Badal village presents a picture of neglect

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Badal (Muktsar), May 26

Badal, the native village of former CM Parkash Singh Badal, which had seen development during the SAD-BJP government similar to a modern town, now presents a picture of neglect.

Roads of the village, including the Bathinda-Kheowali stretch, have developed potholes. Besides, trash can be been lying unattended in every nook and corner. Moreover, sewage overflows in streets. Even date palm trees transplanted along the roadsides are getting dried. 

Notably, the Badals had spent crores of rupees to make it one of the best villages in the state.

A recent visit to the village revealed that things are totally different now. Locals said they suffered a lot due to the change of the state government. 

“Though Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal also belongs to this village, no development work has taken place here after the change of guard in the state,” said some local residents, adding that they had even elected a Congress-backed sarpanch last year over a relative of the Badals.

Speaking further, they said, “The village sees development only during the SAD-BJP rule. Badal Sahib (Parkash Singh Badal) has worked on infrastructure and set up educational institutes, sports stadiums, Civil Hospital and veterinary hospital.”

Jabarjang Singh Mukha, sarpanch of Badal village, said, “What is the benefit of this so-called development? A large number of people are still unable to manage two square meals for their families. Even the Badals transferred the village panchayat land into their own trusts to run educational institutes. The fact is poor residents of the village can’t even afford their fee. They did not fix any quota for the admission of village residents.”