09062026-JTR-01.qxd 6/8/2026 11:21 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune FARMERS BURN EFFIGIES OF PM, CM OVER ‘ANTI-PEOPLE POLICIES’ CLASS TESTS, PRE-BOARDS TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN FINAL RESULTS BOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR IMTIAZ ALI’S LOVE LETTER TO PUNJAB Farmers from various blocks, circles and villages of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Doaba were present at the protest. P2 The new norms will also apply to students enrolled under the open school system. P3 His upcoming film, Main Vaapas Aaunga, set to release on June 12, will be his third movie set against backdrop of Punjab.P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 42°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 40°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.31 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:22 AM » TUESDAY | 9 JUNE 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. INBRIEF 3 ARRESTED FOR DRUG PEDDLING Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested two persons on the charge of selling heroin. Nine gram of heroin was recovered from the possession of the accused Pardeep Singh and Jagjit Chauhan of Sarihn village. A case has been registered against the accused. The Nurmahal police arrested Salamudeen Khan of Uppal Khalsa village with 42 intoxicating tablets. OC 2 WOMEN AMONG SEVEN BOOKED Phagwara: The Shahkot police have booked seven persons, including two women, on the charge of outraging a woman’s modesty. The accused included Malkit Singh of Rame village, his son Kuldeep Singh, brother Ajit Singh and nephew Meet. Raj Kumar’s wife Parkash Kaur of Chak Bahmanian village complained to the police that the accused assaulted and outraged her modesty and threatened her. OC THREE 'DRUG ADDICTS' HELD Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have arrested three persons on the charge of consuming heroin. The accused have been identified as Kuldeep of Mahunwal village, Amandeep of Sidham Stationwale village and Manpreet of Johal village in Goraya. A lighter, a silver paper and plastic pipe used for consuming contraband were recovered from their possession. A case has been registered against the accused. OC MAN BOOKED FOR SNATCHING CASH Phagwara: The Shahkot police have booked unidentified miscreants on the charge of snatching. Komal Preet of Kotli Gajran village complained to the police that three persons waylaid and attacked him on June 6 and snatched Rs 2,000. oc Kapurthala man Govt clears ~19.56-cr project to killed in Germany, boost Kanjli Wetland tourism family seeks govt DC promises facilities | Bird decline, pollution remain key concerns Aparna Banerji TOURISM PROJECTS THROUGH THE YEARS Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 8 The Kapurthala administration on Monday again announced a major ecotourism push for the struggling Kanjli Wetland, with plans involving several new structures for its development. Deputy Commissioner Akash Bansal said the project, pegged at ~19.56 crore, has been sanctioned by the Punjab Government under the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme. He said the initiative aims to promote sustainable tourism and environmental conservation while transforming the wetland into a premier eco-tourism destination without compromising its ecological significance. Spread across 183 acres, Kanjli is the only Ramsar site in the Doaba region. Once known for attracting thousands of migratory birds and supporting rich aquatic life, the wetland has witnessed a steady decline in recent years. Residents flagged a sharp drop in the arrival of migratory birds, attributing it to pol- ■ The project has been sanctioned under the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme. lution in nearby drains and interference along the Bein and wetland banks, which has adversely impacted local biodiversity. Kanjli has also undergone several revamp attempts in the past with limited success. Sharing details of the proposed project, the DC said it would include modern access and parking facilities, traffic management systems, digital ticketing, an interpretation centre, landscaping, internal roads, drainage infrastructure, signage, public amenities, souvenir shops, food and beverage outlets, residential units, experiential tourism activities, upgraded power infrastructure and CCTVbased security systems. The DC said under the scheme, tourism infrastructure in the area would be strengthened and new employment opportunities be created for the locals through eco-tourism-related activities. The DC also issued a new helpline to residents 01822233777 to register complaints or seek assistance. However, environmentalists expressed concern over the approach. Gurmukh Singh, a biodiversity enthusiast, said the decline in migratory birds was linked to the loss of native reed and grass ecosystems and pollution In 2020, the district administration under then DC Deepti Uppal had proposed a café, restaurant, a 3-km walkway and boating facilities at Kanjli. ■ In 2021, ~5 crore was earmarked for the project. ■ While a