Haryana Panchayat Elections : New sarpanches committed to bring change
Almost five years after he joined the Delhi Police as constable, Ravi Parmar left his job to fulfil the promises he made to the people of his village and returned home to become the sarpanch of Nidana village in Rohtak district.
Almost five years after he joined the Delhi Police as constable, Ravi Parmar left his job to fulfil the promises he made to the people of his village and returned home to become the sarpanch of Nidana village in Rohtak district.
Although just 28 years old, Parmar has a long list of promises he has made to the villagers, “protection of youths from drugs”, being the top priority. The increasing drug menace among youths is the reason he sacrificed his police job, a few months from his first promotion, said Parmar.
“The work has already been started; I have held a meeting of youths and village elders to form a committee to monitor use of intoxicants, especially liquor, in the village,” Parmar told Hindustan Times.
“We will collect the details of liquor-addict youths and help them give up the habit,” he said.
Talking about his decision to leave the government job, Parmar said: “My family members were worried about my decision and asked me to stay away from the elections, but I assured them that I will bring the required change in the village.”
“I had decided to work for the village in 2013, but was waiting for the support of the youths; now they are with me,” he said, adding that setting up of a gym, sports complex and a separate playground are among his promises that if fulfilled will help in encouraging the youths to take up sports and keep away from drugs.
Parmar, who has completed graduation and is perusing BEd, also praised the Haryana government’s decision of making minimum educational qualification mandatory for panchayat elections.
Bhiwani Village Sarpanch Begins Crusade Against HIV
The 26-year-old unanimously elected sarpanch of Chandeni village in Bhiwani district has got down to business from the word go. Mamta Sangwan, the new sarpanch, is encouraging couples getting married to undergo test for HIV before tying the nuptial bond.
Giving heed to the request, Dharamjeet Singh and Mukesh Rani, who got married on Monday, submitted their HIV reports to Sangwan.
Mamta’s husband, Hitesh Sangwan, is a head constable in the army, while her father-in-law, Rajbir Singh Sangwan, is an ex-serviceman.
Talking over phone, she said: “HIV infection is claiming so many lives and I don’t want anyone from our village to die because of it. I will try to extend the fight against HIV to adjoining villages as well.”
The idea was suggested to her by Sanjay Ramphal, a social worker based in the village. Former sarpanch Pawan Kumar, too, welcomed the move.
By Bhaskar Mukherjee
