09042026-JTR-01.qxd 4/8/2026 11:11 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune LANDLESS WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN FOCUS AT RALLY HEALTH WORKERS CRY FOUL OVER UNKEPT PAY HIKE PROMISE SAVOUR AUTHENTIC KASHMIRI FOOD AT SHIMLA’S WAZA CAFÉ A rally was organised by the Dehati Mazdoor Sabha on the issues of landless and resourceless rural workers. P2 ASHA workers have also flagged the withdrawal of several incentives that once supplemented their modest income.P3 Waza Café in Shimla offers Goshtaba, Rista, Kashmiri Dum Aloo, Tamar Paneer, Tabak Maaz, Rogan Josh. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 24°C | MIN 14°C YESTERDAY MAX 19°C | MIN 14°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.52 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:05 AM » THURSDAY | 9 APRIL 2026 | 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. Rain leaves Jalandhar roads in shambles, commuters at risk Ask govt to immediately conduct a special survey of damaged crops Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service INBRIEF THREE ‘DRUG PEDDLERS’ HELD Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested two ‘drug peddlers’ for selling intoxicating tablets. As many as 48 intoxicating tablets were recovered from the possession of the accused Lovpreet Singh of Kanian Kalan village and Sarabjit Singh of Kakarr Kalan village in Shahkot. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act against the accused. The police arrested Vikram Deep Singh of Bir Pind village with 52 tablets. OC MANY BOOKED FOR ILLEGAL MINING Phagwara: The police have booked unidentified persons on the charge of illegal mining. Mining Inspector complained to the police that the accused were indulging in illegal sand mining from the Sutlej near Thamuwal village. A case under the Mines and Minerals Act 1957 and of the BNS has been registered against unidentified persons. OC ILLICIT LIQUOR: MAN BOOKED Phagwara: The Bilga police have arrested a villager on charge of selling illicit countrymade liquor. Nine bottles of hooch were recovered from the possession of the accused Krishan Singh of Sangowal village. A case under the Punjab Excise Act has been registered against the accused. OC Jalandhar, April 8 With unseasonal rain derailing repair work, Jalandhar commuters are being forced onto damaged roads, exposing them to serious safety risks. Several stretches have remained unattended for weeks, with deep potholes, uneven surfaces and loose gravel turning daily travel into a risky ordeal. Instead of offering relief, ongoing patchwork is failing within days, exposing poor workmanship and leaving roads in a worse condition. Some of the worst-hit stretches include railway road leading to Mandi Fentonganj, Ladowali road near the railway crossing, Green Model Town Road and parts of Kishanpura. Adding to commuters’ woes, even recent repair work carried out by the Municipal Corporation is showing signs of failure. Cracks have already started appearing at several locations, pointing to poor quality work and inadequate monitoring. Cracks have developed on freshly patched stretches at Alaska Chowk and Ajit Saini Marg, raising serious concerns over the quality of work being done. Commuters say they are bearing the brunt of both bad roads and poor planning. Mohit Singh, a daily commuter from Model Town, Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi A broken road in front of the railway station in Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH said, “Every day feels like a challenge. You are constantly trying to avoid potholes and in the process, there is always a risk of hitting another vehicle. It is not only uncomfortable, but also dangerous.” Another commuter, Harvinder Kaur said, “The road near the railway station has been in a terrible condition for many weeks. Two wheelers are at the highest risk of skidding. It feels like no one is regularly checking the condition of these roads. We pay taxes but still have to travel like this everyday,” she said. Surinder Saini, a member of the District Road Safety Committee, said, “The Municipal Corporation should conduct a detailed survey to identify high-risk stretches that require immediate attention. There are several roads across the city that have become dangerous for commuters and need to be prioritised. At the same time, officials must closely monitor the quality of work being carried out on the ground to check poor execution and lack of accountabil- ity,” he said. Meanwhile, officials attributed the worsening road conditions to ongoing rain. Rahul Dhawan, Superintending Engineer of the MC’s B&R branch (Jalandhar North and Central), said, “The road outside the railway station premises does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation. Additionally, due to