08092025-ATR-01.qxd 07-09-2025 23:09 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY DC ORDERS FOGGING TO PREVENT VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES STRONG EMBANKMENTS, DESILTING NEED OF HOUR FILMMAKER ANUPARNA ROY BAGS BEST DIRECTOR AWARD The district administration has shifted its focus towards health needs of the residents fearing outbreak. P2 Long-term hydel projects, mining regulation can reduce devastation by floods, say residents. P3 The Indian filmmaker wins the Best Director award at Venice Film Fest for her film Songs of Forgotten Trees. P4 » » » MAX 30°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 24°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.36 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:04 AM MONDAY | 8 SEPTEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Admn prioritises healthcare of elderly, kids in flood-hit areas Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 7 The district administration has started making special efforts in the flood-affected areas of Ajnala and Ramdass along the Ravi river to take care of the health of elderly people and children. The administration has appointed Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Amandeep Kaur as the nodal officer for this work. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney held a meeting with Child Development Project Officer and Social Security Department officials at the Ajnala base camp here on Sunday in this regard. She said that due to floods, many villages and towns have been affected, and Anganwadi centres have been closed. Army jawans rescuing stranded people in Ramdass area of Ajnala sub-division in Amritsar district. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR As a result, thousands of small children were not receiving their nutritious meals. Now, with the help of the department, around 11,000 children who were earlier coming to Anganwadi centres, will receive one month's supply of food delivered directly to their homes. Similarly, the district administration is contacting about 18,000 elderly people in the area who are pension holders. Through phone calls and village sarpanches, their health conditions and requirements are being checked, she said. Many elderly people are demanding medicines, spectacles and walking sticks. These items are being provided with the help of staff members, teachers and NCC volunteers. The Deputy Commissioner said that this step was necessary because many elderly people are living alone. Volunteers will make sure they remain in touch with them and supply their needs, she added. Additional Deputy Commissioner Rohit Gupta, Amandeep Kaur, Khushdeep Singh and other officials were also present at the meeting. AIIMS doctors attend to ailments of flood-hit Woman consumes acid by mistake, docs save her Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 7 Teams of doctors including those from AIIMS, Delhi, and another from Fortis Hospital today set up walk-in clinics at Baba Buddha Saheb Gurudwara in Ramdass. The doctors treated patients from nearby villages while those in areas like Ghonewal and Macchiwal were reached through volunteers, mainly members of farmer unions and locals. The doctors treated cases of skin, respiratory allergies and infections the most. “In this area, there is a surge in cases of hypertension and we also have a high incidence of diabetes. Medicines, including antibiotics, are required which we are trying to procure as we advance our scope for medical relief," said Dr Amrinder Singh Malhi, interventional radiologist, AIIMS. Dr Malhi also said that AIIMS has launched a helpline number for Punjab flood victims, 011, which will remain operational 24x7 for telemedicine consultations. "It will make healthcare more accessible for people here to reach out to doctors from AIIMS for guidance," he said. Dr Rakesh Sharma, a sen- Neha Saini Tribune News Service A team of doctors from AIIMS has set up a walk-in clinic at Baba Buddha Saheb Gurudwara in Ramdass. VISHAL KUMAR ior surgeon from Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, and founder member of Voice of Amritsar, which is supporting on ground medical relief operations for AIIMS doctors, said that the team's medical preparedness is sufficient to cater to generic as well as chronic ailments. "We do not need ambulances in large numbers. Here, we require medicines, which we currently have sufficient stock of. But the medical camps must be continuous and mobilising more health care workers is required. Teams from Guru Nanak Dev Hospital will be coming here, as well as from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi. Dr Harshvardhan, who is a community health specialist from AIIMS, Delhi, said that there is a high risk of waterborne diseases and so bulk stocks of anti-malarial and anti-dengue medicines is required. "Vaccinations for infants and children besides anti-histamines are also required in bulk as maximum cases reported among kids include allergies," said Dr Amita, paediatrician from AIIMS. Another challenge that the team is facing is of access. "We are trying to reach out as much as possible," said Dr Harshvardhan. Meanwhile, a team of doctors from Fortis