Old timers miss piped music at lake
By Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — Old timers will recall the symphony of piped music and, rather, the importance of a high platform standing at Sukhna Lake near the old peepal tree where a police band used to entertain visitors.

The soothing music, played by the members of the band, attired in a colourful dress, would pull crowds of strollers on those eventful Sundays. The musical affair, which took off in 1961, came to a halt about 15 years back, leaving only good memories behind. But why the playing of band was discontinued, rendering the platform useless and a mute witness to an era of a new-born modern city.

"I still go to have a stroll at the lake and have a glance at the high platform, but there is a lot of difference. Things have changed. The structure which was a centre of attraction due to the lively presence of the band, is lying neglected. I remember the good times, chime of pipes and drums played by beautifully dressed members of the band standing on about 30-foot high structure," recalls Dr Promilla Kakkar, a regular visitor to the lake.

She recalls the lively band playing evergreen filmi numbers such as 'Kahin deep jale kahin dil', or even the patriotic one like 'Sare jahan se achha' and the echo of these tunes created by the waters of Sukhna. Unlike today, even dignitaries like Governors used to have a walk without their security guards, she adds.

Mr Hardev Singh, another regular stroller, said the band was so enchanting that he would reserve Sunday evenings to enjoy the band.

The band even used to play at the artificial island created in the middle of the lake in 1976. Before the city being declared as a Union Territory in 1966, the Punjab Police Band used to entertain visitors. After that, their place was taken over by the band raised by the Chandigarh police later.

"Some say it was discontinued due to the proximity of the platform with Haryana Raj Bhavan, while others say it had been done after the lake was declared a wetland," said a puzzled senior citizen, while demanding that a similar lively arrangement be made to replace the music blared on the speakers installed at the lake.

Problems for Sector 61 residents
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — The peculiar geographical location of the MIG housing complex developed by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) in Sector 61 here seems to have proved a bane for residents.

Surrounded by adjoining areas of SAS Nagar, residents of the sector are forced to live with certain problems even after over a year-and-a-half of the handing over of the possession by the board, on account of dithering by various agencies entrusted with various works.

Though the area falls in Chandigarh, yet it does not figure on the official map of the Union Territory despite repeated reminders to the authorities concerned, alleges the President of the '504 MIG Flats, Sector 61, Residents Welfare Association', Mr Chanan Singh.

As one enters the sector from the side of the YPS School roundabout, scattered garbage, emitting foul smell greets the visitors. The sanitation staff of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) expresses inability to do anything since the area falls in SAS Nagar.

Perhaps, the biggest problem for residents is the imposition of octroi by the Municipal Council of SAS Nagar on articles bought even from Chandigarh as these have to pass through the area falling in SAS Nagar.

Open spaces and parks in and around the sector are full of wild growth and congress grass. These parks and open spaces are reportedly still under the jurisdiction of the CHB and not been transferred to the corporation. As a result, the civic body could not undertake the development of these areas.

Despite the area being in Chandigarh, the CTU charges Rs 7 as fare form here to the Sector 17 Bus Stand against a maximum of Rs 5 for travelling between any two points in the city.

Meanwhile, residents have demanded setting up of a police post and bus-queue shelter in the sector.