No basic facilities, no vote, say Giaspura flat dwellers

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 16

Infuriated over no development, the residents of Giaspura flats clearly said they did not need money for votes. But, if the candidates wanted votes, they must give them a written assurance for early redressal of their issues, they said.

These dwellers were shifted from various slum areas of the city to Giaspura flats, where current scenario is nothing less than that of a slum area. There is no direct water supply to many flats located at upper floors while water being supplied at ground level is contaminated. Besides, the dwellers demanded that their electricity bills must be waived off.

As polls for Ludhiana parliamentary seat is to be held on May 19, candidates and leaders of various political parties are visiting Giaspura flats to get votes of the dwellers these days. A 40-year old woman said, “We are forced to carry water in buckets to our flat at top floor since we shifted here from Yamuna Colony slums.

The MC had later constructed an overhead water reservoir but to no avail. The water is still not being supplied directly to our flat. Moreover, the water which is provided through taps outside the flats at ground level is contaminated. We have already suffered a lot. Now, leaders of various political parties are visiting here to seek votes. I want to ask where they were in last four years.”

The dwellers said when the government can waive off electricity bills of farmers, it should also waive off electricity bills of the poor. President of a welfare organization of dwellers, Om Parkash said, “The electricity connections of over 200 flats have been disconnected as dwellers could not pay electricity bills. Many of dwellers have become jobless since government shifted them from internal city areas to these flats located in an outer ward. It is difficult to meet daily needs in the absence of jobs.”

A woman resident, Allu (50) said, “We will not cast vote if candidates don’t give us written assurance to address our issues. We don’t want money but we want early solution of problems being faced by us. We should be provided direct water supply.”