Locals upset over lack of basic amenities

Constituency: Lehra

Parvesh Sharma

Being located near the Haryana border, the Lehra constituency lacks basic amenities despite its former MLA Rajinder Kaur Bhattal once having become Chief Minister.

“A majority of the areas are still without basic amenities. The pathetic state of affairs of our area can be gauged from the fact that even in Lehra town, we are not getting proper drinking water supply. Our repeated requests in this regard have fallen on deaf ears. Things are worse in the rural areas,” said Barinder Goyal, patron of the Lehra Vikas Manch.

There are 73 villages and three towns, including Lehra, Khanauri and Moonak, in the constituency. A majority of the areas are without proper roads, sewerage system, water supply and health facilities. Most residents prefer to go to towns in Haryana for their basic needs as Sangrur and Patiala are far away.

The seasonal rivulet Ghaggar and rainwater have also been causing repeated losses in low-lying areas of the constituency. In August 2021, rains damaged standing crops on over 5,400 acres in 43 villages. Earlier a breach in the Ghaggar had caused losses to farmers who alleged that neither they got any government aid nor any action was taken to prevent losses in future.

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Electorate strength

Total voters 1,62,114

Male 86,982

Female 75,129

Third gender 3

HOW IT VOTED IN 2017 ELECTIONS

Won Parminder Singh Dhindsa SAD (now SAD Sanyukt) 65,550

Lost Rajinder Kaur Bhattal Congress 38,735

Locals’ key demands

• Tackling of repeated flooding of Ghaggar

• Health and education facilities

• Sewerage system

* Supply of drinking water

PAST TREND

In the past seven Assembly elections, voters have elected Congress candidates five times while they chose SAD candidates twice.