A large number of devotees belonging to Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar pradesh and other parts of the country, residing in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh offered ‘arghya’ (prayer) to the setting sun on the banks of rivers and ponds amid tight security arrangements on Monday. The administration had made elaborate arrangements with special lighting and cleanliness, keeping in view the spirit of the festival. Devotees will offer ‘arghya’ to the rising sun on Tuesday. The festival symbolising the confluence of nature and faith — Chhath — has entered its third day on Monday.

In Chandigarh, the Municipal Corporation organized grand Chhath Puja celebrations at Sector 42 Lake, Sunder Nagar, Mauli Jagran and New Indra Colony Manimajra. At these places, the celebrations were enriched with captivating cultural performances by singers from the Purvanchal community, reflecting the unity and cultural diversity of Chandigarh. . Arrangements include tents, electricity, sanitation, drinking water, mobile toilets, cleaning staff and medical vans were made by the administration.

Devotees celebrating Chhath Puja flocked to Sector 42 Lake and other ghats from noon to offer prayers to the Sun God. Devotees and their families carried offerings such as thekua, seasonal fruits, sugarcane, coconut and vegetables in daura or soop (bamboo baskets) to the ghat . They filled a bamboo soop with fruit, thekua, sugarcane, coconut and a lit oil lamp. Devotees stood in knee-deep water and perform traditional rituals with deep faith and reverence and prayed for the well-being and prosperity of their families.

“We wait for this day throughout the year and start preparing for the occasion in advance to offer ‘arghya’ to the setting and rising sun. The ‘arghya’ is offered with mixing milk in sacred Gangajal, symbolizing purity and devotion. We are blessed to get such a chance twice a year as winter Chhath and Chaiti Chhath,” said Anuradha Devi, a devotee at Sector 42 Lake, Chandigarh.

Achutanand Pandey, another devotee, “Offering water to Lord Bhaskar brings mental peace and progress in life. Arghya with red sandalwood and flowers brings fame. By offering ‘arghya’ mixed with jaggery in Gangajal to the Sun, the deity blesses devotees with a son and good fortune. At the same time, by offering water in a copper vessel along with red sandalwood, red flowers and perfume in the morning to the Sun God, one attains age, knowledge, fame and strength.”

This year, Chhath Puja began on Saturday, October 25, and will conclude on Tuesday, October 28. The Puja began with the Nahay-Khay. The second day was the Kharna Puja. Today is the Sandhya Arghya. Tomorrow marks the conclusion, with the Usha Arghya and Paran.

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Chhath festival serves as a bridge of Indian culture and unites nation with a thread of faith: Hry CM


Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the Chhath festival not only serves as a bridge to India’s cultural heritage but also unites people across the nation through a shared thread of faith. It is a beautiful symbol of equality and reflects the deep connection between our culture, devotion, and nature.

The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering at the state-level Chhath Puja celebration held in Panchkula today. On this occasion, he extended his greetings and best wishes to everyone on the auspicious festival of faith, Chhath Puja. The Chief Minister also announced that the Chhath Puja Committee, Panchkula, would be supported in fulfilling its demands related to the beautification of the Chhath Ghat.

Earlier, Chief Minister participated in the worship of Chhath Maiya and offered water (Arghya) to the setting Sun at the ghat.

He said that the soil of Haryana possesses both strength and spirit, while the culture of Purvanchal carries devotion and tradition. When these two come together, they strengthen both development and mutual trust. He emphasized that the Chhath festival teaches the values of harmony and equality, where there is no distinction between high and low.

Originally celebrated in Purvanchal, the festival has now transcended state boundaries and is observed with great devotion across the country.

The Chief Minister added that the Chhath festival is a true reflection of the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. He said that as people from Purvanchal have spread across different states through their hard work and dedication, they have also carried their traditions with them. Wherever they went, the Chhath festival followed, and local devotees of Sanatan culture embraced and began celebrating it with equal devotion and faith.

He said that a ghat has also been constructed in Panchkula for Chhath Puja. Furthermore, a bathing ghat has been constructed in Karnal, the city of the generous Karna, on the Western Yamuna Canal in front of the Suryanarayan Temple at a cost of Rs 4.48 crore. Another ghat has been constructed opposite this ghat on the other side of the canal under the Smart City project. Furthermore, ghats have also been constructed in Panipat and Sonipat.

Speaking as the Chief Guest at a Chhath Puja program organised by the Mithilanchal Navyuvak Seva Samiti near Tangri Dam in Chandrarup Nagar, Ambala Cantonment, late this evening,  Vij said that “I have come here to convey my best wishes for Chhath Puja. People eagerly await this festival all year long, and it is truly inspiring to witness the devotion with which they observe it.” During the program, Minister Vij responded positively to the committee’s request for the construction of a permanent pond for Chhath rituals. He announced that the pond would be built using funds from his discretionary grant. “If the community identifies a suitable location, I will ensure that a permanent pond is constructed there”.

