Category Archives: News

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Vigilance Bureau arrests block samiti Patwari taking Rs. 20,000 bribe

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Chandigarh, June 23 2025:

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing drive against corruption, has arrested Nishan Singh, block Samiti Patwari, posted at Block Development and Panchayats Officer (BDPO) office, Gurdsapur for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 20000.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the arrest has been made following a complaint lodged by a resident of village Babari Nangal, in Gurdaspur.

The complainant has approached the VB and stated that she is the current Panchayat member of Gram Panchayat Babri Nangal and her husband had been cultivating about 22 kanals and 11 marlas of shamlat land out of total 25 acres of land for the last 50 years and the land title (Girdawari) of this land is also registered in his name.

She further stated that on the basis of a complaint, the BDPO office had asked her to submit a clarification in this regard. She requested the current Sarpanch of her village to resolve this issue but the said Nishan Singh Samiti Patwari has demanded a bribe of Rs. 20,000 to get the issue resolved through his department.

The spokesperson informed that after a preliminary verification of this complaint, the VB team laid a trap during which the accused Nishan Singh has been arrested red handed while he was accepting a bribe Rs 20,000 from the complainant in presence of two official witnesses.

In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the accused at VB police station Amritsar range. The accused would be produced in the competent court tomorrow and further investigation is underway, he said.

Chandigarh, Punjab

Punjab Government Issues Strict Directives for Child Protection; Immediate Action Against Obscene and Vulgar Content on Social Media

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Chandigarh, June 22:

Expressing deep concern over the increasing trend of vulgar and obscene content being circulated on social media platforms, Punjab Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur today said such material poses a direct threat to the psychological and social well-being of children.

Welcoming the orders issued by the Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights to the ADGP (Cyber Crime) for strict action against those posting such content, Dr. Baljit Kaur reiterated the Punjab Government’s firm commitment to safeguarding children and protecting their rights.

 The Minister has directed all District Social Security, Women and Child Development Officers to keep a strict watch on the circulation of such objectionable content at their level. She instructed that any complaint or information received regarding such content must be immediately shared with the police and the Child Rights Commission. Additionally, awareness campaigns must be organized at the local level to sensitize parents, teachers, and youth about the responsible use of social media.

Reaffirming the government’s resolve to ensure a safe and nurturing environment for children’s overall development, Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that any elements adversely affecting the mental health of children will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The culprits will face the strictest legal action and be made examples of, to deter others from posting obscene content online.

 The Minister also instructed the Police Department to intensify surveillance of such content on social media and take immediate action against individuals involved in creating or uploading it, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, IT Act 2000, and POCSO Act 2012.

 Dr. Baljit Kaur further appealed to parents, teachers, social organizations, and the public to promptly report any such content or individuals involved in circulating it to the police or the Child Rights Commission without delay. “Creating a safe, healthy, and positive digital environment for children is a shared responsibility of all of us,” she emphasized.

Chandigarh, Punjab

Punjab Government’s Decision about Development Authorities Will bring more transparency: Harbhajan Singh

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Chandigarh, June 22

The Punjab government’s decision, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, regarding development authorities will significantly contribute to the overall development of the state. This was stated on Sunday by Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO in a press release. 

The Cabinet Minister said that appointing the Chief Secretary as the Chairman of all Local Development Authorities in Punjab will accelerate the approval process for development-related matters and directly benefit the common people. 

The Minister added that, following the Chief Minister’s directives, state officials studied the reforms introduced by the Gujarat government in institutions like Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority, as well as the models adopted by the Uttar Pradesh government in Noida, Meerut, Kanpur and Lucknow. After a detailed analysis of the impact of these models, the officials submitted their findings to the government. Based on these conclusions, a decision was taken to amend Section 29(3) of the Punjab Regional and Urban Planning and Development (PRTPD) Act. 

He further stated that this decision will facilitate swift action on development matters involving key institutions such as the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), and Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA), thereby benefitting the people of the state. This change will streamline the functioning of development authorities and ensure timely decision-making. It also marks a major step toward decentralization of powers. 

