25022026-ATR-01.qxd 2/24/2026 11:29 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY GNDU LIFT INTER-VARSITY CYCLING TITLES FOR MEN & WOMEN CIVIL SURGEON HOLDS MEETING WITH HEALTH OFFICERS RUN BY WOMEN, SHIMLA'S CAFÉ OFFERS PANCAKES, SHAKES GNDU has clinched the All India InterUniversity Track Cycling (Men & Women) Championship. P2 Civil Surgeon Dr Gurpreet Singh Rai holds an urgent meeting with Community Health Officers (CHOs). P2 MAX 26°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 26°C | MIN 10°C Having 95% women staff, Wood Street Café in Shimla city offers a variety of cuisine, pancakes and shakes. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.24 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 7.01 AM » WEDNESDAY | 25 FEBRUARY 2026 | AMRITSAR City animal lover leads by example in managing stray population Three-day Rangla Punjab Utsav from Feb 27 in city NEWSMAKER Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 24 The Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs of the Punjab Government will organise a three-day ‘Rangla Punjab Utsav’ from February 27 to March 1 at the Ranjit Avenue grounds in Amritsar. The festival aims to promote Punjab’s cultural heritage, lifestyle and cuisine at the global level. Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh chaired a meeting with officials of various departments to review preparations for the event. He said the Rangla Punjab Utsav will commence on February 27 at the Ranjit Avenue grounds and continue until March 1. The threeday celebration will be dedicated to Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat, offering a vibrant glimpse of the state’s rich cultural heritage, traditional lifestyle and diverse food. A craft market will be set up during the festival, showcasing traditional Punjabi handicrafts and handloom products. In addition, Punjab’s culinary heritage will be highlighted at a dedicated food court, where around 30 stalls will be installed. OF THE WEEK Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Work on to install special touch-sensitive tactile tiles at the ISBT in Amritsar on Tuesday. Raised tiles to aid blind in navigating govt buildings Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 24 The district administration has begun installing special touchsensitive tactile tiles at the InterState Bus Terminal (ISBT) and various government offices across the city to assist visually impaired persons. The initiative follows directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. These tiles will enable visually impaired individuals to access offices independently, without having to rely on others for assistance. Work is progressing swiftly at the ISBT, while installation has also commenced at the Deputy Commissioner’s office located in the Mini Secretariat. The tiles have already been laid on the third floor, and work on the first and second floors is currently underway. The project is being implemented in compliance with the High Court’s orders, and tactile tiles will be installed in all government offices across the city. The Public Works Department (PWD) has been entrusted with executing the work. PWD Executive Engineer Kushaldeep Singh Randhawa said that in the coming days, tactile tiles will be installed in all government offices to ensure that visually impaired persons do not face inconvenience while accessing public services. Tactile tiles are specially designed with raised surfaces featuring embossed patterns such as dots and elongated bars that can be detected through touch. When a visually impaired person walks over these tiles using a cane, they can identify the direction of the path, detect turns and sense obstacles ahead. PWD officials said these raised tiles are installed on floors to help blind and low-vision individuals navigate pathways safely and confidently. The initiative is being seen as a significant step towards promoting accessibility and empowering persons with disabilities to become more self-reliant. Abandoned’ police vehicle at MC ‘ Complex triggers controversy Animal and dog lover Nitesh Singhal along with stray dogs at the shelter created on the rooftop of his house in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR recover after surgeries. His concern for stray animals began early in life, shaped by the sight of injured dogs left unattended on busy roads. “I couldn’t just walk away,” he recalls. That impulse to stop and help gradually evolved into a fullfledged commitment. Today, his home shelters more than a dozen abandoned and injured dogs. Each animal is sterilised, vaccinated and medically treated in accordance with Animal Birth Control norms. Dogs that recover are housed perma- nently within his compound — away from schools, hospitals and crowded public spaces. To ensure proper upkeep, he has employed two caretakers who manage feeding schedules, hygiene and timely medication. A significant portion of his personal income goes towards food, vaccines, emergency surgeries and post-operative care. Speaking on the stray dog issue that prompted the apex court to intervene, Singhal said the authorities concerned must implement animal birth control guidelines honestly and in both letter and spirit. Residents from nearby localities also approach him for help with injured strays. At a time when municipalities are struggling to implement policy directives and the national conversation remains sharply divided, this modest home offers a practical model rooted in balance. “Public safety and rules are important,” says Nitesh, adding, “but compassion