17092025-ATR-01.qxd 9/16/2025 11:35 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FILL VACANT POSTS AT BHIKHIWIND DE-ADDICTION CENTRE: RESIDENTS CIVIC BODY TO DIGITALLY MAP PROPERTIES IN CITY The Amritsar MC has launched a Geographic Information System survey to digitally map all properties in the city. P2 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 26°C ROBERT REDFORD PASSES AWAY AT 89 The Nasha Virodhi Mission, Punjab, has demanded the filling up of vacant posts at Bhikhiwind de-addiction centre. P2 FORECAST Best known for films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and Ordinary People. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.33 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.15 AM » WEDNESDAY | 17 SEPTEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Villages with 75% crop damage to be surveyed within 7 days Cops destroy drugs seized in 357 cases Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 16 The Punjab Police on Tuesday destroyed a large quantity of drugs seized by various wings of the police during their anti-drugs campaign in the border state. Besides the Amritsar city police commissionerate, Amritsar rural police, Tarn Taran police, State Special Operation Cell, Anti-Narcotics Task Force, Amritsar, Anti-Narcotics Task Force, Ludhiana, and Anti-Narcotics Task Force, Jalandhar Range, destroyed the drugs. Members of the drugs disposal committee, led by Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, the nodal officers were present during the occasion. The drugs were seized in 357 NDPS cases registered with various wings of the Punjab Police. Sharing details, Bhullar said over 380.7 kg of heroin, 38 kg of narcotic powder, 22.5 kg of poppy husk, 220 gm charas, 662gm ICE, 8.3 kg of Ganja and over 1.27 lakh intoxicating tablets and capsules were destroyed in an incinerator at Khanna Paper Mill here. Tribune News Service The house of a drug peddler being demolished by the workers employed by the police in Amritsar. Police demolish illegally acquired property of peddler in Gwal Mandi Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 16 The Amritsar police demolished an illegal property of a trafficker, identified as Mandeep Kumar, alias Kali, in the Gawal Mandi area falling under the Cantonment police station here on Tuesday. According to the police, Mandeep had been actively involved in drug trafficking for a long time. He has several serious cases registered against him, including offences under the NDPS Act and the Indian Penal Code. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said a house located in Gali Ravidas Mandir, Gawal Mandi, Ram Tirath Road, Amritsar, belonging to the said accused, was demolished by the Municipal Town Planner, Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, as part of the crackdown on illegal assets acquired using proceeds from his drug trade. Warning those involved in the drug peddling trade, Bhullar said those who are destroying the lives of Punjab’s youth with the poison of drugs would face strict legal action without any leniency. He reaffirmed that properties illegally acquired through proceeds from illicit drug trafficking will continue to be targeted and demolished. He said the Amritsar police commissionerate during the anti-drug campaign launched by the Punjab Government has made largescale recoveries and arrested many drug peddlers. He urged the people to come forward and share any information about drug smugglers with the police. He said the identity of the informant would be kept strictly confidential and exemplary action will be taken so as to act as a deterrent. Dist admn to provide all possible support to farmers for sowing next crop Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 16 The district administration has made comprehensive arrangements to assist farmers in sowing the next crop without resorting to stubble burning during the upcoming paddy season. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney has entrusted the Agriculture, Pollution Control, Mandi Board and Cooperation Departments with the responsibility of implementing this campaign. These departments, working in coordination, will provide the required machinery and technical guidance to farmers for preparing their fields after paddy harvesting. Chairing a meeting with officials of these departments today, Deputy Commissioner Sawhney said farmers bringing paddy to any mandi of the Prayer held for re-opening of Kartarpur corridor Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, September 16 Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, officiating Jathedar of the Akal Takht, on Tuesday reached Kartarpur Corridor and offered prayers for reopening of the corridor so that devotees could pay obeisance at Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan. The corridor has been closed by the Union Government following Operation Sindoor. He also offered ardas for Sikh devotees to visit religious places in Pakistan and for flood water to recede quickly in flood-ravaged Punjab areas. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney during a meeting with officials in Amritsar on Tuesday. district will be contacted over phone to ascertain their requirements for stubble management machinery. Based on their needs, the details will be passed on immediately to the Agriculture Department. The department nodal officers, at the block level, will ensure timely arrangement of machinery for farmers. She further said a dedicated call centre has been set up for contacting farmers, supported by government staff and vol- unteers from Khalsa College. On the occasion, Agriculture Officer Dr Raman Kumar said nodal officers have been appointed in all nine blocks of the district. The district administration has also imposed a complete ban on the burning of paddy stubble. Rohit Gupta, Additional District Magistrate, exercising powers under Section 163 of the Indian Citizens Protection Act, 2023, stated that stubble burning is harmful both for farmers and the nation’s agricultural productivity. To prevent stubble burning, it has been made mandatory to use SMS/Super SMS machines with combine harvesters in areas where baling is not being carried out. This order has been issued in the interest of public welfare and will remain in force from 15 September to 14 November. Dist Cong decides to gift new cycle to 6-yr-old Amritpal Singh Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 16 The District Congress Committee on Tuesday decided to provide a new bicycle to six-year-old Amritpal Singh after their leader Rahul Gandhi, LoP in the Lok Sabha, promised to replace his old and damaged bicycle. During his visit to floodravaged villages in Amritsar’s Ajnala and Gurdaspur on Monday, Rahul visited the house of Ravidas Singh at Ghonewal village in Ramdas area of Ajnala. He found Amritpal Singh weeping while standing over a bed in his house. Gandhi embraced him and tried to BOY WAS ASSURED OF BICYLE BY RAHUL GANDHI ■ During his visit to flood-ravaged villages in Amritsar’s Ajnala and Gurdaspur on Monday, Rahul visited the house of Ravidas Singh at Ghonewal village in Ramdas area of Ajnala. ■ He found Amritpal Singh weeping while standing over a bed in his house. Gandhi embraced him and tried to calm him down. To cheer him up, he called him a brave boy and promised to gift him a new cycle. calm him down. To cheer him up, he called him a brave boy and promised to gift him a new cycle. Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, who is a Congress leader, said they would provide a new bicycle to the young boy as his party leader promised the child a new one. Currently, he said, the entire district Congress committee was busy in providing relief to flood victims, receiving dignitaries and taking them to affected areas. The incident reminded locals of the August 27 political roadshow by the Congress in Bihar’s Darbhanga where dhaba owner Shubham complained of losing his bike due to the roadshow. Later, Rahul compensated him by gifting a brand-new Pulsar motorcycle. c m y b Amritsar, September 16 Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, patwaris will prepare reports for compensation within seven days for villages where more than 75 per cent crop damage has been reported and within 14 days for villages with less than 75 per cent damage. Stating that no negligence will be tolerated in these reports, he led a cleanliness drive in flood-affected outer villages of Ajnala city, including Nangal, Vanjhawanwala, Chak Phoola and Kamirpur, besides visiting government schools today. At village Chak Phoola, while inspecting damaged crops, Dhaliwal drove a combine in the fields of farmer Sukhchain Singh Gill to take stock of the damaged paddy crop. He listened to the problems of flood-affected farmers and other people and resolved several issues on the spot. Later talking to journalists, Dhaliwal said in order to provide timely compensation for crops damaged due to the floods, a girdawari (crop damage survey) has already Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal drives a combine harvester to take stock of crop damage at Chak Phoola village in Amritsar on Tuesday. started from September 13 in around 100 affected villages of Ajnala constituency and nearly 2,400 villages across Punjab. Patwaris of the Revenue Department have begun their official duties in these villages. Once the patwaris submit reports within the stipulated time, kanungoes will visit 25 villages daily to verify the correctness of the reports. Meanwhile, tehsildars, SDMs, and the Deputy Commissioner will also cross-check and supervise these reports at their levels. For the girdawari in Ajnala constituency, 25 patwaris have been deployed and 196 deputed across the district. He said in the 100 flood-hit villages of Ajnala and nearly 2,400 villages across Punjab, the administration is also receiving active cooperation from social service organisations to tackle issues like silt, sand and other sanitation problems caused by floodwater. He said cleaning work will be completed within 10 days with the help of these organisations. Dhaliwal said so far, no epidemic outbreak has been reported in the flood-hit villages, but initial signs of eye and skin infections have appeared. In a survey conducted by the district health administration covering nearly 100,000 people in the affected villages, around 3,000 people were found suffering from eye and skin diseases.