27102025-JTR-01.qxd 10/26/2025 10:46 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune FIRST ‘GREEN NAGAR KIRTAN’ ARRIVES AT NIRMAL KUTIA STOP STUBBLE BURNING AND ADOPT GREEN TECHNOLOGY Introduce car-free zones, expand public transport and implement smart traffic management. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 16°C AYUSHMANN OFFERS WARM WELCOME TO ANEET PADDA During the procession, MP Seechewal distributed 3,500 saplings as prasad to devotees. P2 FORECAST Taking to Instagram story, Ayushmann shared a screenshot of the post-credit scenes from his film Thamma. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 5.42 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:40 AM » MONDAY | 27 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. INBRIEF 8 BOOKED FOR MURDER BID Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have booked eight persons on charges of murder bid, assault, house trespass. The accused have been identified as Resham Lal, Mangat Ram, Gurpreet, Toti, Jashan, Giani and Simu, all resident of Sagarpur village. Sunil Kumar of the same village complained to the police that the accused barged into his house on October 22 and attacked him and his cousin with intention to kill. A case has been registered against the accused. OC YOUTH NABBED FOR KIDNAPPING Phagwara: The Lohian Khas police arrested a youth on the charge of kidnapping a minor. The accused has been identified as Vishal of Badshahpur village. The mother of the victim complained to the police that the accused kidnapped her minor daughter on September 30. A case has been registered against the accused, and his parents and another person. OC 4 HELD FOR ILLEGAL MINING Phagwara: The police have arrested four persons for illegal sand mining. The accused have been identified as Rupindar Singh of Lakhewali village in Muktsar Sahib, Beant Singh of Chak Janisar in Fazilka, Ram Singh and Nirmal Singh of Barnala district. Assistant District Mining Officer Vijay Kumar had complained to the police that the accused had indulged in illegal sand mining on the panchayat land of Chak Bahamanni village. OC TWO HELD UNDER NDPS ACT Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a person on the charge of selling intoxicating tablets. As many as 80 tablets were recovered from the accused Manpreet Singh, alias Gagarri, a resident of Bangiwal village. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act against the accused. The police arrested Kulwindar Singh of Raipur Aaryan village with 30 tablets. oc HELD FOR SELLING ILLICIT LIQUOR Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have arrested a villager on the charge of selling illicit countrymade liquor. Hundred bottles of hooch were seized from the accused Gurnam Singh of Vehran village. oc Phagwara grapples with post-Diwali waste surge Garbage generation up from 31MT to 40 MT |Nawanshahr residents demand dump site relocation Ashok Kaura & Aakanksha Bhardwaj Phagwara’s sanitation force currently comprises 305 safai sewaks — 171 permanent and 134 outsourced — supported by 87 vehicles, including JCBs, erickshaws, and pick-ups. Informal waste pickers are also being identified and included under a formal recognition and inclusion drive to ensure their participation in sustainable waste management efforts. Tribune Reporters Phagwara/Nawanshahr, October 26 In the aftermath of the Diwali celebrations, Phagwara has witnessed an unprecedented spike in waste accumulation, leaving municipal workers racing against time to restore cleanliness across the city. Municipal Corporation (MC) estimates that the city’s daily waste generation, which usually hovers around 31 metric tonnes, soared to nearly 40 metric tonnes during the festive week — driven by the increased consumer activity, packaging waste and heightened festive consumption. Municipal officials attributed the sudden rise in garbage piles to the three-day holiday period encompassing the two main Diwali days and Vishwakarma Day. With a large section of sanitation staff on leave, collection services were temporarily suspended, causing waste to accumulate at several collection sites. Clearance operations resumed on Thursday, with the corporation deploying additional manpower and extending working hours to bring the situation under control. Phagwara currently has eight designated garbage collection points, yet several unplanned dumping sites PROTEST THREATENED ❝If the Nawanshahr admn fails to act, residents will block dumping site from November 2. ❞ Chet Ram Rattan, COUNCILLOR, A garbage dump which is a nuisance in Nawanshahr. TRIBUNE PHOTO have emerged in both residential and commercial areas. Prominent collection zones include Urban Estate main road, plots near the Post Office, Hoshiarpur Road, and Nakodar Road. At the Urban Estate site — one of the largest within city limits — continuous dumping of mixed, unsegregated waste was observed as 15 to 20 vehicles and e-rickshaws unloaded garbage