Demand to make Phagwara new district grows shriller

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, May 16

After the announcement of Malerkotla as the 23rd district of the state, now demands for making Phagwara a new district are being raised by politicians.

Though forming Phagwara a new district remained an active agenda in poll promises made by politicians during the last several Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, no party or politician remembered to fulfill his poll promise after coming to power.

Former union ministers Santosh Chaudhary (Congress), Vijay Sampla (BJP), Som Parkash (BJP) and former Punjab MLA Joginder Singh Maan (Congress), Swarana Ram (BJP) and present MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal were among those politicians who always assured the voters of upgrading Phagwara to the status of district.

Though Phagwara has a municipal corporation and is being administered by the ADC and SP-level officers, the people of the city are forced to travel over 50 km from Phagwara to the district headquarters of Kapurthala for their works as the entire civil or police administrative powers are vested with the Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner and the SSP.

As the Punjab Government has announced to make Malerkotla a new district on Eid, demands to make Phagwara a district are being raised by different politicians.

Union Minister of State Som Parkash and Punjab Agro Industrial Corporation Chairman Joginder Singh Maan in their statements have urged Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to announce Phagwara a new district to facilitate its people. Maan said he had raised the demand before the CM.