Civic issues put on back burner in poll season
Jalandhar, May 21
Residents are all set to cast their votes after a mere 10 days for the Lok Sabha elections. Campaigning is in full swing, parties are busy indulging in blame game and politicians are making big promises, but the key issues have been surprisingly put on the back burner.
It seems strange that even though civic amenities continue to elude the residents, parties and leaders appear to be least bothered about it, perhaps caught in the multi-level complexity of parliamentary polls. Ironically, Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh of AAP is from Jalandhar.
With temperature soaring to nearly 45 degree Celsius, heatwave has been troubling people. To make the situation worse, residents in some places have been suffering from problems such as lack of water supply or supply of contaminated water, absence of solid waste management facilities and sewerage-related issues. Residents of New Shivay Nagar in Basti Danishmanda said people in the area had been grappling with the problem of contaminated water supply, but no solution was in sight.
“My son fell sick due to contaminated water. We do not even have a water filter to ensure clean drinking water for our children,” said the mother of a six-year-old. She also added that she would not cast her vote. “If these leaders cannot guarantee basic necessities like water for my child, why would I cast my vote? she asked.
The MC Commissioner recently held a meeting with the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) wing of the civic body and instructed the officials to identify and submit a detailed report of areas where water scarcity hits every year during this time of the year. He also asked them to ensure renovation and maintenance of tubewells in places where people have been complaining for long. Still, no action has been taken to resolve the problem.
Tall claims were made that the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation would start sampling of water from the slums and
areas where contaminated water creates problems in the months from May to July. But the reality remains different with the woes of people yet to be mitigated.
Contaminated water supply
Residents of New Shivay Nagar in Basti Danishmanda said people in the area had been grappling with the problem of contaminated water supply, but no solution was in sight.
Will not cast vote
My son fell sick due to contaminated water. We do not even have a water filter to ensure clean drinking water for our children. I will not cast my vote. If these leaders cannot guarantee basic necessities like water for my child, why would I cast my vote? — A woman