within a span of half an hour. However, the city’s legacy waste dump at Bhogpur village remains the most press- ing environmental challenge. The site has accumulated an estimated 8–10 lakh metric tonnes of waste over the years, though residents claim the figure could be significantly higher, exceeding 15 lakh MT. The unscientific dumping practices have led to the release of foul odours, persistent smoke, and toxic leachate that reportedly seeps into nearby agricultural fields, contaminating groundwater and posing serious health hazards. Phagwara Municipal Commissioner Dr Akshita Gupta, said intensive post-Diwali waste clearance operations were underway across the city. Dr Gupta said, “Phagwara generates about 31 metric tonnes of waste daily, which rose to 35–40 MT during Diwali. Due to the weekend and festive holidays, waste collection was delayed, but it has now resumed in full swing. The bio-remediation process at the Bhogpur dump, which began in May, was briefly halted during the monsoon but has now resumed. Most of the legacy waste has already been processed and tenders for further remediation of around 8 lakh MT are finalised. Advanced segregation at source will soon be implemented under the integrated waste management plan,” she added. Waste mgmt crisis in Nawanshahr Nawanshahr’s ongoing waste management crisis is in news since long as residents have been protesting against the huge dump along the Musapur road. Approxi- mately 11 metric tonne of garbage waste is generated in the city on a daily basis. Residents say the dump site has become a major source of pollution, demanding its relocation outside the city limits. “It often catches fire and emits an unbearable stench,” rued Gurbachan Singh, a resident. Locals also complained that garbage heaps are regularly seen along Saloh road and Banga road, where uncollected waste piles up, giving the city an unkempt and unpleasant appearance. Before the start of the festive season, a strike by safai karamcharis further worsened the situation, leaving various areas littered. Executive Officer of the Municipal Council Munish Kumar stated that garbage was being lifted from secondary collection points regularly and assured that any existing problems would be addressed promptly. However, several councillors have acknowledged that the city’s waste management system remains inadequate. “The dump at the Moosapur road smells unbearable,” said Councillor Param Singh Khalsa from Ward No. 4. Frustrated by the inaction, residents from Navi Abadi, Triveni Mohalla, Sant Nagar, Begumpura and surrounding areas have united under the leadership of senior Councillor Chet Ram Rattan from Ward No. 17. They plan to submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Nawanshar on October 27, demanding a permanent solution to the garbage dumping and sewage problems within seven days. “If the administration fails to act, residents will block garbage dumping site starting from November 2,” warned Rattan, following a series of street meetings with residents. AAP halqa incharge Lalit Mohan Pathak have assured that the matter will be resolved soon. Garbage set afire in city, residents gasping for breath Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 26 While stubble burning dominates headlines in winters, another silent but dangerous practice that worsens Jalandhar’s air quality is the burning of garbage piles across the city. Toxic waste, dried leaves, and dead wood are routinely set ablaze in the name of cleanliness, contributing significantly to the city’s already alarming AQI levels. Ironically, these organic materials could enrich the soil if used as mulch, but ignorance and administrative apathy have turned them into pollutants. At the heart of the crisis lies the Wariana Dump site — a towering mountain of waste contaminating the region for over 30 years. Spanning 16 acres and estimated to hold over 30 metric tonnes of garbage (though MC claims it’s 15 to 16 lakh metric tonnes), the dump is a stark symbol of failed waste management. The core issue is lack of segregation. A significant portion of the city’s waste is Garbage burning goes on unabated in Jalandhar, posing environmental risks. PHOTO SARABJIT SINGH organic — bio-waste, vegetable scraps, and garden residue — which, if composted, could reduce the city’s garbage load by half. While the Mayor has said 60,000 metric tonne of the city’s waste has already been processed under the bio-mining project started in May this year, the fact remains that most of the bio-waste in Jalandhar continues to be mixed with other plastic, industrial or toxic wastes – causing a complete loss of a precious resource. While the MC had started segregation of wastes – with strong directions to people to separate wet wastes from dry – some years ago, the project could not even sustain for a few months. To add to it, an increasing number of people ignorantly set afire garbage piles, even burning plastic, which