Healthcare and voluntary organisations including Vishav Ruhani Manav Kendra, Panchkula are running ambulance services in the area. Amritsar, September 7 A team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and Amritsar, currently touring floodaffected villages in Ramdass and Ajnala, proved to be godsend for a 70-year-old elderly woman, who consumed acid while visiting the historic Baba Buddha Saheb Gurudwara at Ramdass. The incident occurred as the woman, who was visiting the gurudwara along with her family, including her sons and daughtersin-law, drank acid from a bottle thinking it was water. The team of doctors, who had set up a medical relief camp inside gurudwara premises today for flood-affected families, noticed her condition and rushed to provide immediate medical treatment. Dr Rakesh Sharma, a senior surgeon from Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, who is a part of Inclement weather affecting paddy crop Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran, September 7 The unfavourable weather has started damaging paddy/basmati crop in the area because of black spots or lesions caused by the Paddy Blast disease which appears on leaves and panicles or by a black bog feed on the grains, causing black dots and leading to a foul odour and poor quality grains. These varieties are grown in all parts of the district, but in Khadoor Sahib tehsil, these have become the first choice as farmers often get three crops in a year, including potatoes or peas (Mattar). With a break of one day on Saturday, there was heavy rain on the night of Saturday and it went on till noon on Sunday. In Khadoor Sahib sub-division, rainfall was Farmers with paddy crop infected by black spots in Rasulpur village of Tarn Taran district. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI reported to be 115 mm which has beaten all previous records in the last five years, informed a gauge reader in the Irrigation Department. There was 30 mm rainfall in Tarn Taran and 30 mm in Patti sub-division. An agriculture expert said that the early varieties of paddy/basmati which includes PB-1509, PR-126, Pusa Basmati 1692 and 1847 have covered about 25 per cent of the area under rabi season in Tarn Tarn district. Tejinder- pal Singh Rasulpur said that the early varieties have been infected with the Black Blast disease (Fungal infected) which appears on leaves and panicles and discolours the rice. This infected crop has no value in the market resulting in losses to the farmers. Officials of the Irrigation Department said as there was heavy rainfall in the district from Saturday night till Sunday noon, major damage has been reported in mature crops. Baba Sukha Singh, head of the Kar Sewa sect, Sarhali, said that the situation downstream of Harike Headworks is under control as 2.60 cusecs of water was flowing. The water level has crossed the danger mark but it has stopped increasing for the last three days and the weak embankments have been strengthened. c m y b the medical delegation, was her saviour. He treated her in a car as there were no ambulances nearby. "She was brought to us in a commotion as the family reported that she had consumed acid. We pumped the acid out of her using a medical tube. She is out of danger but would require further medical attention for any internal injuries or damage in stomach or food pipe,” shared Dr Sharma. The woman was later referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar and will be getting treatment there. Similarly, the team diagnosed a serious kidney ailment in an eight-year-old child, Abhijot Singh, during their walk-in medical camp at Talwandi Rai Dadu, who was later admitted to the paediatric ward of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. The child is undergoing treatment there and the Punjab government will bear all the expenses of the treatment as far as possible. Two die of drug overdose in Jamarai village Tarn Taran, September 7 Two brothers died of drug overdose in Jamarai village. The noticed it in the morning on Sunday. The deceased have been identified as Malkit Singh (32) and Gurpreet Singh (30). Ranjit Kaur, their mother, said some residents of nearby Tur village delivered them drugs on Saturday night which they consumed. Drug overdose is believed to be the reason behind their death. Ranjit Kaur said that her third son too had suffered a similar fate some years back. She alleged that drugs were being sold in the open. Moreover, a few traders made home delivery too as it happened the last night. Police officials refused to comment in the matter. — OC Schools to reopen today for staff, for students tomorrow Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 7 The district administration has ordered all government and private schools, colleges and educational institutions in Amritsar district to remain closed tomorrow (September 8). According to Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, tomorrow all teachers and management committees will inspect their school buildings and submit a report in writing to the District Education Officer. Education Minister Harjot Bains had earlier today announced the re-opening of schools, colleges/educational institutions in the state for students on Tuesday (September 9). Meanwhile, teachers of government schools have been called for duty from September 8 to assess the situation in their respective schools. However, private schools have been allowed to call students on Monday (September 8), provided they guarantee the safety of students and ensure that their buildings are completely safe. “If the buildings are found safe, the schools will be reopened for children on Tuesday while schools in flood-affected areas of Ramdass, Ajnala and Lopoke will The Government Middle School in Macchiwara has been damaged and is under water due to floods. