Gurpreet Singh, Author at National Times

18 Aug

Flood Threat Looms Large in Punjab: Six Districts Affected, Pong Dam Crosses Danger Mark

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPunjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab is reeling under flood-like conditions after heavy rainfall in the hills of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir pushed rivers and dams beyond safe levels. Six districts are facing the brunt of rising waters, while a yellow alert has been sounded for four others. The Pong Dam has become a major concern, with water recorded at 1382.8 feet, exceeding its danger limit. To ease the pressure, authorities are releasing water into downstream rivers. Bhakra Dam is at 1663.34 feet, close to its threshold, and Ranjit Sagar Dam is also nearing the critical mark. Meanwhile, the opening…

17 Aug

Punjab Speaker Launches Free Coaching Drive for Civil Services Aspirants

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabFree Education Revolution, Kultar Singh Sandhwan, PCS Exam 2025, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Raj Malhotra IAS

Chandigarh, August 17, 2025 — Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Sunday rolled out a major educational initiative titled the “Free Education Revolution” to support civil services aspirants in the state. The programme, launched in collaboration with Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh, will provide free coaching for candidates preparing for the Punjab Civil Services (Executive) Preliminary Examination 2025. The 45-day course will cover General Studies and CSAT, and enrollment has been kept open to all, with no restrictions on the number of applicants. Sandhwan said he personally persuaded educationist Raj Malhotra to offer this support, calling the…

17 Aug

Punjab Flood Crisis Deepens, Farmland Submerged Across Districts

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBarinder Goyal, BBMB, Pong Dam, Punjab floods 2025

Chandigarh, August 17, 2025: The flood situation in Punjab worsened on Saturday as heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh pushed up river and reservoir levels, raising fears of a repeat of the 2023 floods.Punjab Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Barinder Goyal said that while the Bhakra and Ranjit Sagar dams still have buffer capacity, Pong Dam has reached 1,378 feet. He added that controlled water release is being carried out after consultations with the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).In Kapurthala’s Bopur Tapu belt, breaches in locally raised embankments left nearly 3,000 out of 3,500 acres under water. Around 600 residents, including…

17 Aug

Punjab CM Introduces New Reward Scheme to Boost Anti-Drug Drive

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingBhagwant Mann, Punjab

Chandigarh: In a bid to strengthen Punjab’s war against narcotics, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has rolled out a new reward policy for Punjab Police personnel engaged in NDPS cases. As per the new rules, officers who achieve significant results in drug-related investigations will receive financial incentives. For instance, an investigating officer recovering more than one kilogram of heroin during an operation will be entitled to a Rs 1.20 lakh reward. The Chief Minister also announced that head constables will now be empowered to handle investigations under the NDPS Act. The change is expected to reduce delays in legal proceedings and…

17 Aug

LPU Declares Boycott of American Products Amid Tariff Row

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsBusiness, Punjab, TrendingLPU

Phagwara: Lovely Professional University (LPU), one of India’s largest private universities, has announced a ban on the sale of American products on its campus. The decision comes in response to the United States’ move to impose steep import tariffs on Indian goods. Chancellor of LPU and Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal said that the university has decided to take a firm stand against U.S. policies that threaten Indian trade. “From now on, no American product will be sold inside the LPU campus. If Washington enforces the new tariff structure after August 27, we will extend the…

17 Aug

Kishtwar Cloudburst: Two Jalandhar Girls Among Missing, Families in Shock

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia, Punjab, TrendingJalandhar, Kishtwar, Punjab

Jalandhar/Kishtwar (National Times): The recent cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar has left two families from Punjab in deep despair, as two young women from Jalandhar have gone missing in the tragedy. The missing girls have been identified as Vanshika (22) and her friend Disha, both hailing from the Sodal locality of Jalandhar. Vanshika had travelled with her family to her grandmother’s home in Jammu, accompanied by Disha. On the day of the incident, the two had visited the Machayal Mata temple with Vanshika’s family. While they were returning after offering prayers, the sudden cloudburst struck, and the girls were…

17 Aug

Thunderstorms and Rain Predicted Across Punjab, Haryana Today: IMD

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsHaryana, Punjab, TrendingHaryana, Punjab

Chandigarh (National Times): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms and rainfall across several districts of Punjab and Haryana, cautioning residents about sudden weather fluctuations through its latest nowcast advisory. In Haryana, heavy downpours with thunder and lightning are likely in Karnal, Indri, Thanesar, Nilokheri, Radaur, Barara, Jagadhri, and Chhachhrauli. Moderate showers may affect Ambala, Panchkula, Kaithal, Pehowa, Narayangarh, Kalka, and Chandigarh, while light rain is expected in Panipat, Rohtak, Sonipat, Jind, and nearby regions. Meanwhile, parts of Punjab, including Patiala, Rajpura, Dera Bassi, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Kharar, Ropar, Balachaur, and Anandpur Sahib could receive moderate rainfall with thunderstorms.…

16 Aug

Chandigarh Lawyer Held by CBI in ₹30 Lakh Bribery Probe Linked to Magistrate

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBathinda magistrate, bribery case, CBI, Chandigarh, Jatin Salwan

Chandigarh, August 16, 2025 — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Chandigarh-based advocate Jatin Salwan from Sector 15 for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹30 lakh in a divorce case pending in Punjab. The matter reportedly sought to influence a judicial magistrate posted in Bathinda.The case began when a Firozepur resident approached the CBI, claiming that Salwan had demanded money to secure a favorable order for the complainant’s cousin. According to the complaint, Salwan refused to lower the demand, asserting that “bribe money is never reduced.” He also allegedly indicated that a representative of the judicial officer would…

16 Aug

Punjab Police Arrest 38 Smugglers in Statewide Anti-Drug Drive

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPoliticsanti-drug campaign, Drug Smugglers, Punjab Police, Yudh Nashian Virudh

Chandigarh – Punjab Police intensified its anti-drug campaign “Yudh Nashian Virudh” with coordinated raids across the state on Saturday. The crackdown covered 301 locations, resulting in the arrest of 38 drug smugglers and the registration of 28 FIRs. With the latest action, the tally of arrests since the launch of the drive has reached 25,909 in 168 days.The operation led to the recovery of 620 grams of heroin and 1,612 intoxicant tablets and capsules. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, oversaw the raids conducted across all 28 police districts.Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has consistently underlined the government’s…

16 Aug

Village in Sangrur Bans Energy Drinks to Protect Youth

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBan, Big news, Drugs, Energy drinks, Punjab, Sangrur, Top news

National Times Bureau :- The panchayat of Upli village has taken a strong step to save youngsters from drugs and addiction. The village has completely banned the sale and use of energy drinks like Sting, Charge, Red Bull, and Hell. Big boards have been put up at the entry points of the village to inform people about the ban. The panchayat has also warned that any shopkeeper who sells energy drinks will face a social boycott. Local shopkeepers have supported this decision and said they will not keep such products. The sarpanch explained that energy drinks, especially those in red…