MLA Shivalik faces ire of despondent residents

Unsat is factory replies by MLA Darshan Singh Shivalik invited the ire of people in Basant Avenue on Sunday evening. Announcement of Rs 10 lakh for road repair and other works by the MLA also led residents to raise voice over the ‘meagre’ amount.

The legislator was left with no option but to pacify people with reassurance of getting the work done. The residents, who have been suffering due to lack of basic amenities for more than five years in this PUDA approved colony, had invited the MLA to listen to their grievances, as the panchayat concerned, under which this colony falls, has also failed to improve the conditions.

According to residents, when the MLA was addressing the gathering on Sunday evening, the residents started arguing with him as they felt that promises made by politicians were usually not fulfilled.

“Despite paying all dues to the coloniser, all roads remain broken and streetlights remain non-functional. The area also suffers from waterlogging every time it rains. The parks and community centre are also in a pitiable shape. Despite complaining several times, we are forced to live in hell-like conditions,” said Gurdeep Singh Samra, who is chief patron of Basant Avenue Residents Welfare Society.

“The colonisers after developing the colonies hand them over to the civic body. But Basant Avenue is one such colony where all rules and regulations have been flouted with impunity,” he alleged.

“When residents met MLA Shivalik, he claimed that he was never informed about the poor conditions of the colony. Hence, residents could not stop from expressing their anger over the pitiable condition of their colony. However, Shivalik assured us of improving the conditions,” said

Sukhpreet Singh Grewal, vice-president of the society. Samra said Shivalik had announced to give Rs 10 lakh to the panchayat concerned for development of the colony, but it was not enough for construction of all roads.

The residents have also written to the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) to look into the matter and take required steps, but the authority has failed to deal with their problems.