Chandigarh, June 28: Smiti Chaudhary , IPS, a dedicated officer of the 2012 Haryana cadre and the Superintendent of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Ambala, passed away suddenly on June 27 in Nashik, Maharashtra. Haryana Director General of Police, Shatrujeet Kapur, along with the entire Haryana Police fraternity, expressed profound sorrow over her demise. Offering condolences, DGP Kapur said, “The department stands firmly with her family in this difficult time. Her passing is a monumental loss to the police family.” He also prayed for the peace of the departed soul.

Mrs. *Smiti Chaudhary* had been unwell for a few days and was on leave during this period. She had traveled to Nashik to be with her husband, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, who serves as the Director of the Maharashtra Police Academy. She breathed her last while undergoing treatment in Nashik. Born on August 15, 1976, she hailed from Dumarkhan Kalan village in Jind, Haryana. A 2012 batch IPS officer, she was posted as SP, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Ambala, at the time of her untimely demise. She is survived by her husband and two children.

Mrs. *Smiti Chaudhary* was known for her honesty, empathy, and courage. Throughout her career, she remained unwaveringly committed to the principles of justice, transparency, and public service. She demonstrated exceptional dedication and deep commitment to her duties, excelling in several challenging assignments.

DGP Kapur added, “May the departed soul rest in peace. Her contributions and service will forever inspire us to remain steadfast on the path of serving the nation.”

Chandigarh:

The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, in line with its Terms & Conditions for Road Cut permissions, has issued a directive restricting road cuts activities during the upcoming monsoon season.

MC Commissioner Sh Amit Kumar, IAS has passed this order that this shall be effective from July 1 to September 30, 2025 during which no road cut permission shall be granted across Chandigarh except for emergent works, which will be reviewed and considered on a case-to-case basis with the prior approval of the competentauthority.

To ensure public safety and minimize inconvenience during the rains, the following instructions have been issued:

• All ongoing road cut works must be stopped within one week and the affected roads must be properly dressed, leveled, and fully restored before the onset of the monsoon.

• In cases where permissions have already been granted but work has not commenced, such road cutting will not be allowed during the restricted period unless declared emergent and approved by the Commissioner, MCC.

• Any extension of time limit for already granted road cutting permissions during this monsoon period will be considered only with justification and shall be approved at the level of the Executive Engineer, MCC.

The Municipal Corporation urges all concerned departments, contractors, and stakeholders to comply with these instructions in the interest of public safety and to maintain the city’s infrastructure during the monsoon season.

Chandigarh:

In view of the weather forecast issued by the Meteorological Department indicating possible rainfall and storm conditions in the coming days, the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh has issued a precautionary advisory for all residents and visitors of the city.

While speaking about the advisory, Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, MC Commissioner said here today that to ensure public safety and prevent damage to life and property, the following guidelines are hereby issued:

• Avoid parking vehicles under heavy, overgrown, or old trees during adverse weather conditions.

• Refrain from standing or taking shelter under trees, particularly those that appear aged or structurally weak, during rain or strong winds.

• Limit travel and pedestrian movement along tree-lined roads during heavy rain or stormy conditions, unless absolutely necessary.

• Do not touch electric poles, streetlights, or park light fixtures as these may pose serious risks of electrocution during or after rainfall.

• Maintain a safe distance from both trees and electrical installations throughout the period of inclement weather.

He appealed to all citizens to exercise caution and cooperate fully in ensuring their own safety and that of others. These measures are being implemented in the collective interest of public safety and the protection of city infrastructure.

The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh remains committed to maintaining a Clean, Green, and Safe City Beautiful and solicits the continued support of its residents in this endeavor.

For updates or in case of emergency, citizens are advised to stay in touch with official channels and helpline numbers.

Chandigarh:

In anticipation of the upcoming monsoon season, the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Chandigarh Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS called a review  meeting of 18 special flood control teams here today. The MCC has also operationalized 7 flood/water-logging control rooms across the city.

