NGOs come together over issues concerning city’s development

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 19

Various NGOs here held a joint meeting at Lions Bhawan, Ranjit Avenue, here on Sunday. Kulwant Singh Ankhi, patron of the Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), said the main aim of the meeting was to synergise efforts of all the active NGOs to bring valuable suggestions to the notice of the district administration and civic authorities. He said coming of different NGOs together would form a pressure group of residents, which was the need of the hour and would force authorities to work towards the development of the holy city.

Amritsar Hotels and Restaurants’ Association president APS Chatha laid stress on promoting rural tourism and hospitality along with health tourism. “The Municipal Corporation Amritsar is lagging behind their Chennai and Bangalore counterparts in maintaining cleanliness, traffic management, law and order,” he said. AVM president Manmohan Singh Brar highlighted the pathetic condition of Heritage Street, Gheo Mandi and Bazaar Ramsar Road at the event. They expressed resentment over the deplorable condition of the historic Ram Bagh.

Dr Charanjit Singh Gumtala, patron, AVM, said heritage aspects of the city were being destroyed as the centuries-old buildings were being demolished to construct illegal hotels and guest houses. Kanwaljit Singh Lalli of Sanjhi Chhan raised the issue of rising incidents of mugging. Deepak Babbar of Mission Aagaaz highlighted the menace of Chinese string.