01082026-JTR-01.qxd 8/1/2026 12:19 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune AMRITPAL’S FATHER SEEKS FRESH PROBE INTO SON’S MONEY TRAIL ONCE A CULTURAL HUB, VIRSA VIHAR NOW LIES IN SHAMBLES NEETA MOHINDRA BIT WEARY OF ‘GOODY GOODY’ MOTHER ROLES Amritpal’s father Harwinder Singh seeks fresh probe into late son’s money trail after his name figures on FBI ‘wanted’ list. P2 Virsa Vihar is gradually falling into neglect with several of its facilities either underused or poorly maintained. P3 Neeta, prominent mother figure of big screen, would love to flex her acting muscles in variety of characters. P4 » » FORECAST CLOUDY/RAIN MAX 34°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7.23 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5.44 AM » SATURDAY | 1 AUGUST 2026 | JALANDHAR Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, July 31 Three members of a family were killed while their oneand-a-half-year-old daughter was injured after an unidentified vehicle hit their motorcycle near Davida Ahrana village on the Hoshiarpur-Phagwara road in the early hours of Friday. The deceased were identified as Shaukat (35), his wife Kaneeza (32), and their four-year-old son Rehan, all residents of Chabbewal in Hoshiarpur district. According to the police, the accident occurred around 3 am when the family was travelling on a motorcycle. An unidentified vehicle allegedly struck the two-wheeler and fled the scene. The couple’s one-and-ahalf-year-old daughter, Ridha, sustained injuries in the accident and was admitted to the Civil Hospital in Hoshiarpur. Her condition is reported to be stable. Mehtiana police Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Rajinder Singh said a case was being registered against the unidentified driver. “Police teams are making efforts to identify and trace the vehicle involved in the accident. The bodies have been shifted to the Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination. Further investigation is underway,” the SHO said. 1.86 lakh Jalandhar electors under scanner as SIR enters final phase Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 31 With only three days left for the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, nearly 1.86 lakh electors in Jalandhar district remain under scrutiny for failing to submit their enumeration forms, as the Election Commission’s exercise enters its final stage. According to officials, the SIR is a comprehensive exercise undertaken by the Election Commission to update existing electoral rolls based on the 2003 voter data. The process involves door-to-door verification by booth-level officers (BLOs) to confirm voter details, rectify errors, remove duplicate or ineligible entries, and ensure that only eligible electors are included in the final rolls. Jalandhar has around 16.4 lakh electors across its nine Assembly constituencies. Officials said enumeration forms of nearly 14.6 lakh voters have already been digitised, while efforts are underway to trace and verify the remaining electors before the August 3 deadline. Officials attributed the pending forms largely to deceased voters and those who were unavailable despite repeated attempts by BLOs to contact them. BLOs made three visits TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH Three of family killed, toddler hurt in hit-&-run A booth-level officer distributes enumeration forms among residents during a door-to-door campaign at Shahkot block in Jalandhar. to such households, leaving slips with their contact details and the date of the next visit on each occasion. However, many electors could not be reached for verification. Another significant category includes voters who have shifted from their registered addresses and are yet to be traced. Officials also reported cases of electors holding duplicate voter ID cards in another Assembly constituency or even another state. Such voters are being given the option to retain only one voter ID card as per electoral rules, while the duplicate entry will be deleted after due verification. Under the revised SIR process, every elector is required to submit an enumeration form containing detailed family information to assist in the verification process. The form seeks details of a relative already enrolled in the electoral roll, including their EPIC number, Assembly constituency, part and serial number, along with details of the applicant’s father or guardian, mother and spouse, wherever applicable. For Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), applicants must declare that they have not acquired citizenship of another country. The form also cautions that submission of false information is punishable under the Representation of the People Act. Following the completion of the revision exercise on August 3, the draft electoral roll will be published on August 13. The period for filing claims and objections will continue from August 13 to September 12. These will be disposed of by October 8, after which the final electoral roll will be published on October 12. Deputy Commissioner Varjeet Walia said, “Around 99.98% of the SIR exercise has been completed in Jalandhar district. Enumeration forms of 14.6 lakh voters, accounting for 88.69% of the electorate, have been digitised, while forms of around 1.86 lakh voters are yet to be collected.” Punjab schools to introduce