10092025-ATR-01.qxd 9/9/2025 10:49 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 24°C POLICE SEIZE HEROIN, ARREST TWO WOMEN 17TH CENTURY NANAKSHAHI BRICK STRUCTURES FACE RUIN WAMIQA GABBI IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST IN INDUSTRY CIA staff nabbed two women who were wives of the same man and recovered 2.516 kg of heroin. P2 Structures constructed with Nanakshahi bricks during the seventeenth century will soon be a thing of the past. P3 In an industry where visibility is everything, Wamiqa is doing more than just making appearances. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.42 PM » SUNRISE THRUSDAY 6.11 AM WEDNESDAY | 10 SEPTEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Man booked for making extortion call to relative Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 9 A woman of Failoke here has lodged a complaint with the Goindwal Sahib police accusing her relative of trying to extort money from her. The victim, whose husband is abroad, in her complaint stated that her relative Dilbag Singh, a resident of Dubli (Patti), called on the mobile phone number of her 14-year-old son on the night of August 4 from a foreign number introducing himself as a member of infamous gangster Lakhbr Singh Landa of Harike and demanded Rs 20 lakh in extortion. The accused repeatedly threatened to eliminate her son in case she denied to oblige him. ASI Baljinder Singh said accused Dilbag Singh, who is still absconding, has been booked under Sections 308 (2), 351(3) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Flood-effect: 26 snake bite cases, three deaths reported so far Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 9 Flood-hit areas near the Ravi river in Ajnala and Ramdas are facing a rise in snakebite cases as the strong currents of floodwater have forced snakes into villages. Since August 25, a total of 26 cases of snakebites have been reported, leading to three deaths. Two patients are still under treatment in hospital. To deal with the situation, Government Medical College Principal Dr Rajiv Devgan said on the orders of Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, 400 doses of anti-snake venom have been sent to the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Ajnala. He appealed to people not to panic if bitten by a snake, rather go immediately to the nearest health centre for treatment. Timely injections can save precious lives, he said. Civil Surgeon Dr Swaranjit Dhawan said the risk of snakebites increases in floodwater. Anti-snake venom is available free of cost at government hospitals and also in all flood relief medical camps. He advised people not to go to Now, stagnant flood water poses serious health risks Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Residents wade through a waterlogged road near Ramdas in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR quacks as they cannot provide proper treatment and may worsen the patient’s condition. Dr Dhawan shared important tips for those who are bitten by a snake. Though most snakes are non-poisonous, but people should never take a chance. He said patients should not run or drive a vehicle after being bitten by a snake. “Keep the bitten part still, like supporting a broken bone, but do not tie it too tightly. Remove shoes, jewellery or clothing near the bite. Do not cut or tamper with the wound. Do not waste time trying to kill the snake. Instead, rush the patient to hospital,” he suggested. The department said people can call health helpline 104 or dial 108 for an ambulance in case of emergency. Symptoms of snakebite include pain and swelling at the bitten spot, bleeding, breathing difficulty, trouble in swallowing or speaking, neck weakness, inability to lift the head, and bleeding from nose, ears or throat. Amritsar, September 9 The foul smell emanating from stagnant water in many flood-affected areas has become a major concern for people as well as health authorities. While efforts are being made to drain out the standing water, the authorities concerned are also spraying chemicals to control the spread of diseases. Even as the flood water has started ebbing, it is still seen trapped in residential areas where walls of the buildings and other hurdles are still stopping it from flowing out. The stagnant water, along with waste present in it, has started to rot, emitting an unbearable foul smell. Residents fear that unhygienic conditions could give rise to many health issues. To ensure public safety, the Health Department, too has issued an advisory. Civil Surgeon Dr Swaranjit Dhawan said people should avoid Stagnant flood water around a house in a residential area in the Ramdas area on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR direct contact with flood water as it can lead to skin problems like itching, boils rashes and allergies. He advised people to wash their hands with soap and clean water before eating, keep drinking water and food covered and protected from flood water, and maintain safe cooking, storage and follow proper handling practices. The advisory further stresses that only boiled or chlorine-mixed water should be consumed, fruits and vegetables must be washed with clean water before use and food that has come into contact with flood water should