31082025-CT-01.qxd 8/31/2025 12:45 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune ANOTHER PU ELECTION, BUT PROMISES STAY THE SAME WILL ASK FOR AUDIT OF WATER SUPPLY PROJECT: MP YAKSHITH STUNS SECOND SEED TO ENTER FINAL Panjab University students assured of synthetic athletics track, AC mess halls year after year. P3 Tewari said accountability of officers must be fixed since the MC had abandoned the project. P3 Marches into the boys U-11 final of the State Mini, Junior and Senior Badminton Championships. P5 » » PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 33.7°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET SUNDAY 6.46 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5:59 AM » SUNDAY | 31 AUGUST 2025 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Close shave for family as cylinder explodes inon Landran road Kharar Two injured in incident on fifth floor of society Protesting Modi’s ‘insult’ Tribune News Service Mohali, August 30 Two persons were injured after a cylinder exploded on the fifth floor of a housing society on the Landran road in Kharar this morning. According to the eyewitnesses, a fire broke out in the flat of the SBP North Valley housing society early in the morning. A cylinder kept in the balcony also caught fire, damaging the wall of the adjacent flat, the police said. Harsh, a student, staying in the flat broke open the rear door to escape. Two neighbours, who tried to extinguish the fire, suffered burns and were rushed to a local hospital. No loss of life was reported in the incident. Three fire tenders from Kharar and Mohali were rushed to the spot while another was stuck in the traffic jam, fire officials said. Meanwhile, residents expressed anger over the maintenance firm failing to initiate the fire management system in the block. “No fire extinguisher or water hose was working when we tried to Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sec 34 and Dadumajra Mohali: Sector 88, Phase 8 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com DEAR READERS Chandigarh, August 30 Within 24 hours, the UT Administration opened one of the three floodgates of the Sukhna Lake last night after the water level reached near the danger mark of 1,163 feet. According to officials, one floodgate was opened around 11 pm last night and was closed around 4 pm today after the water level dropped to 1,162.30 ft. It was the seventh time when floodgates were opened this monsoon. Earlier, the floodgates were opened on August 29, 19, 17, 15, 8 and 6. The excess water of the lake is released into Ghaggar through the Sukhna Choe. The UT Engineering Department has deployed officials at the regulator end of the lake on a 24x7 basis. Also, CCTV cameras have been installed to regularly monitor the water level of the lake. A control room has been established to coordinate with the district administration of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula for a proper communication during the opening of the floodgates. The officials said that the district administrations of the neighbouring districts were alerted before opening of the floodgates. Floodgates were opened four times in 2023, six times in 2022 and five times in 2021. The opening of two floodgates in August 2020 caused a widespread flooding in the low-lying areas of Zirakpur situated alongside the Sukhna Choe. On September 24, 2018, the floodgates were opened after a gap of 10 years. The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your healthrelated queries. Please mail your questions at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your health-related concerns. Mohali, August 30 A week after complaints of water contamination were received from Chakki Wala locality in Sohana village, a team of the Water Supply Department took samples from various sources. Two residents with diarrhoea-like symptoms died in week The water supply to the area has been stopped for the time being and tanker service started to provided drinking water to the residents. Two residents have died in the past one week after complaining of loose motions and diarrhoea-like symptoms. Suresh Kumar died five days ago, while Harnek Singh breathed last recently, claimed local councillor Harjeet Singh Bholu. Residents urged the administrative officials to send health teams at the earliest. More than a dozen residents have complained of such symptoms. The Municipal Corporation has also woken up to the alarming situation and begun the cleaning of sewage and stormwater drains. — TNS The road leading to railway station in Industrial Area, Phase I, has been closed after the bridge over Sukhna Choe suffered damage due release of water from the lake on Friday. PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 30 A proposed road aimed at easing traffic between Chandigarh and Panchkula through Industrial Area, Phase I, faces a major hurdle with the UT Forest Department opposing its passage through reserved forest land. The UT Administration has proposed a direct road from the Colony No. 4 light point in the Industrial Area, Phase I, towards Daria village to ease traffic during the peak hours on the stretch between Poultry Farm Chowk and the Hallo Majra light point. The new road is intended to serve as an alternative route for FIRE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DEFUNCT Residents expressed anger over the firm failing to maintain the fire management system in the block. “No fire extinguisher or water hose was working when we tried to douse the fire in emergency,” they said. shopkeepers and visitors rushed to safety. Five fire tenders from Zirakpur, Dera Bassi and Panchkula were rushed to the spot to douse the fire. It took almost four hours to bring the blaze under control. Fire officer Rajiv Kumar said a short-circuit is suspected to have caused the fire, but added that a probe was underway to determine the exact cause of the incident. Those present at the spot said the fire management system at the showroom was found lacking. DARIA RESERVED FOREST AREA The officials stated that a portion of the proposed road would pass through the Daria reserved forest area as well as the newly developed green area after the demolition of Colony No. 4. “For