02092026-CT-01.qxd 02-09-2026 00:35 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune ABVP’S PU WIN SYMBOL OF HINDU-SIKH UNITY: BIDHAN SHER-E-PB LEAGUE: ARJUN LEADS LUDHIANA TO WIN RAPPER BADSHAH & ISHA RIKHI CALL IT QUITS Bidhan also claims their presidential election win is a result of the promises fulfilled by the ABVP. P3 A fine performance by Arjun helps Ludhiana Lions beat Bathinda Royals by three wickets. P3 The rapper and the actress have decided to part ways, five months after their wedding. P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 47 PANCHKULA 58 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 15, 40, 46 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com Heavy rain likely in Tricity from today Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 1 The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain at isolated places in the Tricity from September 2 to 5 and forecast the rain activity to become fairly widespread on Thursday and Friday. The IMD’s five-day forecast for Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula indicates a partly cloudy sky with thunderstorm/rain activity from September 2 to 5, followed by partly cloudy conditions on September 6. The broader forecast for Chandigarh is for scattered rain on Wednesday, fairly widespread rain on Thursday and Friday, and scattered rain on Saturday. For the Tricity, maximum temperatures are forecast at 33°C on September 2, 32°C on September 3, 32°C on September 4, 32°C on September 5 and 33°C on September 6. Minimum temperatures are expected to range from 23°C to 24°C. Chandigarh’s maximum temperature fell 0.8°C to 35°C on Tuesday but remained 1.4°C above normal. The minimum also dipped 0.4°C to 25.6°C, which was 0.3°C below normal. Mohali’s maximum temperature remained unchanged at 34.1°C, while the minimum fell 0.2°C to 27.1°C. Panchkula recorded a maximum temperature of 32.7°C, up 0.7°C, while the minimum was 25.4°C. The Tricity experienced scattered showers on Tuesday evening. SEASONAL RAINFALL DEFICIT PERSISTS Chandigarh’s cumulative seasonal rainfall since June 1 stood at 609.7 mm as of 8:30 am on Tuesday, which was 15% below normal. No additional rain was recorded at the Chandigarh observatory between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm. PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 25.6°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.44 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.00 AM » WEDNESDAY | 2 SEPTEMBER 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE SKM protest hits traffic on Mohali-Chd border Tractor-trailers, being used as makeshift homes, line up on 2-km stretch from Phase XI to Sector 48 Gaurav Kanthwal KEY DEMANDS Tribune News Service Mohali, September 1 Traffic moved at a slow pace on the Mohali-Chandigarh border on Monday as farmers from across Punjab arrived in more than 400 tractor-trailers on the first day of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s (SKM) seven-day protest. Travel time on the stretch increased slightly, though traffic continued to move without major disruption. Tractor-trailers, being used as makeshift homes, lined a nearly 2-km stretch from Phase XI to Sector 48 in two neat rows, leaving a passage for pedestrians between them. The stretch on one side of the main road leading to the protesters’ stage in Sector 48 has been closed to traffic for the next seven days. One-way traffic is being allowed from Chandigarh towards Mohali and the Airport Road. For traffic from Mohali towards Chandigarh, two diversions have been provided on either side of the IISER light point. The UT police have put up ■ A permanent legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, based on the Swaminathan Commission’s C2+50 per cent formula. ■ Resolution of Punjab’s river water disputes on riparian principles and repeal of Sections 78, 79 and 80 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. ■ Complete debt waiver for farmers and agricultural labourers. ■ Scrapping of proposed or existing free trade agreements (FTAs) with the US, UK and European Union. ■ Repeal of the Electricity Amendment Act, the Dam Safety Act and the Seed Bill. << Members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha gather for their seven-day protest in Mohali on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VICKY three-layer barricading and barbed wire behind the protesters’ stage on the Chandigarh side. A heavy police deployment, including personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), has been made to maintain law and order. Several community kitchens (langars) serving food, snacks and tea have also started operating along the road. Attendance near the stage remained low on the first afternoon, with leaders addressing protesters from 11 am to 2 pm. Protesters complained that the Mohali administration and police had not yet arranged electricity connections at the site. A medical camp has been set up near the stage to provide first aid. The protesters said they had raised the issues of mobile toilets, electricity and water supply with the Mohali SP. They said the officer had expressed his inability to provide toilets in large numbers and they would therefore approach the UT Administration. Police officials said electricity and water arrange- ments would be made with the help of the departments concerned. Talking to mediapersons, farmer leaders Harinder Singh Lakhowal and Balbir Singh Rajewal said protesters were arriving at the site in large numbers. Asked whether the protest could be extended beyond seven days, Rajewal said the decision would be taken on the seventh day. “It may be extended further if a collective decision is taken,” he said. SKM leaders said they had no intention of inconveniencing the public and would remain within the designated area, allowing traffic to move on the other side of the road. Prem Singh Bhangur, president of the All India Kisan Federation, said, “There is no inconvenience to people and road users. We are coordinating with the police to resolve any traffic-related issues. The number of protesters will keep increasing as the protest progresses.” Before the protest began, SKM leaders met at a hotel in Mohali to discuss the details of the seven-day demonstration. One of the key issues discussed was extending support to striking Punjab government employees who are demanding long-pending dearness allowance (DA). Two CHB flats sold for New constructions in Kaimbwala City’s GST growth ~3.81 cr in e-auction despite ban matter of concern: HC slows to 8% in Aug Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 1 The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) earned