matters too. We have to find a middle path.” Two in police custody after heroin seizure Tarn Taran, February 24 A Scorpio (PB-46 M-1225) belonging to the city police has allegedly been lying abandoned at the MC Complex for the past three years, raising serious questions about official negligence. An employee of the municipal council (MC), speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the punctured vehicle has been parked in a dilapidated condition for nearly three years. According to the employee, it appears that the police authorities have completely forgotten about it. Kawaljit Singh, Executive Officer (EO) of the municipal council, said he was unaware that any such vehicle was parked inside the office complex. He stated that he would soon ask the city police station to remove it from the premises. The MC employee further alleged that no police official had visited the site to check on Amritsar, February 24 As India continues to debate the stray dog crisis and the Supreme Court of India reiterates that strays cannot be indiscriminately removed but must be managed through sterilisation, vaccination and regulated relocation under the Animal Birth Control Rules, one man in Amritsar is setting an example. He not only provides shelter to stray canines but also works to control their population in the densely populated locality of the walled city where he resides. Inside a 500-yard, two-storey house tucked into Kairoj Market in the walled city, a short walk from the Golden Temple, compassion has found a permanent address. Every morning, before the city stirs to life, Nitesh Singhal begins his day surrounded by wagging tails and eager eyes. What was once a storage godown on the ground floor of his house has been transformed into an organised shelter for homeless and injured dogs. The terrace above now serves as a safe play area where the animals stretch, play and Our Correspondent The ‘abandoned’ police vehicle at the MC Complex in Tarn Taran. the vehicle during this period. Due to prolonged exposure and continuous neglect, most of the vehicle’s parts have deteriorated, reducing the once valuable asset to junk. However, Inspector Navdeep Singh, SHO of the city police station, refuted the claim that the vehicle had been lying there for years. He said that the Scorpio had been assigned to an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) four days ago for official work. According to him, the vehicle was parked at the complex only four days ago after it developed a puncture. While an MC employee claims the vehicle has been abandoned for three years, the police maintain it has been parked there for just four days. The truth of the matter needs to be ascertained. — OC Tarn Taran, February 24 A police team led by ASI Sukhbir Singh from the Sadar police station arrested Shamsher Singh, alias Shera, a resident of Sangha, with nine grams of heroin near the canal at Rasulpur village late Monday evening. In a separate incident, a police party headed by ASI Harpal Singh of the Sadar (Patti) police station arrested Wazir Singh, a resident of Kot Budha, with 12 grams of heroin near the crematorium at Sabhra village. The police stations concerned have registered cases under Sections 21-B, 61, and 85 of the NDPS Act. Both accused were produced in court today and have been remanded to two days of police custody. 11-yr-old earns patent for compact geometry tool Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 24 In an inspiring achievement for young innovators, 11-yearold Japnoor Singh, a student of Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, has received a design patent from the Government of India for his unique multiutility geometry pen. Japnoor developed the design under the guidance of his mentor and teacher, Bhawya Sareen, along with his father, Dr Prabh Deep Singh, a researcher. Explaining his invention, Japnoor said, “This is not an ordinary pen. It is a studentfocused multi-utility geometry pen designed to replace the bulky geometry box with a compact and smart tool that students can easily carry Japnoor Singh every day.” The pen integrates essential geometry tools into a single device: a pen for writing, a pencil for drawing diagrams, an eraser for corrections, a mini scale for measurements, and a compass or circle maker for drawing circles. In simple terms, one pen functions as a mini geometry box. Highlighting its benefits, Japnoor said the invention reduces the need to carry heavy geometry boxes, making school bags lighter and more organised. It also helps students work faster during classes and examinations and minimises the chances of losing small stationery items. “For me personally, it made learning easier and more fun,” he added. It took Japnoor and his teacher nearly eight months of redesigning and refining ideas to finalise the product. Dr Prabh Deep Singh said Japnoor drew inspiration from the design of a nail clipper, which traditionally includes multiple grooming attachments. “He has strong critical thinking skills and worked on two to three different concepts before arriving at the final multi-utility pen design,” he said. At the age of seven, Japnoor had already worked on an IoT (Internet of Things) project involving multiple sensory objects. He is also a gold medallist in school-level gatka. His mentor, Bhawya Sareen, said, “This invention represents youth innovation and practical problem-solving. It encourages students to think creatively and shows how simple, everyday problems can be solved with smart ideas. 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