03102025-ATR-01.qxd 10/2/2025 11:04 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY TARN TARAN RESIDENTS COME TO AID OF FLOOD-HIT FARMERS ANGANWADI WORKERS BAT FOR PENDING HONORARIUM RICKY KEJ'S BE THE CHANGE PAYS TRIBUTE TO MAHATMA GANDHI Local people are continuously coming forward to help flood-affected people in Tarn Taran district. P2 Anganwadi workers have urged the state government to pay their pending honorarium. P2 On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Kej unveils a musical tribute to the life and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. P4 » » » MAX 32°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.12 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.25 AM FRIDAY | 3 OCTOBER 2025 | AMRITSAR With festival season on, poor sanitation system under Opp fire BSF thwarts cross-border smuggling of ice drug, heroin Farmers urged to bring only fully dried paddy to mandis Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 2 With the festival season on, the city’s sanitation system has once again come under fire, with political and social organisations accusing the state government and the municipal corporation of making hollow claims. While officials boast of cleanliness at major markets and public places, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. Accumulated garbage, irregular lifting and overflowing bins have been reported from several parts of the city, exposing the fragile sanitation mechanism. Following the news reports, MC Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill intervened and directed Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh to carry out inspections on Wednesday. The Additional Commissioner visited various city roads and also inspected the Dasehra ground near Durgiana Temple, where the main festival was celebrated. On-the-spot instructions were issued to Health Officer Dr Yogesh Arora and Chief Amritsar, October 2 While foiling a cross-border drug trafficking bid, the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered a large consignment of synthetic drugs and a drone carrying heroin in two separate operations along Punjab border. According to officials, BSF troops recovered a packet of Ice drug (Methamphetamine) weighing 3.165 kg during an extensive search operation in the border area near Burj village in Amritsar here on Wednesday evening. The recovery was made following specific intelligence inputs. In another operation, carried out jointly by the BSF intelligence wing and Punjab Police, troops recovered a DJI Mavic 4 Pro drone along with 580 grams of heroin from a farming field near the border village of Dal in Tarn Taran. A BSF spokesperson said these recoveries highlight Pakistan-based smugglers’ persistent attempts to push narcotics into Indian territory using drones. Amritsar, October 2 The district administration has appealed to the farmers to bring only fully ripened and properly dried paddy to the grain markets as the permissible moisture limit in grains has been fixed at 17 per cent. Officials said harvesting immature or moist paddy not only affects the quality but also leads to difficulties during procurement. The farmers have been advised to wait till the crop matures completely and ensure proper drying before bringing it to the grain markets. Meanwhile, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchakk visited the Rayya grain market nearby in the district to review the ongoing paddy procurement operations. Speaking to mediapersons, the minister said so far, around 2.56 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has arrived in mandis across the state, out of which nearly 2.41 lakh MT has already been purchased. Payments of about Rs 444 crore have been trans- MC officials inspect a marketplace in Amritsar on Thursday. Sanitary Officer Malkit Singh to ensure cleanliness at the venue. While officials maintained that round-the-clock efforts were being made to lift garbage and keep the city clean, residents questioned why action was taken only at the last minute, just before festival events. Many pointed out that temporary cleanliness drives ahead of the festival season could not replace a consistent and accountable waste management system. Surinder Singh assured that until a new waste management company takes charge, the municipal corporation’s staff would continue regular garbage lifting in all wards. He claimed that the Dasehra ground had been thoroughly cleaned for the celebrations and that all possible arrangements were made. However, residents highlighted the gap between official announcements and execution on the ground, adding that unless strict monitoring and accountability measures are put in place, sanitation in the city will continue to remain a festivalseason formality rather than a year-round priority. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchakk during a visit to the Rayya grain market. ferred into the farmers’ bank accounts, he said. Kataruchakk said the state government has made elaborate arrangements for smooth procurement across 1,822 centres established in Punjab since September 16. The state has been given a target of 172 lakh MT of paddy, but procurement arrangements have been made for up to 190 lakh MT, he added. The minister also highlighted that the state has received a CCL (cash credit limit) of Rs 15,000 crore for September and Rs 27,000 crore for October to ensure timely payments. He assured the farmers that every single grain of their hard-earned produce would be procured and the lifting process was also being carried out simultaneously. He said the farmers should avoid stubble burning to prevent environmental degradation. During the visit, the minister interacted with farmers and appealed to them to harvest the ripened crop. He said the procurement of grains would continue till harvesting is complete and as such farmers need not be in a hurry. — TNS Tributes paid to Mahatma Dasehra celebrated with religious fervour across city Gandhi on his 156th birth anniv Charanjit Singh Teja Amritsar, October 2 Congress leaders, led by former Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni, paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his 156th birth anniversary here on Thursday. The event was organised to mark Gandhi Jayanti and recall the values of truth, non-violence and harmony that the Father of the Nation stood for. Speaking on the occasion, Soni said Gandhiji’s principles remain relevant even today as the country continues to face challenges of social unity, peace and equality. He urged people, especially the youth, to follow the path shown by Gandhi and to dedicate themselves to service of the nation. “Gandhiji taught us that freedom and progress can only be achieved through PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service Former Deputy CM O P Soni along with party workers pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Company Bagh in Amritsar on Thursday. non-violence and truth. It is our duty to preserve his ideals,” Soni said. Several senior Congress leaders, party workers and supporters were present during the programme. They garlanded Gandhi’s portrait and observed a two-minute silence in his memory. The leaders also highlighted Gandhi’s role in India’s freedom struggle and called upon citizens to uphold the values of simplicity, honesty