Roads, water supply, ill-maintained parks major issues here
Nikhil Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, October 4
Ward councillor: Pritam Singh (SAD)
Ward population: 25,000
Voting population: 10,000
Ward number 43, belonging to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) councillor Pritam Singh, has been facing many civic issues. Residents of the area are forced to have bumpy rides on the dilapidated roads and streets. Some of the localities are also facing a shortage of drinking water.
The ward has three parks, some of which are not well-maintained due to the shortage of funds.
Even though the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, has the Mayor from the BJP, the lack of civic amenities in the ward raises a question mark over the development agenda of the SAD-BJP coalition.
The councillor of the ward won the election for first time from ward number 43 in 2012. His wife Surjit Kaur won elections from this ward two times, from 1997 to 2002 and from 2007 to 2012.
The councillor has accepted that due to the shortage of funds with the MC, several development works were lying stalled.
Councillor’s claims on development works
Pritam Singh said since 2012 when he became the councillor of this ward, he had done several development works. A road from Adarsh Nagar to Bist Doab Canal was constructed at the cost of Rs 74 lakh. Rs 86 lakh was spent to construct a road from the Kapurthala road to the Basti Peer Dad bridge. Similarly, Rs 74 lakh was spent to construct a road in the Basti Mithu area. Several development works had also been passed and construction was also likely to start in the days to come. Tenders to construct the road at Harbans Nagar had already been passed and the work was likely to begin soon.
Rs1.75 crore cleared for road
The councillor claimed that Rs 1.75 crore had already been cleared by MLA Bhagat Chunni Lal to construct roads in Krishna Nagar. Since the MC has not been providing funds to spend for the development of unapproved areas, we managed funds for the same from the MLA. If the area falls in my ward, I have to make arrangement of good civic amenities for the residents because they have voted me to power, the councillor asserted.
Cong-SAD tussle on installation of water tank
The Congress and SAD workers are at loggerheads on the issue of the installation of 95 feet long cemented water tank in the Harjee park. Congress worker Surjit said the councillor wanted to construct a water tank in the park which is close to residential areas. The construction of 95 feet long water tank may imperil the lives of residents living near it. He said they would never let the councillor go ahead with his plans. When asked about the status of the water tank construction, the councillor said a pit had already been dug up in the park and the construction would also start soon. “We are constructing this water tank to improve the potable water supply in Basti Mithu and Krishana Nagar from where residents have been complaining of shortage of water during the summer season. Engineers have also assured that water tank will not render any risk to the nearby residents. We are taking the Congress workers and residents in confidence on the issue,” the councillor said.
Residentspeak
Mahinder Singh, a resident of Krishna Nagar, said when the councillor Pritam Singh had been contesting elections, he had said that roads and streets in Krishna Nagar would be built if he won. Now three years have passed, but roads in Krishna Nagar are lying in a dilapidated state. “We have, many a time, asked the area councillor to construct roads in Krishna Nagar, but he kept on making hollow promises. It seems he had forgotten his promise after winning the elections,” Singh stated. Another resident, Surbhi, said the Congress should let the councillor to construct the water tank in the Harjii park so that the potable water supply in Krishna Nagar was improved. “During the summer season, we faced a huge shortage of water and sometimes residents collectively arranged a private water tank by making equal contributions,” she added.
Surinder Singh, another resident, said parks in JP Nagar and Harbans Nagar were not being maintained and people had even started dumping garbage in these two parks. He demanded that the councillor should make efforts to improve the conditions of these parks so that senior citizens like him could enjoy their leisure time there. One of the residents also said that tenders to install two tubewells at Gagan Vihar and Guru Arjun Nagar had already been floated but the work on the ground was yet to start.
Encroachments galore
Encroachments on the government land, which are now under the possession of the MC, are a major issue and needs to be addressed. The councillor himself admitted that people had constructed houses on the 26-kanal pond in the ward and even a 5-kanal land of cremation ground had also been grabbed by some miscreants. He said he had been apprising the MC of the issue, but the MC officials seem not in a mood to take action reportedly due to political pressure. The MC had limited his action in issuing notices only, and was shying away in taking practical action.
Areas in the ward
Shaheed Baba Bhacciter Singh Nagar, Mohalla Guru Arjan Nagar, Mohalla Guru Nanak Nagar, Gagan Vihar, New Adarsh Nagar. New Harbans Nagar Extension, JP Nagar, JP Nagar Extension, Mohalla Krishna Nagar.