the construction of the road, several hundred trees in the forest area will have to be axed,” said an official. commuters reaching Chandigarh from Panchkula, Baltana and Zirakpur. It would connect Industrial Area to the peripheral road of Daria village, which can be used by commuters heading towards Panchkula. However, the officials stated that a portion of the proposed road would pass through the Daria reserved forest area as well as the newly developed green area after the demolition of Colony No. 4. “For the construction of the road, several hundred trees in the forest area will have to be axed,” said an official. At present, there are two main routes to Panchkula — one via the Housing Board light point on Madhya Marg and the other via the Hallo Majra light point along the Mauli Jagran road. The new road would benefit those travelling to Panchkula, Baltana and Zirakpur. It will help reduce traffic at the Hallo Majra light point. Body of farmer swept UT only behind Indore in curbing road accidents away in rivulet found Highway Ministry Report From 237 mishaps in 2022, Chandigarh logged 182 the following year Gaurav Kanthwal Ex-MLA slams ‘insensitive’ admn Tribune News Service Mohali, August 30 The body of the 65-year-old farmer, who was swept away in the swollen Jharmal rivulet near Lalru yesterday, was found today. It was shifted to the Dera Bassi subdivisional hospital for post-mortem. Former Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma today visited the spot from where the body was found. He condoled the death of the farmer who was swept away while returning from the fields. Later, talking to mediapersons, Sharma slammed the administration for not providing any help to the bereaved family in searching the body. “The family members are upset that no administrative as well as police official helped them in searching the body. Neither a boat nor any Deceased Janak Singh Saini diver was called in as the family searched for the famer in the swollen river the whole night,” he said. There was anger among locals as the body had to be taken to the hospital in a private van, as no vehicle or ambulance was provided to the family, he added. Janak Singh Saini was swept away in the rivulet yesterday while returning from his fields with fodder in his bullock cart. 64 FATAL ACCIDENTS Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 30 Chandigarh is only behind Indore among the cities with million-plus population when it comes to curbing the number of accidents in 2023, according to the latest “‘Road Accidents in India 2023” report released by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recently. From 237 accidents in Chandigarh in 2022, the number came down to 182 in 2023 — a 23.2% decrease in the million-plus cities category. In Indore, road mishaps fell from 4,680 to 3,566 — a 23.8% decrease. Vizag or Visakhapatnam (15.5%), Bhopal (12.3%) and Kanpur (5.3%) are the other top-five cities to have reduced the number of accidents. The Chandigarh roads witnessed 182 accidents in 2023, of which 64 were fatal, two led to grievous injuries c m y b The Chandigarh roads witnessed 182 accidents in 2023, of which 64 were fatal, two led to grievous injuries and 95 caused minor injuries. No one was injured in 21 accidents. FILE PHOTO Water samples taken from Sohana locality Proposed road linking city to Panchkula faces green hurdle Chandigarh, August 30 A local court has granted bail to Sandeep Kumar, the husband of AAP councillor Poonam. He was arrested for allegedly assaulting police personnel and obstructing them from performing their duty at a check post in Sector 25. Kumar was arrested on the night of August 12 for obstructing police officials from performing their duty at the checkpost. Himanshu Sharma, the counsel for the accused, stated that there was a delay in the registration of the FIR. He said the FIR was registered due to political vendetta as the accused was the husband of an AAP councillor. — TNS Sukhna Lake floodgate opened again, second time in 24 hours douse the fire in emergency. We pay full maintenance and security charges but our lives are at risk,” they said. Furniture showroom gutted A furniture showroom was also damage after a fire erupted at Sai Market in Peermuchhala around 9 am. According to the owner, furniture and goods worth lakhs were destroyed in the fire as it spread rapidly. Panic spread in the area as Man accused of assaulting cops gets bail The police use water cannons to disperse BJP activists as they march towards the Congress office to protest the objectionable comments made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at Sector 34 in Chandigarh Saturday. RAVI KUMAR PAGE 3 The damaged hall of the flat after the cylinder blast at the SBP North Valley society on the Landran road on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VICKY and 95 caused minor injuries. No one was injured in 21 accidents. Among the dead were 28 pedestrians,12 cyclists, 21 twowheeler riders, one auto-rickshaw driver, three LMV driv- ers and two in others category. Over the past four years, the city has managed to reduce the fatal accidents considerably. The UT witnessed 50 fatal accidents (53 deaths) in 2020, 94 (96 deaths) in 2021, 79 (83 deaths) in 2022 and 64 (67 deaths) in 2023, earning it the 32nd rank in a list of 36 states and UTs for the number of fatal accidents. There were 16 hit-and-run incidents in which six victims died. Two persons died in two accidents involving parked vehicles. In 48 accidents, 24 people died as they were hit from behind. Twentytwo victims died in 92 accidents as they were hit from side. In three incidents of vehicles overturning, two persons lost their life. Ten persons died in 15 head-on collision. Six people died in accidents on four arm junctions, while five were killed at staggered crossings. Seven accidents took place at roundabouts, leaving one victim dead and five injured. As many as 33 accidents took place at traffic light points, in which 10 people were killed. Punjab recorded 4,516 fatal accidents in 2023, out of the total 46,269 mishaps. Haryana recorded 10,463 accidents, of which 46,52 were fatal. Himachal Pradesh witnessed 2,253 mishaps with 727 proving fatal.