13072026-JTR-01.qxd 7/12/2026 10:25 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune RAJMA SUCCESS ENCOURAGES FARMER TO EXPAND ACREAGE FACTIONALISM MAY DAMAGE PARTY’S CREDIBILITY SINGER JASMINE SANDLAS ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT Sher Singh from Kapurthala also explores low-water crops, like groundnut, soybean. P2 Cong must prioritise unity over internal power struggles, party must focus on people’s issues. P3 Jasmine announced her engagement during the opening night of ‘The Dream Girl India Tour’ in Delhi. P4 » » FORECAST CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 22°C SUNSET MONDAY 7.34 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:33 AM » MONDAY | 13 JULY 2026 | JALANDHAR PSPCL outsourced workers to be on benefit nearly 800 employees in state direct contract Move expected to Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Heavy monsoon clouds loom over Jalandhar’s skyline, bringing much-needed relief from the humid weather. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH After days of sultry weather, monsoon showers bring respite for city residents Waterlogging causes inconvenience to commuters in many areas Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 12 After days of wait, the city finally received the muchawaited monsoon showers on Sunday, bringing significant relief from the spell of heat and humidity. Clouds hovered over the city for most of the day, raising hopes of rainfall among residents. Their anticipation turned into relief as showers finally lashed several parts of the city, bringing down the temperature and making the weather pleasant. While the rain offered respite from the sweltering conditions, it also caused inconvenience in areas where Man found dead in room at Phagwara Vehicles remain stranded on the waterlogged service road near Pathankot Chowk in Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH pipelines are being laid under the surface water project. Waterlogging and sand spread across the roads at these con- struction sites made commuting difficult for motorists and pedestrians alike. Residents welcomed the arrival of the monsoon but also expressed concern over the city’s recurring waterlogging issues. They pointed out that several low-lying areas are prone to waterlogging during heavy rainfall, often leading to traffic congestion and disrupting daily life. Ravneet Kaur, a bank employee, said the pleasant weather was a welcome change after weeks of unbearable heat. “The weather today was truly refreshing. It was much needed as we had been struggling with intense heat for so many days,” she said. Tribune News Service PHAGWARA, JULY 12 An unidentified man was found dead under suspicious circumstances in a room near Parshuram Park in the posh locality of Hargobind Nagar in Phagwara on Saturday afternoon, prompting the police to launch an investigation to establish his identity and ascertain the cause of death. According to the police, information about the body was received after residents noticed an unconscious person lying in an unused room situated near Parshuram Park, close to the Blood Bank in the Guru Hargobind Nagar area. A police team immediately reached the spot, secured the area and took possession of the body. Following the completion of preliminary legal formalities, the body was shifted to the mortuary of the Civil Hospital for postmortem examination. Nawanshahr, July 12 The Special Intensive Revision campaign being carried out across SBS Nagar district, under the directions of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, received a good response as a large number of voters visited special camps set up at all polling booths to submit their enumeration forms. Along with the collection of forms, officials also undertook mapping of unmapped voters and digitisation of the received forms on a priority basis. DC-cum-District Election Officer Gulpreet Singh Aulakh said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) remained stationed at their polling booths 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. The move is in line with the Council of Ministers-approved policy to place outsourced workers in government departments and public sector entities on direct contracts. while the remaining workers will be issued provisional letters until they complete the prescribed service period. For workers without the prescribed technical qualification, the PSPCL will conduct a 10-day basic hands-on training programme, followed by a basic technical knowledge test at its training institutes or designated offices. Those who clear the examination and fulfil the experience requirement will also become eligible for direct contractual engagement. The corporation has clarified that there will be no upper age limit for consideration under the scheme, although medical fitness will be mandatory. Workers will be appointed on annual contracts, renewable every year based on their work and conduct, up to the age of 58 years. The contract may be terminated in cases of grave misconduct. The PSPCL has also said workers shifted to direct contracts will not receive wages lower than their existing outsourced remuneration or the notified minimum wages. The corporation added that savings arising from the elimination of contractor margins and GST, after statutory deductions such as PF , ESI and gratuity, will be passed on to the workers. The move is part of the PSPCL’s phased transition towards direct contractual engagement. The corporation had earlier brought outsourced complaint handling workers under direct contracts in May, followed by similar decisions for outsourced workers in thermal power plants and hydel projects after statewide protests by outsourced employees. Acknowledging the development, a senior PSPCL official said, “Although the corporation has issued the official communication on July 12, Annexure A, which contains the specific details of the process is yet to be prepared. It is expected to be finalised within a month.” Good response to SIR camps as voters Two tractor drivers nabbed submit enumeration forms in SBS Nagar for death of two in accident Our Correspondent HEALTH & WELLNESS Jalandhar, July 12 In a major relief to outsourced workers engaged in substation and transmission line maintenance and those working as Assistant Linemen in the West Zone, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has decided to engage them directly on contract, ending their dependence on private contractors. The move is