04092026-ATR-01.qxd 9/3/2026 10:38 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 25°C SHEATH BLIGHT TRIGGERS FEAR, ADVISORY ISSUED PUNJAB GAMES UNDER CLOUD AS STAFF THREATEN BOYCOTT CELEBRATED JAZZ SINGER CASSANDRA WILSON DIES With paddy at a crucial stage of growth, farmers have been told to remain vigilant against sheath blight. P2 Trade unions tell government staff to keep off the Punjab Games in view of the ongoing stalemate with the ruling regime. P3 Two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Cassandra Wilson died at the age of 70 at Jackson, Mississippi. P4 » » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.46 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:05 AM FRIDAY | 4 SEPTEMBER 2026 | AMRITSAR Schoolgoers put to inconvenience as buses, vans remain off road in city New IG takes charge, says plugging drug routespriority Protesters seek new tax structure, increased permissible lifespan of vehicles Amritsar, September 3 New IG, Border Range, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, listed plugging drug routes and checking counter terrorism as his priorities. As he assumed charge on Thursday, the IG said four districts under the range shared a long and sensitive border with Pakistan, which called for effective coordination with the BSF and other agencies to check cross-border smuggling and infiltration. “Those involved in such activities won’t be spared,” he added. The officer said he would visit all districts under the range and meet senior officials to identify and tackle drug hotspots, particularly villages along the border. A major thrust would be on public outreach in drugaffected areas. The administration, Deputy Commissioners, Health Department and de-addiction specialists would be roped in to provide youngsters and families affected by drug abuse support and treatment. The IG said those involved in criminal activities would Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 3 Schoolgoers had a tough time on Thursday as buses and vans remained off-road, owing to the strike by transport operators in support of their demands. While most school authorities requested parents to make an alternative arrangement, a few declared a holiday. During their one-day strike, the bus operators held a mahapanchayat in Bathinda, seeking a new tax structure for school and college buses and an increase in the permissible lifespan of vehicles. They resented the new driver’s licence guidelines, enhanced penalties and other regulatory requirements. A bus operator, Jaspal Singh, said vehicles catering to schools and colleges travelled only 50-60 km a day, whereas the distance covered by other buses was about 500 km. MAHAPANCHAYAT IN BATHINDA ■ During their one-day strike, the bus operators held a mahapanchayat in Bathinda, seeking a new tax structure for school and college buses and an increase in the permissible lifespan of vehicles. ■ They resented the new driver’s licence guidelines, enhanced penalties and other regulatory requirements. ■ A bus operator, Jaspal Singh, said vehicles catering to schools and colleges travelled only 5060 km a day, whereas the distance covered by other buses was about 500 km. << Most school managements asked parents to arrange a pick-and-drop facility for their wards. VISHAL KUMAR “Still, we are subjected to the same tax structure,” The operators said the permissible lifespan of the buses should be increased from 15 to 25 years, opposing the additional financial burden associated with the installation of the new GPS (Global Positioning System). Drivers said they were against the 45-day mandatory training for obtaining or renewing a heavy vehicle driver’s licence. “Earlier, the training lasted two days and the fee was around Rs 800. Now, one is made to pay Rs 14,000,” a driver said. The unions have also sought a rollback of enhanced penalties, claiming that the fine, which was between Rs 500 and Rs 800 earlier, could now go up to Rs 15,000-Rs 30,000. Lalli, another school van operator, said the new provisions would impose an additional financial burden on drivers and vehicle owners. The unions had earlier appealed to parents and school managements to make alternative arrangements for students or support their agitation. School auto operators said if the government failed to address their demands, the association would launch a district-level protest across the state and submit a memorandum to ministers. Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service IG, Border Range, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar receives a warm welcome. face legal action, adding that persons with a criminal background who had secured bail would also remain under special monitoring and surveillance. The IG also underlined the role of Village Defence Committees (VDCs) as a bridge between the police and the public. District-level meetings with VDC coordinators would be held to strengthen information-sharing and community participation. Referring to social media content being circulated by Pakistan-based elements, including videos related to drone-dropping and crossborder activities, he said efforts were needed to prevent vulnerable youth from being lured into criminal or extremist networks. “First, we have to clean our own house. If we secure our border villages, involve the youth and provide families the right support, we can make the area safer and drug-free,” he said. Operational visibility would also be increased to instil a sense of security among residents, Bhullar said. Arms supply module Locals mock ‘Mission Clean Punjab’ drive, say 52 file papers for Bar busted; two arrested mere photo ops won’t make campaign success poll; 3-way contest for top post likely Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Police personnel brief the media about the seizure. Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 3 With the arrest of two Tarn Taran residents, the Amritsar police claimed to have busted an illegal arms supply network. Eight .30-bore pistols and 103 live cartridges were also recovered, they said. The accused have been identified as Ranjit Singh, alias Jeeta (24), a resident of Bainka village in Tarn Taran, and Gurbir Singh, alias Gora (32), a resident of Tara Singh village. DGP Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were allegedly in contact with foreign-based smugglers through social media applications and were receiving and supplying consign- ments of foreign-made illegal weapons to criminal elements in Punjab. The police said Ranjit had a criminal history, with cases registered against him under the Arms Act, NDPS Act and Explosives Act. Gurbir, meanwhile, had returned from Dubai around six months ago, Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill said.Sharing details, he said, the arrests followed a tip-off, after which a police team laid a naka near Gurdwara Bohri Sahib Road. Ranjit was arrested with a .30-bore pistol and three live cartridges. During further investigation, four more pistols and 100 cartridges were recovered from him, he said. continued on page 2 Amritsar, September 3 Locals are mocking the “Mission Clean Punjab” campaign as the drive has miserably failed to do what it actually promised. It’s been a week since the campaign was started and one can see garbage strewn around in the city. The campaign, undertaken by local MLAs, aims at cleaning main roads and market areas, whereas the areas that actually need the authorities’ attention have been left out. On the 88 Feet Road between Majitha Road and Batala Road, heaps of garbage can be seen dotting both sides, while several vacant plots have turned into dumping yards. Ditto is the condition of the Batala Road flyover and vacant plots in the adjoining area. The situation is no better along the bypass road. The residents complain that the civic body is not getting waste lifted in the area. Garbage can also be seen lying on the central verges Drenched in divinity Tribune News Service Garbage dumped along a road in Batala, Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR along Chamrang Road, while piles of waste have become a common sight in various lanes and areas adjoining the 100 Ft Road and Maqboolpura. Garbage accumulation has become particularly significant as a new waste-management company has taken over operations in the city. The residents say despite the change in the agency, door-to-door and roadside garbage lifting seem a distant dream. Social activist Pawan Sharma said holding brooms just for getting clicked won’t serve the purpose. “Every nook and corner needs to be cleaned, not just main roads,” Sharma said. He added that a temporary dumping site in Ranjit Avenue has turned into an eyesore. According to him, colonies and less-developed areas are not getting enough attention. Narinder Kumar, a resident, said the campaign focused on areas that were already comparatively clean. “The places where garbage has accumulated are being given a miss. Several rural settlements falling within the MC limits are also facing problems as garbage is not being lifted regularly,” he said. Amritsar, September 3 As many as 52 candidates filed nomination papers for various posts, setting the stage for a keen contest in the Amritsar Bar Association elections slated to be held on September 11. Rajiv Joshi, returning officer, said more than 2,900 advocates were expected to exercise their franchise in the elections. The papers were scrutinised today and September 5 was set as nomination withdrawal date. The final list of candidates will be issued thereafter. The president’s post is witnessing a three-way contest, with senior advocate Gurpreet Singh Pannu, Amit Aroda and SK Syal in the fray. The contest between Pannu and Syal is being viewed as particularly significant, while senior advocate PS Walia is also among those contesting the elections. For the post of senior executive member (men), Raman Monga, Avtar Singh and Health officials step up Use of funds meant for cows under drive against dengue question as cattle stray onto roads Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Children dressed as Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha celebrate Janmashtami in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Gagan Bhatia have filed nominations, while Satinderjit Chhina, Anuradha Arora, Geetanjali and Harpreet Kaur are among the candidates for the corresponding women’s category. For the post of executive member (men), candidates include Jatinder Bedi, Ravinder Kumar Bhardwaj, Akshay Gaid, Nitish Jain, Aman Kapoor Rikki, Sunil Kumar, Abhinav Mittal, Hitesh Mangotra, Arshpreet Singh and Dilsher Singh. For the post of executive member (women), Sandeep Kaur, Monica Bhandari, Navjot Kaur, Aarti, Kiranjeet Kaur, Sukhmanpreet Kaur and Palak Aroda have filed papers. For the post of vice-president (men), candidates include Puneet Sharma, Amritpal Singh Momi and Rajdeep Singh Ghuman, while women in the fray are Prabhdeep Kaur, Sharanpal Kaur Sandhu, Daddar Kaur Bedi and Naresh Bala. continued on page 2 Amritsar, September 3 The Health Department on Thursday intensified its dengue prevention drive. Fogging was carried out and awareness created in various government schools, colleges and universities in the city. During a programme at Guru Nanak Dev University, Civil Surgeon Dr Rashmi Vij said though water accumulation was common during the rainy season, it could turn into a breeding ground for c m y b mosquitoes. She appealed to residents to check water stagnation in their houses every week and clean refrigerators, water tanks and flower pots. Preventing mosquito breeding was the most effective way to control dengue, she added. Dr Vij also advised people to wear full-sleeved clothes and use mosquito repellents whenever required. District epidemiologist Dr Harjot Kaur urged people showing dengue-like symptoms to avoid self-medication. Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 3 Despite the government imposing cow cess on electricity bills, vehicles and liquor, stray cattle continue to roam around in the city, raising questions over the use of funds collected for their welfare. Residents said stray cattle were spotted in markets, residential areas and busy roads, inconveniencing commuters and putting them at risk. They added that the continued presence of stray cattle was surprising, especially when a Locals say they pay cow cess, still see cattle sans shelter dedicated cess was being collected from them. “People are paying cow cess with the expectation that the money will be used for sheltering and protecting cows. If cattle are still wandering on roads, the government needs to explain where the funds are being spent,” said Gurnam Singh, a local. The problem is not limited to inconvenience. Stray cattle often stray onto roads where garbage is dumped and this exposes them to health risks. continued on page 2