The Cabinet Minister also highlighted that including departments such as Revenue, Industries, Water Supply and Sanitation and others in the decision-making process of development authorities will strengthen inter-departmental coordination. 

Mr. Harbhajan Singh ETO strongly criticized the opposition parties for making baseless and misleading statements on this issue, accusing them of attempting to confuse the public for political gain.

Chandigarh, Punjab

ARMY PERSONNEL, HIS ACCOMPLICE ARRESTED FOR LEAKING SENSITIVE MILITARY DATA TO PAK ISI

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CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, June 22:

          In a major counter-espionage operation amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Amritsar Rural Police has arrested an Indian Army personnel and his aide suspected of espionage activities linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.

          The arrested accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopy Foji, a resident of Dhariwal in Amritsar— presently, serving in the Indian Army and posted in Jammu; and his associate Sahil Masih alias Shali, a resident of Dhariwal in Amritsar.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav stated that preliminary investigation revealed that Gurpreet Singh was in direct contact with operatives of the Pakistan ISI and is suspected of sharing sensitive and confidential information via pen drives. The key ISI handler involved in the case has been identified as Rana Javed, he added.

          The DGP said that two mobile phones containing virtual numbers, reportedly used to communicate with ISI operatives, have been recovered from the possession of both the arrested accused persons. Further investigations are underway to dismantle the broader espionage-terror network and identify all collaborators in this case, he said.

          Sharing more details, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar Rural Maninder Singh said that accused Gurpreet Singh alias Gopy Foji was recruited into the Army in 2016 and systematically exploited his official position to collect, store, and transmit classified military information via pen drives and discs.

          The espionage network was reportedly facilitated by an acquaintance identified as Arjan, a Dubai-based drug trafficker from Dhariwal, who introduced Gurpreet to ISI operatives five months ago, he said, while adding that since then, Gurpreet has actively engaged in the unauthorised collection and relay of sensitive military data to the ISI using pre-decided drop locations.

          The SSP said that in lieu of this espionage activity, accused Gurpreet was receiving monetary compensation through a complex financial network involving intermediary bank accounts of friends, relatives, and foreign associates to evade detection. In an intelligence-led operation, police teams have arrested, Gurpreet and his associate Sahil Masih, while they were attempting another handover of sensitive data, he said.

          He said that further investigations are in progress to unravel the wider nexus and identify additional conspirators, both domestic and foreign-based.

          A case FIR No. 140 dated 21.06.2025 has been registered under sections 3, 5, and 9 of the Official Secrets Act and section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station Lopoke in Amritsar Rural.

Chandigarh, Haryana

DAY 113 OF ‘YUDH NASHIAN VIRUDH’: 151 DRUG SMUGGLERS HELD WITH 533-GMs HEROIN, 2.8KG OPIUM, Rs 5.3L DRUG MONEY

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CHANDIGARH, June 22:

          With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state completed 113 days, Punjab Police on Sunday arrested 151 drug smugglers and recovered 533 grams heroin, 2.8 kg opium and Rs 5.32 lakh drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 18,719 in just 113 days.

          The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

          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.

          Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1500 police personnel, under the supervision of 99 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 523 locations across the state leading to the registration of 98 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 502 suspicious persons during the day-long operation, he added.

          The Special DGP said that with 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 54 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Every citizen should become a partner in making Palwal clean and green: Gaurav Gautam

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Chandigarh, June 22

On the occasion of the closing ceremony of Swachhata Pakhwada being run by the state government and the district administration, a programme ‘Milkar Raho, Khulkar Jiyo’ was organized with public participation in the Shraddhanand Park of New Colony in Palwal city today, in which State Minister of Sports, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, Sh. Gaurav Gautam participated as the chief guest.

On this occasion, Sh. Gaurav Gautam launched the logo of MC Palwal. Reiterating his commitment towards realizing the vision of ‘Clean Palwal-Green Palwal’, he said the main objective of the government and the district administration is to make Palwal number one in the country by making it clean, beautiful and green, and for this, every possible effort is being made by the government and the district administration. He also gave necessary guidelines to the officers of the Municipal Council.

