Tarn Taran Diary

MC elections being held after 10 years, will residents’ problems get resolved?

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Campaigning for the Tarn Taran Municipal Council election is in full swing with residents going to take part in it after a gap of 10 years. The previous election was held in February 2015 during the SAD-BJP rule in state. The Congress party in its full five-year term and the present ruling AAP dispensation failed to hold the elections on time on one pretext or the other. The common walls, bazaars, roads and other places bear witness to the heated poll campaign as there are more than 100 candidates from various parties in the fray which includes 50 Independents. The polling has been scheduled for March 2, Sunday. The town has a rich religious and historical background as established by the fifth Sikh Master Sri Guru Arjun Dev in 1596 when the Mughals were the rulers. It was established to help trade and business flourish and provide better living conditions to the Sikh community besides making them attached to their rich religious traditions. At present, the town has a population of more than one lakh and the number of voters has touched the figure of around 60,000 (exact 56,600), including men, women and those from the third gender.

Campaigning for the elections is in full swing ever since it was announced on February 16 by the appropriate authority. The aspirants were active for many months in one or the other way like seeking assurance from their political bosses, possible candidates being taken into confidence by the residents of their respective area (wards). In spite of all this, the problems being faced by the residents are yet to become a part of the election process. No banner, hand bills, pamphlets or social media posts on related issues have been eliminated as yet. The residents have been facing a lot of problems for decades as after each election, the defeated candidates prefer silence on these issues while the winners (except a few) become busy in their respective activities like business, politics etc. Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal, before being elected as an MLA in the 2022 election, has been raising his voice against encroachments on roads, bazaars, streets and other common places, lack of traffic rules and stray animals under the banner of Punjab Vikas Manch. He used to raise his voice against environmental pollution caused by two open drains in which waste from several localities was being drained. He had been raising these issues frequently but not much happened. The public toilets in the town are either insufficient in number or in poor condition because of lack of water supply. There are a few (three to four) piped water taps for the public, especially the devotees who come on the monthly Amavas-Chaudas Mela in lakhs from far off area. Not even a single parking site has been provided in the town as a result of which vehicles are seen parked on the roadsides which often becomes a cause of altercation. It creates traffic jams too in the town the whole day. The sewerage treatment plants (STP) are non-functional for the last many years. The residents must feel pleasure in case the issues facing them become a part of the election campaign as there are still some days left for the administration to act which otherwise seems unconcerned about them. Will the problems get resolved is the question.

Govt schools to have AC classrooms, says MLA

The time has come when students of government schools would avail of air-conditioning facility in their classrooms. This unique step has been taken by the Khadoor Sahib MLA, Manjinder Singh Lalpura. The MLA was addressing a rural gathering including the parents of students of Government Elementary School, Manochahal Khurd, in the school complex. He said that all the classrooms of the school would be equipped with AC facility within two months. He added that in his constituency, he has planned to provide this facility in all government schools by 2030. He said that all the government schools have been innovated and computers with internet provided. He said that the government is giving its top priority to health and education in the state to ensure the well-being of its students.

A children’s park or car parking?

The residents of the town are of the view that the ‘Tarn Taran Service Club’ situated on Muradpur road has been converted into a car parking for influential persons by the administration. The club was established in the town in 1944-45 to provide amusement facilities to the intellectual class and senior citizens. The post of president of the club has been represented by a senior lawyer Amar Dev Kohli, Parkash Singh Pannu, Bau Roshan Lal and other prominent personalities for decades. Senior citizens used to enjoy the game of badminton in the club complex. With the change of guard in state politics in 2022, the club was named as the ‘Children’s Park, Municipal Council, Tarn Taran’. But there seems to be a ban on the entry of children in the complex as it is seen locked with cars of some influential persons being parked there. The administration should clarify its position in the matter. Contributed by Gurbaxpuri