Industrial area in Amritsar lacks basic amenities

Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, FEBRUARY 15

Even as the state government allocated Rs 100 crore for setting up and strengthening industrial focal points in the state during the last budget, a majority of the designated industrial areas of the holy city are struggling for basic amenities. There are about 10 industrial areas earmarked in the holy city.

Kamal Dalmia, who has a yarn-spinning unit in the old focal point, said this industrial area, spread in 175-acre, did not receive any development project last year. He said the entire internal road network needed re-carpeting. The condition of roads in 90-acre expansion area was extremely bad. Desilting of sewerage was carried out last year and it needed to be made a regular feature. About 20,000 workers are employed in 435 units, but there is no health clinic in the area. So a demand for setting up of a Aam Aadmi health clinic had been made. About eight acres were marked for parks but these patches of land had been lying vacant. Public toilets and installation of CCTV cameras were needed added Kamal Dalmia.

Another industrialist, Raman Gupta, said the civil work for setting up a sewerage treatment plant commenced in the new focal point last year. However, internal roads were in bad shape. There were insufficient number of street lights and those installed did not function properly.

Garbage heaps can be spotted in all industrial areas. Faulty street lights and choked sewerage add to the woes of workers and industrialists. The city has 10 big and small industrial clusters, which include two focal points, an industrial area and an industrial estate.

When approached, Manavpreet Singh, General Manager, Department of Industries and Commerce, preferred not to respond.

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