07092026-TTC-01.qxd 9/7/2026 1:03 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 247 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 SHUTTLERS SATWIK-CHIRAG CLINCH MAIDEN CHINA MASTERS TITLE SPORT /thetribunechd SANITATION WORKERS EXTEND AGITATION TILL SEPT 9 HARYANA DAY AFTER MOSCOW LABELS TO HIDE FAILURES: TALKS, US ENVOYS CALL KHARGE ON PM’S ‘NARAAZ ON ZELENSKYY WORLD FOOFA’ REMARK BACK PAGE monday | 7 september 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com 5 dead, many trappedas Delhi boys’ hostel building collapses Five injured, 15-20 ‘missing’ | Distressing: PM Modi mourns loss of life Manikant Mishra Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 6 At least five students were killed and many feared trapped after a five-storey building housing a boys’ paying guest (PG) facility collapsed in southwest Delhi’s Satya Niketan area on Sunday afternoon. The tragedy, near Chanakyapuri and close to Delhi University’s South Campus, turned the densely populated student-housing locality into a massive rescue zone. Around 15-20 persons were reportedly missing after the incident. As many as 10 persons were pulled out as emergency teams raced against time to clear slabs, girders and concrete debris in search of survivors. Ten persons were received at the AIIMS trauma centre, the hospital said in a statement. “Four were brought dead, while one patient who was in critical condition later succumbed to his injuries. Three patients have been admitted and are being treated. One patient underwent a surgery of limb, and another who had sustained a minor injury was discharged after observation,” it said. The building, comprising a basement and five upper floors, collapsed around 1.30 pm. Repair work was reportedly underway in the basement, which is being investigated as a possible cause of the incident, the police said. An FIR has been registered. This correspondent found local residents continued on page 10 A youngster being rescued by personnel of the NDRF and Delhi Fire Service; and (below) rescue operations underway after a five-storey building collapsed in the Satya Niketan area of South-West Delhi on Sunday. ANI CAPITAL TRAGEDIES n JUNE 2026 Malviya Nagar fire at a B&B facility | 21 DEAD n JUNE 2026 Palam housing-cum- Fix accountability, Military commanders audit PGs, says CJP meet ahead of Xi’s visit Ajay Banerjee New Delhi, September 6 The Cockroach Janata Party Dipke questions PM over (CJP) on Sunday demanded student safety accountability and a safety audit of all paying guest (PG) hostels in Delhi after a five- Narendra Modi over student storey hostel building col- safety, pointing out that Modi lapsed in the Satya Niketan visited Delhi University a day area, leaving five persons dead earlier and invoked the term and several trapped. “dimagi Naxal” in CJP founder and his political speech, convener Abhijeet but spoke little Dipke criticised the about the condition government’s prioriof educational ties over educational infrastructure. infrastructure, saying “Today, a hostel students were being building in South forced to live and Campus collapsed, Abhijeet Dipke study in unsafe conwith students ditions even as politifeared trapped cal establishments received under the debris. The number attention and resources. of casualties is still unknown. A CJP team led by its organ“How long must students isation co-in-charge and continue to pay the price north zone lead Deepak for failing infrastructure?” Baliyan and national joint Dipke said, adding, secretary Balakrishna Shukla “Adivasi students are reached the collapse site and dying in tribal regions due joined residents and emer- to a lack of care and supgency personnel in the rescue port, and even students efforts. Dipke, in a post on X, studying in the national questioned Prime Minister capital are not safe.” — PTI residential building fire | 9 DEAD n JULY 2025Welcome Area 4-storey building collapses | 6 DEAD n MAY 2024 Vivek Vihar hospital fire | 8 NEWBORNS DEAD n FEB 2024 Dayalpur market paint factory explosion | 11 DEAD MAGISTERIAL PROBE ON, OWNER BOOKED n Delhi Chief Minster Rekha Gupta ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident n The South Campus police have booked the building owner, Hariram, and others n They face charges of culpable homicide, negligence & endangering safety of others Aditya Rangroo Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Mandi, September 6 A poster displayed during the Janmashtami celebrations on the IIT, Mandi, campus has triggered sharp criticism on social media after it was alleged to have promoted a caste-based hierarchy while explaining the concept of “karma” from the Bhagavad Gita. The institute has distanced itself from the controversial poster, saying the Janmashtami programme was organised by students and it was opposed to any caste-based discrimination. The poster, titled “Bhagavad Gita — The Timeless Wisdom: Karma”, referred to Tribune News Service Ropar, September 6 The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), one of the country’s most critical water and power management organisations, is operating with around 40 per cent of its sanctioned employee strength, raising concerns over the maintenance of its vital dams, hydropower stations and transmission infrastructure. sia’s