26092026-ATR-01.qxd 9/25/2026 10:49 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 24°C ~42 LAKH INFRA PROPOSED FOR BETTER WASTE MANAGEMENT SIYAHI GIVES WOMEN SPACE TO WRITE AND CONNECT KEM CHO AHMEDABAD: DILJIT DOSANJH SHOW ON NOV 21 An infrastructure upgrade worth ~42 lakh has been proposed to improve waste management in villages. P2 Siyahi, a women-led literary community, offers a room, a book, some thoughts and a willing audience. P3 Diljit Dosanjh is super excited to perform at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 21. P4 » » SUNSET SATURDAY 6.18 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:17 AM » SATURDAY | 26 SEPTEMBER 2026 | AMRITSAR Allegations fly thick and fast as drug crisis takes centre stage amid poll din BJP LEADERS GET OFF YATRA VEHICLE AMID SUDDEN ROUTE CHANGE The change of route while the BJP's Nasha Mukt Yatra was passing through the Amritsar North constituency had party workers talking. Several senior BJP leaders were seen getting off the campaign vehicle as BJP leader Akshay Sharma was waiting to join the yatra. Sharma, who was with his supporters at Majitha, said the route was changed without prior information. On being asked why he got off the vehicle, district BJP president Salil Kapoor said he did so to pass the baton. << Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal (centre) with senior BJP leaders during the Nasha Mukt Yatra. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 25 Allegations flying thick and fast, families airing concerns and politicians playing the blame game, the BJP’s Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra has seen it all. With the Assembly elections approaching, the drug issue has once again become a key issue.Leveraging the event to their advantage, senior BJP leaders, including Union Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar mounted a direct attack on the Mann government on Friday. Speaking at the rally, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal described drug addiction as one of Punjab’s biggest social concerns, saying the pain of families affected by drugs could no longer be treated as merely an election issue. The BJP’s message was centred on a simple political proposition: That Punjab’s battle against drugs is no longer only a law and order or a public health issue, but a test of the government’s ability to protect the state’s youth, families and wider social fabric. “The ordeal of families affected by drug addiction was among Punjab’s biggest concerns. Punjab must be freed from this scourge — we have only one slogan: Nasha Mukana Sara,” Meghwal said. He said the campaign must target the entire supply chain — from traffickers and dealers to what he described as mechanisms that protected the trade. But Meghwal also made the political objective clear. He appealed to voters to elect a government that would act with determination against the drug trade, saying the BJP had the capacity to take on the challenge. Sunil Jakhar went a step further in directly linking the drug crisis with the performance of the Mann government. “Punjab must be saved before Rangla Punjab can be made,” Jakhar said, turning the AAP government’s promise of a prosperous and transformed Punjab into a political counterpoint to the BJP’s campaign. He alleged that situation in Punjab had deteriorated not only on the drug front, but also in terms of law and order, pointing to concerns over the safety of police personnel. Jakhar questioned how residents could feel secure if the police themselves were facing security concerns while continued on page 2 1.2 kg heroin, 2 pistols seized; three arrested Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 25 The Amritsar rural police have arrested three persons in two separate cases and recovered 1.2 kg of heroin, two .30-bore pistols, a digital weighing scale, a mobile phone and Rs 1,280 in cash from their possession. In the first case, the Jandiala police arrested Dalbir Singh, alias Billa, a resident of Lehndi Patti Gehri Mandi, and confiscated 1.12 kg heroin apart from a mobile phone, an electronic weighing scale from him. A police team was patrolling the area near Gehri Mandi when a man wearing kurta pyjama was spotted walking along an unpaved road. He was stopped and searched in the presence of police personnel. The search led to the recovery of contraband and other material from him. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against him, while a probe was on to ascertain the source of the contraband and establish his backwards and forwards links. In another case registered at the Lopoke police station under the NDPS and Arms Acts, the police arrested Surinder Kumar, a resident of Wazir Nagar in Kaithal, Haryana, and Jaspreet Singh, alias Jassa, a resident continued on page 2 Food safety officials inspect an eatery in Chheharta. 