14092025-JTR-01.qxd 9/13/2025 10:26 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune NATIONAL LOK ADALAT RESOLVES 9,020 CASES IN K’THALA SPECIAL GIRDAWARI BEGINS IN FLOOD-AFFECTED AREAS WHEN THE NAMAK SHAMAK GUY FORGOT TO PUT SALT! The National Lok Adalat successfully resolved 9,020 cases, resulting in settlements worth Rs 9,69,76,026. P2 Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal has appointed SDMs as nodal officers to oversee the process.P3 Chef Harpal Sokhi admits that he has turned many a kitchen disaster into favourable outcome. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET SUNDAY 6.29 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6:07 AM » SUNDAY | 14 SEPTEMBER 2025 | JALANDHAR HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your health-related queries. Please mail your questions (not exceeding 40 words) at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your healthrelated concerns. INBRIEF ARMED ROBBERY BID AT STORE Phagwara: The Satnampura police have registered a case under Section 397 of the IPC after an alleged attempted armed robbery at a grocery shop in Hadiaabad. According to the FIR lodged by Naresh Kumar, who runs a grocery shop at Hadiabad Chowk, six masked youths arrived on two motorcycles. The assailants allegedly threatened him with a sharp-edged weapon and snatched a plastic box containing documents and some cash from his counter. A scuffle broke out. In the commotion, one of the attackers dropped the iron weapon and stumbled while fleeing. The stolen plastic box also fell to the ground during the chase. Police have registered a case. — OC BURGLARS LOOT GOLD, CASH Phagwara: Unidentified burglars broke into a house in Shankar village under Sadar police station limits and decamped with gold ornaments, cash and other valuables. The incident occurred late at night while the family was asleep inside the house. The burglars reportedly cut through the iron grills of a window to gain entry and looted gold ornaments and cash belonging to Singh’s married daughter. Shankar police post in-charge Jagtar Singh reached the spot with a team and began probe. — OC 20 GRAMS OF HEROIN SEIZED Phagwara: Kapurthala police have arrested a youth after recovering 20 grams of heroin from his possession during a routine patrol near Lakhan Khurd village. According to police, Sub-Inspector Nirmal Singh and his team were conducting checks near Lakhan Kala when they spotted a young man. On noticing the police vehicle, the youth tried to flee and was seen throwing a transparent polythene packet into roadside bushes. The police team apprehended him. The suspect was identified as Gurdev Singh, a resident of Lakhan Khurd in Kapurthala district. A case under NDPS Act has been registered. — OC MAN HELD FOR WIFE’S MURDER Phagwara, Nurmahal police have arrested Inderjit Singh, a resident of Sange Khaasa village, and his paramour, Mandeep Kaur, also of the same village, on the charge of murdering Inderjit‘s wife, Sandeep Kaur. SHO Paramjit Singh stated that Mukha Ram, a resident of Lakha Variya village under Kabirpur police station, has complained to the police that her daughter Sandeep Kaur’s marriage was solemnsed with Inderjit seven years ago, who is a drug addict and has relations with his sister-in-law Mandeep Kaur, and tortured Sandeep Kaur at her behest and murdered her. A case was registered. — OC Average AQI 47, maximum 57: City green & happy ahead of Diwali Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 13 While the Supreme Court has recently said that it cannot make a policy regarding firecrackers only for Delhi —since clean air was the right of every citizen across the country and not just the NCR — Jalandhar city has had long trysts with plummeting AQI level every Diwali. The incessant burning of firecrackers along with stubble fire and vehicle pollution ushers in an unforgiving winter with high AQI. With about a month to go for Diwali this year, the AQ levels in Jalandhar are currently green and happy at an average 46 and maximum of 57. However, on an annual basis, the district’s bad AQI phase typically begins days before Diwali and peaks during the festival —- amidst festivities and traffic jams. The CJI recently remarked that winter pollution in Amritsar last year was worse than in Delhi. In Punjab, last year, Jalandhar came in right next to the holy city in pollution levels. Post Diwali, Jalandhar became the second most polluted district in the state after Amritsar. Jalandhar air pollution levels were recorded to be “extremely hazardous” on Diwali day last year (2024), due to a mix of bursting of fire-crackers, vehicular pollution, construction dust and stubble fires. In 2024, Jalandhar’s maximum AQI on the day of Diwali, October 31, was 500 