Link roads not repaired
By Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — Inability of the authorities to maintain roads in several peripheral villages has led to resentment among the residents.

Residents of Karaundewala, Gaudan and Kasoli villages complain that no work on the rural roads has been initiated for the past several years. Being located in the Shivalik foothills, the villages are surrounded by several seasonal rivulets.

Mr Atma Ram, sarpanch of Kasoli, said that the condition of roads has not seen any change despite numerous complaints to the district authorities. Negligent attitude of the authorities to carpet the village link roads wreak havoc for the residents.

According to a resident of Karundewala village, bad roads severely affect normal life. “We feel insecure whenever any villager needs immediate medical care as we have to transport the patient in a tractor-trailer”.

The area lacks bus service. Mr Gulshan, a resident of Gaudan village, said that route No 70 of the CTU was withdrawn about three years ago and since then no bus had plied on the route.

Sand deposits on the Kasoli-Karaundewal road have created problems for the villagers. A local resident said that though a few of the villagers have their own vehicles, they find it difficult to drive on the dusty road.

Villagers demand construction of culverts on choes at about three spots. Villagers have to wade through the choes and during the rainy season the area remains cut off in the absence of any other alternative accessible road.

Cycle track in green belt opposed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — While the provision of recreation facilites to children and elders by developing a green belt connecting Sectors 15-C and 15-D by the horticulture wing of the Municipal Corporation has been welcomed, residents have deplored the setting up of a cycle track in the belt.

The facelift of the area was undertaken by the civic body at a cost of Rs 4 lakh allocated under the Local Area Development Scheme after a number of pleas by residents of the area, who had demanded that a spot be developed in the sector where they could spend their leisure time and children could play without any fear of speeding vehicles. "To check the entry of speeding vehicles on meandering paths in the belt, we have installed a steel railing all around and curve styles have been fixed at entry and exit points," said an official of the department.

Though the residents have welcomed the development and installation of iron fencing around the belt, quite a few of them have opposed the building of cycle track by the adminstration through this park. They maintained that the track would prove to be disastrous for children as a cycle track for all practical purposes was a cycle-motorcycle track, which will tempt cyclists and scooterists, thus putting the lives of children to risk. "In the park, there have been about 10 such accidents so far," said Karam Chand, a resident. "Three pillars of the railing have been broken by rash scooterists in the recent past," said another resident. He demanded that the adminstraton should shelve the process of building a track in the belt.

Mr Puranjit Singh, Chief Engineer of the Municipal Corporation, contested the point by saying that the civic body was doing nothing new by setting up a track in the area as a cycle track was an essential part of every green belt in the city. "Moreover, the problem could arise only after misuse of the facility which could be checked and preventive measures could be taken against such a misuse," he added.

Farmers lack latest farm techniques
From Vishal Joshi

CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — Farmers on the periphery of Chandigarh have started preparations for the sowing of the wheat crop. But most of these farmers lack the knowledge of latest farming techniques.

A visit by this reporter to peripheral villages, including Sohana, Manauli, Mullanpur- Garibdass and others, revealed that most of the farmers had left their fields fallow so as to maintain the fertility of the land.

Most of them admitted that they had limited knowledge about the latest farming methods. Mr Gulab Singh, a farmer of Sohana, said he had been sowing the 343 variety of wheat since last year. "I am growing this variety at the instance on my fellow farmers", he added.

A number of farmers complained about the absence of irrigation facilities. Mr Hari Singh, who was ploughing his fields near Mullanpur, said farmers of his area relied on rain for irrigation.

Farmers have mostly sown vegetables and fodder in their fields.Popular vegetable crops sown are spinach, tomatoes, cauliflower and chilies. Mr Lal Singh said despite poor quality of land in Mullanpur, wheat had shown encouraging results. He got about 20 quintal wheat per acre from his land.

Due to the small land holdings, the yield is not enough to be taken to the mandis. "We mainly grow for our domestic needs and if there is some extra produce we barter it for other items of our needs", said Mr Karam Chand.

The farmers said that they have to be satisfied with two crops in a year — wheat and paddy. Other parts of Punjab get canal water and other facilities but this area remains deprived.

Certain farmers are still sowing the traditional variety of wheat. A farmer in Gaudan village said they could not afford to spend on quality seeds. Moreover, their crops are always in danger of being spoiled by wild animals.

A number of farmers also complained of lack of attention by the government. "Most of the agriculture shows are held in Ludhiana and it is difficult for us to participate in these". They demanded that such programmes should be held at the block level so that the farmers could benefit from them.