At Ratia, addiction to ‘chitta’ is biggest problem for voters

Located on Haryana’s border with Mansa district of Punjab, the Ratia Assembly segment of Fatehabad district has remained a stronghold of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) during the past two decades.

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The INLD won Ratia seat in all the four Assembly elections held since 2000 with Jarnail Singh of this party winning this seat in 2000, Gian Chand Odh emerging victorious in 2005 and 2009 and Prof Ravinder Baliala becoming MLA in 2014.

However in a byelection held in 2011 due to the death of then sitting MLA Gian Chand Odh, Jarnail Singh of the Congress defeated Odh’s widow Sarfi Devi of the INLD.

The Ratia Assembly segment comprises 17 municipal wards of Ratia town and 120 villages of Fatehabad district.

Though Ratia Assembly segment comprises villages inhabited by rich farmers due to their fertile land producing paddy and cotton, the area is considered backward when it comes to educational facilities.

Both Baliala, who won this seat in 2014 on INLD ticket and later resigned his seat to join the BJP, as well as Jarnail Singh agree on one point that the biggest issue that people of this segment face today is addiction of youths to drugs.

“Heroin, commonly known as chitta in local parlance, has become the biggest worry for parents here since hundreds of youths are hooked to this drug in Ratia area. The police are doing nothing to arrest drugs traffickers who have been supplying the drug at the doorstep of the people,” alleges Jarnail Singh.

The Congress leader alleges that in the past two years, more than 12 youths have lost their lives to ‘chitta’, but still the government is not bothered about the issue.

Prof Baliala claims that he has raised this issue several times during debates in the Vidhan Sabha during the past five years of his stint as MLA.

“Though the problem is everywhere in the constituency, the villages located close to Punjab border like Ladhuwaas, Pilchhian, Sardarewala etc are the worst affected,” he adds.

Villagers reveal that in the past some decades, Ratia has always served as a favourite route for drug traffickers who smuggled drugs like opium and poppy husk from Rajasthan, where it is freely available, towards Punjab, where it was in great demand.

Due to this, addiction to opium and poppy husk was rampant in villages close to the Punjab border. However, in the past some years, ‘chitta’ has replaced opium and poppy husk. Pollution in the Ghaggar passing through Ratia town is another big issue in this segment.

“Life is becoming hell for residents living close to the Ghaggar due to the stink that emanates from the river for most months of the year and also because of the contamination it is causing to the groundwater,” says Anita, a local resident.

The outbreak of Hepatitis C in Ratia town and surrounding villages is also a major cause of concern for people and it is after a struggle of several months by the residents that they have been able to get treatment in the local government hospital.

Probable candidates 

BJP – Ravinder Baliala, Mahavir Prashad and Baldev Singh Groha.

Congress – Jarnail Singh, Ram Swaroop Rama and Angrez Singh Lali.

Representative speaks 

“During the past five years of my stint as MLA, I have raised issues of drugs, pollution in Ghaggar, Hepatitis C and demand for opening of medical colleges and other institutes in Ratia Assembly seat. CM Manohar Lal Khattar has given several new projects to Ratia,” Prof Ravinder Baliala.

Opposition speaks

“The only time when Ratia witnessed development was when I became MLA in a byelection in 2011 and the CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced a package of Rs 350 crore. Nothing has been done in the past five years in Ratia,” former MLA Jarnail Singh.

Total voters

Total votes – 2,11,494

Male voters – 1,10,857

Female voters – 1,00,637