100 kg sweets destroyed; food samples collected Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 25 Around 100 kg of stale sweets containing colouring agents were destroyed on the spot during a food safety inspection in Chheharta and adjoining areas here. The inspection was carried out by a team of the food safety department comprising designated officer-cum-DHO Manjit Singh Rataul and food safety officer (ASR-II) Simranjit Singh Gill. The team inspected several eateries in the Chheharta area and challaned a sweetmeat unit. Five samples of atta, mixed milk, desi ghee, paneer and burfi were collected during the inspection and sent for testing. A Blinkit e-commerce store was also inspected following a complaint and a sample was collected from the premises. Officials said further action Locals jostle for parking space PSPCL to update missing records; pensioners relieved Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Officials at the central jail in Amritsar on Friday. Officials visit central jail, write off caste bias Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 25 District and Sessions Judgecum-Chairperson of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Jatinder Kaur today inspected the Central Jail here and found no instance of caste-based discrimination or major irregularity. The inspection was conducted in compliance with the Supreme Court directions in Sukanya Shantha versus Union of India, which require regular prison inspections to check caste-based discrimination and other discriminatory practices. DLSA secretary Amardeep Singh Bains and other officials visited various barracks, langar and kitchen, OOATS, internee camp, ladies ward, high-security cells and the jail hospital. Sanitation, accommodation, food, security, medical facilities and other basic amenities provided to inmates were reviewed. The members also interacted with inmates to listen to their grievances and welfare concerns. No complaint of caste-based discrimination or other discriminatory practice came to their notice. The board also did not find any continued on page 2 Amritsar, September 25 There seems to be no end to the city’s parking woes. With goods displayed along footpaths, commuters often park vehicles in unauthorised spots, ending up being challaned or having the vehicles towed away. The problem is grave in Hall Bazaar, Lawrence Road, GT Road and other major markets, where shopkeepers put up goods outside their establishments in designated parking areas for most part of the day. Amritsar Hariyaval Manch president Er Daljit Singh Kohli said: “This not only adds to congestion, but also deprives visitors of parking space in the city’s commercial areas.” “Those coming from far-off places often fail to find parking space. And, if they park their vehicles elsewhere, they are challaned,” Kohli added. He said action was always taken against vehicles belonging to the general public, while vendors whose vehicles remained parked outside shops the entire day made hay. A local said one could see vehicles owned by shopkeep- Tribune News Service Residents say vendors put up goods along footpaths, which adds to congestion. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR PROBLEM GRAVE IN MAIN MARKETS The problem is grave in Hall Bazaar, Lawrence Road, GT Road and other major markets, where shopkeepers put up goods outside their establishments in designated parking areas for most part of the day. Amritsar Hariyaval Manch president Er Daljit Singh Kohli said: “This not only adds to congestion, but also deprives visitors of parking space in the city’s commercial areas.” ers parked in the parking area for days, still no action was taken against them. “If the same vehicle is seen parked at the same spot every day, the authorities should take appropriate action,” he added. Locals urged the Commissioner of Police, the traffic police and the district administration to launch a special enforcement drive in major markets and ensure that goods are not displayed along footpaths in busy markets. “Parking slots in markets are meant for visitors and people coming to the city, not for shopkeepers,” another resident said. Amritsar, September 25 The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has directed its officials to update the pension records of 2,109 pensioners and 876 family pensioners whose death or birth dates, respectively, were missing from the database. The move aims at ensuring timely disbursement of benefits, including old age allowance and leave travel concession (LTC), to eligible pensioners and family pensioners. Engineer Surinder Kumar Bains, distribution border zone, Amritsar, said the PSPCL had issued directions to all Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) to update the required records in the pension package. The issue came to light during a meeting between PSPCL CMD Gurkirat Kirpal Singh and representatives of the PSEB joint forum and Bijli Mulazam Ekta Manch Punjab. Death, birth dates to be verified It was pointed out that the absence of death dates of some pensioners and birth dates of certain family pensioners in the pension records was creating difficulties in processing benefits. A subsequent verification found that the death dates of 2,109 pensioners