23072025-ATR-01.qxd 7/22/2025 11:00 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 21°C FIRST LOOK OF AVATAR: FIRE & ASH ANTAGONIST UNVEILED SECOND TRAILER OF SON OF SARDAAR 2 UNVEILED SINGER-ACTOR DILJIT TO HONOUR 1971 WAR HERO The makers of Avatar: Fire and Ash unveiled first look of Varang, antagonist from Ash clan in Avatar 3. P4 The makers of Ajay Devgn-starrer Son Of Sardaar 2, unveiled the second trailer on Tuesday. P4 The film sees Diljit playing Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, a war hero of the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict. P4 » » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.17 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5.38 AM WEDNESDAY | 23 JULY 2025 | AMRITSAR Former MLA Vij flays CM Mann over insurance scheme NREGA workers ‘deprived’ of work, protest against state govt Tribune News Service Pathankot, July 22 Pathankot ex-MLA Amit Vij criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for introducing the health insurance scheme called the ‘Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna’ saying that the state government had no money to adopt such a concept. The Punjab Government had recently launched the scheme, which is a Rs 10-lakh health cover for all residents of the state, irrespective of income. “The insurance scheme will fall flat on its face. From where will the government bring the money to substantiate it? This is yet another false promise. Instead of launching this concept, the CM should have focused on developing better facilities in civil hospitals and Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics across the state.” The ex-legislator said it was a good initiative but the government had not kept aside a specific budget for it. “The AAP government has faltered once again,” he said. Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Jobless NREGA workers during a protest at Wan village in Tarn Taran on Tuesday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, July 22 NREGA workers held a protest by beating empty containers at Wan village here on Tuesday. They were protesting against the district administration for not giving them work for the last three years. Besides, workers of Thathian Mahantan, Narli, Sursingh, Bhojian, Dialpura, Kirian, Wan and other villages participated in the protest. Ranjit Singh Shakri, district president of the NREGA Workers’ Union, while addressing on the occasion, said they have not been given work for the last three years. Though the union has held protests against this irregularity by submitting memorandums to the Deputy Commissioner and also by staging dharnas in front of the District Administrative Complex many times in the past, the administration has not paid attention to their demand. Shakri said they were being denied the unemployment allowance. He alleged that AAP has politicised the NRE- GA work, which was being given only to supporters of the ruling party. By beating the empty containers, they said their families had nothing to eat as their containers have gone empty as these have no grains. Mandeep Singh, Sumanpret Kaur, Aroor Singh, Badal Singh, Sukhjinder Kaur, Gunbir Kaur and other leaders of the union in their addresses said leaders of the ruling party from villages were creating obstacles just to oblige their own party workers with work. MC Commissioner convenes zone-wise meeting of officials to tackle waterlogging Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 22 Keeping in view the ongoing monsoon season and the issue of waterlogging on city roads, MC Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh on Tuesday convened a zone-wise meeting of officials from the Engineering Wing and O&M Cell to review drainage preparedness across the city. During the meeting, the officials presented details regarding steps being taken to clear rainwater from roads and address the poor drainage issue. The MC Commissioner reviewed the status of complaints being received from citizens through the state govern- Rain rips apart newly built concrete road near Vallah ment’s online M-Sewa portal and directed prompt resolution. MC Commissioner Aulakh instructed department heads to assign staff duties for immediate postrain road checks. “Within 15-20 minutes after rain stops, ground staff must inspect city roads and ensure that any water accumulation is cleared without delay,” he said. He also stressed that in areas where manual water disposal is o’t possible, roadside chambers should be checked and cleaned immediately to prevent plastic waste or garbage from blocking drains. Addressing the issue of illegal water and sewerage connections, Aulakh ordered the issuance of challans against such unauthorised set-ups and asked officials to encourage people to regularise their connections by paying the requisite fees. Special attention was directed towards shutting down unauthorised vehicle service stations operating near Railway Road and Aanaam Cinema, which were identified as major contributors to wastewater pooling on roads. The MC Commissioner emphasized the role of the M-Sewa portal, urging officials to ensure daily monitoring and timely resolution of citizen complaints lodged online. He assured the public that the Amritsar Munic- ipal Corporation is fully committed to utilising its manpower and machinery to address monsoon-related challenges. Senior officials, including Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh, Joint Commissioner Jai