while the average AQI was 237. On November 1, Jalandhar’s AQI continued to be severe at a maximum of 482 and at an average of 211. Jalandhar recorded a maximum AQI of 500 —- denoting severe pollution —- both on Diwali day and on November 2. There was at least a 200 point difference in AQI pre and post Diwali. As before Diwali, the district AQI levels were recorded at a maximum of about 300. A thick haze enveloped Jalandhar as citizens reported of breathlessness, burning eyes, shortness of breath and other accompanying conditions like cough, sore throat, fatigue —- all due to the air pollution which paralysed life, especially for those with respiratory illnesses, asthma AAP MLA sent to judicial custody Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 13 Having been arrested by the Vigilance Bureau in a case of corruption on May 23, AAP MLA from Jalandhar Central Raman Arora has once again been sent to judicial custody for two weeks on the orders of a local court on Saturday. Arora, who was ordered to be released from Nabha jail on September 4, had been rearrested by the Rama Mandi police on charges of extorting money from a parking contractor in Lamma Pind. The city police got his remand for three days which kept on getting extended for three more days twice, on September 7 and September 10. AAP MLA from Jalandhar Central, Raman Arora, has been sent to 14-day judicial remand by a court. TRIBUNE PHOTO Having kept him in their custody for nine days, the city police did not seek his further cus- tody. Hence, he was sent to jail without any arguments from the prosecution or the defence side. and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Officials said bursting of crackers and farm fires from neighbouring districts were all contributing to deterioration of air quality in Jalandhar on Diwali night. Days after Diwali, people kept complaining of cough, watery eyes, itchy and throat irritation. The bad AQI run continued until January with several trackers reporting a “severe” air quality warning —- of AQI up to 424 —- on January 5 with the advisory not to step outside. However, the government’s national live air quality index on the same day recorded a moderate air quality level of 90 and the PPCB Jalandhar meter, too, recorded an average AQI of 87 on the same day. Smog in Jalandhar city after Diwali celebrations. The bad phase peaks during festival. FILE PHOTO Release RDF, Seechewal tells minister the Central and state governments should ensure a minimum of 250 days of employment for MGNREGA workers. He said that the labour class has also suffered immensely due to the floods, and the current 100-day employment guarantee under MGNREGA should be extended to 250 days so that affected families can sustain themselves properly. Tribune Reporters Jalandhar/Phagwara, September 13 Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal today urged Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra, who was on a visit to flood-affected regions of Punjab, to immediately release the Rural Development Fund (RDF) for state. During a discussion with the Union Minister at the Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi, Seechewal stated that severe flooding has badly affected nearly half of Punjab. Flooding in the state’s rivers has caused significant damage to the basic infrastructure. Roads, schools, primary health centres and community halls in flood-hit areas have suffered extensive destruction. Seechewal strongly pressed the demand that, along with immediate assistance from Balbir Singh Seechewal with Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra. TRIBUNE PHOTO the Natural Disaster Relief Fund, Punjab’s share of the Rural Development Fund must also be released without delay. This would allow urgent repair work on damaged village roads and schools. He added that agriculture—considered the backbone of Punjab—has been the worst hit by the floods. Farmers’ crops have been completely destroyed, lead- ing to severe economic distress among agricultural labourers as well. Due to continuous heavy rainfall, many homes of the poor have either collapsed or been badly damaged. All affected individuals must be given full compensation. 