Chandigarh, October 26:
Chandigarh MP and former Union Minister Manish Tewari has written to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), K. Sanjay Murthy, emphasizing the urgent need for a comprehensive performance audit of the 24×7 Water Supply Project under the Smart City Mission, particularly the Manimajra pilot project in Chandigarh.

In his letter, Tewari stated that he wished to draw the CAG’s attention to the necessity of conducting a detailed performance audit of the 24/7 water supply scheme implemented under the Central Government’s Smart City Mission in Chandigarh.

He noted that this project—funded by public money and supported by international agencies—has failed to deliver on its promises, raising serious concerns regarding financial prudence, implementation efficiency, and governance accountability.

Tewari mentioned that the Smart City Mission, launched in 2015, aimed to develop citizen-friendly and sustainable urban infrastructure. Under this initiative, Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) was assigned several projects, including a key 24/7 pressurized clean water supply initiative with an estimated total project cost of ₹591.57 crore.

In 2016, Chandigarh signed an agreement with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for cooperation in water supply, sanitation, and waste management. Under this framework, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the citywide 24/7 water supply project was approved by the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) in December 2019.

Later, in December 2022, the MCC signed another agreement for the phased replacement of 270 km of water pipelines and coverage of 55 District Metering Areas (DMAs) by 2029. This pan-city project was planned with a total expenditure of ₹510 crore, including an AFD loan of ₹412 crore (to be repaid over 15 years) and a European Union grant of ₹98 crore.

Tewari said that upon completion, the project was expected to make Chandigarh the first city in India with 24-hour access to clean drinking water.

However, the Manimajra pilot project, implemented at a cost of ₹166.06 crore under the Smart City Fund, has completely failed.

He revealed that due to the poor performance of the pilot, the MCC is now considering scrapping the entire citywide project, as not a single area in Manimajra currently receives uninterrupted, high-pressure water supply.

Residents have complained of foul-smelling and dirty water, as well as malfunctioning water meters. These findings contradict residents’ experiences, media reports, and on-ground realities. Tewari stated that citizens consistently report receiving water for only 2–4 hours a day, which is often contaminated and unfit for consumption.

According to several local media reports, MCC officials themselves confirmed that although the project was designed to improve water services, the actual quantity of water reaching households has not increased.

Despite this, the Ministry of Home Affairs, in its reply to Unstarred Question No. 1226 (answered on February 11, 2025) in the Lok Sabha, claimed that the physical infrastructure and trial operations of the project had been completed.

Tewari further pointed out additional discrepancies between government claims and ground reality. In response to his Unstarred Question No. 2768 (answered on December 12, 2024), the government stated that out of 36 projects worth ₹1,537 crore under CSCL, 34 projects worth ₹1,475 crore had been completed.

Regarding the Manimajra project, the government claimed that water supply hours had been increased from 9 to 18 hours per day, 12,700 smart water meters had been installed, water supply had risen from 2.5 to 3.5 MGD, and water quality was being ensured through chlorine analyzers and daily testing.

However, MCC officials have drafted a proposal urging the Central Government to halt the project, warning that it is financially unviable. The original ₹412 crore loan (calculated at 2022 prices) is expected to nearly double due to inflation and rising operational costs. Similarly, water tariffs would need to be almost doubled to meet repayment obligations, placing a heavy financial burden on residents.

The DPR also failed to include major costs such as road re-carpeting, which will require crores of additional expenditure once the underground pipelines are replaced across the city.

Government responses have themselves admitted that the citywide 24×7 water supply project has achieved only 5% physical progress, while another project—an animal carcass incinerator—showed 0% progress as of December 3, 2024.

Tewari also noted that in July 2025, following corruption allegations made by Chandigarh BJP President Jatinder Pal Malhotra, the UT Vigilance Department initiated an inquiry. However, the MCC provided only incomplete records, consisting merely of tender documents and noting files, instead of the complete project documentation.

Media reports have suggested that the vigilance investigation has been deliberately derailed, with vested interests allegedly attempting to suppress evidence and influence the inquiry process.

Taking suo motu cognizance, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission issued notices to both the Vigilance Department and the MCC, directing them to appear on August 31, 2025, and submit reports before the September 2 hearing.

Tewari mentioned that while multiple agencies are investigating the project’s failure, no independent third-party evaluation of water quality or service standards has been conducted so far. He added that reliance on self-reported CSCL data is unreliable, and the lack of clarity over loan arrangements further undermines the credibility of official statements—highlighting the need for independent financial verification.

Given the MCC’s own acknowledgment of the project’s complete failure and its consideration of scrapping the initiative, Tewari said that an independent execution audit has become essential to assess public fund mismanagement and to prevent similar failures in other cities.

