11092025-ATR-01.qxd 9/10/2025 11:27 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY LANE LEADING TO NINTH SIKH GURU’S BIRTHPLACE TO BE RE-LAID FLOOD-HIT FACE DAUNTING TASK OF REBUILDING HOMES, LIVES JIMMY FALLON TRIES BHANGRA WITH SINGER KARAN AUJLA Civil work to re-lay the narrow lane leading to the birthplace of the ninth Sikh Master was inaugurated today. P2 Life is slowly limping back to normal a fortnight after the devastating floods in the Ravi wreaked havoc in villages. P2 The Punjabi singer made sure to take 'desi vibes' to the world stage as he appeared on American television. P4 » » » MAX 33°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 24°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.41 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6.12 AM THURSDAY | 11 SEPTEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Power supply to 84 villages of Ajnala restored after fortnight Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Amritsar, September 10 Power supply to 84 villages in Ajnala, which had been disrupted due to the floods, was restored today. Besides, relief efforts continued unabated in flood-ravaged Ajnala subdivision. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney credited this to staff of the PWD for working day and night to re-establish the entire infrastructure and ensure restoration of the power supply. Anishdip Singh, Executive Engineer of PSPCL, said the floodwater damaged several powergrids in Ajnala causing disruption of power supply to 84 villages as water accumulated in 66 kV power stations in Ramdas and Gaggomahal. He said power supply is yet to be restored to Ghonewal village and deras where they are waiting for the water to recede. Nitin Kalia, Executive Engineer of the Water Supply and Sanitation, said the potable water supply has been restored after thorough cleaning and chlorination. As many as 52 power supply schemes were Farmer bodies, politicians term PM’s flood relief package as ‘meagre’ Workers of PSPCL busy in erecting a electric pole in Ajnala. damaged during the floods. Before this, his department provided potable water in 2,040 bottles, each containing a litre, 46,560 glasses and 1,871 containers, each containing 4 litres of water to affected people. Dilbagh Singh, Executive Engineer of the PWD, said cleaning of drains and small bridges in Ajnala was underway. Officials of the Mandi Board said damaged roads falling in their jurisdiction have been restored. The DC said they managed to telephonically connect with about 18,000 pensioners (who are recipients of widow, old age, handicap, etc, pensions) residing in flood-hit areas. Out of them, 1,200 have been provided items, including ration kits, medicines, etc, which they sought. All five MPs of the AAP announced a grant of around Rs 1.36 crore for flood-hit people. The DC said the grant would help in the procurement of fogging machines, water tanker, stainless steel sheets, gensets and other necessary items. — TNS Amritsar, September 10 The financial assistance of a ‘meagre’ Rs 1,600 crore to flood-ravaged Punjab announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after an aerial survey of some of the flood-hit areas to review the damage caused by the devastating floods, has evoked a strong reaction from farmer organisation as well as Opposition parties. “The BJP leaders are shedding crocodile tears as they failed to ensure appropriate relief package from the Central Government,” said Ratan Singh Randhawa, a prominent leader of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha. “Thousands of acres of farmlands were submerged in the floods, completely destroying the crops. Houses were ravaged, a large number of cattle perished and it would take at A house that was damaged by the floods in Ajnala. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR least several months to prepare the land for cultivation again,” he said, while pointing out that Punjab needed a package of at least Rs 40,000 crore to be on its feet again. While expressing his disappointment over the relief package of Rs 1,600 crore, the Member of Parliament from Amritsar, Gurjit Singh Aujla, flayed the ‘partiality’ towards Punjab. “This is like a drop in the ocean,” he said, adding that Punjab was devastated by the worst-ever floods in past several decades. He termed the relief amount as ‘unfair’ and said that flood victims need more than just financial aid, they require proper rehabilitation and healthcare support. