17102025-JTR-01.qxd 10/16/2025 11:06 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SISODIA HAILS GOVT’S PROGRESS DURING PHAGWARA VISIT TEACHERS TURN COACHES, TRAIN GIRLS IN VOLLEYBALL 4 LOOKS OF KRITIKA KAMRA TO TRY THIS FESTIVE SEASON He says the state’s growing industrial sector will boost employement and economic output. P2 Both retired educators have become a beacon of inspiration for aspiring volleyball players-particularly girls. P3 Kritika carries herself with poise on all occasions, take a cue from her and bring out the fashionista in you. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5.53 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:32 AM » FRIDAY | 17 OCTOBER 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. Hoshiarpur faces another split as AnandpurHoshiarpur, affecting 2 lakhget dist tag Sahib may residents and 296 villages Garhshankar may exit Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service INBRIEF MAN HELD WITH POPPY HUSK Phagwara: The police have arrested one person with 3.3 kg of poppy husk during a routine patrol. The police were conducting patrol duty when they spotted a suspicious vehicle near village Gidderpindi. The driver of the vehicle attempted to flee but the police intercepted the car and apprehended the driver. The driver Tarshem Singh belonged to Sahuwala village in Moga district. During the search of the vehicle, the police recovered a plastic bag containing 3.3 kg of poppy husk. OC WINTER OPD TIMINGS REVISED Phagwara: The government has revised winter OPD timings for all government hospitals and dispensaries, aiming to streamline healthcare services during the colder months. According to the official notification, the new timings will be effective from today to April 15. The OPD services in all government hospitals and dispensaries will be available from 9 am to 3 pm. OC 2 BOOKED FOR CARRYING ARMS Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have booked unidentified miscreants on the charges of outraging religious feelings, affray, and brandishing arms. Sunil Kumar of Vadda Vehara, Mehatpur, complained to the police that two accused, in an inebriated condition, barged into their locality brandishing arms, on October 14 late evening, smashed the electric ornamental strings outside Valmiki temple, used casteist remarks, and issued threats. OC BALI PATRON OF RED CROSS SOCIETY Hoshiarpur: Dr Mohammad Jameel Bali has been appointed as the patron of the Indian Red Cross Society, Punjab State Branch. The appointment was announced at a ceremony held at the Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh, where Dr Bali was honoured by Governor Gulab Chand Kataria. oc MAN HELD UNDER NDPS ACT Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a man on the charge of selling intoxicant tablets. As many as 32 intoxicating tablets were recovered from the possession of the accused Ajay Kumar, alias Rebo of Samrai village. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered. oc VILLAGER HELD FOR HOOCH SALE Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have arrested a villager on the charge of selling illicit liquor. As many as 52 bottles of hooch were seized from the possession of the accused, identified as Jasveer Singh, a resident of Dharme Dian Chhana village under Mehatpur. oc Hoshiarpur, October 15 If the proposed plan of the government to carve out a new district of Anandpur Sahib ahead of the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur gets through, it will be for the third time that the geographical limits of Hoshiarpur will change. The size of Hoshiarpur district has been shrinking since the reorganisation of the states in 1966. Una subdivision, which was a part of Hoshiarpur, was separated and merged with Himachal Pradesh. Later, it became a district. In 1995, Balachaur sub-division was separated from Hoshiarpur and merged with Nawanshahr when it became a new district . Now, again efforts are underway to detach a third sub-division from the district. Hoshiarpur district covers 3,386 sq km with Hoshiarpur, Mukerian, Dasuya, Tanda and Garhshankar as its five subdivisions. Once Garhshankar also moves out, it will be left with four sub-divisions and will be divested of approximately 795 sq km area. This will imply that over 2 lakh population of two blocks of Garhshankar and Mahilpur Tribune News Service Member of the District Bar Association, Hoshiarpur, protest against the move to carve out Garshankar from Hoshiarpur district. and about 296 villages will see a shift of their district headquarters from Hoshiarpur to Anandpur Sahib. While Hoshiarpur is about 20 km from Garhshankar, Anandpur Sahib is 50-60 km away. Congress leader from Garhshankar Amarpreet Singh Lally has suggested that instead of creating a the 24th district in the state, the government should rename the existing district of Ropar after the ninth guru. Lally stated that renaming districts