Admn flip-flop on tractor race kicks up row

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 3

Barely a few metres away from the District Administrative Complex, some youths today organised a tractor drag race at a vacant plot on the Muktsar-Bathinda bypass road here.

It is learnt that the district administration had stopped the event in the morning, but later granted permission to the organisers, thus raising many eyebrows. Thereafter, some policemen were deployed to regulate traffic, who failed in their efforts.

Tractor drag race means a tug-of-war between two tractors linked in opposition direction using some rod. The drivers perform stunt and the one who manages to drag the tractor out of the centre line is declared a winner.

In a similar competition held at Padampur grain market in Sriganganagar district in Rajasthan in July this year, nearly 50 people were injured in a shed collapse, triggering a stampede.

However, nearly 5,000 people were present today and that too along the main road, which even caused traffic jams throughout the day. Some people were even seen sitting atop the roof of nearby houses. Many vehicles were also seen parked in a haphazard manner along the highway.

The event organisers had fixed entry fee for tractors and announced Rs 31,000 and Rs 21,000 as prize money. They had called some local singers to regale spectators.

“Such events should be banned as stunt performance should not be allowed for commoners. If any mishap takes place, who will be responsible. It seems the administration has not learnt a lesson from the Amritsar mishap in which over 60 people were killed while witnessing the Dussehra celebrations by standing on the railway tracks. The state government should act against erring officials and organisers for this event,” a few locals said.

During a visit to the event ground, it was found that some rehris were stationed along the road offering food to spectators. Some people were even standing on the road to witness the event as the ground was jampacked.

Meanwhile, sources in the district administration said the permission was granted with a condition that the organisers would be held responsible if any untoward incident takes place.