01112025-ATR-01.qxd 11/1/2025 12:08 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 28°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C AMBEDKAR CHAIR AT GNDU ORGANISES SPECIAL LECTURE MANDI BOARD CHIEF BATS FOR AAP IN BYPOLL FOTO 2025 CELEBRATES 33 YEARS OF CREATIVITY Dr BR Ambedkar Chair of GNDU organised a special lecture series on the biography of Ambedkar. P2 The state AAP general secretary said AAP is working for the welfare of the public and the progress of the state. P2 The Photographic Society of Chandigarh inaugurated its annual group exhibition at Punjab Kala Bhawan in Sector 16. P4 » » » SUNSET SATURDAY 5.40 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6.47 AM SATURDAY | 1 NOVEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Heroin, illicit liquor, two-wheelers seized during search operation Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 31 In a major crackdown on drug smuggling and criminal activities, the Amritsar Rural Police on Friday carried out a large-scale cordon and search operation (CASO) in four border villages – Gumanpura, Basarke Bhaini, Basarke Gillan and Kotli Naseer — under the jurisdiction of the Gharinda police station. The operation was conducted under the close supervision of SP (Investigation) Aditya Warrior, with DSP , Attari, Yadwinder Singh also present. The purpose of the drive was to tighten the noose around smugglers and antisocial elements operating in sensitive border areas adjoining Pakistan. According to police sources, as soon as the operation began, several suspected drug smugglers and peddlers reportedly fled their houses, locking them from outside in an attempt to evade arrest. However, police teams swiftly cordoned off areas and carried out thorough searches. During the raid, the police Tribune News Service Police personnel during a cordon and search operation in the Gharinda police station area in Attari on Friday. registered three FIRs and arrested five accused in various cases, while preventive action was initiated against five others. The teams also seized 20 grams of heroin, 30 bottles of illicit liquor, and two vehicles — a motorcycle and a scooter — suspected to have been used in illegal activities. Over 200 police personnel from the Gharinda, Kamboh, and Chatiwind police stations were deployed for the opera- Health Dept issues warning against single-use plastic Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 31 The Health Department of the municipal corporation, Amritsar, has issued strict warnings against the use of single-use plastic and littering across the city. Officials have cautioned that violators will face action under the law. Teams from the Health Department, along with the Estate Department, carried out checks in various zones, including East, Central, North and West, under the directions of Health Officers Dr Kiran, Dr Yogesh Arora and Dr Rama. Sanitary inspectors visited shops and street vendors, advising them to avoid single-use plastic and to install dustbins to properly dispose of waste. Notices and challans were also issued at several locations. Pak-linked arms smuggling module busted in dist, juvenile among 7 held According to officials, the joint effort of the Health and Estate Departments aims to take departmental action against repeat offenders after the first and second warnings. The department’s representatives further appealed to residents and business owners to maintain cleanliness as the city prepares for the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur. They emphasised that despite a complete ban on single-use plastic, its use continues in several areas, and stricter enforcement measures will soon follow. Officials stated that upcoming drives will include the seizure of plastic items and heavy fines for defaulters. Citizens have been urged to cooperate by refraining from littering and discontinuing the use of single-use plastic immediately. tion. The teams searched more than 50 houses and questioned several suspicious individuals as part of the intelligence-led action. SP Aditya Warrior said such surprise operations would continue in the coming days to curb cross-border smuggling and ensure peace and security in the border region. “The police are committed to maintaining law and order and keeping criminal elements at bay,” he added. Amritsar, October 31 In a major intelligence-based operation, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police have busted a Pakistan-supported cross-border arms trafficking module, arresting seven operatives, including a juvenile, and recovering 15 sophisticated pistols from their possession. This was stated by Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Friday. Those arrested have been identified as Shamsher Singh, alias Sima (30) and Amandeep Singh, alias Bobby (23), both residents of Fakir Singh Colony, Amritsar; Balwinder Singh, alias Kaka (26), Gurdev Singh (40), Karanpreet Singh (19), and Harman Singh (19), all from Kakkar village in Amritsar (Rural), along with a 17-year-old juvenile. The seized weapons include nine 9mm Glock pistols and six .30 bore pistols. The DGP said preliminary Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 31 The Property Tax Department of the Municipal Corporation (MC), Amritsar, has issued scrutiny notices to more than 50 hotels suspected of underpaying property tax by falsely declaring leased properties as selfoccupied. Officials estimate that a large number of commercial establishments, particularly hotels, have been operating on lease while paying the lower selfuse tax rates. Joint Commissioner Surinder Singh will conduct hearings in these scrutiny cases beginning next month. Under property tax rules, commercial properties on rent are liable to pay 7.5 per cent of their annual rental value as tax. In contrast, self-occupied properties are taxed at fixed rates based on their category — Rs 5 per sq ft in Category A, Rs 3 in Category B, and Rs 2 Neha Saini Tribune News Service Commuters navigate through smog on the Batala road in Amritsar on Friday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR lution Control Board’s air monitoring unit installed at the Golden Temple. investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with a Pakistan-based handler through social media and were actively involved in procuring and distributing illegal arms across Punjab. Efforts are underway to trace the entire network, including its backward and forward linkages, he added. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, sharing operational details, said the operation began with the arrest of the juvenile, who was caught with two pistols. His interrogation led to the arrest of Shamsher Singh and Amandeep Singh, from whom three more pistols, including a Glock, were recovered. Subsequently, Balwinder Singh was arrested with three pistols following technical leads. Further analysis of Civic body issues notices to over 50 hotels Punjabi continues to for suspected property tax evasion face neglect despite 50 yrs of statehood MC Joint Commissioner Surinder Singh will conduct hearings in these scrutiny cases beginning next month. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR in Category C areas. If scrutiny reveals that a property declared as selfoccupied is actually rented, the MC will recover the tax difference, along with penalties and interest for previous years. Officials City records season’s worst air quality Amritsar, October 31 Amritsar woke up to another historic low in the city’s air quality as it recorded an AQI of 423 at 7 am on October 31. Repeating its past record of having worse air quality in Punjab, the holy city on Friday breached the 400 mark as it recorded the season’s worst air quality. The breach made it extremely hazardous and dangerous to breathe while the residents, though aware of the fact, continued their commute and day-to-day activities. By afternoon (at 3 pm), the air quality fell to 183, still in the ‘unhealthy’ category as the PM 10 was recorded at 113 microns/gm and PM 2.5 was recorded at 93 microns/gm. The data was sourced from the Punjab Pol- Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar during a press conference in Amritsar on Friday. the juvenile’s mobile phone revealed links between him and Gurdev Singh, both in touch with a common Pakistan-based handler. Gurdev was later arrested along with Karanpreet Singh and Harman Singh, leading to the recovery of seven additional pistols. Two separate FIRs have been registered under Sections 25(6), 25(7), and 25(8) of the Arms Act at the Cantonment police station, Amritsar. Officials said more arrests and recoveries are expected as the investigation progresses. In a parallel action, the Counter Intelligence Wing, Amritsar, also confiscated nine sophisticated pistols from three persons in a separate case on Thursday. Those arrested were identified as Davinder Singh, a resident of village Bhangwan, and Paramjit Singh alias Pamma and Harmeet Singh alias Meetu, both residents of Bhindi Aulakh in Amritsar Rural. Every year, the region around Amritsar experiences large amounts of crop residue burning (especially paddy/straw) after harvest. This injects significant quantities of fine particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10) into the air. Adding to the problem, Amritsar sits in the IndoGangetic plain, where during cooler months a temperature inversion, i.e., cold air near the ground, while warmer air above traps pollutants close to the surface. This limits vertical mixing and thus pollution dispersal. In the lead-up to and during Diwali, the AQI in Amritsar had spiked dramatically due to firecracker bursting, despite reductions in stubble-burning in some years. But with every passing day, cases of stubble burning are