Tarn Taran Diary: Kar Sewa sect undertakes tree plantation

The plantation drive launched by the Kar Seva sect Sarhali Sahib five years back has given a beautiful shady look to both sides of NH-54, from Sheron village to Harike village, a stretch of about 35 km. The drive launched under the supervision of Baba Sukha Singh, head of the sect, was inaugurated by the then Deputy Commissioner. Under the move, saplings had also been planted from Sarhali to Chohla Sahib link road, a stretch of another 5 km. The number of plants by now has crossed one lakh, including the saplings planted in the common land of the villages alongside the NH-54 like Khara, Dadehar Sahib, Gandiwind, Dhattal and others. Sect head Baba Sukha Singh said plants were being maintained regularly by irrigating and watering them. The weeds grown around the plants were removed frequently to make the surrounding areas clean and beautiful. The Kar Seva sect issued more than 700 jobs card to the local residents who were given work by way of maintaining the plants. The womenfolk too were issued job cards. In this way, the sect is doing social work in more ways than one by growing plants and at the same time giving work to the needy section of this backward area. Baba Sukha Singh himself does manual work by maintaining the plants which include those of the fruits and flowering variety.

Wrestlers get mattress to practice

On the basis of suggestions given by Kartar Singh Pehalwan, a wrestler with international repute and with the combined efforts of eminent personalities of the area, young wrestlers have been given the facility to practice wrestling on mattresses in Tarn Taran for the last one month. Previously, these kids had been practicing in the open and in muddy akharas. Months earlier, Kartar Singh Pehalwan and other known wrestlers, in their survey, had noticed that most young wrestlers practice in the village akharas and failed to perform well due to lack of proper practice. Most wrestling competitions other than those at the local level are organised on mattresses. Wrestler Ranjit Singh Cheema, a resident of Tarn Taran, brought the matter to the notice of Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal, Tarn Taran MLA. The budding wrestlers practiced in the Indoor Sports Stadium, Tarn Taran, constructed with grants given by the then Rajya Sabha Member Dr Manohar Singh Gill, about 12 years back. Though the construction of the stadium was completed years back, it was not being used by sports persons. With the recommendation of MLA Dr Sohal, mattresses were laid in the Indoor Sports Stadium and the wrestlers began practicing on it about a month back. Wrestler Ranjit Singh said that at present, about 50 budding wrestlers were coming daily to practice in the evening. He said that coaching is given free of cost and more wrestlers have expressed their desire to come here for practice. Cheema said that the young wrestlers would soon perform better as the youth of the area is quite energetic.

Manhole lids causing trouble to residents

For over four months now beginning with the road renovation work in Tarn Taran town, the lids installed on sewer manholes have been causing accidents in one way or the other. Earlier, the manhole lids caving in would cause problems but now the debris that gets sprinkled on roads in the process of reinstalling the lids also cause inconvenience. No notice of caution has been put up on the spot to warn the commuters and avoid accidents. Residents said that as most street lights on the main road remain non-functional, commuters often meet with accidents at night. Kanwaljit Singh, Executive Officer (EO) of the Municipal Council, said he had issued strict instructions to the contractor to adopt the required precautionary measures but the situation had not improved. Whose responsibility? The blame game goes on.

(Contributed by Gurbaxpuri)