Inder Singh, Supervising Engineer Sandeep Singh, Executive Engineers Bhupinder Singh, Gurjinder Singh, SP Singh, and all SDOs and JEs from different zones participated in the meeting. The Commissioner reaffirmed that the corporation will leave no stone unturned to ensure efficient drainage of rainwater, providing relief to city residents during the monsoon season. Amritsar, July 21 The newly constructed stretch of the bypass road near Vallah has suffered damage within a month of its completion, raising serious questions about the quality of construction work. The concrete road, which replaced the earlier bituminous surface, has started peeling off in patches following the first spell of rain. Visible damage can be seen outside the Vallah village gate, near the Nexa car service centre, and in front of Impact Garden Colony along the bypass. Earlier, the National Highways Authority (NHAI) had replaced the tarred road, claiming that the concrete surface would be more durable and resistant to water damage. However, following the very first spell of rain, the top surface has begun peeling off and small potholes have emerged. With heavy rain predicted over the coming days, the situation is expected to deteriorate fur- The road that was damaged by rain near Vallah village in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR ther, posing additional challenges to daily commuters. Adding to the woes of residents is the incomplete construction of the overbridge at Vallah, which has been stalled for the past three years. Traffic continues to be diverted onto the damaged side lanes, causing routine inconvenience to commuters. The 200-metre stretch near the construction site is marred by major potholes. Though patchwork repairs with concrete have been attempted, they fail within days, worsening the road condition. Vikrant Arora, a resident of Garden Enclave, said, “It’s strange that the road has started developing cracks just 15 days after being constructed. Now, major cracks and potholes have appeared and rain will only make things worse. The administration must fix responsibility on the officials and the contractors responsi- Govt nod for renaming 23 schools after martyrs, athletes Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 22 The state government has approved the process of renaming 25 schools in the state after martyrs, freedom fighters and internationally acclaimed athletes. Education Minister Harjot Bains announced that the renaming of 25 schools in Punjab in honour of freedom fighters, Ghadarites, martyred soldiers and athletes will create awareness among the students regarding their history and legacy. Of these 25, two schools in Amritsar will be renamed and the notification in this regard is yet to be received by the District Education Office, said DEO Kanwaljit Singh. The School Education Department Secretary issued a notification to rename schools in Patiala, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Pathankot, Mansa, Fatehgarh Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Faridkot, Amritsar, Malerkotla, Fazilka, Barnala and Bathinda districts. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday had announced that a school at Beas Pind in Jalandhar district would be renamed after marathoner Fauja Singh. Previously, six government schools in the district were renamed, including Government High School, Khataraye Kalan, Amritsar, which was renamed Ujagar Singh Khataraye Kalan Government High School, after the farmer leader and freedom fighter. Last year, the AAP-led state government had given the nod to renaming 115 government schools. While announcing the renaming, Bains said the government has also decided to display pictures and life histories of these notable personalities in the schools named after them to create awareness regarding their life, contributions, besides inspiring students. The renaming of government schools by the state government began in 2023 when Government High School at Khatkar Kalan village was renamed Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Government High School. GNDU faculty Dr Manjinder On a mission to make India a HPV-free country Singh, poet Jaswinder felicitated Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 22 The Kendriya Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, in collaboration with the School of Punjabi Studies of Guru Nanak Dev University (NDU), gave away special honours and awards to Punjabi literary experts, including poets and writers. The event was hosted at GNDU. Kendriya Punjabi Lekhak Sabha president Darshan Buttar said in the present times, there is a need to recognise the rich literary and cultural heritage of the Punjabi language so that the next generation remains connected to the roots of its rich heritage. Among the prestigious awards given by the Sabha, the Best Critic Award was presented to Dr Manjinder Singh; the Harbhajan Singh Hundal Poetry Award to poet Jaswinder; the Dr Tarsem Sahitya Sadhana Award to Balbir Parwana; and the Giani Hira Singh Poets and writers after being honoured in Amritsar. Jathebandak Award to Karam Singh Vakil. The award included a cash prize of Rs 11,000 and a badge of honour. Delivering the keynote address, Dr Manjinder Singh said efforts should continuously be made to promote Punjabi globally. He said while recognizing the unique identity of Punjab and Punjabi, there is a need to highlight its universal appeal. Renowned columnist Satnam Singh Manak, while advocating