15022026-JTR-01.qxd 2/14/2026 10:42 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune ENCROACHMENTS WORSEN TRAFFIC CHAOS IN PHAGWARA VALENTINE’S DAY BOOM FOR FLORISTS AND EATERIES With no visible enforcement by teams of the MC Phagwara, the situation in several busy market areas has deteriorated. P2 By the evening, most of the companies had exhausted their stocks of flowers and special V-Day gifts. P3 » » V-DAY: CAUGHT BETWEEN CUPID AND CHECKPOINTS In the region, Cupid was only too happy to shoot, but his arrows had to pass through police barricades to hit his targets . P4 » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 24°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 23°C | MIN 9C SUNSET SUNDAY 6.11 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 7:02 AM SUNDAY | 15 FEBRUARY 2026 | JALANDHAR Mohinder Kaypee made SAD halqa in-charge for Kartarpur Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 14 Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal on Friday appointed former Jalandhar MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee (68) as the halqa in-charge from Kartarpur. Badal made the announcement during his visit to the town on Friday afternoon. Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Avinash Chander, who have earlier been the SAD MLAs from Kartarpur, have since Sukhbir Badal and MS Kaypee long quit SAD. While Sarwan Singh Phillaur is with SAD (Reorganised), Avinash Chander is now a BJP leader. The SAD had since then fielded Seth Satpal Mal, who could not do well. For two years, ex-MC councillor and Zila Parishad member Paramjit Reru was also the halqa in-charge but he had resigned after the 2022 elections. The seat was in the BSP kitty in the last Assembly polls that the SAD contested in alliance with it. Now Kaypee's name surfaced after SAD (rural) Jalandhar chief Bachitar Singh Kohar and his aide Gurnek Dhillon conducted a series of meeting with party workers. Sukhbir Badal's daughter’s in-laws too hail from Pattar Kalan village of Kartarpur. Though the family is apolitical, insiders said that Sukhbir took their feedback also before finalising the name. Sukhbir went to Pattar Kalan after the Friday meeting. Interestingly, both Reru and former SAD chief Kulwant S Manan, who has been a staunch supporter of Reru for the seat, did not turn up at the Friday rally. NGT issues notices over waste dumping at Wariana Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 14 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the state of Punjab, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the Local Bodies Department over the dumping of unsegregated legacy waste at the Wariana dump site in Jalandhar. The NGT notices have been issued in response to a citybased social and environmental activist Tejasvi Minhas, who filed an application before the principal bench of the NGT, New Delhi, alleging large-scale violations of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, at the Wariana dump site in Jalandhar. The matter, (original application No. 97/2026), was listed for hearing on February 10. During the February 10 Two youths die in mishap near Balachaur A view of Wariana garbage dumping site in Jalandhar. hearing, the NGT issued notices to the respondents, including the State of Punjab, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change; Municipal Commissioner, Jalandhar; Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar; Member Secretary of the PPCB and the Additional Chief Secretary, Local Bodies Department, Punjab. The matter is listed for fur- ther hearing on March 17. In his complaint, activist Tejasvi Minhas described the Wariana dump site as the oldest in Jalandhar — which currently contains approximately 20 lakh MT of legacy waste, forming what has been termed a "mountain of garbage." It has been alleged that the MC, Jalandhar, continues to deposit nearly 500700 tonnes of unsegregated municipal solid waste at the site daily, aggravating the environmental burden. The application states that the waste being dumped comprises mixed and unsegregated dry and wet waste, including domestic, commercial, recyclable, non-recyclable, medical and bio-hazardous materials. It has further been alleged that transportation of waste is being carried out in non-compartmentalised and uncovered vehicles, contrary to norms, a concern that has reportedly been flagged on many occasions by PPCB. The plea contends that the site has exceeded its intended capacity and is operating in violation of environmental and pollution control standards. The applicant sought immediate directions to halt further dumping of waste at the Wariana site and remedial measures in accordance with environmental laws. LITTLE BLOSSOMS SCHOOL EDUCATING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN A CHANGING WORLD Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 14 A tragic road accident near Balachaur claimed the lives of two youths from the Machhiwara Sahib area of Ludhiana, while their third companion sustained serious injuries. The deceased have been identified as Harmesh Kumar (33) of Jatiwal village and Baljinder Singh alias Bunty (34) of Milkowal village. Harmesh is survived by his wife and two children, while Baljinder leaves behind three young children. Both were daily wage workers engaged in shuttering work and belonged to economically weaker families. As per information received, the three youths had gone to Kathgarh from Rudeval village with shuttering material. While returning on a tractortrolley after completing their work, a speeding Scorpio rammed into their vehicle from behind. The impact caused the tractor-trolley to lose control. Harmesh and Baljinder, who were sitting on the mudguard, fell onto the road. Harmesh died on the spot, while Baljinder succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter. The Scorpio driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene. DSP Hemant Malhotra said the police have seized the Scorpio vehicle and registered a case against the absconding driver. O p e ADMISSIONS 2026-27 Playway | Nursery Onwards Dedicated Playway Learning Wing Expert Led Activity Based Learning Professional Junior Football Training Elite Shooting Range Tennis | Martial Arts | Chess | Pickle Ball Safe Campus & Secure Transport B R A NC H E S B R A NC H E S LBS PLAYWAY URBAN ESTATE, PHASE II, JALANDHAR LITTLE BLOSSOMS SCHOOL LA BLOSSOMS SCHOOL URBAN ESTATE, PHASE II, JALANDHAR 4 ACRE CAMPUS SOUTH CITY 0181-4632930, 98727-24888 c m y b Kaypee, who had quit Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha election in 2024, was made the SAD nominee for Jalandhar LS poll. But he had trailed fourth bagging less than seven per cent votes. A relative of Jalandhar Congress MP Charanjit S Channi, Kaypee did not support him and chose to stand against him in elections. He was MLA thrice from Jalandhar South Assembly seat (now called Jalandhar West)- — in 1985, 1992 and 2002. After his stint as Jalandhar MP from 2009-14, he had unsuccessfully contested from Adampur in 2017. He had sought Congress ticket again in 2022 but it went to now MLA Sukhwinder Kotli amid drama. Son of former minister Darshan Singh Kaypee who was killed by terrorists, MS Kaypee has remained Punjab minister twice and is considered a prominent Dalit leader of the region. Sukar appointed Nawanshahar SAD in-charge by Sukhbir Nawanshahr, February 14 A day after SAD chief Sukhbir Badal appointed MS Kaypee as halqa in-charge of Kartarpur, he appointed party leader Sukhdeep Singh Sukar on the same post for Nawanshahr Assembly seat. Since the party had contested the 2022 Assembly elections in alliance with the BSP both the seats did not , have SAD candidates. Kartarpur and Nawanshahr were then in the kitty of the BSP With SAD support, the . BSP had managed to have its candidate Nachhatar Pal elected as an MLA after a gap of 25 years. Now as there seems to be little possibility of any alliance between the two parties, the SAD has started appointing its halqa incharges so that they are able to strengthen network in the months ahead of 2027 polls. Sukar has been quite active in the area and has been a staunch party loyalist. — TNS