J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

Library books gathering dust
Deepkamal Kaur 
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 10
It has been almost a year since the Municipal Corporation library was razed to make way for expansion of Nehru Garden and a food court complex, over 40,000 books have been dumped in a closed shop at the basement of the MC’s administrative complex.

There were plans to give away the books to the district library or shift them to Burlton Par. However, precious books have been left to gather dust with officials forgetting to make some use of the readily available reading and reference material for residents. 

The MC earlier had plans to develop a library in the proposed sports hub at the Burlton Park, but the project never saw the light of the day. Even the Nehru Garden project has been left midway owing to blacklisting of a contractor. Even the councillors have not bothered to take up the issue with the higher authorities. 

Kuljit Singh Babbi, Congress councillor, said: “Till any new library comes up, officials need to use the space in the basement which is easily approachable from the rear side of the building. Books should be displayed on racks for readers.”

MC Commissioner BS Dhaliwal said the matter would be taken up in the next house meeting of the MC.