Tarn Taran Diary

Dana Mandi lacks in cleanliness, thanks to official apathy

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The district-level grain market (Dana Mandi) in Tarn Taran has been facing neglect at the hands of officials round the year which results in the sewerage system getting blocked due to lack of cleanliness. The market is not just for the traditional wheat and paddy crops but deals with other crops as well throughout the year and also in vegetables, on a daily basis. The vegetable market is situated in the market complex which functions the whole year, from early in the morning till afternoon, with no holidays. The Tarn Taran grain market is the only one in the district where private traders dealing in rice manufacturing come to purchase different varieties of basmati crop, between October to April. Besides, the grain market deals in the sale and procurement of crops like maize, Sarson, Toria and pulses like Mungi, Maanh etc. Farmers from some parts of Kapurthala, Amritsar and Ferozepur districts also bring their basmati and maize crop besides pulses here during the season. For the sale and procurement of vegetables, hundreds of producers and sellers, including shopkeepers and rehri vendors, come here in large numbers.

In the year 1984, the rest-house of the grain market was occupied by the Army at the time of Operation Blue Star. The Army was followed by the paramilitary forces, followed by the Punjab Police which still occupies the rest-house. From this rest-house, the CIA staff of the district police was functioning which has now been shifted to the Cooperative Sugar Mills Colony, Sheron, some time back. Even then, the police have not given the possession of the rest-house to the Market Committee till date. The Market Committee seems unable to take possession of the rest-house for the sake of farmers. The grain market is not sanitised daily. As a result, dust and garbage keep creating problems for all-- arhtiyas, workers, farmers and the market staff. The whole market is filled with garbage, especially waste plastic bags. The garbage which enters the sewerage pipes has blocked it, and it is not easy to clean it. In the rainy season, the grain market complex often gets waterlogged for weeks together. The toilets are seen locked for most period of the year. The dust is seen flying around the market and even the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) seems unconcerned, never giving instructions to the authorities concerned. Sukhbir Singh Sukha, president, Sanzi Mandi Arhtiyas Association, said cleanliness is ensured whenever requested. Sukhjit Singh, secretary, Market Committee, while confessing that the state of cleanliness in Mandi was not good, said the state government has released tenders for cleanliness only, that too for only the wheat and paddy season. After that, the machine is used to remove garbage, which is the cause of the nuisance. The Mandi Board is one of the few departments that earn profit for the government but the market continues to face negligence at the hands of district administration.

Library set up at Pandori Hassan village

Keeping in view the decreasing habit of reading books and newspapers among the new generation, a Tarn Taran resident, Avtar Singh Taneja, has established a library in Pandori Hassan village, the native place of his forefathers. Avtar Singh Taneja, former senior vice-president, Municipal Council, Tarn Taran, who is active in social and other welfare activities, too is fond of literary activities. The family, all residents of Pandori Hassan village, migrated to Tarn Taran town about 50 years back and started their business in rice milling. It resulted in the native house of the village remaining locked since then. Avtar Singh Taneja, after consulting the village elders and Jaswinder Singh Dhillon, president of Punjabi Sahit Sabha and Sabhiacharak Kendre, Tarn Taran, set up a library in the family house after renovating the building.

Addressing a function on the occasion, Taneja assured that besides books on religious topics, Sikh history, literature and other subjects, daily newspapers too would be provided free for the readers. On the occasion, Jaswinder Singh Dhillon presented his own edited poems, showing the way to healthy thinking. Other poets too presented their poems which made the occasion memorable. Sarpanch Channan Singh, Nambardar Gurdial Singh and others, while addressing the function, appreciated the Taneja family for their affection towards the family’s village.

Tiranga lights for beautification

The Municipal Council (MC), in its bid to make Tarn Taran town beautiful, has started the work on installing 100 Tiranga (Tricolour) lights on the electric poles installed on the main road of the town. The light has become an attraction for the residents who come out of their house at night for a walk on the road. Kamanljit Singh, Executive Officer, Municipal Council, said that these lights are to be fitted from Amritsar-Chabal bypass to the T-point on Sarhali road. More works are on the cards to make the city beautiful.

Contributed by Gurbaxpuri