16102026-CT-01.qxd 10/16/2026 12:31 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune PROTEST OVER JHOTA MURDER BRINGS MOHALI TO STANDSTILL AUDIT FLAGS ~8.22-CRORE SUSPICIOUS MC PAYMENTS Points out disbursement of ~8.22 cr to two firms in connection with the IDFC First Bank scam. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 29.2°C | MIN 21°C PERO OPENS LFW 2026 WITH BARBIE-INSPIRED LOOKS Private schools, shops, markets and business establishments remain closed till afternoon in district. P3 FORECAST The ’70sseemedtobebackontherunway as Pero opened Lakme Fashion Week in partnershipwithFDCIinNewDelhi.P4 » » CHANDIGARH 43 PANCHKULA 36 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH Session: Mental healthcare for school students under project SAATHI by CCF; Govt Girls Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 18; 11 am PANCHKULA Walkathon: To mark World Anaesthesia Day; Geeta Chowk to Town Park, Sector 5; 6:30 am APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 24 and 46 Mohali: Sector 68 and Phase 5 Please send information about events in Tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com POWER SHUTDOWN CHANDIGARH 10 am to 1 pm: Parts of Sectors 21, 34, 35, 49, Ram Darbar 10 am to 2 pm: Sectors 27, 28, 38, 39, 44, 45, Burail, Indira Colony, Subhash Nagar 2 pm to 4 pm: Sector 25 SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.26 AM » FRIDAY | 16 OCTOBER 2026 | CHANDIGARH AIR QUALITY INDEX SUNSET FRIDAY 5.50 PM /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Sukhna earns Ramsar global tag International recognition puts focus on protecting lake, its catchment area, wildlife Tribune News Service Nitin Jain WHAT IS RAMSAR SITE Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 15 Chandigarh’s iconic Sukhna Wetland has earned international recognition as a Ramsar Site, making it the city’s first wetland to enter the global list of wetlands and placing its conservation under greater international scrutiny. The designation, officially announced by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Thursday evening, recognises Sukhna’s ecological importance as a habitat for resident and migratory birds, reptiles and other wildlife. It also puts a sharper focus on protecting the lake, its catchment in the Shivalik hills and the adjoining Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary from pollution, siltation and ecological degradation. Confirming the development to The Tribune, UT Home Secretary Mandip Singh Brar said the designation was a significant achievement for Chandigarh and recognition of the ecological importance of Sukhna Wetland. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria said: “This international recognition is a proud moment for Chandigarh but it also brings greater responsibility. Our priority must be ■ The Ramsar tag is an international recognition of ecological importance, not an automatic guarantee that a wetland is protected from every threat. Its long-term value will depend on how effectively conservation commitments are translated into action on the ground. ■ For Chandigarh, the challenge now is to ensure that the global recognition of Sukhna is matched by lasting protection of the lake and the wider ecosystem on which it depends QUALIFICATION CRITERIA To earn the tag, a site must meet at least one of nine criteria, such as holding rare wetland types, supporting endangered species, or regularly hosting over 20,000 water birds The Sukhna Lake is a major tourist attraction and draws a large number of visitors every day. FILE to protect Sukhna Wetland, its catchment and biodiversity through sustained conservation, so that this natural heritage is preserved for future generations.” The Ramsar designation places Sukhna among wetlands recognised under the Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971. The convention promotes the conservation and wise use of wetlands, which support biodiversity, regulate water flows and provide habitats for wildlife. According to the Ramsar Secretariat, Sukhna is located on the edge of Chandigarh, at the foothills of the outer Himalayas. It has been included on the international list as Site No. 2602. Its habitats range from open water to shallow-water vegetation, scrub and forest, supporting birds that use the Central Asian flyway during migra- tion. The wetland is particularly important for the vulnerable common pochard, a diving duck, and the endangered Pallas’s fish eagle. Its shallow littoral habitats also support the endangered black pond turtle. These species underline the importance of maintaining the ecological health of the wetland beyond its value as a recreational landmark. Announcing that Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh were the latest additions to India’s Ramsar list, Yadav said their inclusion takes the country’s total to 103 Ramsar sites, according to the Ramsar Secretariat’s October 15 announcement. Sukhna Lake is a rain-fed reservoir connected to a sensitive catchment, where soil erosion and the movement of sediment directly affect its water-holding capacity and ecological health. Two arrested for snatching women’s earring CITY’S WETLAND Built in 1958, Sukhna Lake receives water from the Shivalik hills through seasonal streams. The Chandigarh Administration has documented the impact of heavy siltation in the lake’s early decades. By 1988, it had lost 66 per cent of its original water-holding capacity. Soil and water conservation measures, including afforestation and engineering interventions in the catchment, subsequently helped reduce siltation. Chandigarh, October 15 The police have arrested two persons for snatching a gold earring from a domestic help in Sector 44 and recovered the stolen jewellery and the scooter used in the crime. The accused have been identified as Yashpreet Singh (18) and Kushal Walia, alias Golu (26), both residents of Burail. Victim targeted around 10.40 am at Sec 44 According to the police, Shiv Rani (45) was walking to work in Sector 44 around 10.40 am on Wednesday when one of the accused attacked her and snatched her gold earring before fleeing. Acting on her complaint, the Sector 34 police registered an FIR under Sections 304(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The two accused were arrested during the investigation, and the stolen earring and the scooter used in the crime were recovered. Section 317(2) of the BNS was subsequently added to the FIR. The police said Walia was already facing cases in eight criminal matters, while Yashpreet had no previous criminal record. 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