angry and frustrated. Floods have damaged houses, washed away crops and livestock, displaced thousands of families. Residents of the affected villages have strongly criticised the government for its failure to maintain the canal irrigation system. They argue that the deteriorating condition of canals not only forced them into water scarcity earlier but has also worsened the impact of the present floods. “If water is used when it is required for irrigation, it would make more space in dam reservoirs to hold rainwater,” reasoned a farmer. Villagers say that if the canals had been properly managed, both crises could have been avoided. “First, we had no water to save our crops, and now the same water has drowned everything we had. This is not a natural disaster alone. It is negligence,” said a farmer whose fields are now under several feet of water. People are also questioning why the government did not take timely action Waste treatment likely to begin at Bhagtanwala from Sept 4 Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 28 The long-awaited bio-remediation project to clear the garbage heaps at Bhagtanwala dump site has gathered momentum, with 90 per cent of machinery installation already completed. The project, undertaken by Ecostain Infra Company, is expected to formally begin operations from September 4. According to officials, two trommel machines are to be set up at the site, of which one has already been installed while work on the second is underway. In addition, two poclain-ballistic separator machines have also arrived, and a weighing bridge has been fixed to record the daily waste processed. As per the tender agree- ment, the company has been tasked with treating 11 lakh metric tonnes of waste within 15 months through bio-remediation. If work commences in early September 2025 as planned, the Bhagtanwala dump is expected to be cleared by March 2026. A drone survey conducted four months ago had revealed that the site contained 14.67 lakh tonnes of legacy waste. Since then, nearly 2.88 lakh tonnes c m y b of additional waste has been dumped, as the city generates approximately 500 tonnes of fresh garbage every day. Additional MC Commissioner Surinder Singh said that the Municipal Corporation is closely monitoring the preparations. “The installation of machinery is in its final stages. Once completed, officers will inspect the site before operations officially begin. All activities are being supervised by the Health Department, and regular progress reports are being taken,” he said. The project, initially scheduled to start on September 27, was advanced on the instructions of former MC chief Gurlpreet Singh Aulakh, who had directed the company to begin work in the first week of September itself. to strengthen embankments, repair broken canal gates, and clear silt deposits. They complain that warnings of heavy rainfall were issued well in advance, yet no preventive steps were taken to control the flow of water. Meanwhile, Kul Hind Kisan Sabha has demanded a high-level inquiry into the collapse of three floodgates at the Madhopur headworks on the Ravi river, along with the tragic death of three employees. The Sabha stated that the incident has raised serious questions about the management of the dam. In a statement issued to the press, state president Baldev Singh Nihalgarh, working president Mahabir Singh Gill, general secretary Balkaran Singh Brar, joint secretary Lakhbir Singh Nizampur, press secretary Balkar Singh Valtoha, and other leaders alleged that the floodgates at Madhopur were jammed for a long time and had never been operated even for trial. DAV College staff union on 2-period strike Memorial sought at Attari for 1947 divide Amritsar, August 28 The staff union of DAV College, Amritsar, observed a two-period strike today in protest against the Punjab government’s failure to release grants for the past five months. As a result of this delay, the salaries of regular staff members have been withheld, causing severe financial hardships for employees and their families. The union also highlighted that the college management has not yet implemented the salary structure as per the 7th Pay Commission, a longpending demand of the staff. Prof Vikas Bhardwaj, president, DAV Staff Union, emphasised that such neglect not only demoralises the teaching community but also undermines the overall quality and reputation of higher education in Punjab. —TNS SWADESH DARSHAN Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 28 Local NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) has urged the Punjab Government and the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs to construct a unique and permanent memorial at the Attari-Wagah border to commemorate the nearly one million men, women and children who lost their lives during the Partition of 1947. The demand has been formally placed before Sanjeev Tiwari, Director of Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Chandigarh. In a memorandum addressed to the department, Principal Kulwant Singh Ankhi, patron; Surinder Jit Singh, president; Yogesh Kamra, general secretary; and They stated that reports of 8–10 feet of silt deposits suggest that such blockages could not have formed suddenly but must have built up gradually over the years. This raises suspicion of serious negligence on the part of the authorities. The Sabha has demanded that a judicial inquiry be ordered into the incident to establish whether negligence was involved or whether the gates collapsed under unavoidable emergency conditions. Kawaljit Singh Bhatia, secretary of Amritsar Vikas Manch; have stressed that under the Central Government's 'Swadesh Darshan' project, currently underway at the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar district, a memorial must be constructed in memory of the "nameless Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims" who were brutally killed during Partition. The representation highlights that the Partition of 1947 not only displaced more than 10 million people across both sides of Punjab but also led to one of the most horrific massacres in human history. The AVM observed that despite being the largest displacement in world history, no government or institution has yet built a memorial in Indian or Pakistani Punjab to pay homage to these victims. continued on pg 2