not be eaten. People have also been urged to remove stagnant water from around their homes to prevent mosquito breeding and use mosquito nets, repellents or coils. The department has urged families to give special care to children and elderly people, use toilets instead of open defecation, and dispose of garbage in a proper way. In case of any illness, public has been asked to immediately approach the nearest hospital or health centre. For assistance and queries, a helpline number 89680-08060 has also been made available. District Epidemiologist Dr Harjot Kaur has appealed to people in the affected areas to strictly follow the advisory to prevent the outbreak of waterborne and mosquito-borne diseases in the coming days. Schools, edu institutions reopen GNDU vows to adopt Pensioners stage dharna, push after a fortnight to full capacity one flood-hit village for fulfilment of demands Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 9 Schools and educational institutions reopened after a fortnight-long closure in the district due to floods. Private and government schools in Amritsar city opened to full capacity, with students from primary to senior classes returning to classrooms. Among government schools, the city area saw good attendance while those in rural belt in Attari, Khasa, Jandiala Guru and other places reported average attendance. Teachers arrived early at most government schools today. At Government Primary School, Khasa, and in Attari, teachers and support staff were seen actively preparing for the reopening. While some of the classrooms were cleaned and made ready, several students were made to sit in the open ground till the leakage and seepage issues subside. Teachers ensured that class- rooms were clean and dry, while helpers have been engaged to ensure that weeds and insecticides are sprayed to prevent any outgrowth and insect bites. The Schools of Eminence in Amritsar opened to full capacity. While buildings of the SoEs did not incur many issues, the other senior secondary and elementary schools in the district all reported water seepage issues. Ashwani Awasthi, a teacher from Government Senior Secondary School, Bhagtanwala, said that most school buildings in city areas have seepage and leakage issues as they are old. “The attendance was fair today and students returned to classes with enthusiasm. We are keeping a track of our classrooms that require attention and have seepage issues.” The school management committees are being joined by the local community and villagers in ensuring that the schools get fit to operate soon in the rural belt. Tasks such as levelling the entrance pathway, which had been submerged in rainwater and weeding are being done to ensure school safety. Meanwhile, District Education Officer Rajesh Sharma said that schools and colleges in Ajnala-I, Ajnala-II and Chogawan-2 block will remain closed till September 12. “We held a meeting of all school heads from block Ajnala and Chogawan, where damage to school and educational buildings is reportedly high due to floods. It was decided that 65 schools, colleges and other private educational institutions in these blocks will remain closed till September 12 while the others will reopen from tomorrow,” he said. Around 61 schools in Gurdaspur and 29 in Pathankot will remain closed till September 12 as well. The flood forced around 20,000 government schools in Punjab to shut for several days. Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 9 Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) has launched a special initiative to extend relief to flood-affected areas. Registrar Dr Karamjit Singh Chahal said a dedicated team has been constituted to ensure proper implementation of the university’s relief measures. A meeting in this regard was held with Amandeep Kaur, ADC, and Ravinder Singh Arora, SDM, Ajnala, Amritsar. The deliberations were attended by Dr Balbir Singh (NSS coordinator), Dr Anil Kumar (NCC coordinator), Dr Balwinder Singh (president, teaching association), Rajneesh Bharadwaj (president, Non-Teaching Association) and Aman Arora (president, Officers’ Association) from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Dr Chahal said the university team has resolved to adopt a flood-affected village and undertake comprehensive rehabilitation activities. The initiative aims at transforming the adopted village into a model village, while also nurturing the spirit of selfless service among the university’s teachers, employees and students. Prof Karamjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor, said: “As an institution, we believe our role goes beyond academics. This initiative reflects Guru Nanak Dev University’s commitment to social responsibility and to stand with the community in times of need. By adopting a village, we aim to bring a sustainable change and provide a model for others to follow.” Registrar Dr K S Chahal added, “Our collective efforts, supported by faculty and staff, will not only help in rehabilitation but also instil the values of compassion and service among our university fraternity.” Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 9 The pensioners’ association associated with the power/transmission corporation organised a dharna in front of the circle office of Powercom here on Tuesday. They laid stress on the fulfilment of demands of the retired employees. The retired staff of the corporation, who came from different parts of the town, also participated in the dharna. Gurpreet Singh Mannan, circle president of the association, in his address condemned the state government for cancelling the proposed meetings to be held with them at the eleventh hour. Expressing solidarity with the floodaffected farmers and others related to the farming, he said the compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre, announced by Punjab Chief Minister Pensioners during a protest dharna in Tarn Taran on Tuesday. Bhagwant Singh Mann, was not sufficient and demanded to increase it to Rs 50,000 per acre and also provide adequate compensation to farm labourers. Mannan laid stress on the removal of the discrepancies in the Sixth Pay Commission, besides providing free power to the pensioners, reinstatement of the cashless medical facility, increas- ing the monthly medical allowance to Rs 2,000, reimbursement of the pending instalments of the dearness allowance. The circle president pushed for fulfilment of other demands of the pensioners and condemned the management of the department for its alleged indifferent approach towards the current demands of the retired employees. GNDU declares fee submission dates Singer Guru Randhawa extends helping hand to farmers Tribune News Service Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 9 Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) has revised the schedule for regular and private students. “Due to the current flood situation in Punjab, the online admission/examination schedule for session December 2025, under-graduate semester 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and post-graduate Semester 1, 3 for regular/private students (except Law TYC/FYIC Semester-1 and BEd Semester-1) and examination forms for annual system examinations (special chance/additional subject, re-appear, improvement) has been revised,” said Shalini Bahel, Professor Incharge, Examinations. She said that the last date for private students for printing fee slip/online fee payment; subject selection for regular students by colleges on portal and challan generation and last date for annual form sub- A view of GNDU in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO mission is September 25 without late fee. She said that with a late fee of Rs. 250, the last date is September 29; with late fee of 500, it’s October 3, with a late fee of Rs 1,000, the date is October 7 and with a late fee of Rs 2, 000, the last date is October 10. She said that a late fee of Rs 1,000 per day (maximum late fee of up to Rs 30,000) may also be charged depending on cases. She said that the last date to deposit the examination fee is September 30 without late fee. With a late fee of Rs 250, the last date is October 4, with a late fee Rs 500, the last date is October 8, with a late fee Rs 1,000, the last date is October 10 and with a late fee of Rs 2,000, the last date is October 13. Students are advised to check their schedule and eligibility from authorised sources accordingly. Amritsar, September 9 Punjabi singers have been rallying support and raising funds for flood-affected people of Punjab. Among them, singer Guru Randhawa has been leading relief efforts in Dera Baba Nanak villages. He was among the first ones to establish a relief fund to assist victims of the devastating floods in Dera Baba Nanak and in his native village Dharowali. This initiative was promoted via his social media channels, where he also shared updates about his relief efforts and camps. Now, he has announced that that once the flood water recedes and life returns to normal, he will distribute wheat seeds to all the flood-affected farmers so that they can resume farming. As concerns rise c m y b Singer Guru Randhawa carries out relief works in Dera Baba Nanak. among farmers regarding farms rendered unfit for sowing due to the accumulation of a large amount of silt and deluge, Guru has assured them of help once de-silting and demarcations of fields is done, he will pro- vide quality seeds for sowing. In a message, Guru Randhawa shared, “When flood water will start evaporating, I will distribute wheat seeds among the flood-affected farmers so that the next crop can be planted and people can make a new start, hoping for a better future,” he said. Earlier, while visiting flood-affected villages in Dera Baba Nanak with his team, Guru had promised to rebuild the house of an elderly woman, whose house was destroyed due to the floods. The walls of one of the rooms of her home had collapsed and the flood water had damaged most of her household items. This heartwarming gesture was captured on a video and went viral, with people hailing Punjabi actors and singers for their empathy and support towards their people. His kept distributing food, clean water, medicines and cattle feed at the camps. This provided much-need relief to many households in need. Like many other seniors and contemporaries in the industry, Guru Randhawa’s actions — ranging from immediate relief (via camps and supplies) to agricultural rehabilitation (wheat seeds) — reflect a robust, community-rooted response in this hour of crisis.