Gill unimpressed by hasty, belated work

Gurvinder Singh

Sewerage pipes are being laid and a road is being constructed at Raniyan village in the Gill reserved constituency. The sath has been covered with a shed, thanks to an NRI, Baldev Singh, from Raniyan.

These are the only works in the name of development at Raniyan in the run-up to the elections. Contrast this with development, or lack of it, in the past nine years and one can make out the difference.

This is the scenario in Bulara village as well. “The government has woken up from its slumber, but it’s too late. The poor quality of work is showing. The recently laid road leading to a canal has developed cracks,” says Gurcharan Singh.

“The MLA (Darshan Singh Shivalik of the SAD) never visited the village after the 2012 elections,” a Raniyan resident claims.

In Jassowal village, anger among residents is palpable. Ask them about elections and they get agitated. “Beda gark karke rakhta Punjab da (Leaders have turned Punjab into a mess),” says Hakam Singh. Harmeet Singh sitting beside him pitches in, “We will not let them enter (the village). Be it Akalis, Congressi or others —  they are all the same.”

Close by, Congress workers are making youths sign berozgari bhatta (unemployment allowance) cards. Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh has promised allowance to unemployment youths for three years if his party is voted to power.

The SAD has renominated Shivalik, while the Congress has fielded former Moga DC Kuldeep Singh Vaid. AAP has picked Jiwan Singh Sangowal.

This time, Bulara villagers will be keenly tracking the poll pulse. People sitting at the sath say some of them have been voting for the SAD but, this time, the scenario is different. Congress nominee Vaid and Aapna Punjab Party’s Sukhpreet Singh are from Bulara. So, villagers are in two minds — whether to vote for Akalis or their own men.