ticket counter, a bamboo restaurant and several temporary structures were later set up, they now lie in disuse. ■ An exercise to remove hyacinth from the wetland was also undertaken in 2022 under environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal. during festive activities. “Wetland biodiversity must recover first to sustain tourism. More structures may harm rather than help,” he said. Maj Gen Balwinder Singh (Retd), state convener of INTACH, echoed similar concerns, stressing that Kanjli’s revival must be guided by scientific and eco-friendly measures, including removal of invasive weeds and restoration of native biodiversity. help for last rites Our Correspondent Kapurthala, June 8 A 30-year-old man from Ramgarh village near Kapurthala has reportedly been killed in Germany, leaving his family and residents of the area in mourning. The deceased has been identified as Rajvinder Singh, who had been living in Germany for nearly a decade. According to his father Jarnail Singh, Rajvinder had moved to Germany around 10 years ago in search of better opportunities and subsequently acquired German citizenship. The family said they were informed two days ago about a dispute of youths from Haryana over the leadership of a temple in Germany. Family members alleged that Rajvinder had reached the spot to mediate between the opposing groups. However, during the dispute, four youths allegedly attacked him with sharp-edged weapons, causing serious head injuries. Rajvinder was rushed to a hospital for treatment, where he remained under medical Rajvinder Singh care for two days before succumbing to his injuries. News of his death spread rapidly through Ramgarh village and nearby areas, triggering widespread grief among relatives, friends and local residents. Jarnail Singh has appealed to the Government of India to either facilitate his travel to Germany to perform his son’s last rites or arrange for the repatriation of Rajvinder Singh’s mortal remains to his native village in Punjab, enabling the family to conduct the final rites in their ancestral home. Despite special camps, 2.9 lakh voters Jalandhar girl among top yet to be mapped in Jalandhar district 12 in Sony TV dance show Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 8 Despite special camps being held at all 1,926 polling booths across the district on Sunday to facilitate voter mapping, nearly 2.9 lakh voters are yet to be mapped with the 2003 electoral roll ahead of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. According to official data, Jalandhar has a total electorate of around 16.49 lakh voters. Of these, approximately 13.5 lakh electors have been mapped with the 2003 voter list, while nearly 2.9 lakh voters remain unmapped. Election Department officials said a significant proportion of these unmapped voters are migrants who have shifted to Jalandhar over the past two decades and, therefore, do not figure in the 2003 electoral roll. Among the Assembly segments, Jalandhar North has the highest number of unmapped voters at 52,296, followed by Jalandhar Central (51,617), Jalandhar West (44,826), Jalandhar Cantonment (38,819), Phillaur (26,688), Nakodar (24,376), Shahkot (22,030), Adampur (15,090) and Kartarpur (14,750). Apart from the unmapped voters, the authorities have also identified thousands of electors with anomalies requiring verification. These mainly involve mismatches in age, family relationships and personal particulars when compared with records from the last Special Intensive Revision. Officials said such cases include where the age gap between a parent and child is less than 15 years or more than 50 years, the age gap between a voter and his grandparent is less than 40 years or the gap between siblings is less than nine months. According to official figures, the highest number of voters flagged with anomalies has been reported from Jalandhar North (38,062), followed by Jalandhar Central (34,909), Phillaur (34,614), Nakodar (34,332), Jalandhar Cantonment (33,047), Kartarpur (32,889), Jalandhar West (29,049), Shahkot (26,462) and Adampur (22,134). Election officials said voters who could not be mapped or whose records contain anomalies will be required to submit Enumeration Forms and supporting documents during the SIR exercise. While voters whose names or whose parents names appeared in the 2003 electoral roll may not be required to furnish additional proof, unmapped electors may have to submit documents for verification. Booth Level Officers will conduct a door-to-door campaign from June 25 to July 24 to distribute and collect Enumeration Forms. Officials have urged voters, particularly migrants and those whose details have changed over the years, to cooperate with BLOs to ensure their names are accurately reflected in the electoral roll. Geetanjali wins ‘Performer of the Week’ title in opening round Jalandhar, June 8 Talented dancer Geetanjali Marwaha from Jalandhar has made the city proud by securing a place among the top 12 contestants of India’s Best Dancer Season 5, the popular dance reality show on Sony TV . Her performances have earned appreciation from the show’s