entrepreneurship as compulsory subject for Class XI students Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 31 The Department of School Education, Punjab, has directed all senior secondary schools to introduce entrepreneurship as the fifth compulsory subject for Class XI students, formally incorporating it into the state’s senior secondary curriculum. In a letter issued on July 30, the Directorate of School Education (Secondary) instructed all district education officers to ensure the inclusion of the subject in the syllabus. The move follows the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) Academic Council’s approval in August last year to introduce entrepreneurship as a new subject for Classes XI and XII. According to officials, the initiative aims to develop an entrepreneurial mindset among students by encouraging them to become job creators rather than job seekers. “The course is designed to provide young learners with practical, hands-on experience while nurturing innovation, problem-solving abilities and business skills,” officials said. Unlike traditional classroom-based subjects, the entrepreneurship curriculum has been designed around experiential and project-based learning rather than examination-oriented teaching. As part of the course, students will work in teams to identify realworld problems, develop busi- 79,287 voters marked ‘absent, Western Command clinch Indian shifted, dead’ in Kapurthala dist Army Hockey Championship trophy Ashok Kaura Kapurthala, July31 With the draft electoral roll scheduled to be published on August 13, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Akash Bansal on Friday said 79,287 electors had been identified under the absent, shifted, dead and duplicate (ASDD) category. He urged them to verify their details and get any discrepancies corrected in time. Bansal said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)-2026 of the electoral rolls was progressing smoothly across the district, with enumeration forms of 5,35,694 voters already digitised. He added that the list of ASDD electors had been uploaded to the official district website (kapurthala.gov.in) for public verification. He appealed to voters to check whether their names figured in the ASDD list. “Any elector who finds that he or she has been classified as absent, shifted, deceased or duplicate should immediately contact the concerned boothlevel officer (BLO) or Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for verification and necessary correction,” he said. Bansal said timely verification was essential to prevent the deletion of genuine electors from the rolls. He said electors whose names appear in the draft electoral roll to be pub- lished on August 13 would not be required to submit any supporting documents. Only those whose names are missing from the draft roll would have to furnish any of the 11 documents prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for inclusion in the electoral roll. The period for filing claims and objections will be from August 13 to September 12. During this period, eligible citizens can submit Form 6 for inclusion of their names in the electoral roll, Form 7 for deletion of names, and Form 8 for correction or updating of existing electoral details. The duly filled forms should be submitted to the concerned BLO for necessary action. The claims and objections will be disposed of between August 13 and October 8, following which the final electoral roll will be published on October 12. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 31 The Indian Army Inter Command Hockey Championship 2026–27 was held from July 24 to 30 at Jalandhar Cantonment. The tournament concluded with a high-intensity final that showcased the finest hockey talent from across the Indian Army. The championship featured teams representing six Army Commands and was played at the Vajra Hockey Stadium (Army Hockey Node), Jalandhar Cantonment. In a closely contested final, Western Command defeated Southern Command 4–2 to clinch the coveted championship trophy. Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, The Western Command team after winning the championship trophy in Jalandhar. Western Command, graced the occasion as the chief guest. He presented trophies and awards to the winners and outstanding performers. Congratulating the champions and all participating teams, the Army Commander commended the players for their exceptional skill, discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork throughout the tournament. He also lauded the organisers for the successful execution of the championship. At present, five Indian Army personnel are part of the Indian national hockey camp — Naib Subedar Suraj Karkera, Havildar Jeetpal, Havildar Chirag, Havildar Aryan Xess and Havildar Prabhdeep. Their selection reflects the Indian Army’s enduring commitment to sporting excellence and its contribution to Indian hockey at the highest level. ness ideas, create prototypes, pitch for seed funding and launch products or services. The subject will carry 50 marks, with 10 marks allocated for theory and 40 marks for practical work and internal assessment. There will be no written board examination. Instead, evaluation will be conducted at the school level through self-assessment, peer assessment and assessments by teachers or mentors. The