24062026-CT-01.qxd 6/24/2026 12:52 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune SEC 26 TEAM, WANDERERS CLUB CLINCH HOCKEY TITLES SURPRISE CHECK EXPOSES FIRE SAFETY GAPS SAIYAMI SHARES REACTION AS 200-YR-OLD TREE FACES AXE Women’s team of SGGS Hockey Club and men’s team of Wanderers Club win titles in Chandigarh state meet. P3 The Fire and Rescue Services Dept of the MC conducts a surprise inspection at coaching centres. P3 Actor voiced her anguish after witnessing cutting down of a tree located 500 metres from her Nashik home.P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 67 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 15, 40, 46 Please send information about events in Tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com POWER SHUTDOWN CHANDIGARH 7.30 am to 9.30 am: Parts of Industrial Area, Phase I, Daria village, Makhanmajra,,Mauli Jagran, Raipur Khurd and Raipur Kalan 9.30 am to 12.30 pm: Pipaliwala village, Mariwala Town, Shantinagar, New & Old Darshanibag in Manimajra. 12 noon to 2 pm:Parts of Sector 25 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm: Bhaskar rehabilitation colony INBRIEF YOUTH ARRESTED WITH HEROIN Zirakpur: The police have arrested Arshdeep Singh with 410-gm heroin and Rs 2.1 lakh drug money. Zirakpur SHO Satinder Singh said the youth was arrested at a naka near the Velvet Clarke hotel here. The accused, a native of Muktsar, lives at GS Tower, VIP Road. He already faces four cases of the NDPS Act and rioting. The police produced him in the court, which sent him to police custody till June 29. TNS A video grab of the 12-year-old girl stuck in the Kaushalya Dam’s reservoir bed in Panchkula. Girl gets stuck in Kaushalya Dam swamp, rescued Tribune News Service Panchkula, June 23 A 12-year-old girl got stuck in mud on the Kaushalya Dam’s reservoir bed today. She had remained stuck there for hours, but local residents and dam staff rescued her in time. One of the residents said the girl, from a migrant family living nearby, had gone to catch fish in the swampy area. As soon as the girl reached a pit, she sank waist deep in the mud. Dam employees and local residents rescued the girl after a lot of effort. She suffered no serious injury, they said. With the reservoir bed getting dry up due to the prevailing heat, many swamps have been formed on the reservoir bed. MAX 39°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 39°C | MIN 22.2°C SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:23 AM FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE A first: Punjab Govt to develop villages givingland for townships THE TRIBUNE EXCLUSIVE Nitin Jain Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON /THETRIBUNECHD PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.28 PM » WEDNESDAY | 24 JUNE 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST Chandigarh, June 23 In a first-of-its-kind commitment that addresses longstanding demands of farmers affected by the ongoing 11,103-acre land acquisition drive across Greater Mohali and New Chandigarh, the Punjab Government has decided that villages giving up their agricultural land for new townships will be developed simultaneously, as equal partners in the urbanisation they are enabling. The in-principle decision, taken at a high-level meeting held recently, marks a significant departure from the standard model of land acquisition in which villages are stripped of their agricultural land and then left to decay — without roads, sewerage, water supply or maintained public spaces — as planned urban development races ahead around them. A formal notification giving effect to the commitment will be issued shortly, top government functionaries privy to the development told The Tribune. At the core of the decision is a non-negotiable protection for common village facilities such as government and panchayat schools, parks, dispensaries and similar public assets. These will be fully WHAT’S THE PROMISE ■ Schools, parks, dispensaries on panchayat land exempt from acquisition ■ Sewerage, water, roads to be integrated with GMADA systems ■ Three-year deadline fixed for township development ■ ‘Phirni’ houses fully protected WHO WILL BENEFIT All villages in the ongoing 11,103acre acquisition drive across Greater Mohali and New Chandigarh, covering seven new townships, seven new sectors and 1,240 acres of master plan roads. IT’S A GUARANTEE TO OUR FARMERS: CM For the first time, we are not just acquiring land, we are making a promise to every village — we will develop your village in the same breath that we develop the township around it within three years. That is a guarantee and this government keeps its guarantees to its kisans. ❝ Bhagwant Mann, PUNJAB CM ments concerned. GMADA will provide critical gap funding to ensure no village road project stalls for want of money. Houses along the village “phirni” — the traditional boundary road that marks the outer edge of a village settlement — will be completely exempt from land acquisition, ensuring that the physical identity and boundary of each village remains intact even as new sectors are built around it. Houses