Farmers demand construction of bridges over polluted Chitti Bein to connect Nakodar villages

Farmers across three villages in Nakodar face severe hardship as the Chitti Bein rivulet flows through their lands, forcing them to take five to six kilometre detours to reach their own farmlands. To address this, a petition has been filed seeking the urgent construction of three bridges at Nurpur Chatha, Jahangir and Chak Vandal.

In a notable public interest move, Advocate J.P. Singh, a Jalandhar-based lawyer, approached the Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services) for the construction of three bridges over the Chitti Bein to connect these villages in Tehsil Nakodar, District Jalandhar.

Filed on behalf of Lovepreet Singh, a farmer and resident of Nurpur Chatha, the petition highlights that the Chitti Bein has long divided critical parts of these villages—including farmlands, residential areas and historic-religious sites such as Gurudwara Sahib and Jahangir Qila—causing significant difficulties for villagers, farmers, schoolchildren, and pilgrims.

The petition is filed under Section 22C of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, classifying bridges as a public utility service. It also calls for the formation of a joint inspection committee to finalise bridge locations and ensure proper budget allocation for prompt construction.

Registered as application No. 902 on August 1, 2025, the petition is scheduled for notice and hearing on September 12, 2025, before the Permanent Lok Adalat in Jalandhar.

The petition names eight key respondents, including senior officials from the Punjab Water Resources Management and Development Corporation (PWRMDC), the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats and the district administration, urging immediate planning and time-bound construction of the three bridges at the identified sites.

Lovepreet Singh of Nurpur Chatha said, “The Bein has been flowing in our villages for ages, but the problem of inaccessibility has worsened over the past few decades after it became polluted. In my village alone, 50 to 60 farmers’ lands are divided by the Bein. Earlier, the Bein’s waters were clean and we could wade across to our crop lands. But now, due to severe pollution, this is no longer possible. We have to take five to six kilometre detours to reach our own lands. We have raised this issue with the MLA and ministers, but it remains unaddressed. During monsoons, when the Bein is in spate, the problem becomes even more severe.”

Advocate J.P. Singh, counsel for the petitioner, told The Tribune, “This is not just a demand for infrastructure, but a fight for the villagers’ right to safe access to their lands, homes, and heritage. The absence of these bridges has caused immense economic loss, social inconvenience and even risk to lives during the monsoon season.”