Vladimir Putin, is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi. The meeting at the LAC comes less than a month after a misunderstanding between the two militaries near Taksing in the Upper Subhansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. Taksing is also under the command of 3 Corps. Sources said the Army had maintained a firm stance in responding to Chinese troop activity in the area. India and China have different perceptions of the LAC in their territories and at times, that leads to issues on the ground. So far, there is no official statement by the Ministry of Defence. However, sources said the Corps Commander-level meeting discussed ways of maintaining peace along the LAC. Former National Security Advisory Board member continued on page 9 Pb urges Prez, PM to stall new CJ’s swearing-in Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 6 In an unprecedented confrontation between the executive and the judiciary, the Punjab Cabinet on Sunday unanimously passed a resolution opposing the appointment of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, the acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as the Chief Justice. At a hurriedly convened Cabinet meeting, the state government appealed to President Droupadi Murmu, verses from the Gita, including chapter 3, verse 8 and chapter 4, verse 13. While explaining the traditional four divisions of society, it described the roles of Brahmins as spreading God’s message, Kshatriyas as protecting society and spirituality, Vaishyas as driving the economy and supporting others, and Shudras as serving the “higher classes”. The reference to Shudras and the phrase “higher classes” drew strong objections from netizens, who criticised the display as reinforcing the caste hierarchy and social discrimination. The controversy gained wider attention continued on page 9 New Delhi, September 6 Of nearly 59 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts in the country, 5.72 crore had zero balance and 15.37 crore were inoperative as of August 12, 2026, according to a reply furnished by the Ministry of Finance under the RTI Act. The RTI response, provided by the Department of Financial Services to activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur, said 59,03,74,907 PMJDY accounts were operational nationwide, holding deposits worth Rs 3,15,179.90 crore. Women, including transgender account holders, held 32.89 crore accounts, while men accounted for 26.14 crore accounts. According to total deposits at ~3.15L cr the data, 15,36,77,009 PMJDY accounts were classified as inoperative, while 5,72,35,490 accounts had zero balance. Launched in August 2014 as the National Mission for Financial Inclusion, the PMJDY aims to provide universal access to banking services, financial literacy and social security coverage, including at least one basic bank account for every household. Among states, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of zero-balance PMJDY accounts at 95.92 lakh, followed by Bihar (62.35 lakh), West Bengal (37.20 lakh), Assam (36.30 lakh) and Maharashtra (36.04 lakh). Uttar Pradesh also topped the list in terms of inoperative accounts with 3.23 crore, followed by Bihar (1.59 crore), Madhya Pradesh (1.35 crore), West Bengal (1.02 crore) and Maharashtra (97.94 lakh). In terms of overall PMJDY account numbers, Uttar Pradesh led with 10.51 crore accounts, followed by Bihar (7.01 crore), West Bengal (5.73 crore), Rajasthan (3.87 crore) and Maharashtra (3.85 crore). The RTI reply, dated September 1, said the Centre did not maintain data centrally on the gender-wise break-up of balances, zero-balance accounts and inoperative accounts. The state-wise data supplied with the response covered 36 states and UTs. Cabinet resolution opposes Justice Mishra’s elevation STATE’S CONSENT NOT MANDATORY: EXPERTS Legal experts have pointed out that the memorandum of procedure governing judges’ appointment requires the Centre to obtain the views of the state government concerned, but doesn’t make its consent or concurrence a condition for appointment. INSIDE PUNJAB UNDERMINING JUDICIARY: BAR ASSN The Punjab and Haryana HC Bar Association has expressed “deep concern and condemnation” over the stand of the state government. “Political disagreement cannot be permitted to undermine the authority or independence of the judiciary,” it said. Concerns over maintenance of vital dams, hydel stations Punjab, which has nearly a 52 per cent share in BBMB, has struggled for almost two decades to fill its employee quota. The resulting vacancies have increasingly been filled by personnel from other partner states. Although the Punjab Government approved the creation of a special BBMB cadre seven months ago, recruitment rules are yet to be finalised. The state has nearly 2,500 vacant quota posts in the organisation. Irrigation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal told The Tribune that the rules for creating the special cadre were currently being framed. The manpower shortage could have wider implications, with sources warning that some operations may eventually have to be outsourced. As per the BBMB Annual Report 2024-25, the organisation has a sanctioned strength of 12,071 employees, against which only 5,035 employees are working. This means that nearly 60 per cent of the sanctioned posts are vacant. The board’s employee strength has been declining steadily over the years. It stood at 7,681 in 2020 and fell to 5,035 in 2025. continued on page 9 c m y b Centre issued a late-night notification on Saturday appointing Justice Mishra to the post. Justice Mishra is scheduled to be sworn in by Governor Kataria on Monday morning. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who is in Delhi, is unlikely to attend the ceremony. Most ministers joined the emergency meeting via video-conference. During the meeting, the Cabinet examined the memorandum of procedure (MoP) governing the appointment and continued on page 9 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to put the appointment and the sched- uled oath-taking ceremony on hold until its concerns were adequately addressed. The move came hours after the As Pilot steps in, Cong dissenters vow full support Bedrock of space sector, not going private: ISRO allays fears amid Cong jab Chandigarh, September 6 A day after Sachin Pilot was appointed AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab, senior Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and others, who had been opposing the party’s decision to retain Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as the Pradesh Congress Committee chief, have assured him of full cooperation. While congratulating Pilot, both Channi and Randhawa assured him of support. The assurance by the warring leaders holds importance as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is scheduled to undertake a six-day Punjab tour after September 15. INSIDE BBMB operating with 40% staff; Punjab dithers on filling 2,500 posts Lalit Mohan New Delhi, September 6 A week ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to India, senior military commanders of India and China met along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday. The meeting was held between Corps Commanderlevel officials at the ‘border personnel meeting’ point at Wacha, north of Kibithu in Anjaw district of the state, sources have confirmed. The meeting marked the first Corps Commander-level interaction at the Wacha point since it became operational in 2014. The Army’s 3 Corps Commander, Lt Gen Girish Kalia, represented India. A Corps Commander is responsible for a designated operational area. The Corps oversees a major portion of the 1,140-km LAC in Arunachal Pradesh. The development comes just a week ahead of the BRICS Leader’s Summit, where Xi, among other leaders like Rus- ARMY SETS UP LAB TO DETECT CHINESE PARTS IN DRONES BACK PAGE commercial complex fire| 9 DEAD n MAY 2026 Vivek Vihar Phase-I Caste hierarchy poster Of59crJanDhana/cs,5.72crhave stirsrow at IIT-Mandi; zerobalance,everyfourthinactive inquiry panel formed UP tops list of such accounts, says RTI reply; Dipender Manta Tribune News Service Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 6 Amid growing concerns and a political storm brewing over the “privatisation” of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the agency said on Sunday that it would neither be privatised nor would its importance be diminished. It said its focus would move towards research and development, human spaceflight, next-generation launch systems, deep space and planetary missions, and strategic national capabilities. ISRO said it would continue developing cutting-edge technologies such as advanced payloads for communication, navigation, Earth observation as well as sensors, propulsion systems and other critical technologies. It said the production of mature launch vehicles, routine satellites and other established systems could increasingly be undertaken by the industry or PSUs through appropriate competitive processes. The space agency said the participation of the private sector in space was not about reducing ISRO’s role. “It is about enabling ISRO to focus even more strongly on the next generation of India’s space programme, while the industry scales mature technologies and capabilities. What is chang- ing is not the importance of ISRO, but the scale and structure of India’s space ecosystem,” it said. ISRO said it would continue to remain India’s principal institution for advanced space research and technology development, national and strategic missions, space science and exploration, and critical and frontier space capabilities. Meanwhile, the Congress on Sunday targeted the Narendra Modi government over its proposal to transfer the manufacturing and operational functions of ISRO to private companies. Industrialist Pawan K Goenka, who heads the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe), an autonomous body under the Department of Space, said, “There has been some misleading narrative in the media around the future role of ISRO. Let me say it unequivocally: ISRO’s role is by no means diminishing. It will remain the bedrock of the Indian space sector”. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday cited a letter written by employee organisations of ISRO, and accused the government of deliberately curtailing the space agency’s role in the name of promoting start-ups. Seeking clarity, nine employee associations at ISRO wrote to its Chairman, V Narayanan. continued on page 9