16092025-ATR-01.qxd 9/15/2025 11:34 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MEGA WAREHOUSE FOR FLOOD RELIEF INAUGURATED GARBAGE PILES TRIGGER PUBLIC OUTRAGE THE STUDIO SCRIPTS HISTORY AT EMMYS WITH 13 AWARDS Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Dr Vikramjit Singh Sahney, set up a mega warehouse on the Ajnala Road. P2 Irked by a massive heap of garbage in front of Sukka Talab temple, residents and shopkeepers held a protest. P2 The Studio turned the Emmys into a wrap party, winning best comedy series and breaking a record for victories. P4 » » » MAX 33°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.34 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6.15 AM TUESDAY | 16 SEPTEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Procurement begins at 48 mandis today RAHUL GANDHI TAKES STOCK OF FLOOD-HIT AREAS IN AMRITSAR Tribune News Service (Clockwise) LoP in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacts with a child outside Gurdwara Smadh Baba Budha Sahib at Ramdas village in Amritsar; rides a tractor being driven by PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring; and interacts with local residents during his visit to a flood-affected area in Amritsar on Monday. PTI, ANI Amritsar, September 15 Government agencies will commence paddy procurement across Punjab, including Amritsar, from tomorrow (on Tuesday). As many as 48 mandis have been made operational, including five in flood-affected Ajnala, after dewatering and cleaning these. The five mandis in Ajnala are at Chamiari village, which was converted into a rehabilitation centre for cattle, and Sudhar, Chak Sikandar, Awan and Gaggomahal villages. She said the arrival of crops was not anticipated in these mandis till another 10 days, but the administration dewatered these and were now in the process of de-cluttering them. In this regard, Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney today held a meeting with the District Food Supply Controller, the District Mandi Officer and officials of various procurement agencies to review the arrangements in the district. She said 48 mandis have been notified in the district for smooth procurement. The government has fixed the MSP for paddy at Rs 2,389 per quintal and the permissible moisture content should not be more than 17 per cent. She appealed to the farmers to bring only dry paddy to the mandis to avoid any delays. The Deputy Commissioner assured that the government will purchase every single grain produced by farmers while urging them not to rush, but to harvest only after properly drying the crop so that procurement can continue smoothly without hindrance. Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Rohit Gupta said that labour and transportation tenders have also been finalised. “All arrangements are complete and we are fully prepared to start the procurement from tomorrow.” He directed District Mandi Officer Amandeep Singh to ensure that moisture levels are checked at the mandi gates and only dry paddy is allowed inside. BSF nabs four with heroin at border village Protest over ban on combine harvesters sans SSMS; operators to intensify protest Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 15 The Border Security Force (BSF) has arrested three persons from the border village of Mode, where they were found roaming suspiciously. According to information, BSF jawans noticed movements of drone in the border village. They immediately launched a search operation and detained three youths, who were found in the suspected area. During initial questioning, they could not give satisfactory answers. “Questioning is underway to find out their motive behind their presence in the area and also their linkages,” said a BSF spokesman. Meanwhile, BSF troops recovered a DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone along with a packet Our Correspondent The seized drone and heroin in the custody of BSF jawans in Amritsar. containing around 576 grams of heroin from a farming field at Nesta village. In another incident, following specific input, alert BSF jawans nabbed a criminal with a pistol and three live bullets. During search, they found 45 gm of heroin and over 19,000 of Indian currency, a mobile phone and a bike from him. He was arrested during a naka on Palla Megha and the Kilche road in Ferozepur. The accused was later found to be a resident of Kamlewala village in Ferozepur. Tarn Taran, September 15 Under the banner of Combine Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, the local district branch of the committee expressed resentment against the directions issued by the state government and the district administration imposing a ban on the plying of combine harvesters without a Super Straw Management System (SSMS) here on Monday. Members of the Combine Sangharsh Committee held a meeting at Gurdwara Baba Bota Singh Baba Garja Singh on the Tarn Taran-Chabal road and later they