for the betterment of the mother tongue, said to make Punjabi employmentoriented, employment opportunities should be created in schools, colleges and other institutions. Thinker and novelist Dr Manmohan, while objecting to the vulgar content and vocabulary being served at various platforms of social media, said disrespecting the language used by the Gurus, pirs and fakirs in their daily life is not justified at any level. Amritsar, July 22 Two women, sharing a passion for road trips and women health advocacy, are leading a 15,000-km-long journey across 38 cities in 15 states to create cervical cancer awareness among people and facilitate free vaccination of young girls on their way. Meenakshi Aravind, founder of XPD India & Beyond, and Priya Rajpal from the Rotary Club of Bombay Pier, are on a 40-day #4CornerIndiaDrive, a road expedition on four wheels across several cities in north and the duo reached Amritsar on Sunday where they along with the Rotary Club, Civil Lines, Amritsar, administered the HPV vaccine to 60 girls. Along the arduous 15,000 km road expedition across the country, the women have inspired many likeminded women health activists in their mission of raising awareness about cervical cancer and promoting free HPV vaccination for underprivileged girls. The journey was flagged off from Mumbai and the team will c m y b The 4CornersIndia drive reached Amritsar where 60 girls were vaccinated against cervical cancer. cover the length and breadth of the country to raise awareness about cervical cancer and provide free HPV vaccinations to 1,00,000 underprivileged girls. “Our campaign features community events, educational sessions, and free HPV vaccination camps in 18 key cities, all aimed at achieving the mission of vaccinating 1,00,000 girls and making an HPV-free India. Cervical cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of cancerrelated deaths among women in India, claiming over 70,000 lives each year. The primary cause — Human Papillomavirus (HPV) — is preventable through early vaccination, which was what we are promoting,” said Meenakshi. All chapters of Rotary and XPD had launched awareness campaigns and deliver actionable health solutions to protect young girls from this preventable disease. Noopur Desai, president of the Rotary Club of Bombay Pier, said, “This is Rotary in action. We are driving not just across India’s landscapes but also across hearts and communities to bring life-saving awareness and protection to young girls.” The drive will touch all four corners of India — from Gular Moti (which they have already covered) in Gujarat to Keran Valley in Kashmir, Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh, and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu — symbolising the team’s commitment to leaving no region untouched in the fight against cervical cancer. In Amritsar, collaborating with the Rotary Club of Amritsar, Civil Lines, Rotaract Club of Khalsa College, Dr Shagun Randhawa from Randhawa Hospital, vaccinated 60 girls free of cost, followed by a joint car rally through the city to amplify the message. The car rally was led by Laal Pari, an Isuzu SUV, which has now become a symbol of their campaign. The journey from Amritsar will proceed to Jammu city with a brief halt in Pathankot as the team continues to spread awareness and deliver impact, one city at a time. ble for this poor work.” Manpreet Singh, another commuter, from Vallah, expressed similar views. “We are forced to drive through potholes daily. The newly laid concrete looked promising, but the way it has broken within weeks shows there is no quality control in public projects. Authorities should inspect the work and ensure those responsible are held accountable,” he added. Apply only recommended dose of urea, say experts Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 22 A team of officials of the Agriculture Department, including Chief Agriculture Officer Baljinder Singh Bhullar and Joint Director Agriculture (Cash Crops) Tejpal Singh, on Tuesday conducted an inspection of fertiliser sales centres, warehouses and records of fertiliser wholesalers in the district. The inspection aimed to monitor the supply of urea fertiliser by wholesalers to retail dealers in the district. During the inspection, it was noted that some videos on social media are promoting unscientific methods of applying urea fertiliser in paddy and maize crops. Joint Director Agriculture (Cash Crops) Tejpal Singh expressed concern that some farmers might try to adopt these unscientific methods and appealed to farmers to use fertilisers only as per the recommendations of Punjab Agriculture University and the advice of agricultural experts. Chief Agriculture Officer Baljinder Singh Bhullar advised farmers to apply 90 kg of urea fertiliser per acre in three equal instalments for paddy crops. The first instalment should be applied seven days after sowing, the second instalment 21 days after sowing, and the third instalment 42 days after sowing. For parmal varieties like PR 126, the fertiliser instalments should be applied after 7, 21, and 35 days. For the new parmal rice variety PR 132, 25 per cent less fertiliser should be applied, he added. Applying more urea fertiliser than the recommended amount can lead to increased plant height, lodging and reduced yield, said Bhullar, adding that excessive urea use can also increase the attack of insects and diseases, thereby increasing farming costs and reducing yields.