28022026-JTR-01.qxd 2/27/2026 11:24 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SP ANNOUNCES DAILY PUBLIC HEARING AT SAMPARK MEET CITY-BASED WRITER ANNOUNCES THIRD EDITION OF BOOK EXPLORE MODERN ARCHITECTURE VIA STORIES, EXPERIENCE SHARING Meeting was convened as community outreach initiative to strengthen bond between police, rural residents. P2 ‘Timeless Trails’ by Seema Anand Chopra is about an adventurer’s travel across India and the world. P3 City Dialogues will hold the event near the Underpass, Sector 17, Chandigarh, at 11.30 am on February 28. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 28°C | MIN 13°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 12°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6.20 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6.49 AM SATURDAY | 28 FEBRUARY 2026 | JALANDHAR 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. PSPCL cracks the whip on defaulters over dues INBRIEF Rishika Kriti HEALTH & WELLNESS GNDU SENATE MEMBER Phagwara: Dr Gurdev Singh Randhawa, Principal of Guru Nanak College Sukhchainana Sahib, Phagwara, and president of the Principals’ Association, Punjab, has been appointed as a Member of the Senate of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Dr Randhawa has been actively associated with the advancement of higher education across Punjab and has played a pivotal role in addressing academic, administrative and developmental issues concerning colleges affiliated with major state universities, including Panjab University and Punjabi University. Members of the College Managing Committee, led by president Jatinderpal Singh Palahi, along with the entire college staff, congratulated Dr Randhawa on this achievement. OC SBS NAGAR ZILA PANCHAYAT Phagwara: The Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar administration on Friday administered oath of office to the newly elected members of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti at a ceremony held at Shivalik Public School. MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi and ADC (Development) Avneet Kaur, along with other dignitaries, administered the oath to the members in the presence of a large gathering. Interacting with the newly elected representatives, Sukhi called upon them to work with dedication and ensure that the maximum benefits of government welfare schemes reach people at the grassroots level. The MLA urged Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members to play a proactive role in steering youth away from drug abuse and contribute towards making Punjab vibrant once again. OC CII CHAIRMAN, VICE-CHAIRMAN The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Jalandhar zone, has elected philanthropist and renowned industrialist Mukinder Singh, as Chairman and Sahil Sood, as vicechairman for 2026-27. It marked the completion of the tenure of Ajay Sikka, Chairman, who led the zone during 2025-26. Amit Jain, Chairman, CII Punjab, and Harpreet Nibber, vicechairman, CII Punjab, appreciated the proactive role played by CII Jalandhar zone under Sikka’s leadership. The chief guest, DC Dr Himanshu Aggarwal, assured that the administration remains committed to resolving genuine issues faced by the industry in a time-bound manner. Among the prominent members present were Rajesh Kharbanda, Dr Aman Mittal of LPU, Ajay Goswami, Tushar Jain, Barinder Kalsi, SP Sethi, Dinesh Sharma, Harpreet Singh, Jasjit Bedi, Dharminder Mehta and Jaswinder Suri. OC Recovers pending amount worth ~379.86 cr, 48K connections snapped ery and disconnection drive, PSPCL still has outstanding electricity dues amounting to Rs 419.47 crore in the North zone, official data revealed. Of this, the highest pendency of Rs 263.74 crore is in Jalandhar alone. Kapurthala follows with Rs 92.44 crore. Hoshiarpur has pending dues of Rs 51.11 crore while Nawanshahr's outstanding amount stands at Rs 12.17 crore. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 27 In a major push to improving its worsening fiscal health ahead of the closing of the current financial year, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) in Jalandhar has tightened its grip on errant consumers, recovering electricity dues worth Rs 379.86 crore till January this year, officials familiar with the matter said. Notably, the significant recovery made between April 2025 and January this year, comes as part of the corporation's sustained drive to clear pending dues of power defaulters across various consumer categories. Officials said consumers whose electricity bills remain unpaid for more than 60 days are counted as defaulters by the department. 