is not a new concept. It has been done earlier in the cases of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr) and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) too. He expressed concerns about the financial burden of creating a new district, estimating that it would cost around ?500 crore for infrastructure and ?20 crore for monthly expenses. Lally said, “We will support any plan that is people-centric and honours Guru Teg Bahadur’s legacy, but we will not support plans that seem to be driven by vote politics.” BJP leader Nimisha Mehta too termed the decision being politically motivated. “People from Garhshankar will be inconvenienced with the Govt grants ~4.84 cr to K’thala MC for road improvement Tribune Reporters Jalandhar/Phagwara, Oct 16 In a significant boost to Kapurthala’s urban infrastructure and civic preparedness, the government has released a grant of Rs 4.84 crore to the Municipal Corporation, Kapurthala, for the construction, repair, and improvement of major city roads. Anupam Kler, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Kaler said the grant will be utilised for the upgrade and reconstruction of several key roads across the city, including Mall Road, Shalimar Bagh, Mohabbat Nagar, Tarlokpura, Central Town and the Kotu Chowk–Dandupur Road stretch. She stated that tenders Flood-hit light up Diwali with acts of compassion for these projects have already been floated to ensure the timely commencement of work. Describing the allocation as a major achievement for Kapurthala, Kaler emphasised that all works would be carried out adhering to highquality standards and longterm durability. She added that the Municipal Corporation remains committed to inclusive urban development through active public participation, ensuring that projects are implemented based on citizen feedback and local needs. Keeping Diwali and the upcoming festivals in mind, the government has also provided new modern fire-fighting vehicles to the Municipal Corporation, Kapurthala. These include mini fire tenders, Tata Yodha fire tenders and other fire-fighting equipment. Kler said with the receipt of these vehicles, any fire incident in the inner parts of the city will now be controlled quickly. With the new vehicles, the capacity of the Fire Brigade Department will further increase and even narrow streets or confined areas will be easily accessible. She said orders have been issued to the department staff to remain alert and the equipment has also been checked. She said the arrival of new vehicles will not only increase the strength of the fire brigade, but also boost the confidence of city residents in safety. shifting of their district headquarters”, she too maintained, adding that Malerkotla district still does not have the requisite number of officials posted ever since it was carved out four years ago. Even as proposals are being discussed at the highest levels, administrative officials are maintaining a complete silence on the issue. “We have only been hearing about the formation of new district of Anandpur Sahib from various sources, but we have so far not received any intimation about it officially”, said a senior administrative official from Hoshiarpur. Aam Aadmi Party MP from Hoshiarpur Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal maintained, “So far, it is only a proposal but I shall be communicating it to the top leadership that the sentiments of the people must be taken into account before taking any decision. We do not want our people to feel inconvenienced. People from more than 100 villages which fall under the Chabbewal Assembly constituency and are under Garhshankar too shall have their district headquarters shifted if this change happens.” Jalandhar, October 16 As Diwali approaches, the festive spirit is in the air for many. However, for those still reeling under the pain of the devastating floods, celebrations are a distant thought. Several families in flood-affected areas are struggling to rebuild their homes and livelihoods. Amid hardships, a ray of hope has emerged from the villages of Ahli Kalan and Ahli Khurd in Sultanpur Lodhi. Demonstrating true community spirit, the panchayats of both villages have formed a committee after floods to extend support to those in need. The focus is on helping the poorest families — those who lost everything in the floods and cannot afford to start on their own. Rashpal Singh, a farmer and active member of Ahli Kalan village, said, “We were being helped by people a lot, and Festive frenzy Ahli Kalan and Ahli Khurd Panchayats lead relief efforts people gave us so much support. Now, it is our turn to lift those who have nothing left.” The efforts go beyond just food. The panchayats are actively coordinating the distribution of essential supplies, including clothes, blankets, and medicines. The response has drawn support from far and wide. Youths from across Punjab and even other