With the campaign for Punjab assembly polls scheduled on February 4 gearing up, Congress candidate in Bathinda (urban) Manpreet Singh Badal has been escalating the issues on priority for which Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has faced the flak recently.
In an attempt to strike a chord with the voters of the segment, Manpreet Badal raised the issues such as water logging in rains, enhanced payments demanded for compensation for land acquisition in some residential colonies, shifting of solid waste treatment plant (SWTP) and closing of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP).
Importantly, due to lack of proper sewerage facility to flush out the rain water, the city faced one of the worst deluges during the last year’s monsoon. As a result of this, the administration including then deputy commissioner Basant Garg along with Bathinda (urban) MLA Sarup Chand Singla, who is also SAD candidate from the segment, had visited the water-logged areas on a tractor trolley to take stock of the situation.
Manpreet Badal has also assured the residents of colonies such as Bharat Nagar, Patel Nagar, Kamala Nehru Colony, Veer Colony and Green Avenue to get the enhanced payment notices withdrawn. The Bathinda improvement trust has sent notices to the residents of these colonies seeking payment on account of enhanced compensation for land acquired for these colonies. The residents of these colonies had also put up a banner to boycott SAD-BJP if the demand notices seeking the enhanced payment are not withdrawn.
{{/usCountry}}Manpreet Badal has also assured the residents of colonies such as Bharat Nagar, Patel Nagar, Kamala Nehru Colony, Veer Colony and Green Avenue to get the enhanced payment notices withdrawn. The Bathinda improvement trust has sent notices to the residents of these colonies seeking payment on account of enhanced compensation for land acquired for these colonies. The residents of these colonies had also put up a banner to boycott SAD-BJP if the demand notices seeking the enhanced payment are not withdrawn.
{{/usCountry}}In addition to this, with the residents of localities around the SWTP fuming against the installation of the plant alleging pollution in the neighbourhood, Manpreet Badal has also promised to shift the plant. The plant set up on Bathinda-Mansa road is lying non-functional after the residents’ protests following foul smell emanating from it during the trials done early last year. As the residents of localities around the plant have threatened to work against the SAD, Singla has also vowed to shift the plant to a new location.
Manpreet has brought up a 26-point charter on the issues confronted by the city residents, assuring to address the same including starting of GNDTP that was closed after the Punjab government’s decision to keep the plant shut for six months citing fall in demand during winters.
Manpreet on Tuesday carried his campaign among the traders by visiting the shops.