{Alleged discrimination in development} National SC panel seeks report from SBS Nagar administration

The commission, which has Vijay Sampla as president, has asked the deputy commissioner (DC) and the senior superintendent of police (SSP) to investigate the matter and to submit its report by August 10.

Jalandhar Taking note of complaints of alleged discrimination in development projects against Sahungra village in SBS Nagar, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has issued a notice to the district administration. The commission, which has Vijay Sampla as president, has asked the deputy commissioner (DC) and the senior superintendent of police (SSP) to investigate the matter and to submit its report by August 10.

The matter pertains to a sarpanch in SBS Nagar district, Punjab, informing the commission about a pond which overflows every monsoon and enters homes; the complaint is that mostly SC houses are affected, so the admn has failed to act. (HT File)

The commission added that it had received a complaint from Sahungra sarpanch, Rajbaiwinder Singh, alleging discrimination in development works for SC residents of the village.

“For the past three-four decades, dirty water from a pond enters houses of residents in the monsoon, and most houses around the quagmire belong to the SCs. Repeated requests have not ignored. Besides, some residents Ajit Pal Singh, Satnam Singh, Harnek Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Satnam Singh, and Lakhvir Singh exert political pressure on me to ensure the village sees no development,” the sarpanch’s complaint reads, adding that, “There is a fear of loss of life and property,” the sarpanch added.