Tarn Taran Diary: Residents worried over Indo-Pak tension, NREGA workers about wages

The aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack has badly disturbed normal life in the border area. The residents are witnessing undue movement of security forces, including the police, which have increased nakas manifold in the border belt. Some residents of the border area are of the view that the extraordinary situation may force them to migrate from their homes. This is the border area where wounds from the partition of 1947 and the wars of 1962, 1965, 1971 and the Kargil incursion of 1999 have still not healed. Baba Ajit Singh (78), Sewadar of Baba Jogi Peer, Chahal, is one of those residents who have witnessed all these. Commenting on the possibility of migration in case of a war, Baba Ajit Singh compared the present situation with that in past years. He recalled that till 1971 at the border, 90 per cent of the houses were kutcha and there was one common radio with the gram panchayat which was listened to on a public address system (speaker). People of the whole village used to listen to programmes broadcast during the day. He said that the milch cattle were the first choice of every family in the villages and tractor to plough the fields had just been introduced in the agriculture sector after 1970. Baba Ajit Singh said that these days, every house, even a few yards away from the fencing (barbed wire installed) at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the Indo-Pak border, is palatial, equipped with all modern facilities like the LCD, washing machine, tractor, SUV and XUVs. Recalling those days, he said that people used to make arrangements on the banks of canal during the war for months and parts of trees were used as fuel to prepare meal. The canal water was used for consuming and bathing too. The prevailing uncertainty in the border area has upset the normal life this time too. What will happen in the coming days is yet to be seen, but at the grassroots level, everybody is under pressure. Narinder Kaur, a leader of women workers of NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), working by the roadside in the border village of Gandiwind, was worried about the problem. The NREGA workers said that they have not been given their payment for the work done during the last four months. As a result, they have not purchased even the wheat stock to be stored for the year as is the tradition to prepare two square meals for their families. The workers expressed their mental agony saying there was no hope of an early payment to them. The workers said in case of any untoward happening, they would have to face problems even in preparing food for their family members. This is not the problem of mere NREGA workers of Gandiwind village but of workers in the whole state of Punjab, stated Gurkirat Singh, NREGA secretary, Gandiwind. He said there is hope that the payment would be made to NREGA workers soon.

A book on history, heritage of Jarmastpur

A Mela (fair) was organised in Tarn Taran in which many prominent writers and promoters of literature from across the state participated. The Mela was organised to released the recently published book, ‘Pind Jarmastpur — Adi (previous) to Varatman (present)’, edited by a mature writer Jaswinder Singh Dhillon who has contributed eight Punjabi books in the service of readers. The Jarmastpur village is situated in Tarn Taran district and has a rich history and heritage with extraordinary traditions. Dhillon is the sub-caste of the Jat community to which late Dr Gurdial Singh Dhillon, Speaker of the Lok Sabha during the time of Indira Gandhi and late Partap Singh Kairon, the then Chief Minister of undivided Punjab, and others belong. The local ‘Punjabi Sahit Sabha Ate Sabhiacharak Kender’ organised the Mela in which known writers like Darshan Singh Bhamma from Talwandi Sabho, Balbir Singh Bhail, Sailinderjit Singh Rajan Baba Bakala, Ranjit Singh Chandigarh, Brigadier Daljit Singh Chandigarh shared their views on different aspects of the changing trend in literature with the coming of the social media. The speakers appreciated the efforts of Jaswinder Singh Dhillon for his book on the history and present features of Jarmastpur village. The book contains detailed information, especially with the identification of e-gram panchayats from 1953 till date, with the names of Sarpanches and members of the respective panchayats. The book provides detailed information about the personalities of the village too.

Manhole lids cave in, pose safety risk

The administration of Tarn Taran town has shown no concern for the safety and security of the citizens. For months, the residents had been facing problems as lids on manholes on the main road in the town had caved in, resulting in frequent accidents. The administration at last began the work to replace the old lids and the work started more than a month back.No proper signage regarding the progress of the work has been displayed at the site to make the passerby and commuters aware. The debris is seen scattered in the middle of the main road resulting in accidents not only during the day time but at night too.

The civic body administration needs to act quickly to repair the damaged manholes and ensure the safety of commuters and pedestrians alike.

Amritsar