20022025-TT-01.qxd 2/19/2025 11:31 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 50 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH KHARGE: TOP LEADERS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR RESULTS NATION /thetribunechd VALLEY STARING AT WATER CRISIS, WARNS CM OMAR J&K GOLD HITS ALL-TIME OPT FOR PEACE OR LOSE HIGH OF ~89,400 PER UKRAINE, TRUMP TELLS 10 GM AGAIN BUSINESS ZELENSKYY WORLD thursday | 20 february 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com BJP picks 1st-time MLA Rekha; to be Delhi’s fourth woman CM Meets L-G Saxena, stakes claim to form govt | Oath-taking ceremony today Ujwal Jalali & Anshita Mehra Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 19 Debutant lawmaker Rekha Gupta on Wednesday trumped BJP heavyweights to become Delhi Chief Minister after 48 MLAs unanimously elected her the legislature party leader at a meeting on Wednesday evening. Rekha, 50, is a first-time MLA from the Shalimar Bagh constituency of Delhi, a former Delhi University Student Union chief and a longstanding RSS worker. With this development, India got its second woman CM after West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress and Delhi got its fourth woman CM after Sushma Swaraj (BJP), late Sheila Dikshit (Congress) and Atishi (AAP). Rekha Gupta will also be the only woman CM in any of the states currently being ruled by the BJP . After the election at Delhi BJP headquarters here, she went to meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and staked claim to form the government. She will be sworn in on Thursday at a mega continued on page 8 US SEC seeks India help in Adani probe NEW DELHI: The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has asked the Indian authorities for help in its investigation pertaining to Adani Group founder Gautam Adani and his nephew over alleged securities fraud and a $265 million bribery scheme, a court filing showed on Tuesday. INSIDE 3 women among 4 Naxals shot dead BALAGHAT: Four Naxalites, including three women cadres, were killed on Wednesday in an encounter with the police in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district, an official said. The anti-Naxal Hawk Force of the state police and local police teams took part in the operation, said ASP Vijay Dabar. — PTI Champions T ROP H Y Team India’s journey in the tourney begins on Thursday as they take on Bangladesh in Dubai Scolded, 14-yr-old sets father ablaze FARIDABAD: A 14-year-old boy has been detained by the police for allegedly setting his father on fire in their rented house in Faridabad’s Naveen Nagar area. Alam Ansari (55) succumbed to his burn injuries in the early hours of Tuesday. The minor locked his father inside a room and set it ablaze in a fit of anger. He was frustrated over being scolded by his father for neglecting his studies and indulging in bad habits. INSIDE Why excess tickets sold? HC raps Rlys on Delhi stampede Tells Centre, board to list steps to prevent such tragedies Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 19 The Delhi High Court on Wednesday questioned the Railways for selling tickets beyond the capacity of train coaches on February 15, which led to a massive rush and a deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. The court also issued notices to the Union Government, the Railways and the Railway Board, seeking their response on safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, hearing a PIL filed by Arth Vidhi, an organisation of legal and business professionals, strongly criticised the Railways for overselling tickets. “If there’s a fixed lim- People scramble to board a train at the New Delhi railway station. FILE it on the number of passengers per coach, why are ticket sales exceeding that limit? This is a fundamental issue,” the court remarked. The stampede claimed the lives of 18 persons, including nine women and four children, and left over a dozen injured. The incident occurred due to an overwhelming surge of passengers, primarily devotees heading to the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh. The court has scheduled the next hearing for March 26. continued on page 8 Water fit for drinking: RSS roots, student activism see her to the top Yogi rejects report on Sangam faecal matter Delhi Chief Minister-elect Rekha Gupta is offered sweets by MLA Parvesh Verma. Senior BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad, Virendra Sachdeva and Satish Upadhyay are also seen. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MUKESH AGGARWAL legislator from Shalimar Bagh was chosen as the Leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly during the BJP legislature party meeting on Wednesday. Her appointment marks the BJP’s return to power in Delhi after over 26 years, ending the decade-long rule of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Born in Julana, Haryana, Gupta is a BCom graduate from Delhi University’s Daulat Ram College and holds a law degree from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. She practised as an advocate before diving into politics. With a 32year association with the RSS, Gupta began her political continued on page 8 Punjab dismisses 52 cops up to inspector level for corruption Tribune News Service 17-yr-old champion powerlifter dies as 270-kg rod falls on her during practice Chandigarh, February 19 The Punjab Police have dismissed 52 personnel over the past 10 days for involvement in corruption, criminal activities or prolonged absenteeism, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday. Addressing the media here, the DGP said the action aligned with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s directions for ensuring transparency, accountability and integrity in public service. Following the Aam Aadmi Party’s poor performance in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Mann government in Punjab has intensified crackdown on corruption. The AAP had won the 2022 Assembly poll in Punjab on the promise of eradicating corruption, particularly among the “black sheep” in uniform. However, the latest Jaipur, February 19 A gold medallist woman powerlifter in the Junior National Games died when a 270-kg rod fell on her neck during practice in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district, the police said on Wednesday. Yashtika Acharya (17) died while practising in the gym. The neck of the gold medallist player broke when a 270kg rod fell on her on Tuesday, Naya Shahar SHO Vikram Tiwari said. He said immediately after the accident, she was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Tiwari said the accident happened when the trainer was making Yashtika lift weights in the gym. The trainer also suffered minor injuries in the tragedy. The SHO said the family had