25032026-JTR-01.qxd 3/24/2026 11:18 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune MC WARNS RAILWAYS: CLEAR WATER DUES BY MARCH 27 PHAGWARA GRAPPLES WITH GARBAGE CRISIS ONE-STOP DESTINATION FOR WEDDING ITEMS AT NOVOTEL During a special drive, officials found that dues had remained unpaid since long. P2 Despite repeated complaints, several parts of the city continue to struggle with overflowing garbage dumps. P3 Over 50 designers and 10 jewellers will showcase bridal fashion at Novotel Hotel, Chandigarh, on March 28 and 29. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.42 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:24 AM » WEDNESDAY | 25 MARCH 2026 | JALANDHAR Server snag at Seva Kendra leaves visitors hassled Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 24 The residents, who flocked to Seva Kendra, located on the premises of the DC office complex on Tuesday after a three-day holiday, faced chaos and long delays due to a sluggish server of eSewa Punjab portal, crippling routine public services. It continued unabated till late evening, leaving hundreds of applicants stranded and frustrated. According to visitors, the technical glitch hit essential services at the Seva Kendra such as issuance of certificates, details correction on documents, driving licence applications and other routine documentation, bringing work almost to a standstill. Voicing her concerns, Amandeep Kaur, a visitor, said, “I have been waiting here since morning. I came to get my Scheduled Caste certificate made but the process has not even started yet. The staff at counters are stating that the server is not working properly and no one is giving us a clear update. We have been standing in long queues for hours Cash, goods worth ~40,000 stolen from grocery store Our Correspondent Phagwara, March 24 A case of burglary has been registered at Phagwara after unknown persons broke into a local grocery shop and decamped with cash and merchandise worth approximately Rs 40,000. According to a complaint filed by Ravinder Kumar, a resident near power house on Banga Road, Phagwara, he owns and operates a grocery store in the locality. He stated that he had closed his shop around 9 pm on March 20 after properly locking the shutter. However, upon returning the next morning around 7 am on March 21 to reopen the shop, he found that the shutter was forcibly lifted and damaged. Upon entering the premises, he found the shop ransacked, with goods scattered across the floor. A subsequent inspection revealed that several items were missing, including packets of almonds, cashews, refined oil, small and large cardamom, cloves, dry fruits, spices, desi ghee tins, cigarette boxes, and other grocery products. Additionally, cash was also stolen. The total loss has been estimated around Rs 40,000. The complainant informed the police, following which a case was registered against unknown persons. No arrests have been made so far. 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. Residents visiting a Seva Kendra get hassled in Jalandhar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH and it feels like our entire day has been wasted,” she added. Prabhjot Singh, another applicant, said, “I have taken a half-day off to arrive early in the morning to apply for my driving licence but the server is not responding.” Officials at the centre acknowledged the disruption attributing it to a persistent technical issue due to large footfall. Bahadar Singh, District Manager at the Seva Kendra in the DC office, said, “The server has been running slow for the past four days, impacting all services. We have already raised a complaint with the authorities.” He further added that the Seva Kendra typically witnesses a daily footfall of 400 to 500 visitors. However, the post holiday rush significantly increased the number on Tuesday, worsening the situation. Masked men open fire at trader’s house Hoshiarpur, March 24 Panic gripped Jain Colony in Gardhiwala late Monday night after two unidentified masked men opened fire at the residence of a local businessman before fleeing the spot. While the motive behind the attack remains unclear, the entire episode was captured on CCTV cameras installed on the premises. According to DSP Tanda Davinder Singh Bajwa, two assailants arrived on a motorcycle and fired two shots at the house. One bullet hit the main gate while the other struck a window, shattering the glass. The businessman and his wife were present in the house with their children. SHO Satpal Singh Bajwa and DSP Bajwa reached the spot with a heavy police force to assess the situation. “The CCTV footage shows two men with covered faces arriving on a bike and firing at the house. We are scanning other cameras in the city to trace their escape route,” said DSP Bajwa. The police have registered a case and launched an intensive investigation. DSP Bajwa said the culprits would be identified and arrested soon. — OC Property tax recovery touches ~49 crore, misses ~80 cr target Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 24 The property tax wing of the municipal authorities has recovered Rs 49 crore in the financial year, falling short of the ambitious target of Rs 80 crore set at the beginning of the year. Officials have acknowledged that the target was significantly higher than last year’s benchmark of Rs 50 crore, making it difficult to achieve within the stipulated time. Despite the shortfall, officials remain optimistic about improving the overall recovery figures. They estimate that an additional Rs 4 crore may be collected in the remaining six days of the financial year, potentially taking the total