B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Ferozepur officials doubling up for new Fazilka dist
Ferozepur, October 9
The acute shortage of officers at the district headquarters is adversely affecting the functioning of various key government departments in this border district that is already reeling under illiteracy, lack of infrastructural growth and wretched economy.

Remembering the founder BSP State General Secretary Ajmer Singh along with party workers paying floral tributes at the portrait of Kanshi Ram to mark his death anniversary in Bathinda on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

MC urged to carry out development works
Fazilka, October 9
The Municipal Council, Fazilka, has earned about Rs two crore from the auction of about 50 residential plots and booths in the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Colony, popularly known as the Dhobi Ghat locality. The auction was held here on Friday.

Water samples sent to laboratory for test
Abohar, October 9
The Municipal Council has plugged its inlets at both water works to prevent the storage of highly contaminated black drain water that was being pumped into the Malukpura canal here by the Irrigation Department for the last two weeks.

Ferozepur officials doubling up for new Fazilka dist
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, October 9
The acute shortage of officers at the district headquarters is adversely affecting the functioning of various key government departments in this border district that is already reeling under illiteracy, lack of infrastructural growth and wretched economy.

The dearth of officers has not only affected the day-to-day working but has also added to the workload of those posted here. Over and above, following the creation of new Fazilka district, the heads of various government departments, including education, excise, agriculture, health and public relations, have to double up for this newly carved out district. For, the state government was yet to depute the requisite staff.

Besides Deputy Commissioner S Karuna Raju, there is only one more officer, DPS Kharbanda, who is deputed at district headquarters as the ADC (General). Kharbanda, besides handling his own assignment, has five additional vital portfolios, including ADC (Development), Public Grievance Officer; Deputy Director (Local Government) and Assistant Commissioner (General).

Though both the officials have been trying to combat the manpower scarcity by marshalling the limited resources in hand, it seems an arduous task to make up for such a huge deficit of officers.

And that too in such an important border district where it entails liaison with several Central Government agencies like the Railways, the BSF and the Army.

The office of ADC (Development) looks after several significant assignments, including NREGA, Zila Parishad, mid-day meal and MPLAD. However, all these works continue to suffer as the post has been lying vacant after the superannuation of previous incumbent GS Pannu last month. The functioning of the Transport Department, too, has invited public wrath in the absence of a regular DTO and RTA. Bhupinder Singh, ADC of Bhatinda, is looking after the work of Secretary, RTA, whereas ADTO Gurcharan Singh is discharging duties as DTO, Ferozepur as well as Fazilka.

Though the state government has made Guruharsahai a new subdivision, the posts of both SDM and tehsildar lie vacant. Ferozepur SDM Subhash Chander has been given the additional charge of Guruharsahai.

An official on anonymity revealed that following the creation of another district out of Ferozepur, lot of work pertaining to rationalisation of staff and transfer of funds, besides that of cast census and economic survey, was pending, and the shortage of revenue officers had added to the already grim situation as far as functioning of government departments is concerned.

Another official said with next assembly elections on the anvil, there was lot of pressure from political quarters to expedite the pending developmental works.

S Karuna Raju said the matter was in the knowledge of the state government and appropriate steps were being taken to redress the shortage of officers.

MC urged to carry out development works
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, October 9
The Municipal Council, Fazilka, has earned about Rs two crore from the auction of about 50 residential plots and booths in the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Colony, popularly known as the Dhobi Ghat locality. The auction was held here on Friday.

The Municipal Council has also asked for development charges from the bidders. The plan for carving out the Dhobi Ghat colony was chalked out many years ago. Before the auction, the council had already sold more than 150 plots. As per the official information, out of a total of 250 residential plots and 30 booths, over 200 plots and booths have already been sold. In most of the cases, the council has also received the development charges.

It is stated that the amount collected by the council in the name of development charges has allegedly been used for some other development work being carried out in the town. About two months back, the council had paved with mud the demarcated streets which were also washed away due to the heavy rains.

“No owner can have access to his plot as there is no approach road. It is not possible to demarcate the lanes and the auctioned plots due to the stagnant water in nearby residential areas which drains into the colony in the absence of a proper drainage system,” alleged Shagan Lal, Sandeep Kumar, Vikay Kumar and Kranti Kumar, buyers of plots.

The owners who have deposited the full and final amount are hovering in the office of the council seeking demarcation of the plots to enable them to start construction activities there but the officials allegedly keep them at bay on one pretext or the other. The owners and the bidders have demanded carrying out of development work immediately. On the other hand president of the Municipal Council Anil Sethi and the Executive Officer have been repeatedly saying that development work would be started soon. But when the assurance would take a practical shape is anybody's guess.

Water samples sent to laboratory for test
Our Correspondent

Abohar, October 9
The Municipal Council has plugged its inlets at both water works to prevent the storage of highly contaminated black drain water that was being pumped into the Malukpura canal here by the Irrigation Department for the last two weeks.

Notably, four eight power motors have been functioning round-the-clock to pump out contaminated water that had accumulated on the outskirts of the sub-divisional town due to overflowing of drains originating from Lambi segment of the Muktsar district.

While confirming it, the Council president Shivraj Goyal said the samples of the black water, that prima facie appeared to be unfit for human consumption, have been sent to the State Public Health Department lab and intake for it would depend on the results.