70 yrs on, villagers deprived of metalled roads, street lights

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 2

It was in 1951 that villagers were allotted land in Jhungiya Bela, Kaimbwala, paving the way for turning their area into Sector 23. Seventy years down the line, they are deprived of basic amenities like metalled road, sewerage and street lights.

Jhungiya Bela is perhaps the only area in the UT bereft of these basic facilities. Even after Kaimbwala village was merged into the Municipal Corporation more than two years ago, not a thing has moved there in terms of development.

“We had our village at the place where Sector 23 exists today. We were given land in Jhungiyan Bela in 1951 so that the Sector could be developed there. We later constructed houses here. There is a kuchha road, which leads to our ‘abadi’. Can you imagine, our area is also a part of the UT?” commented Ram Karan, a resident.

“We have met the officers in the UT Administration several times but nothing has been done. We are only given assurances. They refer the matter to one or the other department. After much persistence, a mast light was installed, but it illuminates only side of the road. Other side remains dark,” he added. Residents here said the authorities gave us land, but no facility. During summer, the pressure of water supply is also very low. Around 10 families are residing in this area at present.

Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Kaimbwala, lamented, “It is a sorry state of affairs in Jhungiyan. Whether it was under the Administration or now the MC, the residents’ fortune did not change. In other parts of Kaimbwala, there is a dire need of replacement of the old sewerage system. We have to bear with stinking smell daily, as it gets blocked.”

Balwant Singh of Kaimbwala added, “Several residents here have fallen sick due to mixing of sewage in drinking water. These days even OPDs are shut. Where would we go? We have taken bottles filled with dirty water to the UT and MC officials as a proof, but to no avail.”

(Concluded)