‘No water, no roads, no vote’, Kharar residents’ chant

Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 24

As the polling day draws nearer, residents of Kharar are questioning the parties over the lack of basic infrastructure in their area, which falls under the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. The shortage of water and frequent power outages are the seasonal issues, while civic apathy towards potholed roads is the perennial problem here.

Spend day with us: Women dare minister Anmol

Women of Darpan City protested the unhygienic conditions caused by a garbage dump in the area. Garbage is set on fire and smoke keeps emanating from the dump. They invited local MLA and Cabinet minister Anmol Gagan Mann to spend a day here. “If she can stay here for one day in smoke, we will forego all our demands,” they said.

Amidst the election din, residents across the district are boiling with anger against the parties for ignoring their basic issues. “The threat to the Constitution and the religion will be dealt later. First things first,” they say.

With the authorities concerned turning a blind eye to potholed roads, irregular water supply and frequent power cuts, residents of New Sunny Enclave, Sector 125, Kharar, have given their mandate. “No Water, No Roads, No Vote” — a big flex-board tied to a power pole makes it loud and clear to the party representatives who have stepped up their door-to-door canvassing. The message has also been floated on the social media groups, giving a cue to the rest of the Residents Welfare Associations.

“Bas vote le ke chale jate hain,” said Inderpal Singh, a Sector 125 resident.

The New Sunny Enclave Municipal Councillor had no comment to offer on the issue.

On Wednesday night, irate Sunny Enclave residents raised slogans and barged into the local power substation after almost four-hour power cut. The police rushed to the spot to prevent any untoward incident.

Today, residents of Seonk village had to brave two-hour power cut in the morning. PSPCL officials said, “The supply was affected at the Seonk grid due to a damaged cable box.”

A few days ago, members of the Residents’ Welfare Association, Darpan City, Kharar, and local women protested the unhygienic conditions, for which they blamed a garbage dump created in the area. Garbage is set on fire and smoke keeps emanating from the dump. The Municipal Council has failed to start a garbage-processing unit here for years now.

Tejinder Teji, a local resident, does not bats an eyelid criticising all parties for their failure to create a hygienic atmosphere. “For years, we have been approaching the Kharar municipal council, but not a paper moves,” he said. The women have invited local MLA and Cabinet minister Anmol Gagan Mann to spend a day here. “If she can stay here for one day in smoke, we will forego all our demands,” they said.

Residents of Jayanti Majri and nearby four villages said they had to go to Chandigarh for their medical needs, as the only Ayurvedic dispensary in their area was itself on the death bed.

During the Assembly elections residents of Nagla Road, Zirakpur, had blocked the national highway and staged a protest demanding a metalled road. The residents were pacified citing the model code of conduct. Two years later, the road is still in tatters.

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