Amritsar: Villagers protest after rain damages houses

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 24

Residents of Bhinder village in Baba Bakala Sahib sub-division led by Lok Insaf Party leader Charandeep Singh Bhinder and Akali leader Manjinder Singh Bhinder staged a protest in front of the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Development, demanding compensation for the damage caused to their houses because of rainwater, here today.

The demonstrators stated that most families had small houses with wooden log roofs or dry grass roofs, which were damaged due to heavy rain. The demonstrators claimed that several roofs have collapsed and many families are living without a roof by keeping their household goods under the open sky. Apart from this, there were several houses where cracks have appeared in the walls after rainwater accumulation.

The residents claimed that they are from financially weaker sections and in July, they had informed the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) at Raya and SDM Baba Bakala through prominent leaders of their village several times but to no avail. “The officials did not consider it appropriate to visit the spot. The residents were expecting financial support from the government but even panchayat officials did not consider the need to clean the open drains and ponds near our houses. The rainwater damaged 50 houses and eight families are now homeless as the roofs have collapsed. More rain can damage more houses in the village,” said LIP leader Charandeep Singh Bhinder.

“Today, we are holding a dharna in front of the office of ADC (Development) to protest and hope that the Deputy Commissioner and Punjab government will listen to our problems and resolve them,” said Manjinder Singh Bhinder.

The residents informed that the main reason behind the damage to houses was the incompetence of the panchayat of Bhinder village and Lakha Singh Wala village and the officials concerned. Two of the ponds in the village were not desilted in time. The sewer drains were choked with silt, grass and weeds. The pond was overflowing without rain and the situation deteriorated after the rains.

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