the unseasonal rain, the bitumen used for patchwork is not holding properly, which is affecting the durability of repairs. As a temporary solution, we will carry out patchwork using tiles to ensure that the road remains motorable until proper repair can be undertaken.” Rajneesh Dogra, Superintending Engineer (B&R) for Jalandhar West and Cantonment, said, “The hot mix plant is working as we have initiated the road repairs in March. However, over the past two to three days, it has been suspended due to continuous showers. Work in Model Town has already been taken up and we plan to resume repair as soon as the weather stabilises.” Hoshiarpur: Two bike-borne persons snatched a gold chain from a man. The Mahilpur police have registered a case. According to Hardeep Singh, a resident of Mahilpur, he had gone to buy items from a dairy with his three-year-old son. As he reached near the shop, two men already waiting on a motorcycle, snatched the gold chain from his neck and fled. Police have initiated further investigation after registering the case. oc ‘GAMBLER’ HELD WITH ~37,700 Hoshiarpur: The Model Town police arrested a man involved in illegal betting during patrol duty. Cash of ~37,770 and betting slips were recovered from him. The accused has been identified as Kuldeep Singh, alias Deepa, a resident of Suraj Nagar. A case has been registered against him. oc FORMER HOCKEY PLAYER DIES Jalandhar: Former national hockey player and promotor of the game Gurvinder Singh Bathla died following an ailment on Tuesday. He was the former hockey secretary of sports (Punjab & Sind Bank) and chief PRO of Surjit Hockey Society in Jalandhar. He had not been keeping well for the past few months. His last rites will be held tomorrow. TNS Hoshiarpur, April 8 Unseasonal rainfall over the past few days has caused serious concern among farmers awaiting the harvest of their wheat crop. Agricultural experts warn that strong winds accompanied by rain may lead to significant damage, especially to early-sown wheat. Intermittent rain and storms have flattened wheat crops in the fields just as they were nearing maturity. This has increased the risk of reduced yield and discoloration (blackening) of the grain. Traditionally, wheat harvesting in Hoshiarpur begins between April 15 and 20, but this year delays are expected due to adverse weather conditions. The impact is also visible in local grain markets, where a sense of inactivity prevails, with traders and labour- ers waiting for crops to arrive. Farmers across the district have demanded that the government conduct a special girdawari to evaluate losses caused by the unseasonal rain. Speaking to reporters, several farmers said wheat sown in fields had already matured and harvesting was expected to begin around mid-April. However, due to the recent rain and storms, harvesting has been delayed and flattened crops have resulted in significant financial losses. Farmers said they had already suffered heavy losses in the potato crop and were relying on wheat for recovery, but that hope is now fading due to adverse weather. Dr Maninder Singh Bons, Associate Director at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Hoshiarpur, said the recent rain is likely to severely impact early-sown wheat crops. The grain market wears a deserted look in Hoshiarpur. Mayor pulls up staff over Doaba farmers brace for higher harvesting costs water revenue recovery Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service BIKERS SNATCH GOLD CHAIN Unseasonal rainfall: Farmers face heavy losses Jalandhar, April 8 The Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, held a crucial review meeting regarding revenue recovery for the Water Supply and Sewerage Department for the financial year 2025–26. The meeting was chaired by Mayor Vaneet Dhir. During the session, the Mayor expressed strong dissatisfaction over the failure to meet recovery targets in the previous financial year. Officials were reprimanded and directed to launch an aggressive campaign to achieve the revenue goals set for 2026–27. Strict action against defaulters was ordered, including disconnection of water and sewerage connections through flying squads. The Commissioner also instructed that recent orders to regularise unauthorised submersible pumps be implemented with immediate effect. The move aims to bring all illegal water connections in the city under proper regulation. Special teams will be formed to conduct area-wise surveys and inspections to identify and act against violations. Emphasizing accountability, the Mayor announced that the performance of recovery staff will be reviewed every 15 days. Employees found lagging behind or showing negligence in their duties will face immediate transfers to other departments.