Kasauli: Dr Rajiv Saizal ignored civic issues, paid the price

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, December 9

Ignoring key problems related to civic amenities and failure to fulfil poll promises proved dear to Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal, who failed to retain the Kasauli seat. He was hoping to register his fourth consecutive victory, but his efforts were foiled by the overwhelming criticism, owing to his lax approach.

He had, unsuccessfully, tried to brush aside the criticism by pleading that the Congress nominee’s father, KD Sultanpuri, who had remained a six-term MP decades ago, had no achievement to his name.

However, it could not find favour with voters, who voiced their discontent at the lack of facilities in health institutes, besides poor roads and perpetual problem of water shortage in the segment. Congress candidate Vinod Sultanpuri, who had contested unsuccessfully twice and lost by thin margins of 24 and 442 votes in 2012 and 2017 respectively, won with a margin of 6,768 votes.

Saizal’s failure to pursue development work with zeal won him the ire of voters. They felt that despite being the state health minister, he failed to upgrade even healthcare facilities in the segment. Although new divisions of the PWD and the Jal Shakti Vibhag were setup at the far end of the tenure, posting staff and opening new offices could not enthuse the voters.

The Kalujhinda potable lift water scheme, which was to be constructed at a cost of Rs 23.24-crore, was scrapped citing non-availability of funds. Work to lay pipelines of the Giri water scheme had begun, but it failed to see the light of day. A new college building, which was announced during the first tenure of Saizal in 2012, has not been completed yet. On the other hand, SDM office was setup at Kasauli, but it lacks staff, proper infrastructure and even suffers from poor internet connectivity.

Poll gimmicks like placing 20 beds at a panchayat bhawan in the Garkhal Sanawar and terming it as an Ayurveda hospital further annoyed the voters.

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