and birth dates of 876 family pensioners had not been updated in the records. Taking note, the PSPCL CMD directed the DDOs concerned to complete the exercise within 15 days. According to a PSPCL letter issued on September 23, all DDOs have been asked to immediately scrutinise the pension records and update the missing information on the basis of the required documents. In cases, where any document or continued on page 2 SAMPLES OF ATTA, GHEE TAKEN Food safety officials inspected several eateries in the Chheharta area and challaned a sweetmeat unit. Five samples of atta, mixed milk, desi ghee, paneer and burfi were collected during the inspection and sent for testing. would be taken on the basis of the laboratory reports. Ahead of festive season, the department has stepped up the drive. Earlier, the teams inspected milk dairies in areas, including Rambagh, Joura Fatak, Tarn Taran Road, Ajnala, Beas and Chheharta. The teams collected eight samples of paneer and 12 samples of khoya, which were sent to the State Food Laboratory, Kharar, for testing. 2 bikers snatch earrings of AAP sarpanch Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 25 Two motorcycle-borne youths allegedly snatched the earrings of an AAP woman sarpanch at Saidolehal village here, with the incident being captured on a CCTV camera. The footage, which has gone viral on social media, shows Sarpanch Amarjit Kaur chasing the accused after the snatching. The victim fell on the street while trying catching the accused. According to Amarjit Kaur, her granddaughter was washing a scooter outside their house when the accused arrived on a motorcycle and called her outside. One of them approached her with an address enquiry and allegedly snatched her earrings. Amarjit Kaur tried to catch him but fell on the road during the chase. The police have started an investigation and are in the process of registering an FIR against unidentified persons. Police teams visited the spot and examined the CCTV footage from the area to identify the suspects and establish their route of escape. Further investigation is underway. Do not dispose of e-waste in haste: Women brigade behind e-recycling initiative Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 25 When it comes to decluttering e-waste, its disposal is not a thought-through process in households. Which is why, old mobile phones tucked away in a drawer, dead laptops, a handful of used batteries, perhaps a broken hard drive that nobody knows what to do with end up in household bins. For many, these devices are simply clutter. But the amount of harm they can cause to the environment is not known to many. Phulkari — Women of Amritsar — is tryingto change the way the city thinks about its electronic waste through its eParivartan initiative. The idea is simple: Instead of allowing unwanted electronic equipment to disappear into household bins or informal waste streams, collect it, channel it through authorised recyclers and create greater awareness on its responsible disposal. The initiative has taken ewaste collection beyond a oneday awareness campaign. Phulkari has involved schools, hospitals, industries and members of the community in collection drives. One such drive last year resulted in the collection of more than 500 kg of electronic waste, including mobile phones, batteries, hard drives and other discarded equipment. “The collected material is not simply handed over as ordinary scrap. Phulkari has worked with Threco, a Mumbai-based e-waste management company, for segregation, transportation and responsible recycling or disposal. “We also have invited schools, signed an MoU with Chief Khalsa Diwan for systematic collection, safe handling and responsible recycling of e-waste from its institutions through authorised recyclers. The arrangement also provides for disposal certificates and other documentation from recycling agencies. We encourage communities to come drop ewaste at designated collection c m y b spots, which is then systematically handed over to volunteer organisations,” shared Minakshi Khanna, executive member of Phulkari. That distinction is important. Electronic waste can contain materials that require specialised handling, making responsible recycling different from simply throwing an old device away. What makes e-Parivartan interesting is its attempt to turn e-waste management into a recurring community practice. Phulkari’s recent e-waste collec- tion campaign engages prominent schools, colleges, hospitals and social organisations. At its heart, e-Parivartan is also a story about civic participation. Phulkari’s initiative places women at the centre of an environmental conversation that is often treated as a technical or municipal issue. As Praneet Bubber, the founder member of Phulkari, says, “The challenge for Amritsar is not only collecting e-waste, but also making responsible disposal an every-day habit.” E-Parivartan collection drive held at Cambridge International School Phulkari — Women of Amritsar — has been spreading awareness on recycling e-waste.