Once 'Nau lakhi Patti', not anymore!
Gurbaxpuri
Tarn Taran, February 15
It is said that centuries ago, Patti town witnessed trade worth Rs9 lakh daily for which it was even named “Nau Lakhi Patti”. But since decades, the entire area is reeling under one or the other problem.
The constituency had a common issue of restarting Cooperative Sugar Mill, Sheron, which SAD and Congress leaders have used for their political gains for years.
The mill was established in 1987 which could function for just 17 years. It was wound up in 2005, when Capt Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister. In the 2007 Vidhan Sabha election, SAD leaders made it a poll issue saying that they would restart it, which could not be fulfilled.
During the 2012 election, Congress MLA Harminder Singh Gill, too, announced to restart the mill when the Congress party would came to power. But even after years, the mill is still non-functional. Satnam Singh Pannu, state president, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, who is the resident of the area, said the organisation had asked farmers to raise question before the candidates contesting election from the area regarding the issue, but nothing constructive has come out so far.
Residentspeak
‘Development works stopped’
With the coming of the present Congress government, all development works started by the previous SAD government were stopped in the town mid-way and the works were never re-started. The situation remained the same for more than four years. With the change of guard, as Channi replaced Capt Amarinder Singh, the streets and roads in Patti were dug up to lay the sewerage, but have not been repaired. As a result, no one can walk even in the streets or on roads. Drinking water facility and drainage system, too, is not satisfactory. Harbhajan Singh, A resident of Patti
‘Caste-based discrimination’
Discrimination is visible in the area as cremation grounds in the villages meant for the cremation of members of the Scheduled Castes are separate. The cremation grounds of the SCs are not in a proper condition, where as those of the higher castes have all facilities of protection from sun heat, seating facility, platform to cremate body and drinking water facility among other things. There should be equality and all other sorts of discrimination should be removed. Jagir Singh, resident of Lauhuka village
‘Non-availability of canal water’
The constituency has a plenty of problems. Canal water is not available to farmers. Besides Tarn Taran-Patti Road, a 4-km stretch from the outskirts of Patti to Kairon village, is under repair for the last four years. The link roads in Muthianwala, Bhangala, Jhugian Noor Muhammad, Jodh Singh Wala, from Patti to Harike via Pringri village and many others are in a pathtic condition. Com Mahabeer Singh Gill, another Patti resident
The canal system in the area had finished as distributaries etc. have been encroached upon on a very large scale. Sukhbir Singh, a resident of Shahabpur village
