Development projects on the anvil for border area villages in Pathankot

In a novel initiative, the district administration has started the process of developing villages located near the International Border (IB) by implementing state-of-the-art wastewater management projects, building stadiums and making arrangements for solar lighting.

This is considered to be a significant development aimed at improving the living standards of villagers living near the IB, a vast majority of which fall in the lower middle-class strata of society.

• The Thapar Model Pond is a brainchild of environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal and improved upon by Thapar College of Engineering and Technology, Patiala.
• It is specifically a waste stabilisation pond, essentially a series of ponds used to treat sewage water by utilising natural biological processes like algae and bacteria, allowing for efficient and cost-effective wastewater management, particularly in rural areas.
• The initiative also provides clean water for irrigation purposes, and helps preserve groundwater. Pipelines are laid to make sure that water is delivered to agricultural fields.
• 42 stadiums are being constructed to wean youth away from drugs.
• Modern parks with solar lighting systems will be established.
• 30 Anganwadi centres are to come up in border villages.

A few days ago, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aditya Uppal had taken a high-level team of officials to the Bamiyal block, which is located near the Pakistan border, to work out a plan which will ensure that the standard of life of people improves substantially.

In the first phase, 27 out of the 90 border villages are being provided with the modern Thapar Model Pond instead of the normal ponds that villages now have. Work has already started on these ventures.

The Thapar model, a brainchild of environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal and improved upon by Thapar College of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, refers to a wastewater treatment system which is basically a series of ponds used to treat sewage, allowing for efficient and cost-effective wastewater management. This contributes to the better health of the community and the overall cleanliness of the area.

It is specifically a “Waste Stabilisation Pond” (WSP), essentially a series of ponds used to treat sewage water by utilising natural biological processes like algae and bacteria, allowing for efficient and cost-effective wastewater management, particularly in rural areas. The initiative also provides clean water for irrigation purposes, and more importantly, it also preserves the much needed groundwater. Pipelines are laid to make sure that water is delivered to agricultural fields,” said an expert working in the field of rural development.

The Deputy Commissioner is personally monitoring the setting up of such plants.

Officials say due to its simplicity and low-cost maintenance, the Thapar model is implemented in villages where there is limited infrastructure to manage wastewater coming from households.

Apart from this, 42 stadiums are also being constructed in these border villages. Officials say this development will go a long way to bring drug-addicted youth back to the mainstream of society.

Drugs are a big problem in the twin districts of Pathankot and Gurdaspur. Building stadiums is seen as an antidote to the drug problem.

The administration has ensured that modern parks, boasting of solar lighting systems, will be established where there are space constraints for building stadiums.

The DC has already given a green signal for setting up 30 Anganwadi centres in border villages. Two such centres at village Tinda and Kot Bhattian have already come up at a cost of Rs 16 lakh while the groundwork is being done to construct 28 more Anganwadi centres.