48,039 connections disconnected across zone Alongside the recovery, PSPCL has disconnected around 48,039 electricity connections in the North zone. The zone covers prominent districts, including Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr. Among all districts, Jalandhar recorded the highest number of disconnections at 22,803, accounting for nearly Target to cut dues by up to 30 per cent 48 per cent of the total action taken in the zone. Within Jalandhar, the Model Town division, considered one of the city's upscale localities, saw the highest number of 6,522 disconnections. This was followed by Phagwara with 4,657 disconnections and Jalandhar West with 4,290. tricity bills, Hoshiarpur district which also covers Dasuya, Mukerian, Bhogpur and Mahilpur areas, topped the chart by contributing Rs 194.33 crore. Jalandhar followed with Rs 93.92 crore, while Kapurthala recorded Rs 48.72 crore and Nawanshahr contributed Rs 42.88 crore. Hoshiarpur leads in recovery amount Rs 419.47 crore still pending In terms of recovery of elec- Despite the large-scale recov- DD Punjabi to telecast science show Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 27 A TV programme titled, "Science Show on National Science Day", is being telecast on February 28, Saturday, at 10:30 am on DD.Punjabi. The programme has been produced by Doordarshan Kendra, Jalandhar, to mark the occasion of National Science Day with an educational presentation. The one-hour special programme features exciting and innovative science experiments demonstrated by Dr Jaswinder Singh, national awardee. The show also includes insightful interactions with eminent experts including Dr Rajesh Grover, Director of Pushpa Gujral Science City, and Dr Satbir Singh, Dean of Punjab Technical University. Aligned with this year's theme of "Women in Science", the programme highlights the inspiring participation of Dr Anjana Bhatia, National Shikshak Awardee 2025 (Science). Her presence proved to be a major attraction for students from LPU and HMV who attended the show with great enthusiasm. The stu- dents actively participated in live demonstrations and interactive sessions, making the programme both engaging and impactful.The show has been produced by Pankaj and directed by Agiapal S Randhawa. It has been anchored by Chandani and Niharika under the directions and guidance of Kewal Krishan, Head of Programmes, Doordarshan Kendra, Jalandhar. The special telecast promises to inspire young minds and promote scientific temper among viewers in the region. When contacted, Chief Engineer Des Raj Bangar said that the department intensified its recovery campaign from January onwards. "From January, we intensified the recovery drive. We are conducting regular meetings to monitor defaulting consumers. Ahead of the conclusion of the ongoing financial year, we are targeting to reduce our outstanding amount by 25 to 30 per cent," he said. PSPCL officials maintained that the drive will continue in the coming weeks with strict monitoring and field-level enforcement to ensure higher recovery and fiscal discipline before the financial year ends. Simranjeet Singh is new Nakodar SDM, Aaditya Gupta takes over at Shahkot Our Correspondent Nakodar, February 27 The Punjab government on Thursday appointed subdivisional magistrate (SDM), Bhikhiwind (Amritsar), Simranjeet Singh as Nakodar SDM against a vacant post. The government appointed Chief Minister’s Field Officer, Jalandhar, Aaditya Gupta as Shahkot SDM against a vacant post. Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha issued the orders on February 26. Firing incident at Nakodar bus stand creates panic Our Correspondent Nakodar, February 27 Unidentified assailants opened fire inside the busy Nakodar bus stand late on Thursday evening before fleeing from the spot after allegedly snatching a motorcycle. The incident, which occurred in the presence of commuters and shopkeepers, created chaos and raised serious questions about the prevailing law and order situation in the area. According to eyewitness accounts, the incident took place when a young man arrived at the bus stand on his motorcycle. Shortly thereafter, a few unidentified youths approached him, leading to a heated exchange. Within moments, one of the accused reportedly fired a shot in the air, triggering panic among passengers waiting for buses. People ran for cover as fear gripped the crowded premises. Taking advan- tage of the commotion, the accused allegedly snatched the motorcycle and escaped from the scene. Though no injuries were reported, the sound of gunfire at such a crowded public place left residents deeply shaken. The bus stand, which usually witnesses heavy evening rush, turned into a scene of confusion as commuters scrambled to ensure their safety. Shopkeepers immediately pulled down