— TNS Jalandhar, April 8 Untimely rain has posed fresh challenges to farmers across Punjab, with wheat crops flattening in several fields and raising serious concerns about harvesting costs, yield losses and delay in the harvesting schedule. Farmers say that if the weather stabilises, harvesting will begin within a week, but the situation has already increased their financial and operational burden. Sarabjit Singh, a farmer from Lohian, highlighted the sharp rise in harvesting expenses due to flattened crops. He said while the usual cost of harvesting a standing crop ranges between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 per acre, the rate is likely to increase significantly in the affected fields. “Operating combine harvesters becomes much more difficult when crops are flat- tened, pushing up the cost,” he said. He also raised concerns about the quality of wheat straw, noting that prolonged moisture exposure could cause it to turn black and develop fungal infections, reducing its market value. Ranjit Singh, a farmer from Boolpur village in Sultanpur Lodhi, echoed similar concerns about yield losses. While he described the overall situation in his area as manageable, he admitted that flattened patches in several fields, including his own, will impact productivity. “Even partial flattening affects grain formation and makes harvesting less efficient, which ultimately reduces the yield,” he said. Adding to the concerns, Subeh Singh, a farmer from Nakodar, pointed out the additional financial strain farmers will face during harvesting. “We will have to shell out extra money for combine harvesting because of the flattened crop,” he said. However, he noted that the situation in their region is still relatively better compared to the Malwa belt, where reports of damage are more severe. Farmers across the region remain worried that continued erratic weather could further escalate input costs while cutting into yields. For many, the coming days will be crucial in determining the extent and gravity of the problem and the overall impact on their livelihoods. Chief Agriculture Officer Jaswinder Singh stated that the overall situation in Jalandhar is under control. “Crops on more than 100 acres are likely to have been flattened,” he said. At Channi’s Khajurla durbar, outreach meets quiet power play Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 8 Former CM and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi has started holding Assembly-wise meetings with party leaders at his newly inaugurated house at Khajurla in Jalandhar. The meetings followed a high-profile housewarming on April 2, coinciding with his birthday and attended by party heavyweights across Jalandhar. So far, leaders and workers from Kartarpur and Phillaur have made their way to what is increasingly being seen as the MP’s informal political durbar. The meetings are fast emerging as more than a courtesy outreach. It is turning into a window into the Congress’ simmering internal dynamics. Officially, Channi maintains that the exercise is aimed at keeping channels of dialogue open and listening to grassroots issues. However, the optics and undercurrents point to a more layered political signalling. The Kartarpur meeting on April 6 set the tone. Former MLA Chaudhary Surinder Singh and halqa in-charge Rajinder Singh arrived separately, each accompanied by a sizeable show of strength. Slogans, social media posts and visible enthusiasm from supporters underscored the subtle competition for political space. Channi, playing a careful host, ensured both camps were given equal attention — a balancing act not lost on observers. If Kartarpur hinted at rivalry, Phillaur laid bare fault lines. The absence of sitting MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, who was not even invited, was nothing strange for anyone. His strained ties with Channi are no secret, dating back to the 2024 Lok Sabha ticket allocation, when Channi was preferred over Vikramjit’s mother Karamjeet Kaur. Vikramjit’s subsequent remark during the campaign had even led to his year-long suspension, later revoked. Supporters of the Phillaur MLA downplayed the issue, terming the gathering a “pri- c m y b vate event” and Channi’s prerogative, hinting at fissures in the Congress. The absence of Channi’s son Navjeet Singh, once active in Phillaur politics, was not present — a signal that the former Chief Minister is now not keen on fielding him from the reserved seat. Instead, the family’s political focus appears to remain on Chamkaur Sahib. Leaders arrived bearing bouquets and gifts, though Phillaur aspirant Amritpal Bhonsle stood out by presenting an idol of Dr BR Ambedkar. Channi and his wife, Dr Kamaljeet Kaur, played hosts, getting tea and traditional kulche-chhole served to theirs guests. Jalandhar MP Charanjit S Channi constructs his new house near Jalandhar.