judges, including Geeta Kapur, Terence Lewis, Karisma Kapoor and Javed Jaffrey. She is participating in the show under the mentorship of choreographer Shubranil. In her very first week of competition, Geetanjali captivated audiences and judges alike with her performance, earning the prestigious title of “Performer of the Week”— a proud achievement for both her family and the city of Jalandhar. Geetanjali is a former student of Innocent Hearts School. Her journey in dance began under the guidance of her mentor Nidhi Bhatia Berry, whose dedication, encouragement, and support played a vital role in shaping her artistic career and helping her reach the significant milestone. Geetanjali’s father Rocky Marwaha and her brother Marthi Marwaha are prominent businessmen in Jalandhar. Her mother Anjula Marwaha is an educator, who has consistently nurtured Geetanjali’s dreams through education, values, and constant encouragement. “Geetanjali’s achievement is not only a matter of pride for us, but also for her teachers, school and the entire city,” her mother said. — TNS Man, daughter JIT fails to refund ~85cr despite consumer panels’ orders killed, wife hurt in Phagwara mishap Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Phagwara, June 8 A man and his six-year-old daughter were killed while his wife sustained critical injuries in a road accident near Bhulla Rai Chowk in Phagwara on Monday evening. According to information, the mishap occurred after two cars and a truck collided, creating chaos on the busy stretch. Sukhbir Singh, who was travelling on a motorcycle with his wife and daughter, reportedly rammed into the truck. All three suffered griev- ous injuries in the impact. Passersby rushed them to the Civil Hospital, Phagwara, where Sukhbir Singh and his daughter were declared brought dead. His wife was given primary treatment before being referred to a higher medical centre in a critical condition. The incident has sent shockwaves in the area. The DSP, Phagwara, Palwinder Singh, along with a police team, reached the spot and initiated an investigation. The police are probing the circumstances leading to the accident to fix responsibility. Jalandhar, June 8 Allottees of three major Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) housing schemes, Bibi Bhani Complex, Surya Enclave Extension and Indrapuram Master Gurbanta Singh Enclave, have raised concerns over the prolonged delay in the release of nearly Rs 85 crore in refund despite favourable orders from the Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi. The allottees said around 440 cases have already been decided by different consumer fora since 2015, in which merely 150 allottees have received their payments whereas approximately 290 allottees are yet to get the JIT flats of Bibi Bhani Complex in Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH payment. They also pointed out that, apart from the pending refund amount, the trust is required to pay nearly Rs 9 crore annually as interest on these dues. They further noted that the dispute traces its roots to the Indrapuram Master Gurban- c m y b ta Singh Enclave scheme launched by the JIT in 2006 in which nearly 880 allottees invested in flats. However, despite the absence of basic amenities, the trust issued notices in 2009, asking beneficiaries to take possession of their flats between Septem- ber 15 and October 15. The notice warned that a watch and ward charge of Rs 1,000 per month would be levied on those who failed to take possession within the stipulated period. The JIT had also informed the allottees that the con- struction cost of the flats had increased, resulting in an additional charge of Rs 62,569 per flat, including cess charges. The amount could be paid either in a lump sum or through three quarterly installments. In its notice, the trust maintained that all basic amenities had been provided and urged allottees to occupy their flats. Darshan Singh Ahuja, president of the Bibi Bhani Complex Allottees Association, alleged that essential facilities required for habitation, including water supply, electricity, sewerage and streetlights, were not available when possession was offered. He claimed that electricity connections were provided only on February 1, 2013, nearly four years after the possession notices were issued. Ahuja further alleged that similar issues plagued the Bibi Bhani Complex scheme, launched in 2010, where around 264 allottees were promised possession by July 2012, as per their allotment letters. In the Surya Enclave Extension scheme, launched in 2011, nearly 400 allottees invested in plots and flats, but the project could not be developed due to a Punjab and Haryana High Court stay linked to land acquisition disputes. According to rulings of different consumer commissions, the JIT had directed to refund the amount within 45 days of receiving the order, failing which the rate of interest would increase from 9 per cent to 12 per cent, in some cases. Despite these orders, the refunds remain pending, hassling the allottees who have posed their trust in the JIT housing project, by investing their hardearned money.