Cong blames Akalis for Patiala’s ‘neglect’ - SAD blames UPA govt; AAP says cities have become slums
Tuesday, 12/08/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140812/punjab.htm#4
Patiala : Local issues continue to dominate electioneering in the city. Known as a mini capital with about 12 government departments having their headquarters here, the city has a large number of government employees. It is also known as a education hub. It has two public sector universities, a government medical college and a government ayurvedic college.
The Congress is dwelling on the poor condition of roads, sanitation and traffic besides property tax. “During Capt Amarinder Singh’s government (2002 to 2007), we had turned Patiala into a modern city. But in the past seven years, the SAD has reduced it to a hellhole,” claimed former Finance Minister Surinder Singla.
Endorsing his view, Preneet Kaur, Congress candidate, said a brief spell of rain could bring misery to residents. The drainage system had almost collapsed, and the condition of roads was pitiable.
“While Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal gave away crores of rupees in the Talwandi Sabo constituency by holding Sangat Darshan programmes for days at a stretch, not a penny was sanctioned for Patiala,” said Hardyal Singh Kamboj, Congress MLA. The other issues being raised by the Congress are unemployment, drugs and corruption.
The Akali leaders claim that because of the “discriminatory” attitude of the previous Congress government at the Centre, cities such as Patiala were denied funds under the Jawaharlal Urban Renewal Mission. No money was given for setting up a solid waste management project in the city, say Akali leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Deepinder Singh Dhillon and Upinderjit Kaur. They promise to change the face of the city in the coming months. They promise to improve the sewerage and the water supply system and remove all traffic bottlenecks as they move door-to door seeking votes.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) blames both the Congress and the SAD for “ruining” the city, once among the cleanest in this part of the country. Dr Dharmvira Gandhi, local MP, said persistent neglect by successive governments had turned the city into a cluster of slums. He claimed that AAP was the only party that could improve the lot of Patiala residents.