250 days of work for MGNREGA workers: Seechewal also emphasised that both ‘Restart work on flyover’ Seechewal also urged Malhotra to restart the stalled construction work of the flyover at Lohia. Notably, the flyover at the railway crossing has been nonoperational for the past nine months. Seechewal had earlier recommended extending parts of the bridge, following which the NHAI sent the revised project cost for reapproval. The minister assured of all cooperation in resolving the issues. Baupur school cleared of silt, readies for classes Lok Adalat awards Rs 130 cr in relief Tribune News Service Kapurthala, September 13 The recent floods in Punjab have caused significant damage to school infrastructure in the villages of Sultanpur Lodhi. Many schools are still completely filled with silt. The desks, chairs and midday meal provisions inside the classrooms have all been ruined by the water. In response, the Government Teachers’ Union of Kapurthala has taken on the responsibility of clearing the silt from these flood-hit government schools. Floods from the swollen Beas had hit the area in the second week of August. While other schools of the district opened last week, there are about 28 schools which are yet to start functioning normally. State committee member Rachhpal Singh Warraich and district president Sukhchain Baddhan The Government Teachers Union of Kapurthala has taken the responsibility of clearing silt from flood-hit government schools. Union members visited the school in village Baupur, Sultanpur Lodhi, and cleared the sludge gathered in school premises. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH explained that a team from the Government Teachers’ Union, Kapurthala, had recently visited the school in the flood-affected village of Baupur in Sultanpur Lodhi. Seeing the extensive damage caused by the floods, the union immediately decided to clean the school. Warraich, along with other union leaders and some young volunteers, arrived at the Baupur school. Using washing pumps and other equipment, they worked until the evening, cleaning silt-filled classrooms, verandahs, kitchen and furniture. The union leaders stated that the school’s ground and park are also filled with silt and will be cleaned once the water recedes. They added that the union plans to clean more schools in the coming days. School teachers Yadwinder Singh Pandori and Amandeep Singh Bidhipur thanked everyone for their efforts. Jaswinder Singh Shikarpur, Sukhwinder Singh Kalewal, Avtar Singh Haibatpur, Gurpreet Singh Bulpur, Jagjit Singh, Sukhdev Singh Bulpur and Karaj Singh Baupur were among those who contributed to the service. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 13 The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Jalandhar, held a Lok Adalat in the Judicial Court Complexes of Jalandhar, Phillaur and Nakodar wherein compensation of over Rs 130 crore was announced on Saturday. Under the guidance of Nirbhow Singh Gill, District and Sessions Judge-cumChairperson, DLSA, Jalandhar, all types of civil,matrimonial, MACT and compoundable cases, traffic challans and pre-litigative cases of banks, financial institutions, BSNL, PSPCL and revenue cases were taken up in the Lok Adalat. Chairperson, DLSA, Jalandhar, informed that 26 benches were constituted in Jalandhar, Phillaur and Nakodar. He further said that a total 53,083 number of cases were taken up in the Lok Adalat and 52,238 were disposed of by way of compromise. The awards of Rs 130.18 crore were settled in the Lok Adalat. Chairperson, DLSA, Jalandhar and Rahul Kumar, CJM-cum-Secretary, DLSA, Jalandhar, inspected the benches constituted. “The decision of Lok Adalat is final and no appeal can be filed against the decision of Lok Adalat. The decision is given on the basis of compromise between both parties. Moreover, the court fees paid by the applicant is also refunded,” said Kumar. He said that for information regarding any legal matter, queries can be made on the toll-free number 15100. The next Lok adalat would be held on December 13. FCI tech asst held for siphoning rice, wheat meant for public distribution Phagwara, September 13 In a major development raising concerns over the handling of foodgrain stocks in Punjab, Satpal Singh, a technical assistant with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), has been booked in two separate cases of large-scale misappropriation involving rice and wheat meant for public distribution. SSP Gaurav Toora, while giving details, said on Saturday that the first case pertains to the alleged misappropriation of 1,928 bags of rice during the 2024-25 season from the FCI godown at Vajidowal Complex, Phagwara. The irregularity was detected during a rou- tine stock verification, following which Tejinder Kaur, district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC), lodged a complaint. Acting on the report, Sadar police, Phagwara, registered an FIR on September 11 under Section 409 of the IPC, naming Satpal Singh c m y b as the prime accused. In a separate instance, a shortage of 13,296 bags of wheat was unearthed during a physical inspection of the PSWC godown in Kapurthala on August 31. The missing stock, belonging to the 2025-26, was also found under the charge of Satpal Singh. — OC National Lok Adalat in progress at District Court Complex.