Once centre of politics, ex-Lok Sabha Speaker’s village now a forgotten place

Panjwar village in Tarn Taran district has given a politician like Dr Gurdial Singh Dhillon who served as Speaker in the Lok Sabha for two terms. But with the passage of time, all memories related to him and his family seem to have been forgotten.

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Dr Dhillon was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice from Tarn Taran and once from Ferozepur. He had also been a Central minister in the Indira Gandhi government. Panjwar village used to witness a great rush of people from all walks of life near the Lok Sabha elections. Dr Dhillon passed away on March 23, 1992. His son Harbir Singh Dhillon could not repeat the success of his father in politics.  A few days ago, Ranbir Kaur, wife of Dr Dhillon, who lives in Delhi, was in the village, but their double-storey ‘Missal House’ wore a deserted look as no one comes to see the family. The family has property in the village. Till date, the Congress and other governments have failed to recognise his contribution as nothing has been constructed in his memory in the village.

In the sixth Lok Sabha elections after the Emergency, Dr Dhilllon was defeated by the then SAD president, Jathedar Mohan Singh Tur. The Congress could not win the seat since then, except in 1992, when the SAD had boycotted the election. The village, which was once the centre of politics, seems to have been forgotten. 

Residents suffer as sewage enters houses 

Residents of Gurdwara Baba Himmat Singh street of the town are forced to live in hell-like conditions as sewage has been entering their houses for more than three months. Municipal Council officials have failed to come up with a solution to their problem. 

Surjit Kaur, Labh Singh, Amarjit Singh and other residents of the area said as the sewerage system was not working, dirty water had entered their houses. Amarjit Singh said he was forced to sleep on the roof in the open at night. He said dirty water had accumulated on the ground floor of his house, emanating a foul smell. 

Residents said they had visited the office of the Municipal Council when the problem began, but to no avail. The sorry state of affairs is that councillor Satnam Singh Matharoo, who represents the Congress, has expressed his inability to redress the problem of the residents, though his residence is also in located on the same street. But his residence is actually situated on the upper side. The councillor said he himself was helpless. More than 200 families have been affected due to the sewage problem. The residents are also facing a shortage of drinking water.

Contributed by Gurbaxpuri