Rs 3.81 crore from the auction of two 2-bedroom flats in Sector 63, while the remaining 12 of the 14 residential properties offered on a freehold basis failed to attract any bidders. The board had offered 11 properties in Manimajra, including nine in Indira Colony and two in the Modern Housing Complex (MHC), but did not receive a single bid for any of them. An independent HIG house in Sector 46-C, which had a reserve price of Rs 7.33 crore, also failed to attract a bidder. Bids received for only two of 14 residential properties offered on freehold basis A two-bedroom flat in Sector 63 fetched Rs 1.92 crore, while another fetched Rs 1.89 crore against a reserve price of Rs 1.29 crore. Despite the properties being offered on a freehold basis, the auction received a lukewarm response, raising questions over the reserve prices fixed by the board. Property experts attributed the poor response to a combination of factors, including high reserve prices, location continued on page 3 Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 1 Less than a week after the Punjab and Haryana High Court restrained constructions in Kaimbwala without its permission and ordered a spot inspection, the Local Commissioner’s report has indicated the existence of a “large number of constructions”, including new boundary walls. The Bench has expressed amazement over the constructions despite a subsisting ban. The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor has directed the revenue authorities to Tells revenue authorities to name those raising structures identify, through an affidavit, the persons who actually raised the boundary walls “in the teeth of the judgment of the Division Bench”. The development took place as advocate Nitin Kaushal, who was appointed Local Commissioner on the previous date of hearing, submitted his report along with a pen drive. Taking the report on record, the Bench observed: “As per the report and video played before the Court, a large number of con- structions are shown to exist, including raising of new boundary walls on the khasra numbers itself.” “We are amazed as to how the authorities have allowed such constructions to go on when there is a ban imposed by the Division Bench of this Court,” the Bench asserted. It expected the authorities to ensure the maintenance of status “as it exists pursuant to order of the writ Court” and no unauthorised construction was allowed in the area, the Bench added. Before passing the order, the Bench asserted it would be open for the parties aggrieved by the Local Commissioner’s continued on page 3 Mobiles stolen during victory rallies after PU poll results Deepankar Sharda Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 1 Dozens of mobiles were allegedly stolen during victory processions held by various groups after the announcement of the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) election results on Monday evening. One of the senior officebearers of the ABVP was also among those who lost their phones. He realised that his phone was missing within minutes of joining a victory procession. Most of the thefts were reported during the ABVP’s victory rally, particularly around the Student Centre. The ABVP has filed a complaint with the police regard- ABVP candidate Ankit Bidhan celebrates his victory on Monday. FILE ing the theft of a senior functionary’s mobile phone and urged its supporters to report similar incidents. “It was during the victory procession that we noticed our phones were c m y b missing. On sharing the information, we found that at least 20 people had lost their phones to pickpockets. A complaint was filed immediately with the local police, and other supporters were also asked to report the incidents,” said an ABVP supporter. This is not the first time mobile phones have gone missing during a mass gathering on the university campus. In 2024, dozens of expensive mobile handsets, mostly belonging to students, were reportedly stolen during a live concert by a popular Punjabi singer. Most of the handsets were iPhones. “Most of the stolen phones are high-end branded devices. Though they come with extensive security features, the possibility of misuse cannot be ruled out,” said a student. continued on page 3 Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 1 Chandigarh’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections rose 8% year-on-year in August 2026 to Rs 230 crore, up from Rs 212 crore a year earlier, but fell short of the national average of 9.3% for domestic GST collections, according to provisional data compiled by the Union Ministry of Finance. The August numbers mark a reversal from July, when Chandigarh’s 12% growth had comfortably outpaced the national rate of 10.1%. This time, the city’s neighbours all grew faster — Punjab and Haryana both recorded 12% growth. Cumulatively, Chandigarh’s April-August GST collection stood at Rs 1,383 crore, up 3.2% over the same five months last year — a modest improvement on the 2.2% cumulative growth recorded till July. The pace still lags Haryana (+11.6%) and Punjab (+8.3%) on a cumulative basis. However, Chandigarh remained ahead of Delhi, whose cumulative collections only just turned positive at +1.2%, having contracted 0.5% till July. Among Union Territories, August was a mixed month. Ladakh (+37%) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (+32%) posted the sharpest gains. Himachal Pradesh (23%), Puducherry (-13%), Jammu & Kashmir (-9%) and Uttarakhand (-9%) all registered a decline. The state GST (SGST) settlement data continues to favour Chandigarh over a longer horizon. For August alone, pre-settlement SGST rose 17% to Rs 71 crore, while post-settlement SGST — which includes the UT’s IGST share — grew a more modest 12% to Rs 215 crore. But over the cumulative April-August period, the pattern reverses in Chandigarh’s favour: pre-settlement SGST is up just 10% at Rs 348 crore, against a 23% rise in post-settlement SGST to Rs 1,154 crore. It reaffirms that the UT remains a net beneficiary of the Centrestate settlement mechanism this fiscal year. Chandigarh’s registered taxpayer base rose to 34,333 GSTINs as of August 31, up from 34,030 in July, split between 15,061 under Central jurisdiction and 19,272 under UT jurisdiction. Nationally, gross GST revenue for August touched Rs 1,99,853 crore, up 14.8%, driven by a 29% jump in import-linked IGST collections. Net revenue after refunds rose 8.3% to Rs 1,68,057 crore, though net domestic revenue growth was a slower 3.4%, weighed down by a sharp 72.6% rise in domestic refunds during the month. The ministry cautioned that all figures are provisional and subject to revision.