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Ravinder Singh Brahmpura termed it a ‘great betrayal’. He said the PM’s visit was significantly delayed considering the massive devastation caused by the floods in Punjab. “It is deeply saddening that the Punjabi community, which has made great sacrifices for the unity, integrity and food security of the nation, is being neglected by the Central Government in its hour of crisis,” he said. Apart from announcing a Rs 1,600 crore financial assistance for flood-hit Punjab, Modi also announced an exgratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured in the floods and natural calamity. GNDU Senate meeting focuses on flood victims’ issues Over 20 breaches reported along Ravi in Ajnala; plugging work on Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 10 A meeting of the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) Senate was held here on Wednesday. The meeting discussed critical issues concerning flood-affected communities and students while approving several key decisions for the university’s development. The meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Dr Karamjeet Singh saw the agenda presented by Registrar Dr K S Chahal. Dr Karamjeet Singh briefed the Senate members on the university’s achievements over the past few months and outlined plans for future initiatives. He invited open suggestions from all members to enhance the university’s roadmap. A significant focus was placed on GNDU’s commitment to supporting flood-hit areas, with dedicated teams actively assessing the needs of affected communities. “Based on their feedback, the university will formulate a comprehensive rehabilitation strategy,” said Vice-Chancellor Dr Karamjeet Singh. Dr Singh A meeting of the Guru Nanak Dev University Senate underway in Amritsar on Wednesday. emphasised that the challenges faced by flood-affected students would be prioritised, with efforts to address them in collaboration with the Punjab Government. The Vice-Chancellor informed former Cabinet Minister Dr Inderjit Singh Nijjar about the urgent requirements for at least three high-quality hostels for female students, for which a request has already been sent to the Punjab Government. Dr Nijjar assured that the university’s demands would be raised with the government for priority resolution. The Senate approved several significant decisions, including conferring an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree on Sardar Jasvir Singh Gill, CEO of Alert Enterprise, Fremont, CA, during the 50th Annual Convocation. Other approvals included establishing an offshore GNDU campus in California, renaming the Bachelor of Arts (Social Sciences) to Bachelor of Arts (Social Studies), and setting up the Surjit Patar Centre for Ethical AI for the 2025-26 academic session, supported by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. New courses such as B Tech (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning), M Tech (Artificial Intelligence and Data Science), MA (Hindustani Vocal Music), MA (Hindustani Instrumental Music), and Master of Performing Arts (Instrumental Music) were also approved. Additionally, the Senate greenlit the establishment of research centres and Ph.D programmes in affiliated colleges. Justice M M S Bedi (retired), Jatinder Singh Aulakh, IPS (retired), Davinder Kumar Gupta from the Department of Legal and Legislative Affairs, Government of Punjab, Assistant Director Rajesh Kumar from the Higher Education Department, were present online. GNDU has already initiated “Adopt a village” programme under its relief efforts and announced the extension of online admission/examination form schedule for session December 2025, Undergraduate Semester 1,3,5,7, 9 and Postgraduate Semester 1 and 3 for regular/private students (except Law TYC/FYIC Semester-1 and B.Ed. Semester-1) and examination forms for annual system examinations (special chance/additional subject, re-appear, improvement) has been revised, said Prof Shalini Bahel, Professor Incharge Examination. Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 10 With the help of members of the Kar Sewa sect of Sarhali, led by Baba Sukha Singh, the district administration has successfully plugged the first breach in the dhussi bundh (earthen embankment) near Machhiwal village. There have been around 20 such breaches in the protective bundhs along the Ravi river in Ajnala border subdivision that led to the inundation of nearly 190 villages in Ajnala and Lopoke subdivision, including Ramdas area. The district administration took the help of different Kar Sewa sects and the Army for plugging the breaches. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney on Wednesday visited the spot and supervised the work on plugging these breaches. “Initially, we got information of around 10 breaches from which the gushing waters of the Ravi river entered Ajnala areas. But as the water continued to rise, more breaches occurred,” she said, while adding that breaches occurred Volunteers of the Kar Sewa Sarhali sect plug a breach at Machhiwal village in Ramdass area in Ajnala subdivision. at more than 20 places along the Ravi river. As the water started receding, the district administration started working on plugging them. She said the administration approached Sant Baba Sukha Singh of Sarhali Kalan, Sant Baba Jagtar Singh, Tarn Taran, Kar Sewa Guru Ka Bagh and the Army and other NGOs for plugging these breaches. Gurbir