This semi-urban area cries for better roads, sewerage

Sukhmeet Bhasin

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 3

The Ward Number 2 is a semi-urban area, which is located on the outskirts of the city. It has around 4,200 voters and most of the people are involved in agriculture.

This ward is the result of the expansion of the city due to urbanisation in the last two decades. There are no proper roads, sewerage and proper water disposal system.

The ward includes Kothe Amarpure, Shahibzade Fateh Singh Nagar, Thermal Colony, Paphiha Colony and Baba Bakhtu Nagar.

This ward is represented by Congress leader Malkit Singh Gill. Earlier, Dr Rajkumar Kumar Garga had represented the ward twice as an independent councillor, but this time, he fought the MCB election unsuccessfully on BJP ticket.

The major problems faced by the residents of this ward are that the area doesn’t have roads, sewage and water disposal system.

BJP leader and former councillor Dr Rajkumar Garga said this area has remained neglected in the past one year. The ward constitutes of villages and it couldn’t be called urban until sewerage is laid here, he added.

He said one major problem of the residents was that there was no cremation ground in and around the ward, due to which people have to go to the cremation ground near DAV College.

Councillor Malkit Singh said no penny had been spent in this ward by the MCB in the last one year. He alleged that the Mayor was working on pick and choose basis in implementing developmental work.

As he belongs to the Congress party and this ward is represented by him, the SAD-BJP led MCB is turning a blind eye towards the genuine problems of this ward, he added.

Malkit Singh said he had raised the issue with the Mayor and MCB Commissioner but to no avail as nothing had been done.

He burnt an effigy of the MCB Commissioner in protest for not doing any development work in his ward, he said.

Jagjit Singh, a resident of the ward, said dilapidated roads were a major problem in their ward. Dangerous potholes on the roads in the area are not only giving commuters a bumpy ride but are also hitting their pockets by causing heavy expenditures on the frequent maintenance of their damaged vehicles, he added.

Another resident Sarabdeep Singh said residents had been facing problems due to the poor sanitation and disposal system in the area while the authorities concerned seemed least interested in cleaning the localities.

Nachatar Singh Khalsa, a resident of the ward, said, “It was very sad on the part of the administration that when we are paying all the taxes but they are not providing all the basic amenities to us.”