A physically fit human being needs among other things reliable circulatory and excretory systems. Though other systems – Including digestive, respiratory and nervous – are equally important. But as long as the body organs are fed through the circulatory system and toxic materials are drained out, survived to an extent, though for a limited period, is still possible.
Same as is the case with the cities that are bursting at their seams because of the growing population.
Official claims notwithstanding, the rate at which cities and new urban colonies are becoming slums, is alarming. It is not Punjab alone facing the problem of rapidly growing slums, other States are no better.
Governments woke up to uncontrolled urbanisation much longer after severe or irreparable damage has been done to both circulatory and excretory systems of urban areas. This apathy also hit the ecology, environment and essential services delivery systems. Claims of the official agencies, including the Governments and local bodies mandated with upkeep of civic amenities, notwithstanding, the new urban complexes have a plethora of problems that evade quick or immediate solutions.
Since politics has become a game of numbers, each political party, instead of acting in the larger interest of public order and health, have been succumbing to pressures of developers and colonisers in regularising new habitations that defy the set norms of basic civic amenities.
Can you imagine a house coming up in the middle of a major connecting road? And the road continues after crossing this forcible manmade hurdle. It is because of this haphazard urbanisation, that at one stage or the other, becomes legal, new habitations are becoming cesspools. A little rain and colonies get choked with no outlet left for stormwater to go.
Many argue that problems started multiplying after the States discarded the existing pen drain systems and opted instead for the much costlier sewerage systems. Many towns and cities have been going through hell for the past not only years and several years for completion and commissioning of sewerage systems.
As a result, the dug up roads have become a common sight anywhere in this region in general and Punjab in particular. Only explanation given for potholed and unsafe roads are incomplete sewerage systems. After 76 years of independence, the governments have failed on many fronts. The foremost of these include failure to provide potable drinking water to their populace. And the next major failures include failure to guarantee quick disposal of storm water – that often leads to flooding of low lying areas – and management of solid garbage. Huge piles of solid garbage are as common as potholed roads everywhere.
Holy and business city like Amritsar is no exception. Moderate rain from half an hour to an hour, can turn this most frequented city by Sikh pilgrims, into a huge cesspool. And it becomes all the more painful when the governments in general and political parties make blatant claims of developing villages, towns and cities in the State. They boast that the annal Budget of the State has crossed Rs 2 lakh crore mark. Any takers!!
(Prabhjot Singh is a veteran journalist with over three decades of experience of 14 years with Reuters News and 30 years with The Tribune Group, covering a wide spectrum of subjects and stories. He has covered Punjab and Sikh affairs for more than three decades besides covering seven Olympics and several major sporting events and hosting TV shows.)