Singh, Executive Engineer, Department of Water Resources, said one of the breaches near Machhiwal Lured to invest in scrap factory, Shah Rukh Khan’s Meer Foundation to adopt 500 homes affected by floods in dist UK-based NRI loses ~1 cr Amritsar, September 10 A UK-based NRI, Tejinder Singh, has accused a local resident Vishwajit Sharma, son of a former cop and his family, of allegedly defrauding him of Rs 1 crore in the name of investment in a car scrap company. A complaint was submitted to Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar who has marked a probe to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in this connection. The EOW has summoned both the parties to join the investigations. Tejinder Singh, in his complaint to the police, alleged that he came in contact with the accused through another UK-based NRI Parminder Singh and his father Surjit Gill. The accused lured them to set up a scrap factory in Sonipat. He later told them Lawyer Naveen Mahajan shows the complaint in Amritsar. about procuring land there worth Rs 27 crore for it. Naveen Mahajan, legal counsel of the NRI, said he contacted Parminder Singh and Tejinder Singh after this and lured them to invest in the venture. Parminder Singh invested all his earnings to the tune of Rs 13.5 crore while Tejinder had invested Rs 1 crore. Tejinder transferred the amount to the proposed firm’s bank account. However, he was left shocked when he found that the amount was credited to the personal bank accounts of Vishwajit and his family members. They later came to know that the land on which the project was to be set up was actually not registered in the name of the accused. The real owners of the land had already registered FIRs against the accused at Sonipat in this connection. Parminder Singh also lodged a separate complaint of fraud which was under investigation by the economic offences wing, said Mahajan while adding that now a fresh complaint was filed by Tejinder Singh against the suspect. Vishwajit, when contacted, said he was not aware of any complaint and refuted the charges against him. — TNS Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 10 Shah Rukh Khan’s Meer Foundation, a non-profit organisation known for helping acid attack victims all over India, will be collaborating with the Amritsar-based NGO, Voice of Amritsar, in carrying out flood relief work in the district. Meer Foundation will be collaborating for reconstruction work in two villages along the banks of river Ravi where floods have wiped out homes and belongings of inhabitants. Seenu Arora, founding member of VOA, said they were approached by Meer Foundation as they were looking to collaborate for onground relief operations in Amritsar. “They are happy to contribute in the project submitted by VOA to distribute c m y b Members of the VOA carry out relief operations in a flood-hit village in Amritsar. household goods including beds, mattresses, gas stoves, fans, water purifier etc to about 500 homes affected by floods and adopted collectively. These villages are mostly located alongside the banks of river Ravi and hit hard by the floods. We had shortlisted five villages earlier and will begin work with the two most affected,” said Seenu Arora. The VOA has also received support from Care Foundation, one of the oldest non-profit organisations based in Kolkata. VOA members are already working on the ground with a team of doctors from AIIMS for medical relief in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. Seenu Arora said that the Voice of Amritsar has been carrying out relief work by providing food, dry ration, medicines and clothes for the people affected by floods. “We have prepared a project report on the rehabilitation work as well and will be expanding the scope of the ground operations according to our supplies of relief material,” he said. village has been plugged by the Kar Sewa Sant Baba Sukha Singh, Sarhali Kalan, while work on the remaining breaches was in progress. He said it would take around 15 to 20 days to complete the work on the remaining breaches. He said several breaches were still inaccessible. Baba Sukha Singh said they had started the work four days ago and with the help of the sangat it has now been completed and work has been started on plugging another breach. MLA Arora’s remand extended for three days Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 10 Having been re-arrested by the police in an alleged case of extortion, the remand of AAP Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora was extended by three more days on Wednesday. Arora had been brought by the Rama Mandi police on production remand from Nabha jail on September 5 on the day he was ordered to be released by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He had been kept behind bars for nearly three-and-a-half months since his arrest by the Vigilance Bureau in May this year. On September 5, the local court had ordered his threeday police remand.