Ludhiana, July 8
The frequently organised chhabeels (sweetened water), langars and bhandaras in the city might be a boon for a large number of poor people, working classes, rickshaw and hand cart pullers, looking to quench their thirst in the scorching hot weather, but these welfare activities also wreak havoc on the roads, besides posing a threat to the health of the unsuspecting public.
If scene at the site of chhabeels or bhandaras is any indication, social organisations, welfare societies or traders’ association hosting such community welfare activities appear to have forgotten the common adage of ‘cleanliness is next to godliness.’
With utter disregard for the basics of sanitation and public health, disposable glasses, paper plates or pattals (dried-leaf plates) are strewn all over the roads by those consuming eatables or sweetened water. Left-overs and discarded glasses or “pattals” keep lying on the roads for days together.
Not only this, at times, the source of water used at chhabeels could be contaminated or the eatables being served at langars or bhandaras could be stale or putrid due to hot and humid conditions, considered to be ideal for fast bacterial growth. The incidents of people partaking in chhabeels or bhandaras falling sick with problems like diarrhoea, dysentery or other gastric disorders is not uncommon. Ironically, most of the people consuming sweetened water or food stuff at these places come from economically weaker sections, and more often than not, they can not even afford to have proper medical treatment for their problems or report the matter to authorities.
As if this was not enough, the organisers of such kind of welfare activities dig up roads to put up shamianas on the road sides and at times, use sound system to play religious songs, thereby creating noise pollution and obstructing flow of traffic on busy roads. Moving on the city roads, particularly in thickly populated localities in old city and busy commercial centres, one often comes across haphazardly parked bicycles, cycle rickshaws, three-wheelers and other public transport vehicles which obstruct the traffic and lead to prolonged traffic jams.
On the condition of anonymity, a health official admitted that sweetened water served at chhabeels or food stuff distributed at roadside langars and bhandaras could be contaminated and lead to gastric disorders or other water-borne diseases. “But the enforcement officials are helpless in this matter for the simple reason that any regulatory measures can offend the organisers and the officials may have to face the charges of hurting religious sentiments.”
Quite a few city residents were of the view that even though feeding the poor people at such community feasts was a noble deed, there was need to evolve a mandatory code for the organisers which should take care of the problems of contamination of water or food stuff, sanitation and traffic on the roads. They further wanted strict measures to stop jagrans or other public functions on roads or streets which turn out to be a source of nuisance to residents and road-users.