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR remain closed until further orders,” said DC Sawhney. She said that the next decision will be taken after the school management committees in the said area inspect the roads and buildings leading to the schools and send their report to the DEO office. District Education Officer Rajesh Sharma said that the children studying in schools in the flood-affected areas can go to study in whichever area of ??the district they are temporarily staying in. He said that orders have been issued to the schools in this regard and the department will get the attendance report of the children from these schools only. DEO Rajesh Sharma said the water level has now receded due to which many schools in the district are safe from the effects of floods. Despite this, all government, government aided and private schools in the district will remain closed for students on September 8, while from September 9, all schools in Amritsar district except (Block Ajnala-1, Ajnala-2, Chogawan-1 and Chogawan -2) will re-open. But before opening these schools, the heads of all schools will get their respective buildings completely cleaned, sanitised and ensure the safety of children as well as the structures. Food for anganwadi kids at home for 30 days Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 7 Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney today held a meeting with Child Development and Protection Office and officials of the Social Security Department at Ajnala. She said that the Anganwadi centres operating in the villages and towns affected by the floods have also been closed, due to which the nutritious food requirement of infants and young children is not being met. “We, in collaboration with the officials of the department, have started providing one month's nutritious food to about 11,000 children of this affected area, who used to come to the Anganwadi centres. It will be delivered to their homes.” Similarly, about 18,000 elderly people of the affected area, who were getting Old Age Pension, are being con- NCC cadets have been assigned duties to collect data about the needs of people in flood-affected areas. TRIBUNE PHOTOGRAPH tacted over the phone to know their health condition. Apart from this, Sawhney said that employees of the department, some teachers and NCC cadets are being assigned duties in field for the purpose. “Each elderly person, especially the ones, who live alone, will be contacted through phone or through the village sarpanch. Their immediate needs like medicines, reading glasses and a cane to hold for support is being sent to them through assigned officials,” said the DC. Additionally, NCC cadets have been assigned the duty of collecting data about the needs of people on ground. The cadets will call the person and collect data about their immediate needs. The administration will then make arrangements to provide those facilities to them. BSF recovers heroin, arms, drone; five smugglers nabbed Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 7 The Border Security Force (BSF), in a press release issued here on Saturday, said it had apprehended five smugglers and seized pistol, ammunition, drone and heroin in multiple incidents. The paramilitary force informed that a joint team of the BSF and Anti-Gangster Task Force strategically placed an ambush near Chabal area (Tarn Taran) and apprehended a smuggler with a packet of heroin (gross weight 504 grams), a mobile phone and a bike from his possession. The accused, a resident of village Maluwal, is in custody of ANTF for detailed questioning to find his illicit linkages. A team of the BSF intelligence wing, and ANTF, apprehended four smugglers from the area in Sur Singh Market (Tarn Taran). On conducting a search, nine packets containing heroin (5.032 kg), two pistols, a Scorpio vehicle, four mobile phones, two bikes and Rs 1,000 in Indian currency were seized from their possession. The delinquents, residents of villages Goindwal and Sohal, are in custody of ANTF for further investigation. Meanwhile, BSF troops intercepted drone movement and conducted a search operation which culminated in the recovery of a 01 DJI AIR 3 drone along with a packet containing pistol parts and magazine from a field adjacent to village Ranian in Amritsar. The BSF troops launched an extensive search operation and recovered pistol parts from a field adjacent to village Wan in Tarn Taran. These seizures of weapons and narcotics reflect the BSF’s dedication and persistent efforts to safeguard the border and curb Pakistan-backed narcoterror smuggling.