‘Land of brave soldiers’ cries for attention

Ravinder Sood 

Popular for its tea gardens, Palampur, a famous tourist destination situated in the foothills of the Dhauladhars, is crying for attention. 

Earlier known as “Palam”, meaning the land of brave soldiers, the town has the highest number of soldiers serving in the armed forces. Hundreds of soldiers from Palampur region have laid down their lives in various wars fought before and after independence. To name a few, Major Somnath Sharma (PVC), Capt Vikram Batra (PVC), Capt Saurabh Kalia and Major Sudheer Walia (Ashok Chakra), from the town, sacrificed their lives in different wars. 

Unfortunately, successive governments have failed to recognise the supreme sacrifice of these martyrs and neglected the development of this important town.

Out of 60,000 residents, only 3,500 live in the municipal areas, whereas the remaining population resides in one dozen panchyats called the satellite areas of Palampur. The long-pending demand of local residents for the extension of municipal limits or formation of a Municipal Corporation still hangs fire. At present, only 10 per cent area of the town is governed by the municipal council. 

Pankaj Sharma, SDM, Palampur, said the state government was well-versed with the situation. To meet the challenge relating to the treatment and disposable of garbage of satellite areas, two garbage treatment plants are being set up at Ghuggar and Khlaet. The government has already sanctioned funds and tenders have been floated for the installation of machinery. He said both plants would be functional in the next six months. 

KB Ralhan and Neelam Sood, convener and co-convener of a local NGO, said priority should be given to either extend the limits of the present municipal council or set up an Municipal Corporation. They said the present council was set up in 1952 and since then, its limits were never extended. During this period, the population of Palampur increased from 1,000 to 60,000. They said the issue relating to setting up an MC or extension of MC limits was hanging fire for the past 10 years. 

Ajit Bahgla, former president of Palampur MC, said the government should first reopen the garbage treatment plant, which has been locked by Lohana panchyat residents. He said the MC should go for latest garbage treatment plant. Meanwhile, the government should extend the MC limits without any delay. He said when he was the MC president, he got land transferred to the Urban Development Department for the construction of multi-storey parking. The government should also complete this project. 

People are devoid of all basic amenities and live in hellish conditions. Potholed roads and streets, overflowing drains and contaminated drinking water tell the tale of the town, which is fast turning into a big slum.   

Roads and streets dug for laying water supply pipes, telephone cables in the town are yet to be repaired. The busy Ram Chowk-Palampur and Bypass Road leading to the town and inter-state bus terminal are in a bad condition, where a road was dug up a year ago and has still not been repaired by the PWD.

Heaps of garbage can be seen in every nook and corner of the town emitting foul smell. In many areas, garbage is not lifted for days together. The situation in  the interior parts of the town is no better, as panchyats have no resource to maintain cleanliness resulting in huge garbage dumps on roadsides at Ghuggar, Lohana, Bundla, SSB Chowk, Palampur Bypass,  near HP Agriculture University  and Chokki Khalet. 

The multi-story parking project is hanging fire since 2008. Its foundation stone was laid by former CM PK Dhumal, but in the absence of political and administrative will, the project failed to take off.