marks and grades will be reflected in students’ detailed marks certificates (DMCs). As per the directorate’s instructions, schools will devote two periods every month to the subject by utilising the existing environmental studies (EVS) periods. The classes will be held on the first and third Saturdays of each month. Education Department officials said the initiative builds upon the Punjab Business Blasters Programme, launched in November 2022, under which enrolled students receive Rs 2,000 each to develop and implement business ideas. However, educators have raised concerns that students often lack access to marketplaces, small-scale industries and adequate mentorship needed to turn their ideas into sustainable ventures. Vikramdev Singh, state president of the Democratic Teachers Front, said, “We hope the subject will help students develop practical industry skills. Otherwise, the initiative will remain only a formality.” Two booked for posing as mining officials Hoshiarpur, July 31 The Hajipur police have registered an FIR against two persons for allegedly posing as Mining Department officials and extorting money from drivers of vehicles carrying mining material.The Hajipur and Mukerian Tipper Union alleged that the accused had set up night checkpoints at locations, where they allegedly stopped vehicles, threatened drivers and collected Rs 1,000Rs 2,000 from each vehicle. Following a complaint submitted to the Mukerian Mining Department on July 29, a team led by SDO Harjinder Pal Singh conducted an operation with the help of truck drivers. The accused, identified as Ravinder Singh and Harpreet Singh of Ballo Chauhan village, were detained along with a Brezza car and handed over to the Hajipur police. — OC Teenager’s innovation turns paddy straw into eco-friendly boxing equipment Ashok Kaura Phagwara, July 31 A teenager from Phagwara is setting an example of youth-led innovation and environmental responsibility. Seventeen-year-old Veer Pratap Sardana has developed HarvestHit, an initiative that transforms paddy straw into eco-friendly boxing punching bags. The young innovator has created a practical solution to one of North India’s most pressing environmental challenges — crop residue burning — while promoting sustainable manufacturing and greener sports equipment. HarvestHit converts paddy straw into durable punching bags designed for boxing and fitness training. The initiative demonstrates how agricultural waste can be repurposed into a commercially viable and environmentally beneficial product. By creating value from farm residue that would otherwise be burned in fields, the project aims to help reduce stubble burning, a major contributor to seasonal air pollution and respiratory problems across northern India. The idea was driven by a deeply personal experience. Veer was closely attached to his grandfather, late Inder Krishna Sardana, who suffered from asthma. Witnessing his grandfather’s struggles with respiratory illness motivated him to explore solutions to the air pollution caused by crop residue burning, said his parents, Nidhi and Dheeraj Sardana. Following his grandfather’s passing, Veer dedicated himself to research, experimentation and product development. With significant time, effort and personal resources, he worked to transform his concept into a practical solution. After multiple rounds of testing and refinement, Veer developed a punching bag Veer Pratap Sardana with Lt Gen Mukesh Chadha. filled with compressed paddy straw that combines durability with environmental sustainability. The innovation c m y b has since received appreciation from government institutions, defence organisations, healthcare professionals, industrial bodies and educational institutions. More than 2,000 eco-friendly punching bags have reportedly been supplied to the Punjab Armed Police, Kapurthala Cantonment, Jaipur Cantonment, government schools and colleges in the Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts, as well as gyms at Lovely Professional University, GNA University, and Kamla Nehru College for Women. Looking beyond a single product, Veer has been working to build partnerships with organisations focused on environmental conservation and social impact. During an interaction with Lt Gen Mukesh Chadha of the Indian Army and senior military officers, including Brigadiers, he presented the vision behind HarvestHit. Impressed by the innovation and its long-term potential, Lt Gen Chadha appreciated the initiative and encouraged Veer to collaborate with the Indian Army Taekwondo Services Team in Bengaluru. The proposed partnership aims to promote sustainable sports equipment while integrating environmental awareness into defence and sports training. Veer also engaged with leading pulmonologist Dr Vivek Nangia, Vice President of Max Super Speciality Hospital, to understand the health impacts of deteriorating air quality caused by stubble burning. Their discussion focused on the increasing burden of respiratory illnesses linked to pollution across northern India. The initiative has also received encouragement from Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Veer has further presented HarvestHit at industrial organisations, educational institutions and entrepreneurship forums, continuing his effort to demonstrate how innovation can address environmental challenges.