15062026-JTR-01.qxd 6/14/2026 11:31 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SPICE OF LIFE, SLICE OF ENTERPRISE: HOW MAJHA HALDI TOOK ROOT ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE, CREATE PROTEST ZONES & ENSURE PEACE SHARVARI ON SUCCESS, STARDOM & STAYING GROUNDED Originally set on a teaching career, Yadwinder Singh returned to his agricultural roots & built a thriving farm business . P2 Establish time-bound grievance redressal committees, set clear time limits for demonstrations. P3 From Bunty Aur Babli 2to Main Vaapas Aaunga— actress’ journey takes a significant step with the Imtiaz Ali directorial.P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 37°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET MONDAY 7.25 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:21 AM MONDAY | 15 JUNE 2026 | JALANDHAR HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your health-related queries. Please mail your questions (not exceeding 40 words) at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your healthrelated concerns. URBAN ESTATE RUB Residents meet reviewpanel members to raise concerns Tribune News Service EXTORTION, FIRING INCIDENT One accused held, other identified Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 14 In the extortion and firing incident that took place at BNS Fashions in the Santokhpura locality on Friday, the Jalandhar Commissionerate police have arrested one accused and identified the other bike-borne accused. Kush, who is a resident of Ghah Mandi, and his accomplice had been reportedly given directions by a foreign handler to fire gunshots at the showroom yesterday afternoon. Lakshay Verma, owner of the showroom, had received an extortion call before and after the shootout by the extortionist demanding an amount of Rs 50 lakh from him. CP Dhanpreet Kaur said Kush was already involved in criminal activities in the past. FIR No. 130 had been registered under Sections 109, 308, and 324 of the BNS and Section 25 of the Arms Act at Rama Mandi police station against the accused. PROBLEMS ANTICIPATED Jalandhar, June 14 Members of the Urban Estate Welfare Society met the committee members tasked with reviewing the Urban Estate railway under bridge (RUB) so that the final project in the area takes into account residents’ concerns of safety and proper engineering of the structure. President of the society Amarjit Singh and resident Col Ranjit Singh met officials, including PWD XEN and Tehsildar Swapandeep Kaur, and conveyed to them that they were not taken into confidence before undertaking the RUB project. They informed the committee members that due to the limited space available at the site, the 90degree turns inside the RUB would lead to accidents, the steep slope would prevent vehicles from stopping safely while descending, and vendors on foot would be unable to manoeuvre their rehris, leading to traffic chaos. Notably, the issue regarding the contentious RUB (on the Jalandhar–Nakodar railway link at Urban Estate Not a tourist destination Due to the limited space at site, the 90-degree turns inside the RUB can lead to accidents. The steep slope will prevent vehicles from stopping safely, and vendors on foot will be unable to manoeuvre their rehris, leading to traffic chaos. Project has no pedestrian provision for passersby. Due to large sewerage lines nearby, the project may see large accumulation of rainwater in case of clogging << The under- construction railway under bridge (RUB) at Urban Estate in Jalandhar. Phase-1, Jalandhar) first came to light after the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar (MCJ), had written to the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Northern Railway, Ferozepur Division, seeking the immediate stoppage of the work on the under-construction railway underbridge (RUB) near crossing gate C-7 on the Jalandhar-Nakodar rail line. The commissioner’s letter had also called for an urgent joint meeting of all stakeholders to resolve critical public safety and cerns that the project had no pedestrian provision for passersby. They further informed the members that due to large sewerage lines in the nearby area, the project might result in large accumulation of rainwater in case of clogging. They sought immediate scrapping of the project. “We are waiting for the formal review meeting date,” said resident Harvinder Singh, who also met the officials concerned. The technical review meeting is yet to be convened by the Tehsildar, a resident said. Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 14 Sewerage, power, sanitation and cleanliness reigned among the key issues at the SarkaarVyapar Milni of the AAP which was conducted at the Apeejay School on Saturday. Organised by the AAP’s Trade Commission formed just months ago, the meet was aimed primarily at reaching out to the small traders of the district, in the inner city and old bazaar areas, who represent the old markets of the city and have also been enduring the onslaught brought on by the online food and clothing apps. The key members at the meeting included retailers and wholesale traders, grocers, cloth, food, footwear, vegetable, fruit and essential commodity sellers from areas like Rainak, Sheikhan, Attari Bazars (the three oldest traditional markets in Jalandhar) as well as traders from sabzi mandis, Basti Nau, vegetable markets etc. While the AAP prided itself on addressing a meet of small traders, the congested bazar shopkeepers raised their respective issues with the government. Incidentally, the meet shared an interesting connection with the “Ek Shaam Bhagwaan Shiv ke Naam” event later hosted by the AAP . Jalandhar, June 14 The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jalandhar, has directed Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation and Rs 8,000 as litigation expenses to a consumer over the utility’s failure to replace a defective electricity meter within the period prescribed under the Punjab Electricity Supply Code. The complaint was filed by 70-year-old Jagdish Singh Banga, a retired teacher from Subhana village in Jalandhar. According to the complaint, Banga and his wife were in Australia from January 2020 to July 2021, while their house remained mostly locked and was occasionally looked after by his brother-in-law. During this The complaint was filed by 70 - year-old Jagdish Singh Banga period, the power corporation issued him electricity bills generated on an average consumption basis instead of manual readings. Later upon checking, Banga learnt that the electricity meter installed at his residence had become defective. A request for replacement of the meter was submitted in November 2020. However, the meter was replaced only in March-April, 2021. As the meter was defective, Banga claimed he continued to receive inflated bills till the meter was replaced. Seeking corrections, Banga first approached PSPCL officials and later the utility’s Dispute Settlement Committee. Despite the committee’s intervention revising his bills, he approached the Consumer Commission in August 2022, alleging harassment and inconvenience due to the prolonged delay in replacement of the defective meter. In its reply, PSPCL stated that the meter had been declared defective and bills were generated on an average-consumption basis in the absence of actual readings. The utility also informed the Commission that it had implemented the Dispute Settlement Committee’s order and made necessary billing adjustments in the consumer’s account. But the Consumer Commission observed that the meter had been declared defective in August 2020 and a request for its replacement was submitted on November 6, 2020. However, the meter was replaced only in MarchApril,2021, four months after receiving the request. The Commission noted as per Clause 3.1 of the Punjab Electricity Supply Code, a defective meter is required to be replaced within 10 working days of receipt of a complaint. It observed that the replacement was carried out several months after the request, contrary to the provisions of the Supply Code. Holding the delay in replacing the defective meter to be a deficiency in service, the Commission directed PSPCL to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation for mental harassment and Rs 8,000 as litigation expenses. The utility has also been directed to comply with the order within 45 days. Restored Clock Tower in Company Bagh set to be unveiled on June 16 Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 14 Jalandhar is set to witness the revival of one of its most cherished landmarks as the CT Group, in collaboration with the Punjab Press Club, prepares to unveil the restored historic Clock Tower at Company Bagh on June 16. The restoration marks the revival of a landmark that has been deeply woven into the city’s cultural and social fabric for decades. The foundation stone of the Clock Tower was laid on February 10, 1982. Over the years, it emerged as one of the city’s most familiar landmarks. After it stopped operating in 1992, the clock remained silent for more than three decades, standing as a reminder of the city’s rich heritage. The establishment of the Punjab Press Club adjacent to the tower in 2005 transformed the area into a hub for journalists and media professionals. Witnessing the historic structure’s gradual decline, members of the club shared a common desire to see it restored. Recognising its historical and emotional significance, the Punjab Press Club joined hands with the CT Group to undertake the restoration of both the heritage structure and its iconic clock mechanism. The project is the vision of Charanjit Singh Channi, chancellor of CT University, CM Bhagwant Mann and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal address traders at the Vyapar MiIni in Jalandhar on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO The Sain Das School road also leads to the inner city and old bazaar areas, which is the hub of these traders and shopkeepers in the city. It is also an area with a predominant Hindu population, and a lot of old temples which frequent the area. Speaking at the meet, the Attari Bazar Shopkeepers Union president, Devinder Manchanda raised the 10-15 years’ old problem of overhanging wires in the area due to which various short-circuits had taken place and there was also a fire three-four years ago. He also flagged the sewerage issues in the market. From the Rainak Bazar market, Gurdeep Singh