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Authorities’ apathy turns Ludhiana park into garbage dump
The memorial park, established on the first death anniversary of Late Cadet Chattar Singh Dhadhli, was meant to honour the brave cadet who sacrificed his life to save his co-workers during a mishap at the construction site on January 2, 1954
The once revered Chattar Singh Memorial Park, located near Model Town, has fallen into a state of neglect and disrepair due to the apathy of the municipal corporation. This iconic meeting place for various trade unions and organisations now serves as nothing more than a garbage dumping ground, leaving the locals disappointed.
The memorial park, established on the first death anniversary of Late Cadet Chattar Singh Dhadhli, was meant to honour the brave cadet who sacrificed his life to save his co-workers during a mishap at the construction site on January 2, 1954, while rendering services for an excavation project near the Ludhiana-Dhuri railway line.
A bust was created at the park in his honour.
However, the authorities have turned a blind eye towards the deteriorating conditions of the memorial, disappointing the local community.
Harcharan Singh, a scrap dealer and a regular visitor to the park, expressed his frustration, stating, “I do not wait for a particular day to pay homage to Bhai Chattar Singh. I visit this park daily and clean the bust all by myself.” He further lamented the presence of a massive heap of garbage situated right behind the bust, which repels visitors and attracts drug addicts during evening hours.
The negligence of the local authorities was highlighted when in December, 2023, a lit cigarette butt accidentally set fire to the garbage pile, posing a significant threat to the memorial and the surrounding area. Such incidents have further diminished the number of visitors to the park, tarnishing the memory of the courageous cadet.
Avtar Singh, the younger brother of Chattar Singh, shared his disappointment regarding the lack of official recognition for his brother’s sacrifice. “He was just 18 years old when he sacrificed his life to save others’,” Avtar Singh said. “It is disheartening to witness the indifferent attitude of the concerned authorities. We feel helpless as we cannot even repaint the deteriorating bust ourselves, which came off a long time ago.”
