Residents lead the charge in reviving town amid govt neglect

Disillusioned over the indifferent attitude of the administration and governments, residents of the Attari border town took it upon themselves to clean their historic town and eliminate the massive garbage dumps on roadsides.

Despite Attari being an international tourist destination, with thousands of visitors from India and abroad coming to witness the world-famous flag-lowering ceremony popularly known as ‘Beating Retreat ceremony’ at the Attari-Wagah joint check post, the town has largely been ignored by the authorities and consecutive governments.

Around six months ago, the roadsides had turned into dumping grounds, posing a significant health risk for commuters. Repeated requests to the administration and local political representatives fell on deaf ears.

In May last year, perturbed over the absence of proper garbage disposal arrangements, the residents decided to take action by blocking the Attari-Wagah road. Heaps of garbage were being dumped along the main road and even outside the local stadium, where budding athletes trained.

Six months later, the situation has dramatically changed. Now, when traveling from Attari to Chabal road, one can see green belts with numerous trees planted along the way. Residents, armed with brooms and blades, are actively cleaning the roadsides, which are now lined with cemented benches for sitting, adorned with beautiful and inspiring paintings of historical figures and martyrs on the walls.

“We started the campaign ‘Mera Pind Meri Shan’ seven months ago to clean and develop Attari. We have been funding this effort from our own pockets to make the Attari clean and free of garbage,” said Sunny Mann, a young resident involved in the initiative. He proudly added that the campaign had been followed by many villages. The residents are also spreading awareness, encouraging people not to litter on the streets, he said.

Harjotbir Singh, another resident, mentioned that they were now planning to arrange a trolley that would move through Attari to collect garbage and transport it to the designated dump sites allocated by the Panchayat.

However, Attari still faces challenges, particularly with the drainage system as the drains remain clogged due to the lack of proper de-silting. But efforts are being made to address the issue.

A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the current administration has not been cooperative with the village Panchayat, which is operating independently without support from any political party.

Due to insufficient funding from the government, the newly elected Panchayat is struggling to implement its plans for village development. “I hope better sense prevails among the lawmakers so that the town can regain its former glory,” the resident added.