recovery to Rs 53 crore. This will mark a notable increase compared to last year’s collection of Rs 43 crore, reflecting steady progress in tax compliance. Bhupinder Singh, superintendent of the property tax wing, attributed the improved recovery to a series of awareness campaigns conducted throughout the year. These campaigns utilised multiple platforms, including SMS alerts, radio broadcasts and newspaper advertisements, to inform residents about their tax obligations and deadlines. In addition to awareness efforts, the department also deployed five special teams tasked with intensifying tax recovery, particularly in posh localities. These teams carried out door-to-door visits and issued notices to property owners who had defaulted on their payments. The areas covered during these drives included Model Town, Urban Estate Phase 2, Green Model Town, and Surya Enclave, among others. Officials emphasised that enforcement measures will be stricter in the coming financial year. Starting April, residents with pending dues will be required to pay a 20 per cent penalty along with an 18 per cent annual interest on outstanding amounts from previous years. Furthermore, the authorities are conducting a GISbased survey to identify all residential properties within the city limits. Officials stated that this initiative aims to bring more properties under the tax net and ensure that every property owner contributes fairly. The combination of awareness drives, targeted enforcement and technological interventions is expected to further strengthen property tax collection in the coming year. 7 gang members Unmarked speed breakers, uneven manhole arrested for covers make Jalandhar roads accident-prone plotting robbery Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Garhdiwala (Hoshiarpur), March 24 The Garhdiwala police have claimed of averting a major crime by arresting seven members of a notorious gang while they were allegedly planning to rob a local shop. The police recovered a cache of lethal weapons and seized the vehicles used by the accused. The arrested individuals have been identified as Ankirat, alias Keerat (Gurdaspur), Jaskirat Singh, alias Jassa (Garhdiwala), Jagjit Singh, alias Rikki (Hariana), Taranjit Singh, alias Taran, Gursharan Singh, alias Gora (Bullowal), and Harvinder Singh, alias Monu and Lovepreet Singh, alias Lovely (SBS Nagar). DSP-Tanda Davinder Singh Bajwa stated that a police team, led by SHO Satpal Singh Bajwa, was on a patrolling duty at Adda Ram Tatwali when they received a tip-off. The informant revealed that the armed gang was hiding in the forest area of village Mohalla Ranjitgarh Dhussi bundh. The group, known for organised crime, was reportedly acting on the instructions of an associate currently lodged in a jail to orchestrate a robbery in the city. Acting swiftly, the police conducted a raid and apprehended the suspects. The recovery included a .32 bore pistol and some sharp-edged weapons. A car and a motorcycle were also impounded. DSP Bajwa added that the accused would be produced in a court to seek remand for further interrogation. Jalandhar, March 24 In a glaring lapse of civic responsibility, several key road stretches across Jalandhar have turned into accidentprone zones with basic road safety norms virtually absent on the ground. Unmarked speed breakers, gaping potholes and dangerously uneven manhole covers have become a daily hazard for commuters, particularly during night hours or low visibility conditions. The crisis is most visible on high traffic routes such as the Ladowali road, Ajit Saini Marg, Doaba Chowk-Kishanpura stretch among others. These busy roads are riddled with serious safety deficiencies, exposing thousands of road users to constant risk. Additionally, with no reflective paint, signage or advance warnings in place, motorists are often caught off-guard, A broken manhole in front of Jalandhar DC office. SARABJIT SINGH heightened the chances of losing balance due to sudden elevation changes and poorly maintained surfaces. Residents say the problem is not only limited to a few pockets, but also extends across both urban and peripheral areas of the city. Voicing his concerns, Diljot Singh, a resident of Kishanpura, said, “Despite being among the most frequently used roads, basic maintenance and safety compliance remain neglected here. Sudden bumps and poorly aligned surfaces force us to brake abruptly increasing the chances of accidents. The authorities need to be considerate about these basic norms to ensure our safety.” As per guidelines laid down by the Indian Roads Congress, speed breakers must follow a uniform design and safety protocol. The guidelines also mandate timely repair of potholes and proper road maintenance. Yet, commuters continue to navigate large, deep craters that remain unattended for long periods, significantly increasing the risk of skidding and accidents. Similarly, manhole covers are required to be level with the road surface and securely fitted, but many roads have protruding or sunken covers, creating dangerous dips that can destabilise vehicles. Surinder Saini, district road safety expert and also a member of the district road safety committee, said, “Repeated warnings have gone unheeded. Speed breakers are neither controlling speed, nor preventing accidents. Poor design and lack of markings are increasing the risk instead of reducing it.” He added that enforcement gaps are also compounding the problem. Speed monitoring systems must be installed on high traffic stretches to check overspeeding. The authorities must also take strict action against overburdened and overdimensional vehicles with penalties