25042026-ATR-01.qxd 4/25/2026 12:02 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune MINISTER KATARUCHAK VISITS CHABAL GRAIN MARKET VARSITY HONOURS DR RAI FOR RESEARCH WORK Dr Rai also delivered keynote lecture titled “Babu Mangu Ram Mugowalia’s Aadi Dharm Movement in Punjab”.P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 40°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 41°C | MIN 23°C TRIBAL ART EXHIBITION AT SHIMLA’S GAIETY THEATRE The Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Minister inspected the Chabal grain market in Tarn Taran. P2 FORECAST Art lovers can witness tribal art at an exhibition at the Gaiety Theatre in Shimla open till tomorrow. P4 » » SUNSET SATURDAY 7.06 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5.49 AM » SATURDAY | 25 APRIL 2026 | AMRITSAR Chemists to observe bandh over trade practices Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 The Punjab Chemists’ Association (PCA) has announced a one-day nationwide bandh on May 20 while raising concerns over certain government notifications and alleged unfair trade practices by online pharmacies that it claimed could adversely impact small chemists apart from public health safeguards. In a representation to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the association, affiliated with the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), said it represents over 12.40 lakh chemists and distributors across the country. It warned that unresolved issues are threatening the livelihood of chemists and nearly 4-5 crore dependents. The PCA stressed that medicines are not ordinary commodities but directly linked to patient safety. It said the existing system ensures delivery of the right medicine to the right patient through qualified doctors and registered pharmacists and any dilution could have serious consequences. The association flagged the alleged proliferation of illegal e-pharmacies and predatory pricing by large corporations continued on page 2 Commuters face trouble navigating without proper signages in city Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 The absence of clear directional signboards on the GT Road and national highway stretches passing through the city continues to cause inconvenience to commuters and visitors travelling to key destinations in Amritsar and nearby towns. Motorists unfamiliar with city routes often miss crucial turns at busy junctions and bypass roads, forcing them to take long detours or risky U-turns in heavy traffic. In several cases, drivers are also seen travelling on the wrong side of the road for short distances after missing exits, creating safety hazards for themselves and other road users. Visitors arriving from other districts or neighbouring states said locating important places such as the railway station, bus stand, airport road, Golden Temple route, medical institutions and city markets becomes difficult due to the lack of proper signboards at major intersections. The problem is more pronounced on high-speed corridors and at bypass points, where vehicles have little time to identify turns. Once a turn is missed, motorists often have to travel several kilometres before finding a safe place to return. Residents said the issue Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service A view of Bypass Road in Amritsar where no signage has been set up by the authorities. has persisted for a long time despite increasing tourist inflow and rising traffic volume in the city. Pritpal Singh Mann, a resident of the bypass road, said proper overhead signs, lane indicators, and advance direction boards at least a few hundred metres before junctions could significantly reduce confusion and traffic disruptions. “First-time visitors frequently depend on mobile navigation apps, but sud- den diversions, service lanes and unmarked cuts often lead to last-minute confusion,” he said. Citizens have urged the National Highways Authority of India, municipal authorities and the traffic police to jointly review major routes and install standardised signage at all important entry points, flyovers and bypass intersections to improve traffic movement and road safety. Blackout mock drill held in Ranjit Avenue Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 A 30-minute blackout mock drill was conducted from 8 pm to 8.30 pm at the exhibition ground in Ranjit Avenue on Friday, during which lights in the area were switched off as part of a civil defence exercise. At exactly 8 pm, sirens were sounded across the city to mark the start of the drill. Citizens voluntarily switched off lights at homes and business establishments. Acting on directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Civil Defence carried out the blackout exercise. A Civil Defence air raid and blackout mock exercise being conducted in Amritsar on Friday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Assistant Commissioner (General) Pragti Sethi said Political reactions pour in after AAP leaders join BJP the exercise involved practising a complete blackout with active cooperation from the power department and the public. During the drill, civil defence personnel also conducted a trial to guide people on evacuation from homes and safety measures in the event of a possible air strike. She stated that the objective was to prepare residents for emergency response in situations such as potential air attacks or war-like conditions. “During such situations, all lights, inverters, and generators should be completely switched off. Auto-on solar and CCTV lights should also be turned off, and vehicles should be parked on the continued on page 2 Amritsar, April 24 After AAP leaders Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi, AAP MLA from Ajnala Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said efforts would be made to consolidate the party’s district unit ahead of the next Assembly elections. Opposition parties, including the AAP criticised the , move as opportunistic politics, while local BJP leaders welcomed the development, stating that the leaders were influenced by the policies of the Narendra Modi-led Central Government. Dhaliwal, who is also the party’s state spokesperson, said the leaders joining the BJP would not make any significant difference to Punjab’s electoral politics. “They do not have any mass base,” he said. He added that even if former cricketer and party leader Harbhajan Singh, along with Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal, were to join the BJP , it would not have much impact as they too lacked a strong mass base. Questioning the effectiveness of such political shifts, Dhaliwal pointed out that Former AAP leader Raghav Chadha (right) , who joined the BJP. leaders like Capt Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar, and several senior Congress figures had earlier joined the BJP but did not achieve notable success. He attributed this to the Punjabi psyche, stating that voters do not value turncoats. Jodh Singh Samra, a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Halqa in-charge from Ajnala, said the move was not surprising. He alleged that AAP had earlier given Rajya Sabha seats to affluent individuals, who were now switching loyalties for personal gain. He added that the true face of both the ruling AAP and the BJP had been exposed and predicted political losses for both parties. Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla of the Congress termed the development a “black day” in Indian political history. He said the defections were driven not by ideology but by opportunism, and accused AAP Rajya Sabha MPs of betraying public trust and failing to deliver on promises made to Punjabis. Launching a sharp attack, Aujla said the development marked the beginning of AAP’s downfall and predicted that the party would exit Punjab in 2027. He main- tained that the shift would not significantly impact state politics, as those involved were not mass leaders but “business-minded individuals” selected over committed party workers. He also noted that these MPs were not directly elected by the people. Aujla said AAP is now paying the price for sidelining its grassroots workers and promoting outsiders. “They are reaping what they sowed,” he remarked. He accused AAP of undermining constitutional values while in power, targeting media houses and misusing vigilance agencies continued on page 2 Wheat procurement in full swing in mandis Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 Wheat procurement in the district has gathered pace, with 353,186 metric tonnes purchased till last evening, while payments worth Rs 627.39 crore have been released directly into farmers’ bank accounts, officials said on Friday. Aparna Bhatia, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution, visited the Tangra grain market to review the ongoing procurement operations. She was accompanied by Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Secretary Varinder Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Rohit Gupta, Baba Bakala SDM Rajneesh Kumar, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller (DFSC) Harveen Kaur, and officials of various procurement agencies. During the visit, Aparna Bhatia interacted with farmers, labourers, and commission agents to assess the ground-level functioning of the procurement process. She also held a meeting with commission agents, listened to their concerns, and assured them that the issues raised would be conveyed to the government. She said wheat procure- ment at the Tangra grain market was being carried out smoothly and efficiently, and that farmers were receiving timely payments for their produce. She expressed confidence that Punjab would once again make a major contribution to the central food pool during the current procurement season. Providing details of procurement in the district, DFSC Harveen Kaur said total wheat arrivals in mandis of Amritsar district had reached 390,780 metric tonnes till yesterday evening, of which 353,186 metric tonnes had already been pro- cured. Among the agencies, Pungrain procured 120,982 metric tonnes, followed by Markfed with 83,256 metric tonnes, Punsup with 80,741 metric tonnes, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation with 55,295 metric tonnes, and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) with 9,437 metric tonnes. Traders procured an additional 3,475 metric tonnes. She said procurement operations were continuing smoothly across all mandis in the district, and arrangements had been made to ensure that farmers do not face any inconvenience. City roads shrink under encroachment pressure Kataria calls for balance between Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 Revered as Punjab’s spiritual capital and home to the iconic Golden Temple, Amritsar today finds itself grappling with a far more pressing crisis—shrinking streets and unchecked encroachments, even as authorities appear to be looking the other way. Footpaths meant for pedestrians have virtually disappeared. Roads designed for smooth traffic flow have turned into obstacle courses. Every anti-encroachment drive, no matter how forceful it appears in the morning, fades into futility by evening. From time to time, the traffic police, along with municipal corporation authorities led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Amandeep Kaur, conduct drives across various parts of the city, including Railway Link Road, Putlighar, Majitha Road, areas Police officials remove encroachments in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO near the Inter-State Bus Terminus, and the congested walled city. Temporary stalls are dismantled, goods seized, and warnings issued. However, alleged political interference and a lack of will—often attributed to vote bank politics—mean the roads slip back into chaos within hours. Makeshift counters reappear on pavements. Shopkeepers extend their displays onto public land. Pedestrians are once again forced onto the roads, sharing space with honking vehicles and risking their lives. “Nothing can be done in the absence of political will. Authorities must plan strict action against offenders, along with consistent surveil- lance, to curb encroachments. But we all know this is unlikely to happen,” said Surjit Kumar, a resident of Putlighar. “It’s as if nothing ever happened. They come, they clear, they leave, and everything returns before sunset,” remarked another resident, Ramesh Kumar. c m y b The consequences are not merely cosmetic—they are dangerous. Elderly citizens struggle to navigate broken or occupied footpaths. Children are forced to walk inches away from speeding vehicles. Ambulances and fire tenders often find themselves stuck in bottlenecks caused not just by traffic, but by unchecked encroachments. Parking spaces meant for public use are routinely taken over for commercial purposes—either as extensions of shops or reserved for private vehicles of business owners. Notably, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has, on multiple occasions, directed authorities to act firmly against encroachments. Each directive triggers a fresh round of drives, but enforcement on the ground remains largely superficial. Indu Aurora, a member of Voice of Amritsar and a social activist, said encroachments in the city reflect a systemic failure rather than continued on page 2 innovation & values in education Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Friday called upon institutions of higher education to adapt to rapid global transformations driven by technological advancements, shifting economic patterns and emerging societal challenges. He said that while embracing change, institutions must remain anchored to their inherent value systems. Kataria was addressing a national conference on ‘Higher Education Policy: Navigating Global Challenges and National Priorities’ at Khalsa University Amritsar (KUA). He emphasised the importance of aligning global developments with national priorities and underlined that higher education must play a pivotal role in fostering inclusive growth, Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, along with Khalsa University management, inaugurates a seminar in Amritsar. social equity and employment generation. Eminent scholars, academicians, policymakers and thought leaders gathered at the university to deliberate on the evolving landscape of higher education in India and across the globe. The Governor also toured the heritage buildings of the historic Khalsa College and the university campus, and spent time at the Sikh History Research Centre. In his address, Kataria laid stress on technology-driven education and skill development. “The growing role of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and online continued on page 2