M A I N   N E W S

A Tribune Special
Prestigious park in neglect
Three fountains not functioning
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

ANANDPUR SAHIB (Ropar), Nov 25 — Named after the ‘Panj Piaras’, the park constructed as part of the tercentenary celebrations of the Panth here is in a state of utter neglect.

Three of its five fountains are not working. Officials of the Forest Department blame this on faulty designing by the Public Health Department. In fact, one of the fountains have “disappeared”.

Officials of the Forest Department say this fountain which had been “sent for repairs” for the third time, could not be “brought back” from the workshop due to the financial crunch being faced by the authorities concerned.

The park is set in a magnificent landscape.

All nine employees posted for maintenance of the “Panj Piare Park” have not received their salaries for the past eight months. Forest Department officials say the Anandpur Sahib Foundation has not sanctioned budget for the salaries of temporary employees engaged for maintenance of the prestigious park.

Since there is no arrangement for lighting in the park, it is often “misused”. Empty liquor bottles have been found in the park. Some miscreants, who were caught red-handed by care-takers, were handed over to the police recently but were not booked.

According to the brochure published by the Anandpur Sahib Development Authority, more than Rs 2 crore is to be spent on plantation of trees within the town and the “Panj Piare Park”.

The main pipe-line, which supplies water to the park fountains’ has been leaking from various places. The department concerned has not taken corrective measures, despite repeated reminders.

Residents of the holy city demanded that the Punjab Government should give proper attention to the projects launched during the tercentenary year.