burnt an effigy of the Punjab Government at the Amritsar bypass chowk in Tarn Taran. Combine harvester operators burn an effigy of the state government in Tarn Taran on Monday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI Committee district president Paramjit Singh Dilawalpur, Bhag Singh Kalsia and block leader Likhinder Singh Pallasaur were among others who addressed on the occasion. They said since 2017, the government has been asking the combine harvester operators/owners to install a Super SMS. But since they were not successful, the Combine Sangharsh Committee is opposing this device throughout Punjab. This season again, the district administration is warning the combine harvester owners through newspapers that combine harvesters without a SSMS will not be allowed to run, which is a severe blow to the owners. Hundreds of combine harvester owners who arrived at the meeting said if the district administration tried to harass them, they will intensify their protest. Union Minister Bhagirath holds Drug seizure case: Villagers protest move to convert Mini PHC to Aam Aadmi Clinic review meeting to assess losses NCB summons Tarn Taran councillor Tarn Taran, September 15 Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Chaudhary on Monday held a special meeting with senior district officials at the District Administrative Complex to review the losses caused by the recent floods in Tarn Taran district. Deputy Commissioner Rahul, SSP Dr Ravjot Grewal, Additional Deputy Commissioners Rajdeep Singh Brar and Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, SDM Gurmeet Singh (Tarn Taran) and Preetinder Singh (Patti), Chief Minister’s Field Officer Dr Kanwarvir Singh, Civil Surgeon Dr Gurpreet Singh Rai were among others who attended the meeting. Deputy Commissioner Rahul gave a detailed report to the minister about the dam- Tribune News Service Union Minister Bhagirath Chaudhri addresses a meeting of officials in Tarn Taran on Monday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI age caused by the floods in the district and the relief measures being carried out by the government. During the meeting, Bhagirath Chaudhary said the Central Government stands with Punjab in this time of crisis. He added that apart from the Union Agriculture Minister, even the Prime Minister has already visited flood-affected areas. He assured that the Centre, in coordination with the Punjab Government, will make efforts to ensure that such situations do not occur again in the future. — OC Amritsar, September 15 The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has reportedly summoned a municipal councillor of Tarn Taran in connection with the arrest of three persons with around 100 gm of heroin. His name cropped up during the forensic analysis of a mobile phone of the suspects. The NCB had summoned him to investigate the case. He was asked to join the probe. According to information, he had joined the investigations earlier and has again been summoned for probe. An NCB official while preferring anonymity said on c m y b August 20, it had arrested three drug peddlers, identified as Parminder Singh, alias Pamma, Shaifi and Shaka, all residents of Timmowal village in Tarn Taran. Around 100 gm of contraband was seized from them. Following preliminary investigations, they were sent to judicial custody. During investigations, they had confessed to having links with the smugglers having direct links with Pakistanbased smugglers. During the forensic analysis, the NCB found the names of other smugglers, apart from several political figures, including a former MLA, in the case. Tarn Taran, September 15 Residents of five villages here held a protest against converting the Primary Health Centre, Kirtowal Kalan, to Aam Aadmi Clinic on Monday. Harminder Singh Gill, former MLA and district Congress president, said that the state government and the district administration have ignored the interests of the residents of Kirtowal Kalan, Pringrni, Tung, Zindawala and Kirtowal Khurd villages. Leaders of the Congress in their addresses said it has been functioning as the Mini PHC since 1982 and residents of nearby five villages have been getting medical facilities but staff working at the Mini PHC has been shifted to some other health centres. The villagers warned the District Congress president Harminder Singh Gill addresses residents during a meeting in Tarn Taran. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI state government and the district administration that they would go on the agitation path if they do not review their decision. Gill said now residents of these village have been deprived of better medical facilities as the Aam Aadmi Clinic cannot provide the same facilities. When contacted, Civil Surgeon Dr Gurpreet Singh Rai said this has been done on the instructions of the Health Department and the paramedical staff would be shifted to the MHCs at Ghariala and Sabhra. — OC