With most promises remaining unfulfilled, residents of this sector opine that ‘all power no responsibility’ is the mantra of the sitting councillors of the ward. Despite two sitting councillors, Sharda Gupta and Manvir Kaur Gill, and Gill being the president of the Municipal Council for more than four years, the sector is a picture of neglect.

Residentspeak
Ashwani Sakhuja, a shopkeeper in the sector market said, “It has been more than 12 years since the market was constructed in the sector and since then it is without a toilet. Also, the market lacks supply of fresh water. It causes a lot of harassment to the shopkeepers, especially in the summers, when we have to approach residents for drinking water.”

Renu Chopra, another resident of the sector, said, “With the sector having two councillors, and one the president of the Municipal Council, this is what was not expected. The crime rate in the sector has increased manifolds due to lack of proper patrolling by guards of the ward. Also, the problem of waterlogging has worsened in all these years,” Chopra said.

While Mukesh Gulati, another resident opines that satisfactory work was done in the area under Manvir Kaur Gill, immediate attention was required in the area under Sharda Gupta.

“Forget about paying heed to our problems, Gupta has completely disappeared after winning the elections,” said Gulati.

Pawan Kumar, a shopkeeper adds, “It is very disappointing if the promises made by the councillors are not fulfilled. Lack of adequate parking area in the sector market has always been a cause of concern, but till date nothing has been done about it.”

Welfare associations
Talking to Newsline, Colonel Sham Singh, president, Sector Welfare Association said, “It is a sorry state of affairs as the sector, despite having two councillors, is in a state of neglect. We want workers and not politicians for the development of the sectors.

Though several promises were made, hardly any were fulfilled. The sector market has been waiting for a toilet and a fresh water tap. Moreover, the War Memorial, the construction work of which has been pending since long in want of funds, is home to stray dogs and the dispensary that was to come up is still waiting for a go ahead.”

Singh added it was high time that the welfare associations of different sectors were incorporated in the quality check of the works done by the councillors to ensure overall development of the sector.

Independent candidate
Lilly Bawa, one of the residents of the sector and also the independent candidate for the coming MC elections, said, “All power and no responsibility is the phrase for the sitting councillors. The councillors of the ward should be accountable to the residents through the welfare associations. A check system needs to be introduced so that non-performing councillors are not elected again.” From stray cattle to filthy entrances to the sector and waterlogging, the residents of the sector are at the receiving end, she added.

Councillorspeak
Talking to Newsline, Manvir Kaur Gill said, “Almost all major works have been done from my side for the ward. Development of parks, construction of two new tubewells, installation of transformers, making the area stray cattle free, everything has been done.”

As for the pending work at the War Memorial, it falls in the area of Sharda Gupta, the second councillor of the sector, she added. Gill added that not only was the house tax promised by her was waived off but also the Singh drain that passes the sector was made pakka during her tenure.

“But also as the ex-president of the MC, I took up the issue of War Memorial with the authorities and the construction would start in another six months. A cattle trap to do away with the menace of stray cattle was also constructed in the sector. Besides, most of the parks in my part of the sector have been developed”.

Sharda Gupta, the other councillor of the sector said, “Though I tried hard but not much could be done in the ward. As for the War Memorial in the sector is concerned, it falls under the area of Manvir Kaur Gill”.

Achievements
* Construction of two new tubewells
* New transformers
* Maintenance of parks
* Cattle trap for the sector