standing in agricultural fields outside the village “abadi” and beyond the “phirni”, which happen to fall within the planning area, will be relocated, with GMADA taking responsibility for the process. THREE-YEAR DEADLINE The government has for the first time formally committed to a fixed completion deadline for all development works — three years from the date of passing of the acquisition award and taking physical possession of the land by GMADA. This applies across all ongoing projects in the 11,103-acre acquisition drive. exempt from land acquisition under the ongoing proceedings. Sarpanches across the Aerotropolis acquisition belt had repeatedly pressed for the preservation of these facilities within the village fabric. Beyond exemption, the Greater Mohali Area Develop- ment Authority (GMADA) has committed to actively integrating village infrastructure with its own systems. Village sewerage, water supply network and drainage will be integrated with GMADA’s infrastructure. The construction of village roads will be ensured by all depart- FROM COMPULSION TO PARTNERSHIP “The meeting concluded with a consensus that the above proposals are necessary to address the genuine concerns of farmers and to reinforce their role as partners in the development process,” a top functionary said. Pedestrians cover themselves with cloth amid scorching heat in Chandigarh on Tuesday. RAVI KUMAR UT sizzles at 39°C, monsoon likely to arrive by month-end Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 23 In a weather paradox that perfectly captures the volatile mood of a pre-monsoon June, Chandigarh logged the second hottest day and the coolest night in the entire Punjab-Haryana region on Tuesday. Monsoon is likely to reach the region only towards the end of June. According to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) evening media bulletin, Chandigarh’s maximum temperature settled at 39°C, a rise of 4°C over the previous day. The city logged the second-highest maximum temperature in the combined Punjab-Haryana belt, surpassed only by Rohtak in Haryana, which recorded a searing 41.2°C. While Chandigarh baked through the afternoon, it logged the region’s coolest Monday night, with the minimum temperature dipping to 22.2°C, a sharp 5.4°C below normal. A yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds touching 40-50 kmph remains active over Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula through Friday, with scattered showers possible at isolated places. The IMD forecast for the Tricity suggests a gradual rise in temperatures from Wednesday Chandigarh’s ‘broom warrior’ Sidhu receives Padma Shri Nitin Jain ANI Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 23 In a moment of pride for Chandigarh, retired Punjab cadre IPS officer Inderjit Singh Sidhu, popularly known as the city’s “broom warrior”, on Tuesday received the Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu at the second Civil Investiture Ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Sidhu was honoured in the social work category for his extraordinary and selfless contribution to cleanliness and civic responsibility. The 88-year-old former Deputy Inspector General of Police was among 65 eminent personalities who received Padma awards during the second phase of the 2026 investiture ceremonies. Today’s ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan and other dignitaries. For nearly three decades after retiring from service in 1996, Sidhu has devoted his mornings to cleaning Chandigarh’s streets, parks and public spaces. Long President Droupadi Murmu confers the Padma Shri on Inderjit Singh Sidhu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday; and (above) Sidhu flanked by his granddaughter and Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav. before cleanliness became a national campaign, he could be seen pushing a cycle cart through neighbourhoods, collecting litter with his own hands and disposing of it responsibly. Born on June 6, 1938, in Punjab’s Sangrur district, Sidhu joined the Punjab Police in 1961 and later earned the President’s Police Medal for distinguished service. After settling in Chandigarh following retirement what began as a personal effort to clean his neighbourhood gradually evolved into a lifelong mission. “People do not feel ashamed of littering but are ashamed of cleaning streets,” Sidhu had told The Tribune ahead of the ceremony. Drawing inspiration from the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, he often says that keeping the earth clean is a moral obligation. “The air is the Guru, water the father and the earth the mother. If people spread filth on their mother, there is no one worse than them,” he remarked. His son, Amoldeep Singh Sidhu, said, “This was always his nature. He could never tolerate people throwing waste in public places.” Initially ridiculed by some for sweeping roads despite having retired as a senior police officer, Sidhu persisted quietly. Over time, his example transformed attitudes in his locality and beyond. Residents, who once questioned his actions, began taking greater responsibility for public spaces. Videos of his daily routine went viral on social media. Among those who publicly praised him was Anand Mahindra, who described Sidhu as a symbol of discipline, purpose and service. Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria had welcomed the honour bestowed upon Sidhu, describing it as fitting recognition for a citizen whose commitment demonstrates that public service does not end with retirement. For Sidhu, however, the award is less a personal achievement than a message. “I clean these streets so that people can see that even at this age a man is working with his bare hands. We all should contribute to this cause,” he said. UT hires consultant, seeks green nod for Sec 39 mandi Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 23 The UT Administration has fasttracked the process of shifting the wholesale fruit, vegetable and grain market in Sector 26 to the new site in Sector 39. The State Agricultural Marketing Board has appointed Nabard Consultancy Services (NABCON), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), to provide project management consultancy services for the New Mandi project being developed in a phased manner on nearly 75 acres. According to officials, the board has also applied for the environmental clearance. The agenda was discussed in the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) meeting held on April 27. However, the committee raised some points, which have now been redressed. The agenda has been submitted to the Environment Committee. After getting the environmental clearance, the process of auctioning the remaining sites, measuring 120 square yards each, and other developmental activities would start at the Sector 39 mandi, stated the officials. As many as 23 fruit and vegetables SCO sites out of 92 sites at the new mandi were put up for an e-auction. These were c m y b offered on a leasehold basis as per the provision laid down under the Chandigarh Estate Rules. The bidding for the sites closed on March 31, 2025. Bids were received for 12 SCOs. Later, the Subzi Mandi Aarhti Association filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the e-auction and the court stayed the process. On December 17, 2025, the apex court dismissed the petition in favour of the Chandigarh Administra- tion/State Agricultural Marketing Board. With the increase in the Collector Rates, the reserve price of an SCO site increased to Rs 5.40 crore from the earlier Rs 3.70 crore. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had dismissed the traders’ petition, stating that they were attempting to derail the auction process. The association filed a petition against the auction in the Supreme Court on March 24. Officials said a total of 92 SCOs would be auctioned in phases, and the revenue generated used exclusively for the development of the new mandi. While arhtiyas have been demanding that at least 50 per cent of the plots be allotted to them at concessional rates, the administration has maintained that only office spaces on rent will be provided to the existing traders in the new market. onwards, with the maximum expected to remain around 38-39°C through the week and the minimum 2526°C. A partly cloudy sky is likely to persist. The yellow alert is expected to return on Monday, as a fresh western disturbance is expected to influence weather conditions intermittently across the region. Even as the southwest monsoon has revived over parts of central India after remaining stalled for nearly two weeks, the Tricity region continues to wait for its arrival. Meteorologists indicate that monsoon is likely to reach the region only towards the end of June. UT Admn officials’ meeting with Shah postponed Chandigarh, June 23 A high-level review meeting to be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi tomorrow to discuss Chandigarh’s property and civic issues has been postponed. The UT officials were to present key issues, including proposed amendments to the Chandigarh Master Plan2031, conversion of leasehold commercial and industrial plots to freehold, abolition of lal dora in 22 villages, ownership rights for people living in various rehabilitation colonies and Deregulation 2.0 exercise during the meeting. According to the officials, several key issues had already been deliberated upon in meetings with officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). However, final decisions on the matters would be taken only at the meeting to be chaired by the Home Minister, they said, adding that the next date of the meeting would be finalised soon. — TNS Tractor driver held for P’kula accident Panchkula, June 23 The Mauli police have arrested a tractor driver accused of causing an accident in Panchkula in which a private bus conductor was killed on June 20. The suspect, Avinash Kumar, a resident of Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested on Monday, police officials said. The bus conductor, Harkes Pal Singh, had suffered serious injuries. He was rushed to the Sector 6 Civil Hospital, Panchkula, where doctors declared him dead. Avinash had fled the scene after the accident. — TNS