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Chandigarh: Dug-up roads, litter an eyesore in Ward 10
Ward watch: Residents also irked by the ever-increasing stray dog and monkey menace in ward 10 of Chandigarh ahead of municipal corporation polls
First impressions can be misleading and this ward is a case in point. While the well-maintained parks and gardens will leave you awestruck at first, the horticulture waste strewn around road berms, dug-up roads at every few metres and the remnants of the weekly vegetable mandi leave much to be desired. Even outside the traffic police lines in Sector 29, old and rusty barricades and signage can be seen carelessly dumped.
Considered to be a stronghold of Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla, ward 10 of Chandigarh comprises Sector 27, 28 and 29. Sector 29 was added to the ward after recent delimitation, while Sector 30, which was earlier part of this ward, has now become a part of Ward 18. This time, the ward has been reserved for women.
Apart from sanitation concerns, residents here are also irked by the monkey and dog menace, absence of cycle tracks in some parts and the fact that the civic body failed to carry out proper fogging during the peak of dengue season.
Grouse aplenty
Pardeep Kumar Aggarwal, president, Sector-28 residents’ welfare association (RWA), said, “Earlier we used to dump horticulture waste at Sahaj Safai Kendra (SSK) but now this has been stopped, due to which, residents dump it on road berms. Proper and regular lifting of this waste is needed. There is also a problem of defacement, by means of posters, going unchecked.”
He added, “The stray dog menace has aggravated so much here that we have now asked residents to carry a stick for their safety while going out for walks. We have had at least eight dog-bite cases here.”
Sudesh, a homemaker staying in Sector 28, says, “A major problem is the unplanned digging being carried out by various firms to lay underground cables. The unattended, open trenches pose a risk to residents, especially children and senior citizens.”
Harish Chander Chabbra, secretary, Sector-29 RWA, has a long list of civic issues. “The Apni Mandi that is held in Sector 29 leaves behind too much litter, which is never properly cleaned. Earlier, the market had taps from where residents and shopkeepers used to drink water. But these were removed, causing inconvenience.”
Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla said, “I am in touch with the residents of my wards through different WhatsApp groups in which issues and problems are shared. I have been taking up all the issues in a timely manner, but the unplanned digging by private telecom companies still remains unchecked. We had even suggested that MC, while laying the roads, should put a pipe that could be used to lay cables by any agency but so far it has not been taken up.”
He added, “Monkey and stray dog menace also remains unchecked despite our best efforts. The lights for service lanes are not being approved either by the MC or administration.”
Know your ward
Localities: Sector 27, Sector 28 and Sector 29, Chandigarh.
Voters 34,000 voters
Reserved for women (general)
Key issues
•Unplanned digging for laying underground cables
•Monkey and dog menace
•No streetlights on back-lanes
•Demand for cycle track between Sector 27 D and Sector 19
•Horticulture waste accumulating on road berms
Litter left behind after the weekly mandi in Sector 29
Local voices
“The gym equipment and swings installed in several parks are in need of repairs. MC should carry out regular maintenance works.”- Babita, private firm employee, resident of Sector 27
The litter left behind in the vegetable mandi leads to foul smell in and around the area. The ground should be cleaned regularly and can be used for other purposes when not used for mandi. - Rohit Sharma, theatre artiste and resident of Sector 29
“The sector is largely clean and with elections round the corner, all pending works such as repair of streetlights and roads are also being done.”- Abhishek Indora, theatre artiste, residing in Sector 28
“Though this year we had so many dengue cases, fogging was not carried out properly here. Also, whenever pruning of trees is carried out, the horticultural waste is carelessly discarded on roadsides.- Anoop Singh Verma, a government employee staying in Sector 29