He said we should not hesitate or feel ashamed in adopting cleanliness, rather we should actively participate in such cleanliness campaigns.

He said in the coming time, the cleanliness system of Palwal will be in near perfect condition, for which all kinds of facilities are being provided to the Municipal Council.

He said with the aim of beautifying Palwal, the work of decorating the underpasses and squares of the city with wall paintings is underway.

He appealed to the general public, especially the youth, to adopt a clean and healthy lifestyle. The Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi and the Haryana Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini are determined to take cleanliness to every home.

The minister planted a sapling on this occasion and gave the message of environmental protection to the public. He said the Earth is our mother and it is our duty to protect it. Every person should participate in the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign and plant at least one tree and take a pledge to protect it.

On this occasion, he also honoured the ‘Swachhata Warriors’ by giving them a certificate along with a safety jacket.

On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Harish Kumar Vashisht, ASP Shubham Singh and other officers were present.

Haryana

Government committed to ensure complete flood protection before monsoon: Shruti Choudhry

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Chandigarh, June 22 – Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Smt. Shruti Choudhry said the department is making active preparations for flood control before the monsoon season.

Out of a total of 846 drains across the state, the cleaning of 671 drains—covering a cumulative length of 4,040.23 km—was planned. So far, 3,751.40 km, accounting for 92.85% of the targeted length, has already been cleaned through MGNREGA, departmental machinery, and the e-tendering process. The remaining work is progressing rapidly and is expected to be completed shortly. She said in the 56th meeting of the Haryana State Drought Relief and Flood Control Board, which was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, a total of 209 short-term flood control works were approved. Out of these, 12 works have been completed, 175 works are in progress and the target is to complete them by June 30.

Eight works are stalled due to farmers’ protest and coming in the eco-sensitive zone. The remaining 14 works are related to water conservation and material purchase, whose purchase process is in progress. Temporary arrangements have been made at these sites, which will not have any impact on the flood situation. These works will also be completed soon.

Along with this, it is estimated to remove 39.22 lakh cubic meters of silt in the Tangri river. In the work divided into three parts, contracts for two parts have been signed and the work is in progress. Apart from this, cleaning is also going on in the municipal limits of Kardan, Babyal and Chandpura villages. So far, about 5.75 lakh cubic meters of silt has been removed, and the remaining work will be completed by the prescribed time limit i.e. June 30, 2025.

At the same time, a total of 65.47 lakh cubic meters of silt is estimated to be removed in the Markanda river. Tenders were invited twice, but no bids were received. After this, tenders were again issued for the primary categories of 58,000 cubic meters. About 60% of the work has been completed in Jhaansa, Kalsana, Gumti and Jalbera villages and the remaining work will be completed by the stipulated time. The removed soil is being used to strengthen the embankments and other development works in Ambala and Kurukshetra districts. Repair and strengthening work of all the breakage sites in the Tangri and Markanda rivers has also been completed, which has reduced the possibility of floods in future to a great extent.

The minister informed that the Saraswati river, which flows from Adi Badri (Yamunanagar) to its confluence with the Ghaggar river, is about 190 km long and passes through Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts. It has 8 tributaries whose total length is about 101 km. Internal cleaning work in the Saraswati river and its tributaries is in progress at a rapid pace, in which about 85% of the work has been completed and the remaining work will be completed by June 25, 2025. She said we are committed to ensure complete flood protection before the monsoon. Reports of this work are being taken from the department every day.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Union Minister Manohar Lal inaugurates office of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust in Yamunanagar

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Chandigarh, June 22- Union Housing, Urban Affairs and Power Minister Sh. Manohar Lal inaugurated the office of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust built at PWD Rest House Vyaspur, Yamunanagar on Sunday.

