06082025-ATR-01.qxd 8/5/2025 11:19 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY GIANI KULDIP GARGAJ CAUTIONS AGAINST RAPID URBANISATION EMPLOYEES, PENSIONERS BURN EFFIGIES OF MANN B-TOWN CELEBS ERUPT IN JOY AFTER INDIA’S TEST VICTORY Officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj took part in a Gurmat Samagam held at Pingalwara. P2 Staff of the state government expressed their resentment over non-resolution of their demands. P2 The Bollywood film fraternity showed their love and support for the team after the victory against England. P4 » » » MAX 32°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.22 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5.49 AM WEDNESDAY | 6 AUGUST 2025 | AMRITSAR Property tax collection up, deadline extended Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 5 The Municipal Corporation (MC) has reported a significant increase in property tax revenue for the current financial year 2025-26. Between April 1 and August 4 this year, the property tax wing of the MC collected a revenue of Rs 10.40 crore. This marks a sharp rise of Rs 5.82 crore compared to Rs 4.58 crore collected from 15,681 returns during the same period last year. This information was shared during a departmental review meeting chaired by Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh. Present at the meeting were Joint MC Commissioner Jai Inder Singh, Assistant MC Commissioners Vishal Wadhawan and Daljeet Singh, Superintendents Davinder Singh Babbar, Raj Kumar, Pradeep Rajput, Jaswinder Singh and Varinder Kumar. The MC Commissioner assigned recovery targets to the officials and instructed them to set up two property tax camps daily in various city localities to facilitate and encourage citizens to clear their dues. He emphasised proactive citizen engagement and efficient implementation of the government’s one-time settlement (OTS) scheme. MC Commissioner Aulakh stated that under the OTS scheme introduced by the Punjab Government, citizens can get full waiver on interest and penalties against outstanding property tax dues pending since 2013-14. While the earlier deadline was July 31, 2025, it has now been extended to August 15, 2025, providing an additional opportunity for defaulters to settle their dues without financial burden. He directed the property tax officials to widely publicise the scheme and ensure that citizens are aware of the benefits. He appealed to the residents to take advantage of the waiver while it lasts. Also, he reminded that the deadline to avail rebate on current year’s property tax is September 30 and urged people to pay their current dues in time to benefit from this rebate. Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 5 The district administration on Tuesday demolished the house of a drug smuggler, Ram Singh alias Laddoo resident of Abadi Nanakpura, Guru Ki Wadali, Amritsar. The demolition was carried out with the help of heavy machinery. Ram Singh, who is currently absconding, has three cases registered against him under the NDPS Act at various police stations across the state. His property was razed as part of a strict zero-tolerance policy against drug traffickers. Officials said this marks the 11th such demolition of properties belonging to drug smugglers in the city. Deputy Commissioner of Police Alam Vijay Singh, who was present at the site, delivered a strong message to those involved in the drug trade. “Those poisoning the lives of our youth with drugs will be shown no mercy. The war against drugs will continue until we eliminate this menace completely,” he stated. He said the police are taking Commercial buildings with basement to pay more tax Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service The house of a drug smuggler being demolished in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR tough action against drug dealers, many of whom have already been sent to jail. Besides, the police are also facilitating treatment for drug addicts as part of a broader approach to tackling the problem. DCP Alam Vijay Singh highlighted that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is closely monitoring the anti-drug campaign and that large quantities of drugs are being seized daily. He urged citi- zens to come forward and share information about drug smugglers with the police, assuring them of complete confidentiality. “We will keep the identity of informants strictly secret and take such action that future generations of drug peddlers will remember,” he warned. Also present during the operation were ACP (West) Shivdarshan Singh and other senior officials. Amritsar, August 5 After the notification of the Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, urban bodies, Municipal Councils, Improvement Trust and PUDA will levy a tax at the rate of Rs 5 per square foot on those commercial buildings which are equipped with a basement. The district has less than 100 buildings having a basement and a majority of them are using it for parking purposes. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said officials working in the urban development bodies, including the Municipal Corporation, Improvement Trust and PUDA, should carry out a survey on the number of commercial buildings with basement in their areas before collecting the revenue. She said residential houses have been exempted, so all the departments should ensure PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Amritsar, August 5 Social worker and IT professional Paramjit Kaur joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here today. In a press release issued here, Paramjit Kaur claimed that she along with nearly a dozen women, joined the party under the guidance of Aam Aadmi Party Lok Sabha in-charge, Jaskaran Singh Bandesha. Councillor Sukhbir Kaur, in-charge of Aam Aadmi Party, Majha zone women’s wing, welcomed the women members who joined AAP . Sukhbir Kaur said that women played a major role in the victory of AAP in 2022 and the party will soon fulfill the guarantee given to them. Bandesha and district general secretary of the party Mukhwinder Singh Virdi welcomed the women leaders and said Nari Shakti was an important part of Indian society. Women are playing a leading role in all fields today, the AAP leaders stated. — TNS Drug smuggler’s house razed Vehicles parked in the basement of Nehru Shopping Complex on the Lawrence Road in Amritsar. that this fee is collected in case of basements in commercial installations. The revenue collected will be paid to the Mining Department. In addition, the state government is preparing a supplementary district survey report for which all the Sub-Divisional Magistrates, District Revenue Officers and Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPOs) can give government land or panchayat-held land to the Mining Department. This land can become an additional source of income for the panchayats and related departments. The Deputy Commissioner said that panchayats and government departments in riverside areas like Ajnala, Baba Bakala Sahib, Lopoke and oth- ers should create their own source of income by giving their land to the Mining Department. Proprietors of commercial installations with a basement said the directions would increase their cost of input as they were already paying a host of taxes in the form of property tax, sewerage maintenance charges, power tariff and others. Road infra raises concern over readiness NIA officials conduct raid at house of for 9th Sikh Guru’s 350th martyrdom anniv immigration agent in Shastri Nagar Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 5 For the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, the holy city of Amritsar is preparing to welcome thousands of devotees from across the country and abroad. The devotees are expected to visit prominent Sikh shrines including Darbar Sahib, Gurdwara Guru Ke Mehal (birth place of Guru Teg Bahadur), Gurdwara Kotha Sahib Vallah and other sacred places. Nagar Kirtan processions will also be part of the commemorative events. However, the city’s crumbling road infrastructure is raising serious concerns about the preparedness for such a large-scale gathering. Despite the significance of PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Social worker joins AAP along with other leaders A road in bad shape near Rani Ka Bagh in Amritsar on Tuesday. the event, the state of the roads in Amritsar remains extremely poor. Many of the city’s major roads have not been reconstructed in the last several years. In some areas, a single layer of surfacing laid around three years ago has already broken apart. The condition of roads built under the aegis of various agencies before assembly elections is also bad, pointing to substandard work and lack of maintenance. The road conditions have further worsened due to the ongoing canal water supply project under which Larsen and Toubro (L&T) company has dug up several roads to install new pipelines. Unfortunately, these roads are not being restored promptly after excavation, leaving open trenches and broken surfaces behind, posing serious hazards, especially during the rainy season. Residents and daily commuters say that the situation is dangerous, with frequent accidents and slow traffic movement becoming the norm. The concern is that nearly five crore devotees visiting Amritsar for the upcoming religious events will be greeted not with the grandeur of the celebrations, but with potholes and damaged roads. Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 5 A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) reportedly conducted a raid at a residence in Shastri Nagar area here this morning. The house belongs to Vishal Sharma, who is reportedly involved in immigration-related work and operates an office in the Ranjit Avenue area of the city. Sources said NIA officials reached the location early in the morning and began a detailed search of the house, scanning documents and electronic records related to his business activities. During the operation, the members of the house were not allowed to leave the premises. A heavy police force from the local police Cops outside the house of an immigration agent in Amritsar. station was also deployed outside the house to maintain law and order and support the Central agency’s team. As of now, the NIA has not officially disclosed the reason behind the raid, but the sources suspect it may be linked to an ongoing investigation concerning illegal immigration rackets or financial irregularities across the state. Local residents gathered near the area as news of the raid spread, but the police kept the situation under control. Dist admn launches Building brand before you build a business empire initiative to make Amritsar plastic-free Neha Saini Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 5 The district administration, in collaboration with the Central Jail and the OTT Transformative Trust, has launched a campaign to promote eco-friendly cloth bags as an alternative to plastic. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said the campaign aims to curb the use of plastic and promote sustainable alternatives in the city. She said inmates of the Central Jail, Amritsar, will stitch ecofriendly cloth bags using raw materials sourced from the textile industry. The DC said a target has been set to produce 3.5 lakh cloth bags by November, which will be used in areas with high tourist influx. The district administration will also seek support from market associations and civil defence volunteers to make the campaign a success. The Deputy Commissioner said, “Our effort is to implement the instructions issued by the Punjab Pollution Control Board to curb the use of plastic. We will provide eco-friendly cloth bags as an alternative to plastic and fine shopkeepers who continue to use plastic.” Dr Simarpreet Sandhu from OTT said this initiative will engage women or even men inmates of the Central Jail while also giving a replacement for plastic bags. “The cloth bags will be ecofriendly, durable and easy to carry and will be used on a priority basis in areas with high tourist influx.” Dr Sandhu suggested that waste fabric rolls from textile mills in the city can be procured and turned into cloth bags. The funding for the project will be a collaborative effort between administration and non-profit. “The inmates, who participate in sewing or creating these bags would be paid some wages for it,” she said. Amritsar, August 5 Ankur Warikoo, entrepreneur, author, educator and one of India’s most influential content creators, had nothing short of some ‘epic’ advice to share with the students and parents of Invictus International School as it hosted the third edition of YEY – Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2025. The annual event brings together student innovators from across India to pitch creative, solution-driven business ideas. The Young Entrepreneur of the Year Challenge, a national-level event, aims to design workshops to help participants develop business models, branding strategies, and visual identities. And Ankur was this year’s keynote speaker. In a captivating on-stage conversation, Warikoo exchanged ideas with Manjot Dhillon, Director of Invictus International School, on leadership, risk-taking and the evolving meaning of success. One of India’s most valued start-up entrepreneur and investors, c m y b Educator, author and content creator Ankur Warikoo with Manjot Dhillon of Invictus and school management in Amritsar on Tuesday. Warikoo laid emphasis on the power of self-investment for some ‘epic’ success. “My advice to young people today is to be hard on yourself, not because that’s how it is done, but because you love yourself. I believe that we are one generation away from realising the true potential of entrepreneurship and developing skills, mindset, and habits through discipline is going to get you there,” he said. Author of now four books — Do Epic Shit, Get Epic Shit Done, Make Epic Money, and Build an Epic Career – Warikoo currently leads WebVeda, an online school for professionals on entrepreneurship and career growth. Advising students, young aspiring entrepreneurs to build personal brands through honesty, self-awareness and a mindset that nurtures continuous learning, Ankur shared relatable stories from his own life and journey to inspire. “Remain a student, always. That’s how you will improve and continue to build, re-build and re-invent yourself. At 19, I thought I would become a space scientist, move to the US and that will be my happily ever after. Once I was there, I realised I did not want to do it, did not enjoy doing it. Over the years, I invested in myself by practicing discipline, upgrading my skill set and knowledge. We need to keep doing that because the world is changing fast and the values skill set or formal education that is preparing you for your future might not stay relevant anymore,” he said. While stressing that re-invention and up-skilling might be the key words in today’s world, Manjot Dhillon said entrepreneurship is not just about wealth creation but also wealth distribution. “Failure should not be feared, but it also means to reflect and re-assess and continue to move ahead,” she said. “In that context, YEY is about empowering young minds to dream, pitch and lead,” said Manjot Dhillon. “This is where tomorrow’s change-makers begin,” he said. In an empowering initiative, the school also felicitated 15 leading women entrepreneurs of Amritsar, recognising their contribution to the city’s business landscape.