now on the rise and the situation might worsen as the AQI in the city has been recorded between 170 and 220, with a surge reported at night or early morning. c m y b estimate that nearly 70 per cent of the city’s hotels operate on lease. MC records indicate that Amritsar has over 1.5 lakh taxable properties, yet fewer than 50,000 property tax returns are filed annually. Of these, around 70 per cent are residential and 30 per cent commercial properties, many of which are still defaulting on payments. So far this fiscal year, the MC has received 46,000 returns, a marked improvement over 28,000 during the same period last year, raising optimism that the 50,000 mark will be surpassed. The civic body has already collected Rs 36.72 crore in property tax, compared to Rs 28.09 crore last year — an increase of Rs 8.63 crore. Officials credited this rise partly to the one-time settlement (OTS) Scheme, which has encouraged more taxpayers to clear their dues. Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia appealed to residents to pay their taxes promptly to avoid penalties and interest. “Property owners should settle their dues on time to prevent heavy fines,” he said. Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 31 Even after more than half a century since the formation of the Punjabi-speaking state, the status of the Punjabi language in government offices remains dismal. The bureaucracy continues to disregard official directives mandating the use of Punjabi in administrative work, said members of the Kendri Punjabi Sahit Sabha. In a statement issued on the occasion of Punjab Day, Sabha president Darshan Butter, general secretary Sushil Dusanjh, senior vice-president Makhan Kuhar and office secretary Deep Devinder Singh said that despite over 50 years since Punjab’s reorganisation, the mother tongue has not received due respect in official functioning. They remarked that successive governments and political parties have failed to take con- crete steps to promote Punjabi, despite repeated promises. “No political party has shown clear intent or a welldefined policy for the progress of the Punjabi language,” the office-bearers said. The writers also expressed concern that, even after five decades, the Punjabi-speaking state still lacks its own capital and high court. Instead of addressing these long-pending issues, political forces have allegedly exploited linguistic and regional tensions between Punjab and Haryana for their own benefit. The association urged the state government to expand employment opportunities in the Punjabi language by ensuring that higher education, including science, law, and technical studies, is available in Punjabi. They also demanded that vacant teaching posts in schools and colleges be filled on priority. Direct flights between city and London resume Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 31 After a gap of nearly five months, the holy city has once again regained direct air connectivity with the United Kingdom. Air India has resumed its Amritsar-London Gatwick service, marking the revival of a much-awaited route that was suspended following the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. The first flight took off from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar, on October 29, while the return flight from London arrived on October 30, symbolizing renewed links between Punjab and its vast diaspora in the UK. According to sources, the inaugural flights operated at full capacity, including business class seats, reflecting the strong demand and enthusiasm among travellers. Under A view of Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar. the new schedule, the Amritsar-London Gatwick flight will operate three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It will depart from Amritsar at 12.35 pm and arrive in Lon- don at 6 pm (local time), taking approximately 10 hours and 55 minutes. The return flight will depart London at 8 pm on the same days, arriving in Amritsar the next morning at 11.20 am after a 9-hour and 50-minute journey. Owing to Pakistan’s airspace restrictions, the flight duration is currently around two hours longer than usual. Air India will also continue operating its Amritsar-Birmingham service three days a week, further strengthening air connectivity between Punjab and the United Kingdom. The resumption has been welcomed by the FlyAmritsar Initiative (FAI) and the Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), represented by Sameep Singh Gumtala (global convener of FAI) and Yogesh Kamra (secretary, AVM). In a joint statement, Gumtala and Kamra said, “The reopening of this flight not only restores passenger travel but also reopens crucial cargo export opportunities. Punjab’s exporters and industries now regain direct access to UK markets,” they said, urging for enhanced cargo facilities and stronger logistics infrastructure.