Sans facilities, resident assns join hands against colonisers

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 16

Taking an initiative in the direction of self help, the residents of Swiss City and Roseland colony in city constituted the Swiss City Welfare Association (SCWA) to push the civic authorities to provide them basic amenities.

Depict a picture of utter neglect, the residents of these colonies are crying for the basic amenities including sanitation, power supply, security among others.

The residents complained that the private colonisers who developed the colonies had been requested to work for the safety and security of the residents but they did not pay any heed. The roads are pot-holed and broken, unhygienic conditions prevail, parks are poorly maintained and boundary walls are broken, complained the residents. “The situation is worrisome. Drug addicts keep moving around posing a serious security threat. Roads and streets are full of stray cattles,” said Dr Vinay Sukhija, newly-appointed president SCWA.

Its been more than 15 years since the colonies were passed by Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) but the lack of basic amenities still haunts the residents as the basic maintenance works have not even been completed, he said. The developers and promoters of the colonies are wishfully delaying the much needed development works which they were duty bound to complete as per written agreements and pledges, added Dr Shukhija.

Dr Sukhija expressed his anguish on how they are still struggling for the basic needs. “The basic facilities such as power supply, streetlights, security guards, sewage, cleanliness and maintenance of parks, roads and proper boundary walls are not available to us,” he rued.

DS Rataul, senior vice president, SCWA, said they had met the colonisers who have now promised to do some basic work. “Now we are making collections of our own and through a self help group services, we have now decided to take on some of the other basic maintenance works,” said Rataul.