Ward number 49 cries for cleanliness

Charanjit Singh Teja

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Amritsar, September 6

Ward No.49 is one of the most prominent wards in the city. It boasts of the Darbar Sahib Complex, Galiara, Katra Ahluwalia, Heritage Street, Partap Bazar, Katra Jaimal Singh, Tahli Sahib Bazar, Bijli Wala Chowk, Katra Baggian, Telephone Exchange, Katra Moti Ram, Bombay Wala Kho, Passian Wala Chowk, Guru Bazaar.

Several major religious and historical sites also exist in the ward. Thousands of devotees visit the area every day. Ironically, the area under Ward No.49 is facing the issue of cleanliness. Heaps of garbage can be seen on various streets and corners in the ward. Owing to improper lifting of garbage in the area, a small dumping yard has been developed in the telephone exchange area. Residents and visitors are a disturbed lot.

With no de-silting work carried out in sewer lines, areas in Ward number 49 witness stagnant water on roads and in streets due to choked sewers.

Sunil Sharma Kounty, a local leader and husband of former councillor Mitanjali Sharma, said, “Earlier, we had a team of four sewer men in the area to address the complaints of sewer blockage. As the MC House was dissolved in January, we do not have the powers to hire workers. Now, MC officials are not taking care of the area. Most of the sewer lines get blocked as the rainwater chambers are not cleaned properly. The iconic Heritage Street gets flooded after moderate rain.”

“Volunteers of Kar Sewa Dera Bhuri Wale conducts cleanliness of the Galiara and streets leading to the Darbar Sahib. Other streets are not even properly swept by the MC.

Former area councillor Mitanjali Sharma claimed that she replaced the old sewer lines with new ones in several streets and addressed the issue of blockage of sewer lines. More than 1,800 LED lights and eight tubewells have been installed in the ward.