shutters while bystanders alerted the police. DSP Nakodar Onkar Singh Brar, SHO Harvinder Singh and other police officials rushed to the spot along with their teams and initiated an investigation. Police sources stated that CCTV cameras installed in and around the bus stand are being examined to identify the culprits. Officials have assured that raids are being conducted and the accused will be apprehended soon. Two arrested for murder bid on fuel pump staff Nakodar, February 27 The Nurmahal police have arrested two miscreants on the charge of attempted murder. Officiating SHO Amandeep Singh said that the accused have been identified as Armann Gill, a resident of Khusropur village under Jalandhar Cantt police station and Samrath, son of Tirtha Kumar a resident of Deep Nagar, Jalandhar Cantt Jagtar Singh, a resident of Jandiala village under Sadar Jamsher police station, complained to the police that the accused came to Bundala petrol pump on Goraya Road on the evening of February 24 and asked to fill the Swift car (PB-08-AA-009) petrol tank and fled without paying. The complainant said they chased and tried to stop him near Kangiwal village on Jalandhar Road. But the accused hit their vehicle with his car with the intention to kill and injured both.— OC Joy in AAP camp as court lets Kejriwal, Sisodia off the hook Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 27 After national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab affairs in-charge of the party Manish Sisodia got acquitted in the alleged liquor scam, party leaders and workers celebrated the occasion as victory. The party leaders distributed sweets and performed bhangra on the beats of dhol. Terming the order as the triumph of democracy and truth, Jalandhar Lok Sabha in-charge and Chairman, Jalandhar Improvement Trust, Ramneek Singh Randhawa said that for a long time, Opposition parties had been targeting the party's top leaders by making attempts to tarnish their image, but the court's decision had proved that truth cannot be suppressed. During the celebrations, Nakodar MLA Inderjit Kaur Mann congratulated the workers and said that it was a big win for the Aam Aadmi Party. Jalandhar Central constituency in-charge Nitin Kohli, Adampur in-charge AAP workers celebrate in Jalandhar after court relief to Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi excise policy case. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH Pawan Tinu, Shahkot constituency in-charge Pinder Pandori, and Phillaur constituency in-charge, Principal Prem Kumar, also shared their views and criticised the policies of the Central Government. Doaba media secretary Atam Prakash Bablu and media in-charge Sanjeev Bhagat said that there was great enthusiasm among party workers following the court decision. Punjab Chair- man Kaku Ahluwalia, Deputy Mayor Malkeet Singh Subhana, Chairmen Bari Salmani and Mangal Singh Bassi also attended the event and raised slogans in support of the party's continued progress. Ricky Manocha, Indervansh Chadha and Binnu Juneja, along with other party workers, were also present on the occasion, and shared their joy by distributing laddoos. Help clean rivers, Seechewal tells Punjabis in Philippines Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 27 Rajya Sabha Member and environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, during his visit to the Philippines, held special meetings with the Punjabi community residing there. Addressing religious gatherings, he spoke about the ongoing Kar Seva for the historic Budda Dariya in Punjab. During programmes organised in Dagupan and Urdaneta, he said that Budda Dariya, once considered a lifeline, had gradually turned into a drain due to negligence and pollution. This situation was a matter of serious concern for society. However, with selfless Kar Seva and collective efforts, strong attempts are now underway to restore its ancient sanctity. He expressed confidence that this mission will achieve historic success. He appealed to Punjabis living in various cities and islands of the Philippines to maintain their spiritual and emotional connection with Punjab and to come forward to clean the small and large rivers, seasonal streams and ponds flowing through their villages and towns. On the occasion, a large number of volunteers and members of the Sikh community in the Philippines were present. The Gurdwara Management Committee specially honored Seechewal for his contributions to public welfare and environmental protection. Ranked No. 2 in INDIA & Ranked No. 1 in PUNJAB and JALANDHAR Design Thinking and experiential Learning Leader (Source: Education World, Grand Jury Indian School Ranking 2025-26) ADMISSIONS OPEN Batch 2026-27 c m y b