24072026-CT-01.qxd 24-07-2026 00:50 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune GMADA TO CONDUCT DRONE SURVEY FOR LAND ACQUISITION CITY AIR QUALITY IMPROVES BY 24% OVER 8 YRS: MINISTER JALANDHAR BEAT SANGRUR IN U-19 INTER-DIST MEET FINAL GMADA to conduct drone surveys for identification of structures, trees, etc, for land acquisition. P2 In RS, Minister of State says ambient air quality of Chandigarh improved by 24.6% over the past eight years. P3 Jalandhar Cricket Assn defeat Sangrur by 182 runs to win Punjab inter-dist limited overs tournament. P3 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX 31 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD Saurabh Malik WHAT’S ON Tribune News Service APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 24 and 46 Mohali: Sector 68 and Phase 5 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com UT traders meet Home Secy over vending zones Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 23 Traders have opposed the proposal to create 11 new vending zones in the city. A delegation of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) on Thursday met UT Home Secretary Mandip Singh Brar and expressed its concern over the proposed vending zones. During the meeting, the delegation comprising CBM president Sanjeev Chadha, chairman Charanjiv Singh and other office-bearers stated that markets were already congested and new vending zones would further worsen the traffic situation and sanitation while hitting their businesses. They opposed the proposal sent to the Chief Architect for final approval, Continued on page 2 Students stage a demonstration at the Sector 17 Plaza in Chandigarh for the second consecutive day on Thursday evening to express solidarity with Jantar Mantar NEET paper leak protesters. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR CAT fixes timeline for UT, MHA to decide on Chandigarh DSP’s plea for induction into IPS Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 23 The Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed the UT Administration to forward the Recruitment Rules governing the cadre of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Chandigarh Police, to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Personnel within two weeks. The tribunal said that upon receipt of the rules, the two ministries shall take all steps to implement the DSP cadre as the feeder cadre for induc- Taken ill on duty in Ladakh heights, brain-dead soldier gives new lease of life to six teered to donate his organs. Two kidneys, liver, lungs and Chandigarh, July 23 two corneas were successfully An Army junior commissioned retrieved and transplanted to officer (JCO) gave a fresh lease patients, saving their life. of life to six critically ill persons This is the first lung retrieval across the country through in the history of Command Hosorgan donation after his death. pital and marks a medical mileThe noble act also stone which epitomismarked a new milees the technical stone for the Comprowess of Army’s mand Hospital, medical stream, a Chandimandir, defence spokesperwhich carried out its son said on Thursday. first lung retrieval Theorganswerealloprocedure. cated to eligible recipiIn an act of humanents across the country ity and compassion, through the organ Naib Risaldar the family of Naib sharing network. A Virender Singh Risaldar Virender kidney and both Singh donated his organs after corneas were transplanted at he was declared brain dead on Command Hospital, ChandiJuly 21. Belonging to the mandir. The second kidney was Armoured Corps, he suffered a sent to the State Organ and Tisbrain stroke while deployed in sue Transplant Organisation, high-altitude areas of Ladakh at Haryana,thelivertoArmyHospi16,000 feet. Despite immediate tal (Research and Referral), New medical aid and swift aero- Delhi, and the lungs to KIMS, medical evacuation to the Com- Hyderabad. A green corridor mand Hospital on July 16, he was established through coordicould not recover. nation between the Military Displaying courage and Police, the civil administration resilience even under immense and local authorities for timely grief, his wife Kusum volun- transfer of the donated organs. Tribune News Service tion into the AGMUT cadre of the Indian Police Service (IPS), including consideration of the proposal in terms of the MHA communication dated November 3, 2020, and the Recruitment Rules notified on January 21, 2021, and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law, preferably within eight weeks thereafter. The order was passed while allowing the application filed by DSP Ram Gopal. The tribunal stated that the applicant’s case for induction into the IPS shall thereafter be dealt with strictly in accordance with the IPS (Appoint- ment by Promotion) Regulations, 1955, and other applicable statutory provisions, subject to his fulfilling the prescribed eligibility conditions on the relevant dates The tribunal also quashed orders dated May 8, 2019, June 28, 2019, and August 14, 2019, to the extent they reject or decline consideration of DSP Ram Gopal’s claim on the grounds that the Chandigarh Police DSP cadre is not a feeder cadre. Besides quashing of the orders, DSP Ram Gopal had also prayed for direction to the respondents to consider the cases of Chandigarh Police Service officers for induction into the IPS. There are six cadre posts of IPS in the UT. All other UTs administered by the Government of India in terms of Article 239 are the feeder cadre for promotion to the IPS, he stated, adding that Chandigarh cannot be left out. Ram Gopal said he was promoted to the post of DSP on the basis of seniority, eligibility and suitability. He contended that recruitment and promotion to the IPS were governed by the IPS (Recruitment) Rules, 1954, and the IPS (Appointment by Continued on page 2 Chandigarh, July 23 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to carry out a re-survey to explore all possible options for the proposed Zirakpur–Panchkula bypass. The Bench has also made it clear that the NHAI might “employ the services of any reputed technical expert body or institution for the purpose”. The direction by the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor came during the hearing of a bunch of public interest litigations (PILs). Appearing for some of the petitioners, senior advocate Anand Chhibbar submitted that the NHAI’s present proposal for the construction of the bypass would lead to the cutting of more than 4,000 trees. “The same can be avoided if a minor realignment or an alternative alignment, as proposed by them, is accepted by the NHAI,” he submitted. The Bench was told that such a “realignment/alternative alignment would not only save the felling of such a large number of trees, but would also attain significant savings in costs”. The Bench was further told that the options –– minor realignment towards the river bed or alternative alignment of the EPFO official sent to judicial custody in ~2.5L bribery case Bench asks NHAI to file report in 10 days; next hearing on PILs on Aug 1 PETITIONERS FOR SAVING OVER 4K TREES Appearing for some of the petitioners, senior advocate Anand Chhibbar