Basic facilities elude Panchrukhi in Palampur

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, December 15

Panchrukhi, a small town 10 kilometres from here, is deprived of even the basic facilities.

Potholed roads and streets, overflowing drains and contaminated drinking water tell the tale of town, which is fast turning into a slum.

Residents feel the town has always been given a a step-motherly treatment. Capt Atma Ram represented the area for 20 years, but failed to do any good. The parking complex, sanctioned in 2005, failed to take off because of lack of ldquo;political willrdquo;.

Filth All Around

• Almost all interior roads and streets of the town are in bad shape.
• Due to overflowing drains and leaking pipes, water accumulates and foul smell starts emanating.

• Garbage can be seen strewn in every nook and corner of the town. There is no sewerage system and no provision for garbage collection.

• There is also an acute shortage of potable water in the town.

• Residents want liberal funds should be sanctioned to the panchayat for the installation of streetlights and sewerage system.

Almost all interior roads and streets of the town are in bad shape. Due to overflowing drains and leaking pipes, water accumulates and foul smell starts emanating.

Garbage can be seen strewn in every nook and corner of the town. There is no sewerage system and no provision for garbage collection.

BJP MLA Ravinder Dhiman said there should be a sewerage system, adding that a garbage treatment plant would be set up at Panchrukhi.

Apart from this, there is also shortage of potable water in the town. He admitted that the panchayat had limited resources and because of vast urbanisation, the panchayat was unable to manage the affairs.

Besides, the narrow Palampur-Jaisinghpur highway, which passes through the town, has become a traffic bottleneck.

Dhiman said he would request the Chief Minister to take up the construction of a bypass to the town on priority. "There has been an increase in the population of the town in the past five years, which is why the panchayat is finding it difficult to maintain the town with meagre funds," he added.

Dr Ashwani Kumar Sharma, a resident of Panchrukhi, said since the small town was expanding fast, plan should be chalked out to provide basic amenities to residents. Liberal funds should also be sanctioned to the panchayat for the installation of streetlights and sewerage system.

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