Ravi Dhaliwal
SUJANPUR is widely regarded as the most backward Assembly seat of Punjab with a rapidly depleting water table and erratic power supply adding to its woes by putting the skids under development projects.
There is an acute drinking water scarcity in the Dhar block. It has been there for the past several decades but has become more pronounced now because of the depleting water table. “Dhar is inhabited by poor people who can barely afford two square meals a day. They do not have money to install deep bores. Power supply is also erratic,” says MLA Dinesh Babbu.
In Sujanpur city, there is no bus stand. To this, Babbu says, “I have approached transport officials on many occasions. But the fact remains that nobody listens to me because I am an Opposition MLA,” he said.
The society is also conservative. Parents say they will send their daughters to the college only if it is an only-girls institute. “Capt Amarinder Singh promised to establish one at Jugiyal in 2014. Seven years down the line, not a single brick has been laid. I will not send my daughter to a co-ed college in any case,” said Vinay Mahajan, a senior Congressman.
Villagers say an 8-bedded hospital caters to their area while they need a 30-bedded one. “Lack of funds,” says an official when asked why a hospital was not being established.
Sujanpur: Struggling to shed ‘backward’ tag
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