submitted that the NHAI’s present proposal for the construction of the Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass would lead to the cutting of more than 4,000 trees. bypass through the sectordividing road in Panchkula –– would rather help in saving “the entire forest belt near the Peer Muchalla area”. It was added that “similar realignments have been carried out at various sites in the country wherein the alleged technical/engineering constraints have been taken care of”. The petitioners further submitted that the NHAI “has got the present proposal made from a private entity and is acting in a pre-determined manner, without seeking the assistance of any expert body or institution”. They prayed that “the matter be got examined from any reputed expert body like the IIT-Roorkee”. The counsel appearing for the NHAI, on instructions from a Project Director present in the court, “expressed certain alleged technical difficulties” in the two options suggested by the petitioners. The court observed: “After perusing the report submitted by the NHAI, and after examining the proposals regarding realignment and alternative alignment, we are prima facie of the view that an endeavour should be made in the right earnest by the NHAI to examine all possible options, in order to mitigate the ecological damage, while carrying out the development activities of the proposed bypass.” The Bench observed: “Before proceeding further, it would be apposite that the NHAI carries out a proper resurvey to explore all possible options and it may employ the services of any reputed technical expert body or institution for the purpose.” Before parting with the order, the Bench directed: “Let such re-survey be done and fresh report be filed within 10 days, with a copy in advance to the counsel for the petitioners.” The matter has been listed for further hearing on August 1. The observations form a part of the High Court’s ongoing effort to safeguard the region’s green cover. As part of this exercise, the High Court had on April 1 prohibited the felling of “any tree of any age/species in Haryana without its permission ”. The observation came after the court was apprised –– on the basis of the Indian State of Forest Report-2023 –– that Haryana’s forest cover stood at just 3.65%. CSCL-MC SCAM CBI sleuths swoop on five locations in city, Ludhiana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 23 The CBI court here on Thursday sent an official of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to 14 days’ judicial custody in a bribery case. The suspect, Shubham Tyagi, an enforcement officer posted at the organisation’s district office in Patiala, was arrested on Wednesday while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh from Harshit Jindal, an EPF consultant and the complainant. A client of the complainant was facing an inquiry under Section 7A of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 before the EPFO authorities. Although the complainant had submitted all required documents to the EPFO, the accused threatened to submit an adverse report recommending heavy assessment/penalty against the complainant’s client. Subsequently, the accused spoke to the complainant over phone and told him to meet at the EPFO Regional Office in Chandigarh. During the meeting on July 21, the Continued on page 2 FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Hold another survey for Zirakpur-P’kula bypass, explore all options: HC 35 PANCHKULA MAX 34°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 34.7°C | MIN 24.8°C SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:37 AM /THETRIBUNECHD Show of solidarity CHANDIGARH PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET FRIDAY 7.22 PM » FRIDAY | 24 JULY 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST Tribune News Service Overcast conditions in Zirakpur on Thursday morning. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR Heavy rain in city likely from Monday Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 23 After a brief lull in monsoon activity, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast another active spell over Chandigarh from the next week, issuing an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain from Monday to Wednesday. According to the IMD’s evening media bulletin, no weather warning has been issued for Friday, while there is a yellow alert for heavy rain at isolated places for Saturday. No c m y b alert has been sounded for Sunday. However, rainfall activity is expected to intensify again from Monday, with heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places likely till Wednesday. Despite cloudy skies and a cool breeze throughout the day, no rainfall was recorded in Chandigarh till the filing of this report. The city had received 2.7 mm of rainfall during the 24-hour period ending 8.30 am on Thursday. No rain was recorded between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. The maximum temperature rose for the second consecutive day. Chandigarh recorded a maximum of 34.7°C, an increase of 0.5 degree over the previous day and 0.9 degree above normal. The minimum temperature also increased marginally by 0.1 degree to 24.8°C, though it remained 2.1 degrees below normal. Relative humidity ranged between 58% and 90%. The five-day forecast indicates maximum temperatures would remain between 34°C and 36°C and minimum temperatures between 23°C and 25°C. Chandigarh, July 23 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday conducted searches at five locations in Chandigarh and Ludhiana in connection with the misappropriation of funds from IDFC First Bank accounts of Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) and the Municipal Corporation (MC). The searches covered the residential premises and business establishments of suspected beneficiaries of the misappropriated funds, the premises of a public servant, Anubhav Mishra of CSCL, and the premises of private entities connected with the investigation. Mishra, an outsourced accountant, is among those named by the police as a key accused in the CSCL-MC fraud. He was identified as the person who received the forged financial records of the firm from former CFO Nalini Malik during the handover of the CSCL to the MC in March 2025, the CBI spokesperson said in a release issued here on Thursday morning. EVIDENCE SEIZED CSCL accountant Anubhav Mishra’s premises among those searched; digital evidence, property papers, financial records seized During the searches, the CBI seized digital evidence, including storage drives and digital signatures, propertyrelated documents, financial records, multiple electronic devices and other documents relevant to the investigation. The seized material is being examined and analysed. Chargesheets filed in both cases The CBI has already filed chargesheets in both cases that it took over from the UT Administration at the recommendation of Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria. In the CSCL-MC case, the CBI has chargesheeted five bankers, a CSCL official and a private individual. In the Chandigarh Renewable Energy Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) Continued on page 2