and communal harmony. Amritsar, October 2 The festival of Dasehra was celebrated with great fervour and traditional enthusiasm across the city on Wednesday. Large gatherings were witnessed at seven different venues where the towering effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad were set ablaze, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. The main events took place at the Durgiana Mandir Dasehra Ground, Dana Mandi, Narayangarh (Chheharta), and Ram Nagar Colony, Islamabad, where former Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni attended the function as the chief guest. The functions were organised by Shri Durgiana Committee, Amritsar, Panch Ratan Shri Krishna Mandir Committee, Narayangarh (Chheharta), and the Dussehra Committee Ram Nagar Colony, Islamabad. Long-pending Bhagtanwala dump site clean-up begins with bioremediation plant Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 2 The long-pending issue of waste disposal at Bhagtanwala dump site has finally moved towards resolution, with the inauguration of a bioremediation plant on Wednesday. The project was formally launched by Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia and AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar (Amritsar South) in the presence of senior officials of the Municipal Corporation. Speaking at the inauguration, MLA Nijjar said that successive governments had made promises to clear the garbage heap but failed to act. He added that the AAP government had shown the will to resolve the crisis, signing a 15-month contract with Eco-Stan Company for scientific disposal of waste at the site. Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia explained that the Munic- MC Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia (in skyblue shirt) inaugurates the bioremediation project at Bhagtanwala in Amritsar on Thursday. ipal Corporation had floated a tender worth Rs 46.34 crore for the project. After the bidding process, the work was allotted to Eco Green Stan Company at a 21 per cent lower cost, bringing the final project value to Rs 36.54 crore. He claimed that the plant will process 3,333 metric tonnes of garbage daily. A total of 11 lakh metric tonnes of waste is to be cleared under the action plan, which will be monitored through daily and monthly reports. Mayor Bhatia said that many residents had doubted whether the heaps of waste could ever be removed, but with the start of operations today, that perception would change. He added that the project would be monitored with online weighing and electronic balancing systems, while CCTV cameras would track the entire process. The company has been directed to follow all norms laid down under the Solid Waste Management Rules. The Mayor further informed that from October 1, the Municipal Corporation has also signed a contract for door-to-door garbage collection in the city. This service will be launched soon. After resolving the garbage crisis, the Corporation will give priority to addressing drinking water and sewerage issues. Deputy Mayor Tarunbir Singh Candy, District President (Urban) Prabhbir Singh Brar, District General Secretary Mukhwinder Singh Virdi, Chairman Baljit Singh Rinku and several councillors and local leaders were present at the event along with Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill and Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh. c m y b PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service An effigy of Ravana in flames at the Durgana temple Dasehra ground in Amritsar on Thursday. Addressing the gathering, Soni said Ravana has always been remembered as a symbol of evil, which is why people continue to follow the age-old tradition of setting ablaze effi- Young Sikh poet makes history, honoured Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 2 Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, officiating Jathedar of the Akal Takht and Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, on Thursday honoured 18-yearold Gursharan Kaur Bandala, who set a unique record by writing eight poems in just one and a half minutes. She secured a place in the India Book of Records for composing eight poems on the spot within a minute and a half — becoming the first Gursikh and turbaned girl in the globe to achieve such feat. She was honoured at the Akal Takht secretariat. She was presented with a siropa (robe of honour) and a Sri Sahib (sword). On the occasion, Gursharan Kaur also presented the Jathedar with a compilation of her poems. gies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad for generations. “The message of Dasehra is that evil always ends and truth prevails. Festivals in India are celebrated with unity and brotherhood, cutting across communities and religions. We must burn the Ravana within ourselves as greed, dishonesty and drug addiction are the real evils of society that need to be eradicated,” he said. The festival was also celebrated at Guru Nanak Dev stadium, Verka, where Member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla and former Amritsar Improvement Trust Chairman Dinesh Bassi attended as chief guests. Both leaders extended greetings to the people and called for collective efforts to spread the spirit of positivity and harmony. To ensure smooth conduct of the festival, Amritsar police made elaborate security and traffic arrangements across the city. Large numbers of police personnel were deployed at celebration sites and along major routes for crowd management and parking regulation. Markets also witnessed a festive buzz as people relished traditional sweets like jalebis and sugarcane. Vendors reported brisk business throughout the day, adding colour and flavour to the festivities. Open Kartarpur corridor before Gurpurb, demand activists Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 2 Activists of the Guru-Adab Morcha and Lok-Raj, Punjab, held a protest outside the Kartarpur corridor demanding that restrictions on visiting Nankana Sahib must be removed before Guru Nanak Dev’s Gurpurb. The activists demanded that the Kartarpur corridor be fully opened before the upcoming Gurpurb. They also called for control of the dams to be handed over to riparian Punjab and an impartial inquiry into how and why the government failed to check floods. Dr Manjeet Singh Randhawa, convener of the GuruAdab Morcha, said efforts are being made to improve the economic condition of floodaffected families. He explained that with community support, projects like large-scale fruit farming, Activists of the Guru Adab Morcha and Lok Raj during a protest near the Kartarpur corridor on Thursday. pearl cultivation, herbal farms, cooperative marketing, and agro-based industries will be started soon. He said various Kar Sewa groups have agreed to support this mission, including those already working on repairing river embankments and rebuilding flood-hit homes. “With the blessings of Waheguru (the Almighty) and the collective contribution of san- gat, rebuilding homes, restoring livelihoods and creating strong flood-prevention structures is possible,” he said. Dr Randhawa emphasised that Sikhs worldwide should unite, contribute and promote self-reliance by using and supporting local products. He said the spirit of true service lies in working selflessly under the guidance of Sikh values.