25062026-ATR-01.qxd 6/24/2026 11:28 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 37°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 37°C | MIN 29°C 66 KV SUBSTATION TO COME UP IN DASHMESH NAGAR DOCS SAVE TODDLER WITH INNOVATIVE HEART PROCEDURE MY WORLD IS VERY RICH AND SATISFYING: SAIF Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO lays the foundation stone of a new 66 kV power substation at Dashmesh Nagar. P2 Cardiologists at GND Hospital give a new lease of life to a toddler by treating his congenital heart defect. P3 Saif Ali Khan on his father, legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and the choices he made in life. P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 7.39 PM » SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.26 AM THURSDAY | 25 JUNE 2026 | AMRITSAR Water quality checks, audits planned in city govt schools Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 24 Since 2019, Punjab has adopted the Water Audit module under the e-GREEN Sustainable Schools Initiative, through which school management committees and students conduct water audits to assess water usage, identify leakages and learn about water management practices. Every year, under the structured programme designed by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, Pushpa Gujral Science City and the School Education Department, all government schools are required to conduct water audits either during the summer break or before its commencement. Following the prescribed procedure, the District Education Department has written to school management committees of several government schools, directing them to conduct water testing and audits. While teachers and Education Department officials remain occupied with Census and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duties, some school management committees have been tasked with auditing water resources, particularly drinking water sources, on school premises. “We had written to some schools to conduct water testing and assess groundwater Students of a government school in a village of Amritsar drink water from water taps. FILE PHOTO levels on their campuses. As per the requirement, several government schools in rural areas have installed borewells up to 350 feet deep. In schools dependent on municipal water supply, TDS levels and water quality will be checked, and RO systems installed wherever required,” said Rajesh Sharma, District Education Officer, Amritsar, who has since been transferred to Gurdaspur. Government schools are also collaborating with NGOs to support water audits, while funds under the Sikhiya Kranti initiative are being utilised for the purpose. In 2025, Punjab received recognition for its Green School Programme, a joint ini- tiative of the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology and the School Education Department. Under the programme, schools undergo rigorous environmental audits covering six key areas — water, energy, livelihood, food, land and air — to optimise resource management. Conducted at the national level, the initiative recognised Punjab’s leadership in promoting environmental sustainability and awareness in schools. Out of 11,917 schools registered from Punjab for the 2024-25 cycle, 7,406 completed environmental audits, accounting for 84 per cent of all audits conducted across the country. A total of 196 schools, including 171 gov- ernment and 25 private institutions, were awarded Green School status. Hoshiarpur received the Best District Award after setting a national record by completing audits in 1,945 schools, the highest for any district in India. At present, schools are lagging behind in completing audits as teachers and many officials remain engaged in election-related duties, the Census and the SIR exercise. Meanwhile, Vijay Dutt, member of the Punjab Food Commission, has been conducting inspections of government schools, assessing water quality and carrying out water audit reviews while training teachers on monitoring drinking water quality. CCTV footage helps police nab robbery suspects PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service Farmers burn an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest in Amritsar on Wednesday. Farmer unions protest against proposed India-US trade deal Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 24 On the call given by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, Punjab, a massive protest against the proposed India-US Trade Agreement was held outside the BJP office here on Wednesday. Activists of various farmer unions burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. Addressing the gathering, farm union leaders said protest demonstrations were organised at nearly 28 locations across 21 districts of Punjab, where protesters burnt effigies of the two leaders. They demanded that the proposed agreement be scrapped immediately. The leaders stated that although today’s protest alone may not force the cancellation of the trade deal, the purpose of the democratic demonstration was to register opposition and make people aware of the potentially harmful consequences the agreement could have on the country and its citizens. The leaders alleged that the Modi government was repeating the same mistake it made while introducing the three controversial farm laws. They claimed that, at that time too, no consultation had been held with stakeholders connected to agriculture, farmer organisations or other affected sections. Even now, they said, no discussions have taken place with farmers engaged in dairy farming, agriculture, small trade or other sectors whose livelihoods would be directly affected by the agreement. The leaders argued that if the US is granted unrestricted access to India’s agricultural market, Indian farmers would find it extremely difficult to compete. They pointed out that farmers in the US receive substantial annual government subsidies. Agriculture there is highly mechanised and based on large landholdings. In contrast, they said, nearly 86 per cent of farmers in India, particularly in Punjab, are small landholders, with a majority owning five acres or less. They added that farmers are already not receiving remunerative prices for their produce, debt burdens continue to rise and incidents of farmer suicides remain a serious concern. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that under the agreement, agricultural products, pulses, fruits, vegetables and several other food commodities from foreign countries would be imported into Indian markets on a large scale. He alleged that such a move would damage India’s agricultural economy and further reduce farmers’ incomes. The leaders said that if the Modi government and BJP leaders believe the agreement is in the interest of farmers, they should immediately convene an open meeting with all farmer organisations in the country. The meeting should be broadcast live before the media, allowing both the government and farmer leaders to present their arguments. The people of the country, they said, could then decide for themselves whose interests the agreement truly serves. Amritsar, June 24 The D-Division police have arrested four persons, including a juvenile, for allegedly robbing a man in the Lohgarh area. The police have also recovered Rs 2,000 from the accused, while efforts are underway to nab their fifth accomplice. According to the police, a case was registered under Sections 310(2) and 317(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the D-Division police station on Monday. Those arrested have been identified as Shivam Gupta, alias Kalu, of Lohgarh; Saurav, alias Sahil, of Katra Parja, Hathi Gate; Sanju Kumar of Gali Badrao; and a juvenile. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishaljit Singh said the incident occurred on Sunday night and was captured on nearby CCTV cameras. Shortly after, a video of the incident went viral on social media. The complainant, Nikhil Kumar Samanta, originally from West Bengal and currently residing in the Lohgarh area, told the police that he was cleaning the seat of his Activa scooter after closing his jewellery shop when five youths approached him. One of them allegedly grabbed him from behind by the neck, while others forcibly snatched his wallet from his trouser pocket before pushing him to the ground and fleeing. Acting swiftly, the police analysed the case from all angles and succeeded in identifying and arresting four of the accused. c m y b Special police drive held across city to strengthen public safety Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 24 In a bid to strengthen law and order, enhance public safety and keep anti-social elements under check, the Amritsar police on Wednesday conducted a special search and checking operation at the bus stand, railway station, shopping malls and other crowded public places across the city. Senior police officials led multiple teams that carried out intensive checks in sensitive and high-footfall areas. Police personnel thoroughly searched waiting halls, platforms, parking areas, ticket counters, luggage points and other public spaces at the bus stand and railway station. Suspicious baggage and unattended items were also inspected. Dog squads and bomb disposal teams were deployed during the operation to detect and prevent any potential security threats. Several suspicious individuals were questioned, while vehicles passing through key locations were checked and their documents verified. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the primary objective of the drive was to instil a sense of security among citizens and maintain pressure on anti-social Police review progress in fight against drug abuse Tribune News Service Police personnel check bags of passengers at the Amritsar railway station on Wednesday. and criminal elements. Police officials also interacted with members of the public and urged them to immediately report any suspicious person, object or activity. They emphasised that public cooperation plays a vital role in preventing crime and maintaining peace. During the operation, police personnel were instructed to remain vigilant and closely monitor movement in crowded areas. CCTV systems installed at various locations were also inspected, and directions were issued wherever security measures required strengthening. Officials said similar search and checking drives would continue in the coming days to maintain peace and order in the city. Bhullar warned that strict action would be taken against anyone found violating the law. He also appealed to citizens to avoid rumours and immediately contact the police helpline or the nearest police station in case of any emergency. Amritsar, June 24 In order to intensify the Punjab Government’s ongoing “War Against Drugs” campaign, a review meeting was held between senior police officials and the Nasha Mukti Morcha here on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and attended by Dikshit Dhawan, Majha zone in-charge of the Nasha Mukti Morcha, along with members of his team. The meeting reviewed the progress of action against drug traffickers in the city and discussed measures to further strengthen the anti-drug campaign. Participants stressed the need to empower Station House Officers (SHOs) to identify and eliminate drug peddlers operating at the grassroots level in localities and neighbourhoods. Strengthening cooperation between the police and the public was also highlighted as a key strategy in tackling the drug menace. Addressing the gathering, Dikshit Dhawan said volunteers of the Nasha Mukti Morcha are actively mobilising people in villages and urban areas against drug abuse and narcotic trafficking. 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