expected to benefit nearly 800 workers across Punjab, officials familiar with the matter said. According to official letter issued on July 12, the decision follows the government’s policy, approved by the Council of Ministers, to engage outsourced workers in government departments and public sector entities on direct contracts. Under the policy, technically qualified workers in hazardous categories, who have completed three years of service, will be eligible for direct contracts after verification of their educational qualifications and experience certificates. Meanwhile, those who are yet to complete the required tenure will receive provisional letters and will be considered for appointment once they become eligible. Similarly, in non-hazardous categories, workers completing five years of service will be eligible for direct contracts The ECI has fixed July 24 as the last date for the distribution, submission and digitisation of enumeration forms. FILE PHOTO from 8 am to 3 pm, assisting voters in filling out and submitting enumeration forms and completing the voter mapping process. He said the primary objective of the camps is to ensure that every eligible voter is accurately mapped and that the electoral roll remains transparent and inclusive. Appreciating the active participation of voters, Aulakh said the simultaneous digitisation of the submitted enumeration forms has further accelerated the progress of the SIR-2026 exercise. He urged those who have not yet submitted their enumeration forms to contact their BLOs without delay and complete the process at the earliest. The DC said the Election Commission has fixed July 24 as the last date for the distribution, submission, and digitisation of enumeration forms. He stressed that timely submission of the forms is the responsibility of every eligible voter to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out of the electoral roll. He further said for any information, assistance, or grievances related to SIR-2026, citizens may contact the District Election Office, Nawanshahr, or call the EC’s toll-free helpline 1950. Our Correspondent NAKODAR, JULY 12 The police have arrested two tractor-trailer drivers in connection with a road accident that claimed the lives of two motorcycle riders and left another seriously injured. The case was registered on the complaint of Harpreet Singh, who stated that on July 10, he was travelling in his car towards Nakodar while his brother-in-law Hardeep Singh was riding a motorcycle ahead of him along with his friends Harjot Singh and Pradeep Singh. According to the complaint, near Laddhar village, a tractor-trailer loaded with paddy straw was travelling ahead of the motorcycle. The tractor was being driven by Satnam Singh, who allegedly turned the tractor towards the opposite side of the road without ensuring that it was safe to do so. As the motorcycle attempted to overtake, it col- lided with the straw-laden trolley, causing all three riders to fall onto the road. The complainant further alleged that another tractortrolley loaded with maize, which was following behind and allegedly being driven at high speed and negligently by another Satnam Singh, ran over the three men after they fell on the road. As a result of the accident, Hardeep Singh and Harjot Singh died on the spot, while Pradeep Singh sustained serious injuries. Both tractor drivers allegedly fled the scene after the incident. The police have registered a case. Both accused were arrested and further investigation is in progress. Air India told to pay flyer ~35,000 over damaged seat in int’l flight Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 12 Holding that an airline cannot compromise on passenger comfort after charging extra for seat selection, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jalandhar, has directed Air India to pay Rs 35,000 to a passenger who was forced to undertake nearly 16-hour international flight on a damaged seat. The commission ordered the airline to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation for the inconvenience, discomfort and mental harassment suffered by the passenger, besides Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses. It directed Air India to make the payment within 45 days, failing which the amount will carry interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from the date of the order. The complaint was filed by Jalandhar resident Anil Kumar Malhotra, who had booked a return ticket from San Francisco to Amritsar in April 2024. He told the commission that he had paid an additional $50 to reserve his preferred seat, but was allotted a broken seat with inadequate cushioning on the San Francisco-Delhi flight. Malhotra alleged that despite informing the cabin crew about the damaged seat and his medical issues, including back problems and claustrophobia, no effective assistance was provided. He claimed he was compelled to remain on the defective seat throughout the journey, causing severe physical discomfort, back pain and mental agony. After returning to India, Malhotra lodged a complaint with the airline and pursued the matter through email correspondence. Air India, however, denied the allegations, maintaining that the seat was fully functional and that the complainant had declined an offer to shift to another seat. It also argued that no complaint regarding a defective seat was c m y b The consumer commission finds Air India guilty of deficiency in service, directing it to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses within 45 days. recorded in the cabin log maintained for the flight. However, the commission observed that Air India’s own email correspondence has apologised and offered compensation to the passenger for inconvenience. The commission noted that if was no lapse, then airline would have had no reason to repeatedly apologise and offer compensation. While rejecting Malhotra’s claim of Rs 15 lakh in dam- ages for want of medical evidence, the commission held that he had nevertheless suffered avoidable inconvenience, discomfort and mental harassment during the nearly 16-hour international journey. Observing that a passenger who pays extra for seat selection is entitled to the promised level of comfort. Hence, the commission found Air India guilty of deficiency in service, directing it to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses within 45 days, failing which the amount shall carry interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from the date of the order.