states have joined hands, bringing tractors, diesel, food supplies, and generous donations. These acts of kindness and community-led initiatives reflect the true essence of Diwali. In the midst of loss, the spirit of giving shines bright in Ahli Kalan and Ahli Khurd, reminding everyone that festivals are not just about celebration, but also about compassion. After hitting scooter, Thar engulfed in fire A Jalandhar road witnesses a huge traffic jam on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJEET SINGH Jalandhar, October 16 A Thar was engulfed in fire after it hit a scooter on the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur road near Nangal Shama link road this evening. The Activa scooter came under Thar when it caught fire. While the Thar driver escaped after the accident, the scooter driver reportedly died in the accident. Fire brigade teams reached the spot to control the fire. Witnesses have said the scooter with its driver was dragged to some distance by the speeding Thar after which a blast took place. The deceased has been identified as Hardev Singh (65), former Congress sarpanch of Nauli village of Adampur. — TNS Jalandhar sees one farm fire so far, AQI moderate Woman travel agent booked for abduction of youth, ransom call Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 16 Jalandhar has reported only one stubble burning incident so far during the current paddy harvest season, with air quality levels remaining moderate. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at an average of 125, with a maximum of 164 and a minimum of 77. However, stubble burning incidents are expected to rise after Diwali. The Agriculture Department has set a target of managing 10.5 lakh tonnes of biomass in Jalandhar, which is the estimated amount of stubble residue expected to be generated this season. The department has deputed 636 nodal officers and 77 cluster officers for the monitoring of paddy fires in Jalandhar. It is also expected to be a tumultuous stubble burning season as flood affected farmers have reiterated that reeling under losses, they have no other option for disposing of stubble, except burning it. The department in turn remains steadfast in its declaration to penalise whoever sets stubble on fire without any relaxations. The last stubble burning incident in Jalandhar was on September 24 and it also invited an FIR against a Kang Khurd farmer. When asked about farmers compulsions for having no choice other than burning stubble and also the oftrepeated grievance of not having as many paddy management machines as needed in the district, the department disputed these claims, stating there are enough machines. Farmers also com- c m y b plain that those who manage stubble responsibly do not receive any compensation. Chief Agricultural Officer, Jalandhar, Jaswinder Singh said, “There has been only one stubble burning incident reported in Jalandhar so far and the incidents are expected to peak post-Diwali. Any violation of the government’s guidelines will be met with a red entry and fine without any relaxation. There are 7,100 stubble management machines in the district. Every single machine covers 30 acres. Paddy crop is sown in 1,71,500 hectares in Jalandhar. There is an adequate availability of machines for the farmers.” Jaswinder added, “Of the total paddy crop area, 70 per cent area involved in-situ management of paddy stubble and 30 per cent involved ex-situ management. We expect total biomass (comprising stubble residue) generated to the tune of 10.5 lakh tonnes in Jalandhar. The ex-situ stubble mamnagement is dependent on avaiability of bailers - presently we have 211 in Jalandhar.” Apart from this, the department has also deputed 77 cluster officers and and 636 nodal officers for the monitoring of paddy fires in Jalandhar. Our Correspondent Phagwara,October 16 The Lohian Khas police have booked a woman travel agent on the charges of kidnapping a youth and making ransom call. SHO Gursharan Singh said the accused has been identified as Kartika, a resident of Baba Basta Singh colony near Gurdwara Takkar Sahib, Tarn Taran. Gurnam Singh, a resident of Gatta Mundi Kasu village, complained to the police that the accused had been known to him for a long time and had agreed to send his son Ajay to Australia for Rs 20 lakh, which was to be paid after his son’s arrival abroad. The complainant said the accused took his son to Kolkata on October 2 and then to Dubai. He said his brother received two WhatsApp calls to deposit Rs 70 lakh as ransom if they wanted their son back and threatened to kill him if they failed to pay the money. Gurnam said the accused Kartika is behind this conspiracy, adding that the accused has kidnapped his son for her selfish motives and action should be taken her. A case under sections 140(2) (kidnapping for ransom) and 143 (trafficking of person) of the BNS has been registered against the accused.