These arrangements will be in force from June 20 to September 30, 2025, to ensure swift response and redressal of water-logging and rain-related emergencies.

Each control room will function 24×7 with designated teams working in three shifts. Citizens can lodge complaints regarding water-logging through the dedicated control room phone numbers.

Control Room Details and Contact Numbers:

• Sector 11 Fire Station – Covers Sectors 1–6, 11–12, Dhanas, Sarangpur, Khuda areas

 0172-2747820

• Sector 38 Fire Station – Covers Sectors 36–42, Dadumajra, Maloya, Butrela

 0172-2690523

• Sector 17 Fire Station – Covers Sectors 9,10,15–18, 21–24

 0172-2703507

• Industrial Area Phase-I Fire Station – Covers Sectors 20, 28–30, Raipur, Dariya

 0172-2655816

• Industrial Area Phase-II Fire Station – Covers Sectors 31, 47–50, Hallomajra

 0172-2642611

• Sector 32 Fire Station – Covers Sectors 32–35, 43–46, 51–52, 61

 0172-2648610

• Manimajra Fire Station – Covers Manimajra, IT Park, Kishangarh, Mauli Jagran, Sectors 7–8, 19, 26–27

 0172-2734656

Each control room has dedicated field teams including Field Managers (FM), Multi-Task Workers (MTW), and Public Health officials. The Public Health Officer will serve as the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) in each control room, coordinating across departments.

Special Measures and Department Roles:

• 18 emergency response teams comprising officials from Public Health, B&R, Horticulture, MOH, Electrical, and Fire Department have been stationed in key sectors of the city.

• 5 water tankers with drivers will be available round-the-clock.

• Fire department personnel trained in disaster management will be stationed strategically for emergency handling.

• Barricading at collapse sites will be handled by the B&R wing.

• No casual or earned leave will be granted to staff during the monsoon period.

• All departments have been instructed to ensure immediate emergency response and provide necessary manpower from their current strength.

• Two enforcement vehicles will be provided at each control room for mobility.

The Municipal Corporation urges citizens to cooperate during monsoons and report water-logging issues promptly using the dedicated numbers for swift redressal.

Chandigarh:

The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh today carried out a special anti encroachment drive in the Industrial Area, Phase 1, particularly in the MW Kabri Market, to address unauthorized encroachments.

Following the directions of MC Commissioner Sh Amit Kumar, IAS, the enforcement team carried out inspections and took immediate action against violators obstructing public spaces and roads. A total of 27 challans were issued on the spot for various violations related to illegal encroachments.

The drive aims to ensure the smooth flow of traffic, maintain cleanliness, and uphold civic order in commercial and industrial zones. The Municipal Corporation reiterates its commitment to keeping public areas free from unauthorized occupation and urges all shopkeepers and vendors to comply with the regulations.

Further drives will continue across different parts of the city to ensure strict enforcement. The public is also encouraged to cooperate and support the civic body in its ongoing efforts.

Chandigarh, June 28, 2025:

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), continuing its relentless drive against corruption, today apprehended Vikas Jindal, Clerk posted at the office of District Education Officer (Elementary), Malerkotla, red handed while he was accepting a bribe of Rs. 20,000 from a teacher.

According to an official spokesperson of the VB, the accused clerk had demanded Rs. 30,000 from a complainant of village Bagrian, district Malerkotla in lieu of for processing his pending allowances in the DEO office. The complainant has alleged to the VB that said clerk had already taken Rs. 10,000 from him and demanding the remaining amount.

He further informed that after a preliminary verification of this complaint a VB team from Patiala range laid a trap during which the accused clerk was nabbed while he was taking Rs 20000 as a second instalment of bribe from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses and the tainted bribe money has been recovered on the spot.

In this regard a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at VB Police Station Patiala Range. The accused would be produced in the competent court tomorrow and further investigation is underway, he said. 

With a view to weed out the corrupt practices in the public offices, the VB has appealed to the public to report any instances of corruption through its helpline numbers or official channels and assured complete confidentiality would be maintained in such matters.