not filed any complaint. The body was handed over to the family after an autopsy. — PTI New Delhi, February 19 Former Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president and first-time MLA Rekha Gupta, a long-time RSS associate, is set to become Delhi’s fourth woman CM. The 50-year-old DGP Gaurav Yadav speaks to the media in Chandigarh on Wednesday. CRACKDOWN ON LOWER RANKS ■ Of the 52 dismissed cops, one each in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur is inspector, 5 assistant subinspectors, four head-constables and 42 constables ■ Highest 7 dismissals are in Ludhiana, 5 in Patiala and 4 ■ The crackdown in Punjab fol- dismissals are limited to officials up to the rank of inspector. Yadav said the dismissed officials included one inspector, five assistant sub-inspectors, four head-constables and 42 constables across various districts. The highest seven dismissals are in Ludhiana— four under the Commissionerate of Police and three in continued on page 8 lows ruling AAP’s renewed focus on eradicating corruption after the party’s poor show in Delhi Assembly poll Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 19 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday lambasted opposition parties for their critical statements on the Maha Kumbh, saying their attempts “to malign the event with false narratives and disrespect Sanatan Dharma will not be tolerated”. Refuting a report that faecal contamination had rendered the river water unfit for bathing at several locations in Prayagraj, Adityanath also said Sangam water was fit not only for taking a dip but also for drinking. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had on Monday informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that various locations in Prayagraj during the ongoing Maha Kumbh were not conforming to the primary water quality for bathing with respect to the level of faecal coliform. Speaking in the state Assembly, the CM said the Uttar Pradesh Control Board and the CPCB were continuously monitoring the water quality at the Sangam. He asserted that the water at the Sangam — the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati — was “fit for drinking”. Adityanath criticised the UP REPLY LACKS KEY DETAILS: NGT ■ The NGT rapped the UP Pollution Control Board for failing to provide crucial details on Sangam water ■ The tribunal directed the UPPCB to submit a comprehensive water quality report within a week previous Samajwadi Party government, recalling that the condition of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers was so poor during their tenure that the PM of Mauritius declined to take a dip during the 2013 Kumbh. “Questions are being raised about the quality of the water at the Triveni Sangam. All pipes and drains in and around Sangam have been sealed, and water is being released only after purification. The UP continued on page 8 Siddaramaiah, Karnataka CM Lokayukta gives cleanchittoK’taka CM in MUDA case Bengaluru, February 19 The Lokayukta police probing the MUDA site allotment case on Wednesday said the charges against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi could not be proved for want of evidence. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka, addressing mediapersons, said the Lokayukta report giving clean chit to Siddaramaiah was on the expected lines, while the petitioner in the case, activist Snehamayi Krishna, said: “Only those officials who have sold their conscience can give such a report.” The probing officers said they have submitted the final report to the High Court. “Since the above allegations against accused-1 to accused-4 in the case have not been proven due to lack of evidence, the final report is being submitted to the High Court,” the Lokayukta police said in a letter to Krishna. Besides Siddaramaiah and his wife, his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy and the land owner Devaraju are the continued on page 8 China building 90 villages along Arunachal border 80% rain deficit, HP stares at unusual winter drought Ajay Banerjee Solan, February 19 Even as the meteorological department has forecast a wet spell in Himachal Pradesh over the next few days, districts such as Shimla, Solan and Kangra have been facing their driest spells in many years. The state has witnessed a 80 per cent rain deficit since January with only 29.7 mm precipitation having been recorded against the normal of 149.4 mm. This has sparked fears of climate change affecting the rainfall and snowfall pattern in the state. Many parts of Himachal Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 19 Two recent developments in Tibet are being closely monitored by security experts. First, China is establishing 90 new village settlements along its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In a separate move, Beijing is significantly enhancing infrastructure at the historic border crossing between Tibet and Mustang in Nepal, a route frequently used by Tibetan refugees attempting to escape the Chinese communist regime. Reinforcing Tibet-Nepal frontier with major infra Sources have informed The Tribune that the 90 new settlements are part of China’s expansion of what it calls “prosperous villages” or “Xiaokang” along the LAC, including areas opposite Arunachal Pradesh. These villages not only bolster China’s territorial claims but also strengthen its military preparedness along the LAC, continued on page 8 Ambika Sharma SOURCES DRYING UP Tribune News Service ■ Theog in Shimla, Kasauli- Dharampur in Solan and Sulah and Jaisinghpur areas of Kangra district are facing water scarcity ■ Many rivulets and ‘khuds’ like Neugal, Mand, Baner and Binwa in Kangra have become dry & most of the irrigation channels have no water << The Met Dept has forecast rain in the state in the next few days. FILE Pradesh, including areas like Theog in Shimla, KasauliDharampur in Solan and Sulah and Jaisinghpur areas of Kangra, are already facing c m y b water scarcity as water sources have dried up. Fearing that Himachal could face an acute water shortage in summer months, Jal Shakti Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has urged the Centre to fund a project for snow and water conservation to recharge groundwater. Most of the rivulets and ‘khuds’ like Neugal, Mand, Baner and Binwa in Kangra have become dry and most of the irrigation channels have no water. Solan has suffered a cumulative deficit of 89 per cent in January and February as per data of the meteorological department. The tourist resort of Kasauli in Solan has been hit hard with the district recording only 4.8 mm of rainfall against the normal of 54.9 mm — a 91.3 per cent shortfall. “This is the second consecutive month of deficient rainfall,” said Dr Satish Bhardwaj, head continued on page 8