He therefore requested the CAG to conduct a comprehensive performance audit, covering the following points:
• Verification of total project cost and funding sources (₹166.06 crore from Smart City Mission, ₹412 crore AFD loan, ₹98 crore EU grant)
• Clarification of financial structure and forensic review of contradictory official statements
• Compliance with procurement procedures for contractor selection and fund allocation
• Fund flow tracking and financial management by CSCL and MCC
• Technical implementation versus specified deliverables, including SCADA systems and water quality benchmarks
• Coordination between implementing agencies and oversight bodies
• Assessment of DPR adequacy, including road restoration and inflation adjustments
• Value-for-money evaluation in light of the project’s failure
• Decision-making processes that allowed continuation despite early warning signs
• Factors leading to MCC’s current decision to consider scrapping the project

Tewari concluded that this issue involves significant public funds and directly affects public health and essential services for the people of Chandigarh. Therefore, it merits an independent and official investigation, which only the CAG’s office is authorized to conduct.

In view of these circumstances, he urged the CAG to intervene immediately to ensure accountability and transparency in the project’s implementation.

Chandigarh, October 26:

Under the directions of Punjab Horticulture Minister Shri Mohinder Bhagat, the Horticulture Department is actively working to promote crop diversification and enhance farmers’ income across the state. The farmer-centric schemes of the Punjab Government are proving to be a boon for cultivators, ensuring every possible support to help them adopt modern farming practices.

Director Horticulture Mrs. Shailender Kaur informed that taking advantage of the government’s schemes, Harbir Singh, a farmer from village Saraba in Ludhiana district, is earning handsome profits through polyhouse farming and has become an inspiration for other farmers. After obtaining a degree in Electrical Engineering, Harbir Singh chose farming as his profession instead of taking a job, setting new benchmarks by integrating traditional farming with modern technology.

Farmer Harbir Singh shared that he received comprehensive guidance on polyhouse cultivation from the Horticulture Department. He is currently cultivating seedless cucumber, coloured capsicum, melon, and potato under polyhouse, earning an average annual profit of ₹12 to ₹14 lakh.

He further mentioned that in 2014, he shifted from conventional vegetable cultivation and received specialized training from the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables, Kartarpur. He said that under the National Horticulture Mission scheme, he availed subsidy support to set up his polyhouse and started growing coloured capsicum and seedless cucumber. He regularly consulted officials of the Horticulture Department to resolve farming-related challenges.

Harbir believes thelat hard work, dedication, understanding problems minutely and consistent guidance from the Horticulture Department officials have been the key factors behind his success.

Chandigarh, October 26, 2025 – Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Executive Director of Religions for Peace USA, has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award by Minhaj University, Lahore in recognition of his lifelong commitment to interfaith harmony and the preservation of Sikh heritage.

            The award was presented during the two days 8th International Conference on World Religions where Dr. Hussain Qadri, Chairman and Dr. S.M. Shahzad, Vice-Chancellor of Minhaj University conferred the honour upon Dr. Butalia. Bishop Samuel Robert Azariah, Director of the Christian Study Center, Rawalpindi was also presented with the national lifetime award at the same ceremony.

            The conference brought together global faith leaders and scholars under the theme “Building Resilient Societies: Preventing Extremism at its Roots,”. The deliberations focused on fostering interfaith dialogue and promoting social cohesion in an era marked by rising polarization and intolerance.

            Upon receiving the award Dr. Butalia expressed gratitude of university and conference organisers, describing the recognition as a tribute to the collective efforts of those advancing interfaith cooperation worldwide. He underscored the vital role of dialogue in healing divisions and nurturing mutual respect among diverse communities.

            The event celebrated Dr. Butalia’s enduring influence as a global ambassador of peace and a bridge-builder between cultures and religions, reaffirming his distinguished place in the landscape of interfaith leadership.

Chandigarh, 26 October 2025:

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan attended Bhog and Antim Ardas ceremony of late Y. Puran Kumar IPS at Gurudwara Nada Sahib, Panchkula. He expressed grief over the untimely demise of Y. Puran Kumar IPS. He said society will always remember his work done towards the welfare of the country.

Sandhwan also conveyed the message of AAP National Convenor Sh. Arvind Kejriwal who paid heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and said we are always stood by the family of late Y. Puran Kumar IPS in this hour of sorrow.

Speaker Sandhwan  prayed to God to grant peace to the departed soul. Almighty may give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss in this hour of distress.God may grant place of abode to him at His feet.

Chandigarh, 26 October:

Punjab’s Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, informed that the Punjab Government has so far released ₹2400.70 crore under the Old Age Pension Scheme during the current financial year.

Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that under this scheme, over 23 lakh beneficiaries have received financial assistance. She further noted that the State Government has allocated a total budget of ₹4100 crore for the scheme in the current financial year to ensure that every senior citizen receives their entitled pension in a timely manner.

Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government values its senior citizens and is fully committed to protecting their respect and dignity. She added that the pension scheme is not merely financial support but a symbol of the government’s responsibility and honour towards the elderly.

The Minister also instructed departmental officials that “Our elders are our pride” and stressed that every eligible beneficiary must receive their pension on time, without any delays or lapses. The government remains committed to ensuring that the benefits of the scheme reach all deserving senior citizens promptly and efficiently.

CHANDIGARH, October 25:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 238th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 344 locations on Saturday leading to the arrest of 90 drug smugglers after registration of 78 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 34,082 in 238 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 6.1 kg heroin, 1.7 kg opium, 696 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 29,490 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Over 120 Police teams, comprising over 1000 police personnel, under the supervision of 66 gazetted officers have conducted 344 raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 344 suspicious persons during the day-long operation.

          The state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced 41 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, October 25:

          In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) Amritsar has apprehended an operative of a terror network and recovered two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), weighing around 2.5 kg each, packed with high-grade RDX and equipped with timers for detonation, and one sophisticated .30 bore pistol along with ammunition from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

          The arrested accused has been identified as Manpreet Singh alias Tiddi, a resident of village Kotla Tarkhana in Amritsar. The arrested accused has a criminal history, being previously involved in two criminal cases registered in police stations Sadar Batala and Kalanaur. After spending around one and a half years in Gurdaspur and Amritsar jails, he was released in February 2025 and subsequently resumed his criminal activities.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused was working on the directions of his handlers based in Armenia, United Kingdom (UK) and Germany, who are further receiving instructions from a Pakistan-based mastermind of a banned terrorist organisation. Further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to dismantle the entire network, he said.

          Sharing operational details, AIG SSOC Amritsar Sukhminder Singh Mann said that acting swiftly on a specific intelligence input, the team of SSOC Amritsar arrested suspect Manpreet Singh alias Tiddi and recovered a pistol of 30 bore along with ammunition from his possession. Following his disclosure, two IEDs, packed in metal containers with high-grade RDX and equipped with timers for detonation, are also recovered from the area of village Kotla Tarkhana, he said.

          The AIG said that probe further indicated that around two weeks back, the Pak-based handler facilitated a drone-dropping of the seized consignment in Ajnala Sector, which was retrieved by the arrested person and further concealed by him near a canal close to his village Kotla Tarkhana. His handlers had instructed him to remain on standby and await further orders to hand over the IEDs to another contact for intended use, he added.

          In this regard, a case FIR No. 63 dated 25.10.2025 has been registered under sections 25 of the Arms Act, sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act, and sections 111 and 61(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station SSOC Amritsar.

Chandigarh, October 25:-* Under the directions of Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, the Facial Authentication Aadhaar Based Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) will be implemented across all wings and divisions of the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh for efficient and transparent attendance management of all officers and officials from 1st November 2025.

This initiative, mandates the use of facial authentication through personal smartphones for attendance marking, ensuring a modern, accurate, and accountable attendance mechanism.

The Commissioner, MCC Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, reviewed the progress and operational readiness of the AEBAS system and issued clear directions for strict and immediate compliance. It was observed that 10,930 employees of MCC are presently active and registered on the Biometric Attendance Portal developed by NIC. All officials who have not yet registered are directed to complete their registration within seven days without fail.

As per the directions of the Commissioner, marking of attendance through NIC’s Facial Authentication using the mobile applications AadhaarBAS or AadhaarFaceRD on personal smartphones, or through Biometric Machines installed at designated locations, is mandatory for all MCC employees, including regular, contractual, outsourced, and field staff. It has been further ordered that salaries of all employees shall be strictly linked to their biometric attendance records with effect from 01.11.2025.

The IT Branch, MCC, has already conducted comprehensive training sessions for all Nodal Officers/Single Points of Contact (SPoCs) from every wing, branch, and division to ensure smooth and uniform implementation. The Commissioner has instructed all Nodal Officers/SPoCs/Supervisors to ensure that every employee under their control marks attendance daily without exception. In cases where any employee faces difficulty in marking attendance, the concerned supervisor shall immediately facilitate the attendance marking using his/her own smartphone or through a nearby biometric machine to avoid discrepancies.

Furthermore, all registered employees have been directed to update their biometric and service details, including their place of posting, by 31.10.2025, to ensure accurate record maintenance on the attendance portal.

The Commissioner, MCC, has emphasized that strict compliance with these directions is mandatory, and any negligence or non-compliance will be viewed seriously. All employees are therefore instructed to cooperate fully to ensure the successful implementation of the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System, which aims to enhance transparency, punctuality, and administrative efficiency within the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh.