Muktsar residents boycott SAD halqa chief - Put up banner accusing him, public health engineer of ignoring sewerage problems
Tuesday, 18/11/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20141118/punjab.htm#21
Muktsar : Irate over the choked sewerage, residents of Goniana Road in Muktsar have put up a banner stating that they are “boycotting” SAD Muktsar constituency in charge Kanwarjit Singh “Rozy Barkandi”. They have also expressed resentment against the executive engineer of the Public Health Department.
The banner reads, “The sewerage of this street has been lying choked for a long time, but officials of the department concerned have been neglecting the problem. Even the SAD’s halqa in charge visits only during the elections to seek votes, thus we boycott him.”
During a visit to this area, residents narrated their grievances and showed streets filled with sewage water overflowing from drains. “This ward belongs to the former president of the municipal committee. He excuses himself from taking any responsibility by saying his term as councillor has expired. When we approach the officials of the water supply department, who are responsible for the sewerage, they don’t pay heed to our grievances. Similarly, Rozy too failed to fulfill his promise made during the General Election that the sewerage would be repaired. Irked by this, residents of the street decided to put a banner, hoping it would bring ruling party leaders and officials to shame,” said Pohla, a resident of the street.
Similarly, Shamsher Singh, who works as a carpenter, said, “We are living in a pitiable condition and nobody is bothered about us. The foul smell of sewage has made our life hell. The area has become a fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes. Though political leaders pose for photographs for the PM’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the reality is far from it.”
Residents further claimed that during the elections, the drains were cleaned but they choked again and no permanent solution was found by officials concerned.
Amrik Singh, executive engineer, water supply department, said, “We have sent a proposal to upgrade the sewerage that got damaged in some areas of the town.”