Chandigarh, June 28:

The Punjab Government, under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, is tirelessly working for the welfare and upliftment of every section of society. In particular, dedicated initiatives are being undertaken to bring students from Scheduled Castes into the mainstream by providing them better educational opportunities.

Giving further details, Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur informed that a budget provision of ₹245 crore has been made under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Caste students in the financial year 2025-26. The government has set a target to cover 2.70 lakh Scheduled Caste students under this scheme during the year.

She said this initiative would significantly help in improving the socio-economic standard of these students and enable them to lead self-reliant lives through education.

Dr. Baljit Kaur further added that in the previous financial year, the Punjab Government had covered 2,36,575 students under the scheme, disbursing ₹266.57 crore as the state’s share.

To facilitate applications, the Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal will be opened shortly for online submissions, she informed. Besides this, awareness camps will also be organized at the district level to ensure that eligible students are well-informed about the scheme and avail its benefits without difficulty.

The Cabinet Minister emphasized that the Punjab Government is committed to supporting every eligible Scheduled Caste student through this scholarship so that no talented student is deprived of education due to financial constraints. She said, “It is our sincere effort to ensure that children belonging to communities historically subjected to discrimination get fair and equal opportunities to pursue higher education.”

Dr. Baljit Kaur also highlighted that over the years, thousands of SC students have successfully completed their higher education under this scheme and today hold prestigious positions in government services, private jobs, and have even started their own businesses.

She directed the concerned officials to ensure that the benefits of the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme reach every deserving student and stressed that the scheme should be implemented with complete transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Chandigarh, June 28:

The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak today congratulated Mr. Jasvir Singh Sekhon on being appointed as the Member of the Punjab State Food Commission by the State Government.

Extending his Congratulations to Jasvir Singh Sekhon, the Minister expressed gratitude to the Punjab Government led by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. He further expressed confidence that Mr. Sekhon would fully justify the faith reposed in his abilities and ensure that the schemes initiated by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department are percolated to all sections of the society especially those linked with the farming sector as it is the core part of the procurement operations.

Notably, Mr. Sekhon has Sekhon appointed as Member of the commission under Section 16 of the National Food Security Act (Central Act 20 of 2013), 2013.

Chandigarh, June 28:

The Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has issued an order to suspend 26 officers and employees of Jail Department for dereliction of duty.

Punjab Jail Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar informed that 26 officers and employees of Jail Department have been suspended with immediate effect under Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970 for dereliction of duty/negligence.

Giving a clear message to the officers and employees on duty in the jails of Punjab, the Minister said that illegal activities, misbehavior, indiscipline, absence from duty and activities like involvement with prisoners will not be tolerated at all.

The Minister said that Iqbal Singh Brar Superintendent District Jail Mansa, Maninder Pal Cheema Deputy Superintendent Central Jail Ludhiana, Anil Bhandari Deputy Superintendent Borstal Jail Ludhiana, Sandeep Brar Deputy Superintendent Central Jail Ludhiana, Yadvinder Singh ASJ Central jail Ferozepur Apart from Warders Harbhupinder Singh and Sikander Singh Goindwal Sahib, Bikramjit Singh and Vijay Pal Singh Amritsar, Jatinder Singh, Ravi, Deepak Rai, Kiranjit Singh, Prithipal Singh and Satnam Singh Kapurthala, Satnam Singh and Mandeep Singh Hoshiarpur, Maninder Pal Singh Ludhiana, Anu Malik, Randhir Singh, Arvind Dev Singh, Balvir Singh and Sukhpreet Singh Mansa, Satnam Singh Nabha, Gagandeep Singh Bathinda and Anmol Verma Pathankot etc. have been suspended.

The Jail Minister said that the Punjab government led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann is committed to providing good administration to the state and negligence in the duty of any officer or employee will not be tolerated. He warned all the officers and employees of the department and said that they should ensure that their duties are done honestly, diligently and according to the rules.