Anandpur Sahib to be painted white with residents’ help

Anandpur Sahib will be painted white for the upcoming 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur to be observed in the holy place from November 20 to 26.

Sources here said the painting work was likely to be completed by November 20.

The Ropar district administration has sought the cooperation of local residents to achieve this target. While all government buildings would be painted by the administration, the sources said the district administration had decided to give paint to the residents of Anandpur Sahib for doing the job on their houses, private buildings, shops and other commercial establishments.

A senior official in the district administration said the place was painted white in 1999 also during the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of Khalsa that was celebrated here by the then SAD-BJP government. However, at that time, the SGPC, the state and Central governments were working in full coordination for the event. This time the state government was getting little cooperation from the SGPC and the union government, said the official.

Minister for Education and Public Relations Harjot Singh Bains said the state government was leaving no stone unturned to make the event global. About Rs 20 crore was being spent on metalling and patchwork of all roads leading to Anandpur Sahib. For the first time, tents were being put up at the place to accommodate devotees. People of Anandpur Sahib were coming forward to contribute and help the administration to make the event memorable, he added.

Meanwhile, as the date for the event nears, various groups in the area have submitted memoranda to the local administration for declaring Anandpur Sahib the 24th district of the state.