of Rs 20,000 as per Supreme Court guidelines,” he said. Meanwhile, addressing these concerns, DC Himanshu Aggarwal said, “Most of the stretches in the city comes under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation. We will take cognizance of these issues in the next road safety meeting scheduled on April 6. Earlier also, we have taken notes of every fatal road mishaps reported in the city, asking the Municipal corporation, NHAI and PWD to take serious notes of all factors contributing to these accidents.” In terms of potholes, Aggarwal said, “Due to unpredictable weather conditions like rain, hot mix plants were closed due to which these potholes could not be fixed. These plants will start operating from the first week of April. Also, we regularly conduct infrastructure-focused meeting every month where all of these issues will be taken up to resolve these at the earliest.” Contempt plea against judicial officer draws ~1 lakh costs HC warns against ‘glaring misuse of judicial process’ Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 24 Coming down heavily on a litigant for filing a contempt petition against a judicial officer despite compliance of court directions, Justice Sudeepti Sharma of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the plea with Rs 1 lakh costs after holding that it was a “glaring instance of misuse of the judicial process” and an abuse that adds to the court’s pendency. The cost was directed to be paid to the judicial officer. Justice Sharma made it clear that no case of wilful disobedience was made out, expressing concern over the manner in which allegations were levelled against the judicial officer. The court asserted that such proceedings, pursued despite compliance, undermined judicial functioning and wasted limited judicial time. Justice Sharma was hearing a contempt petition filed, alleging non-compliance of directions issued on November 10, 2025, in a case where the High Court had asked the courts below to decide certain applications expeditiously, “preferably within a period of three months.” the applications had already been decided by the Civil Judge (Junior Division), Jalandhar, on February 27 in compliance with the HC’s order. Rejecting the very foundation of the contempt plea, Justice Sharma held: “A bare reading of the order dated November 10, 2025, shows that there is no disobedience on the part of the respondent for which the present contempt petition has been filed.” The court noted that despite being aware of this compliance, the petitioner still chose to file the contempt proceedings and continued to pursue the same without any “justifiable or tenable grounds of law.” No disobedience, compliance already on record ‘Gross abuse’ and burden on docket Justice Sharma was, during the course of hearing, said one of Justice Sharma termed the conduct an abuse of process c m y b that contributed to pendency: “Such conduct amounts to gross abuse of the process of law and unnecessarily adds to the burgeoning pendency of cases before this court.” The Bench added the matter could have been dismissed, but was required to be proceeded further in view of the nature of allegations against the judicial officer. “Ordinarily, this court would have concluded the matter at this stage by dismissing the contempt petition. However, having regard to the underlying intent behind the filing of the present contempt, the manner and mode in which the allegations have been raised against the Judicial Officer, the matter warrants further consideration and elaboration,” Justice Sharma asserted. Coming to the rescue of the judicial officer, Justice Sharma added: “Such kind of allegation of disobedience of this court’s order against a sincere, competent and hardworking judicial officer demands indulgence of this court.” Direction was not time-bound Clarifying the scope of its earlier order, Justice Sharma asserted that the direction to decide applications within three months was not mandatory. “Further perusal of the order dated November 10, 2025, shows that this court had directed the courts below to decide the applications expeditiously and preferably within a period of three months. No time-bound direction was given by this court to decide the applications. Therefore, no contempt is made out.” The court also referred to the trial court record, noting delays attributable to procedural aspects, including nonfiling of reply and adjournments, with even costs imposed by the Civil Judge on January 29. Deterrent costs to protect judicial officers Taking a stern view, Justice Sharma held the petition to be a textbook misuse of contempt jurisdiction: “This court is firmly of the opinion that the instant petition constitutes a glaring instance of misuse of the judicial process. It is, therefore, incumbent upon this court to safeguard the sanctity of judicial officers and to prevent their exploitation by unscrupulous litigants.” Referring to the need to conserve judicial time for genuine cases, the court added the court’s time and resources were limited and must be reserved for bona fide grievances “that merit judicial consideration.” Imposing deterrent costs, Justice Sudeepti Sharma ordered: “Accordingly, with a view to sending a strong deterrent message and to preserving the sanctity of judicial officers, this court deems it appropriate to impose costs of Rs 1 lakh upon the petitioner to be paid to the respondent.” The amount was directed to be deposited with the District and Sessions Judge, Jalandhar, for disbursal to the respondent-officer. The court further directed that the amount would be recovered as arrears of land revenue in case of default.