I-Day: Showers exacerbate admn’s woes

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 14

Heavy showers lashed the city, adding to the slush at the Guru Nanak Dev Stadium, on Tuesday morning. The stage is set for the Independence Day celebrations. The rain has added to the worries of the ground staff as they are working hard to help it dry before the event begins.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal is scheduled to unfurl the national flag here on Independence Day. Workers were busy draining out water from the ground right since morning hours. “If it rains tonight, trouble will aggravate. It will become difficult to organise events, such as dance and march—past, on the slippery ground,” said a worker.

With the Meteorological Department forecasting more rain, it is going to be a testing time for the administration as venue cannot be shifted at a short notice, said an official, who visited the place. “We are trying our best and hope that it will not rain till celebrations are over,” he said.

Meanwhile, the district administration claimed that elaborate seating and security arrangements had been made. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamaldeep Singh Sangha has invited residents to attend the event along with their children.

“Proper arrangements for seating, drinking water and fans have been made. We hope that city residents will attend the event in large numbers,” said Sangha, adding that efforts were under way to keep the ground dry.