aggravates air pollution further in winter months. Large-scale composting is sadly a non- Shopping frenzy on Chhath starter in the region. Councillor Balraj Thakur says, “The garbage problem in Jalandhar can only be resolved if the garbage goes straight to the dump site. It is a long-term need for separate dump sites – at least 20 to 25 – only for green wastes. No residents will even object or protest to these, as green wastes will not cause any contamination. Leaves, woods, garden and bio-residue is getting dumped with other garbage at Wariana Dump site. This is a huge waste. ” He also pointed out that a baling plant at Burlton Park, once used for processing wood waste, has shut down Activist Tejasvi Minhas, who has recently written to the NGT, seeking remedial action on the pollution caused due to the Wariana dump said, “Waste should be considered a resource, and not garbage. Compost today sells for a hefty price. Jalandhar has vast resources available to generate tonnes of compost which it could be a big revenue for the MC. Every single strip of green waste and even paper and plastic wastes can be recycled with ingenuity and will. But officials sadly lack it. The NGT had recently ordered MC to share a time-bound action plan for complete compliance of the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 which hasn’t been submitted. The current garbage situation of a direct result of unabated corruption, official apathy and zero oversight.” Scooterist, son hurt in road accident MAN INJURED IN CLASH Phagwara: A violent clash occurred in Sekhupur, Kapurthala, yesterday, leaving a local resident, Rinku, injured. The attack involved Ajay and Vijay, who allegedly confronted Rinku over a longstanding personal dispute. Rinku was attacked, and gunshots were fired, though he escaped unharmed. A case has been registered. oc 305 SAFAI SEWAKS IN PHAGWARA Massive traffic jam during Chhath Puja shopping by people in Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH c m y b Phagwara, October 26 A man and his two-year-old son sustained serious injuries after their scooter was hit by a speeding car near Khurampur village on the Phagwara–Hoshiarpur road last evening. The injured have been identified as Ashim Mohammad, a resident of Lakhpur Sahni village, and his son. Mohammad was reportedly travelling with his wife and child to purchase medicines when the accident occurred. The impact of the collision threw the scooter occupants on to the road, leaving the father and child seriously hurt. Passersby and local residents immediately rushed to assist the victims and arranged for their transportation to the Civil Hospital, Phagwara, where they are receiving medical treatment. The condition of both injured persons was stable today, according to the hospital authorities. The driver allegedly fled the scene after the accident. The police have registered a case against the motorist under sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.— OC A family in Rampur Gaura village lives in fear as the bank erosion poses a threat to their house. A TRIBUNE PHOTO Admn attempts to save house of family at Rampur Gaura Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Kapurthala, October 26 A family from Rampur Gaura village in Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, is living in fear and despair as the home they built just three years ago now stands on the verge of collapse. The river near their village has changed its course, eroding and causing damage to their property. A wall of the home and washroom have already collapsed. The family’s head, Milkha Singh, 78, said in a trembling voice, “Halle saade ghar di reejh vi poori nahee hoyi si” (We hadn’t even fully enjoyed our new home yet). Family members have been moving their belongings. Milkha Singh, visibly shaken, said he and his two sons worked hard for years to build the house. “With great effort, I raised my sons and together we built this home. Now, its future is uncertain,” he said, adding that the family has already lost 17 acres to floods. The administration, along with the Drainage Department, is attempting to protect the remaining structure. Alka Kalia, SDM Sultanpur Lodhi, said, “The river changed its course and began eroding the house. The department and villagers are trying to save it, but since there is no embankment, it remains a major challenge.” Nine houses in the village were washed away during the recent floods, but Milkha Singh’s family continues to suffer even after the water receded. The family is currently living in someone else’s house for safety. “This is heartbreaking,” Milkha Singh said. “We don’t know how to start again, but we are still hopeful that we can save our home.” Village Sarpanch Gurpreet Singh confirmed that efforts are ongoing to prevent further erosion. “We are doing everything possible to save their house, but the family has already started moving their belongings outside,” he said.