raised the issue of the continued occupancy of some shops from tenants, who had been there for the past 30 to 40 years. The owners of these shops have been demanding back their properties, for which they were told by functionaries that the procedure had been started. Surinder Billa from the vegetable market took up the issue of the old dump and garbage problem as well as street-lights. Sports markets shopkeepers, too, flagged the issue of street-lights which have affected their market for long and pose a problem late at night. Nine to 10 demand letters brought by traders committees were handed to CM Bhagwant Mann on the occasion. Notably, before this, an April meet with MSMEs in Jalandhar had been hosted by the AAP minister Sanjeev Arora, who is currently in jail in a GST fraud case. FRESH SETBACK TO JIT Consumer commission tells PSPCL to pay Consumer panel orders ~23K for delay in replacing defective meter ~ 44 lakh refund to three Tribune News Service Despite what the photo might suggest, this is the service lane starting from Pathankot Chowk, Jalandhar, in a pathetic condition after a spell of rain. TRIBUNE PHOTO SARABJIT SINGH design concerns. In this regard, the DC too had directed the SDM to constitute a committee of five members — including Tehsildar-1, the Divisional Railway Manager, PWD XEN, Commissioner Municipal Corporation Jalandhar, and the President of Urban Estate Welfare Society — to review the matter. Amidst these proceedings, the work on the RUB has been temporarily halted by the Railways. After meeting officials, residents also raised con- Sewerage, wires, streetlights key issues at AAP Vyapar Milni who believes that preserving heritage is essential to preserving a city’s identity. Under his leadership, months of research, planning, technical assessment and restoration work were carried out to ensure that the tower retained its historical character while regaining its lost grandeur. The initiative was further strengthened with the support of Jaspreet Singh Saini, president, Punjab Press Club, and Jatinder Singh, general manager of the club, whose efforts helped turn the restoration project into reality. More than the restoration of a monument, the project represents the preservation of Jalandhar’s collective memory and cultural heritage. The restored Clock Tower at Company Bagh in Jalandhar. PHOTO SARABJIT SINGH c m y b Indrapuram allottees Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 14 In a recent setback to the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) over its troubled Indrapuram Master Gurbanta Singh Enclave housing project, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered the trust to refund nearly Rs 44 lakh to three allottees. The three complaints pertained to allottees of LIG flats under the 13.96 acres Indrapuram Master Gurbanta Singh Enclave scheme, who booked flats between 2006 and 2008. Despite waiting for years beyond the promised possession period, the allottees noted that the JIT failed to provide them with habitable flats equipped with basic amenities such as electricity supply, water connections, sewerage facilities, approach roads and underground LPG infrastructure, forcing them to seek relief before the consumer commission. In the first case, the commission ruled in favour of the legal heir of late Satish Kumar, who was allotted LIG Flat No 15FF in September 2006 after depositing Rs 4.43 lakh. The possession was expected by March 2009 but was never delivered. Satish Kumar approached the commission in April 2023, seeking a refund. However, he passed away on July 17, 2023, during the pendency of the case, following which his legal heir, Tarvinder Kumar, followed the matter. The commission ultimately directed the JIT to refund the deposited amount with interest and compensation, taking the total relief to around Rs 15 lakh. The second case involved Anita, allottee of LIG Flat No 3FF who deposited Rs 4.37 , lakh after allotment in September 2006. While the JIT claimed possession had been offered in March 2011, the complainant argued it was merely “paper possession” as the flat lacked basic amenities and could not be occupied. In its June 4 order, the commission accepted her contention and granted relief estimated at around Rs 15 lakh. In the third case, Tirath Gill, allottee of LIG Flat No. 162 GF , stated that despite depositing nearly Rs 3.91 lakh following allotment in November 2008, the possession of the flat was never handed over. After approaching the commission in April 2023, he secured a favourable order directing the JIT to refund the amount around Rs 14 lakh. In a common order, the commission directed the JIT to refund the deposited amounts with interest at 9 percent per annum from the respective dates of deposit till realisation. It further ordered that if the payment is not made within 45 days, the rate of interest would increase by an additional 3 per cent. The commission also awarded Rs 30,000 as compensation for mental agony and harassment and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses in each case. The latest orders add to a series of adverse rulings against the JIT in the longrunning dispute surrounding the Indrapuram housing project, launched nearly two decades ago.