Anirudh Gupta
O nce considered to be a land of prosperity, the historic town of Ferozepur, notwithstanding huge funds spent on various development works by sitting MLA Parminder Singh Pinki, continues to remain economically backward due to lack of industry and employment-generating institutions.
Pinki was instrumental in setting up new gardens, open gyms, improving the condition of roads, augmenting water supply and upgrading sanitation system.
However, the issue of reopening the Hussaniwala-Lahore border, which was the lifeline of traders before its closure in 1971, still hangs fire. Investment remains thin with not many industrialists evincing interest in setting up base here.
Even the residents of villages that shared boundary with Pakistan are upset as the swollen Sutlej often brings misery due to which standing crop on thousands of acres gets inundated and destroyed. “If something has changed, it’s just the course of the river,” says Sarwan Singh, a marginal farmer.
Past trend
Traditionally, it has been a Congress stronghold as the party has won eight times. Sukhpal Singh Nannu of the BJP halted the winning streak of the Congress’s old horse Balmukand Sharma in 1997. He won two straight terms in 2002 and 2007, before losing to Pinki.
Electorate strength
Total voters 1,66,319
Male 88,065
Female 78,248
Third gender 6
Border woes hamper industry growth
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