24102025-ATR-01.qxd 10/24/2025 12:00 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 30°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 17°C MISL SUTLEJ DEMANDS MORE AID FOR FLOOD-HIT PEOPLE CENTRE TRYING TO PRIVATISE POWER SECTOR: KMSC JONITA GANDHI TO OPEN FOR ENRIQUE IGLESIAS An organisation, Misl Satluj, has sought better compensation for those ruined by natural calamity. P2 KMSC members staged a protest in Amritsar against the draft of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025. P2 Indo-Canadian singer and Progressive Brothers will open for global artiste in his upcoming Mumbai concert. P4 » » » SUNSET FRIDAY 5.48 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.40 AM FRIDAY | 24 OCTOBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Cross-border drug network busted in dist; 5 kg heroin seized Garbage crisis worsens after Diwali; city chokes under piles of waste Residents say the festival of lights has tragically turned into a “festival of litter” Charanjit Singh Teja Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar addresses mediapersons in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 23 The Amritsar Commissionerate Police have arrested a key operative of a cross-border drug trafficking syndicate and seized 5.025 kilograms of heroin during a meticulously planned intelligence-based operation. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav confirmed that the arrested individual, Rajpal Singh, 25, a resident of Chheharta here, was an active member of a trans-border network with direct links with a Pakistanbased handler. “Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused was utilising the Dera Baba Nanak sector to retrieve heroin consignments clandestinely dropped across the International Border using drones,” said the DGP . Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said Rajpal’s arrest followed investigative leads stemming from an earlier case wherein another accused, Lucky, had been apprehended with 3 kilograms of heroin in August 2025. Acting upon credible intelligence, the police detained Rajpal on October 19 and subsequently recovered the heroin cache after his disclo- sure statement. “The accused had adopted sophisticated methods to evade detection, concealing the narcotics in bags filled with clothes and transporting them via public transport to distribution points in Jalandhar and Ludhiana,” he revealed. The police anticipate additional arrests and recoveries as the investigation progresses. A case had already been registered under Sections 21-B, 21-C, 27-A, and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on August 7 at the Chheharta police station here. Amritsar, October 23 The city’s garbage collection system, already in a fragile state, has completely collapsed after Diwali and four consecutive holidays. Heaps of waste now lie scattered across streets, vacant plots and road corners, leaving residents furious over the worsening civic mess. MC officials and sanitation staff appear to have failed in managing garbage collection following the withdrawal of the solid waste management firm. Except for a few posh colonies and commercial areas, garbage continues to pile up across most parts of the city. After the private company pulled out of operations in August, the municipal corporation has been struggling to manage waste collection on its own using outdated vehicles and the company’s former workers. These workers have reportedly been charging Rs 100 per month from each household for PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service Garbage dumped at a vacant plot by the roadside in New Pawan Nagar of Amritsar on Thursday. WHAT MAYOR HAS TO SAY Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia acknowledged that waste accumulation had risen due to consecutive holidays. “The situation will be normalised within the next couple of days. The new solid waste management company will start operations by December 30, after which the problem will be resolved,” he assured. Lack of cleanliness, roaming stray animals PRTC, Punbus employees call expose Tarn Taran MC’s hollow claims off protest after govt assurance Gurbaxpuri Tribune News Service Tarn Taran, October 23 Tarn Taran town continues to reel under poor sanitation, leaving residents outraged over the municipal council’s lofty but hollow claims of maintaining cleanliness. At the entry point of Mohalla Nanaksar, where a fourkanal site has been earmarked for the new public taxi stand near Rohi Wala Pul, the area has virtually turned into an open garbage dump. For several months, heaps of refuse have been lying unattended with no signs of lifting or cleaning. The foul smell emanating from the accumulated waste has become unbearable for nearby residents and taxi operators, while stray animals and dogs — often seen roaming in packs — scavenge freely for food. Taxi operators Karanbir Singh, Mandeep Singh and Sonu complained that dogbite incidents involving children and women have become alarmingly frequent. “Both sides of the Rohi drain have turned into breeding grounds for stray animals and garbage. The stench and filth have made it difficult for us to Amritsar, October 23 Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) and Punbus employees on Thursday staged a protest here that lasted for nearly an hour, leading to tense moments as demonstrators and police personnel came face to face. Some employees even lay down in front of buses to block their movement, while police officials tried to pacify them and prevent any untoward incident. The protest ended after a meeting between government representatives and union leaders in Chandigarh concluded successfully. Union leaders announced that the government had agreed to cancel the tender issued for operating private buses. The demonstration was organised to oppose the state government’s alleged move to privatise public transport services. Union president Resham Singh Gill alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had promised to end privatisation before coming to power but was now attempting to hand over public transport services to corporate The garbage dumped at the site earmarked for a taxi stand in Tarn Taran. PHOTO BY WRITER work here,” they lamented. Garbage is also being dumped indiscriminately along the Railway Road main branch, further worsening the unhygienic conditions. Kamaljit Singh Gill, Executive Officer (EO) of the Municipal Council, said the council had launched a doorto-door garbage collection drive to tackle the issue. “We have deputed 142 employees and 11 vehicles to collect garbage from various subdumps across the town,” he claimed, adding that the initiative would soon improve the sanitation situation. However, several sanitation workers contradicted the EO’s statement, alleging that the shortage of manpower and irregular lifting of waste from major dumping sites were the main reasons behind the deteriorating condition. Social worker Dalwinder Singh also voiced concern, saying that despite repeated complaints to the Municipal Council, no concrete action had been taken. “Even the banks of the Kasur drain (Rohi) remain choked with garbage, reflecting complete negligence on the part of civic authorities,” he said. Adding to the civic embarrassment, remediation waste from the garbage dump on Sachkhand Road — whose clearance work began over a year ago — still lies unattended, standing as a stark reminder of unfulfilled promises under the sanitation drive. Residents have urged the district administration to intervene and ensure that the waste is cleared at the earliest before it turns into a fullblown health hazard. Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 23 The biannual cattle and horse fair at Vallah village, on the outskirts of Amritsar, has reached its peak, drawing farmers, breeders and livestock enthusiasts from across northern India. Deeply rooted in Sikh martial and agrarian traditions, the fair attracts traders and buyers from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir. Organised by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, the 14-day event began a week before Diwali and will continue for seven days after the festival. The department over- Farmers go shopping during the 14-day cattle fair at Vallah in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTOS: VISHAL KUMAR sees arrangements including tents, drinking water and sanita- tion facilities, while also collecting an entry fee and a 4 per cent commission on every sale. The fairgrounds are teeming c m y b with activity as hundreds of Murrah buffaloes from Haryana Man found ‘murdered’ near Khiala Kalan village Tribune News Service Employees of the Punjab Roadways during a protest near the Golden Gate in Amritsar on Thursday. groups. He claimed that if the government had opened the tenders, private operators would have recovered their investment within five years while continuing to own the buses, resulting in heavy financial losses to the state. Employees also voiced anger over the continued delay in salary payments. Gill said workers were being forced to protest even during festive occasions like Diwali to demand their dues. Salaries that were earlier disbursed on the 1st of each month are now being paid on 20th-25th, severely affecting employees’ financial stability. Following the government’s assurance, the joint strike and road blockade planned by the Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contract Workers’ Unions across Punjab and Chandigarh have been called off for now. The unions have decided to suspend their strike until October 31. However, union leaders warned that if no permanent resolution is reached by then, employees would launch surprise actions, including bus stoppages and highway blockades, without prior notice. Historic Vallah cattle and horse fair draws massive crowds Charanjit Singh Teja door-to-door collection. However, in several low-income localities, residents have refused to pay the fee, resulting in garbage not being lifted at all. Vacant plots and temporary collection sites have turned into mini dumping grounds, with waste lying unattended for days. Political leaders and councillors have claimed they are getting garbage cleared independently, but the ground reality tells a different story. Remnants of burnt crackers, gift wrappings and other festive waste remain scattered across the city. Continuous holidays from Saturday to Wednesday further aggravated the problem as most sanitation workers failed to report for duty. Nirmala Devi, a resident of Indira Colony, said garbage collection in her area had been irregular since Dasehra. With garbage spilling over from bins and streets reeking of filth, residents say the city’s “festival of lights” has turned into a “festival of litter”. —prized for their high milk yield — fetch bids ranging between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh. The indigenous ‘Nili’ buffalo breed from the Majha region has also drawn strong interest, while Holstein Friesian (HF) and Jersey cows are in high demand among dairy farmers. Some traders reported that top-quality buffaloes were being sold for over ?5 lakh this year. Beyond cattle, leading horse owners and stud farms from across Punjab have exhibited prestigious breeds such as Marwari, Nukra and Kathiawari. Several renowned bloodline horses were showcased, with visitors enthusiastically captur- ing photos of the prized animals. The origins of the Vallah fair date back to the time of Guru Hargobind Sahib, the sixth Sikh Guru, who urged Sikhs to offer horses and arms instead of conventional donations to strengthen the community’s martial spirit. What began as a religious and martial congregation gradually evolved into a major livestock fair under British rule. Initially held at Burj Akali Phoola Singh and later at Mall Mandi in Amritsar, the event was eventually relocated to the cattle mandi at Vallah, where it continues to thrive as one of North India’s most vibrant rural gatherings. Amritsar, October 23 A 32-year-old man, identified as Sandeep Singh, was found dead near Khiala Kalan village falling under the Lopoke police station here on Wednesday. The tragic incident came to light when Karam Singh, brother of the victim, reported that the body of his brother, who had been missing since the evening of October 21, was found near a drain. According to the complainant, Sandeep Singh had left home around 5 pm, saying he was going to meet a friend and would return by 8pm. However, when he did not come back, the family initially assumed that he might have stayed at a friend’s place due to the Diwali celebrations. Later at around 5pm the following day, the complainant received information that a body was found near a drain close to the Sonu Mahal’s tubewell room located near the drain in Khiala Kalan village. Upon reaching the spot, he identified the deceased as his brother, Sandeep Singh. The face and head of the victim bore deep injuries inflicted with sharpedged weapons and the left ear was partially severed. Satpal Singh, SHO, Lopoke police station, said it appeared to be a case of murder committed by unidentified persons using sharp weapons. A case has been registered and further investigations are underway to trace the culprits. VICTIM WENT MISSING ON OCTOBER 21 ■ The tragic incident came to light when Karam Singh, brother of the victim, reported that the body of his brother, who had been missing since the evening of October 21, was found near a drain.