On this occasion, a meeting was organized with the members of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust under the chairmanship of the Union Power Minister. During the meeting, a detailed discussion was held regarding starting the construction process of the Lohgarh Memorial. A monitoring committee and expert committee shall monitor the construction process of the memorial and the issue of organization of cultural programmes related to Sikh heritage was also discussed. Former Cabinet Minister Sh. Kanwar Pal Gujjar was nominated as the Chairman of the Monitoring Committee. The objective of the monitoring committee will be to periodically inspect the construction process of the memorial reflecting Sikh heritage and give necessary suggestions. The Expert Committee will be responsible for identifying key historical facts and significant events related to the monument, as well as contributing to its preservation and enhancement through in-depth research.

Sh. Manohar Lal said the Trust and other sub-committees will play an important role in preserving the rich heritage of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and developing museums, monuments and literature on Lohgarh and Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.

During the meeting, the provision of giving income tax exemption to the person/ institution donating in the name of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust was also considered. Detailed discussions were held on the implementation of various projects under Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust and other related points.

During the meeting, Sh. Rakesh Beniwal, founder of Kisan Yuva Club and his colleague Aman Virk handed over a cheque of Rs 11 lakh to the Union Power Minister as a donation in the name of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust. Earlier also, Chancellor of Desh Bhagat University, Dr. Zora Singh had donated Rs 11 lakh to the trust. For this, the Union Minister expressed his gratitude and appealed to the people to actively participate in such religious and social activities.

Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, ACS, Cooperation Department, Sh. Vijayendra Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Ambala, Sh. Sanjeev Verma, Director General, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, Sh. K.M. Pandurang, Director, Tourism Department, Dr. Shaleen, former minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar, former MP Sanjay Bhatia, Deputy Commissioner Parth Gupta, OSD to Chief Minister, Dr. Prabhleen Singh and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

Chandigarh, Punjab

Warring criticizes Govt’s decision to replace CM with  Chief Secretary to head various development boards in State

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CHANDIGARH, June 22: Punjab Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today criticized the Punjab government’s decision to replace the Chief Minister with the Chief Secretary to head various development boards in the state.

Reacting to the decision Warring remarked, “the Aaam Aadmi Party has been blatantly trying to weaken the institution of the Chief Minister by replacing him with an in-service bureaucrat to head various development boards, which will make them completely unaccountable to the public”.

The PCC president asserted that no excuse can justify replacing the Chief Minister with the Chief Secretary. “Where all will this stop?” he asked, while referring to undermining and eroding the authority of the constitutional position of the Chief Minister who is the constitutional head of the government and is always accountable and answerable to the legislature and people unlike a bureaucrat.

“Being in opposition we do have numerous differences with the Chief Minister on various issues, but we do not approve undermining and taking away his authority”, the PCC president noted, while pointing out, “after all, he is the elected head of the government, chosen by people of Punjab, while the Chief Secretary is only “an appointed official” by the Chief Minister.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Warring seeks Jaishankar help in tracing missing Indians in Russia

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CHANDIGARH, June 21: Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has urged the External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to help in tracing the missing Indians who are stranded in Russia and have reportedly been forced into the Russia-Ukraine War.

Many of them have lost their lives also, he said, adding, while they had gone in search of work, they were forced to become mercenaries.

Warring disclosed that about 126 Indian citizens from different parts of the country including Punjab were duped by the travel agents with a promise of work permit in Russia.

He said, after paying huge money to the travel agents to the tune of lakhs of rupees these people landed at the battlefront. He disclosed that about 12 such Indians have died while many others are missing.

Warring revealed that some of the victims’ relatives had travelled to Russia on their own spending huge money but to no avail.

The PCC president said that all these people had gone there in search of jobs and not to become mercenaries to fight some other country’s war.

He pointed out, the way government of India was helping evacuate people and students from war torn Iran and Israel, it must make similar efforts to trace and bring back Indians stranded in Russia.

Warring noted that India and Russia have great friendly relations and hoped that the external affairs ministry will use its good offices in Russia to trace the missing Indians and bring them back.