Broken roads,water shortage, power cuts drive Panchkula residents out to vote for change

Outside St Xavier’s School,in Sector 20,voters had queued up in a long line for their turn to cast their vote. The scorching heat did not prevent the voters,even the elderly ones,from joining the queue. The voters,most of whom are employed in low-paying jobs as barbers,masons and carpenters had found time to cast the vote.

46-year-old Daisai Nand says that the condition of the residents is pathetic. “It could be the worst sector. The water that we get is muddy. It is not drinkable,” he said. The residents say that power outages are frequent and they are even pinning their hope on the candidate who can get their monthly payments of Rs 1,800 waived so that they can live in the tenements. “Since most of us are illiterate we get heavy power bills,we have been resisting this. It is even difficult to pay the monthly installments to government for us to live in flats,” said a voter,Jagdesh Kumar. “Thefts in the area are rampant. The two-wheeler thefts are common even people remove the iron covers of gutters,” he said.

Not only did the voters turn up in large numbers in Sector 20,they also lined up outside other polling booths in different sectors from morning. Seventy five-year-old T D Suri,who cast his vote at the polling booth set up inside the office of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA),said that the power cuts are frequent in Sector 6. “The government set up a cable to improve the power supply. But that experiment,instead of doing us any good,has resulted into more cuts. The cable breaks often due to which we have to face severe power cuts.”

Added Shivani Suri,a housewife,“The water shortage is the worst in Sector 6. We get water for not more than three hours a day and I have come out to cast my vote in favour of the candidate who I think can help get these problems fixed for us.”

Other people came out to vote for a plethora of reasons. The rising problems of stray dogs,poor water supply,lack of maintenance of parks,broken drainage system,lack of sanitation and parking facilities in the market areas of the sectors were some of the problems that voters said they were bogged with. While in some sectors,voters were happy with the work of the candidate who earlier represented them in the Panchkula Municipal Council,a large number of voters cast the ballot hoping for change.

Outside the community hall in Sector 10,Disha Sethi,said that she voted for the candidate who can provide better security arrangements so that women can safely move in the market area. “Chain snatching cases are on the rise in Sector 10. Crime incidents have shot up. It is difficult for women to venture out. We expect that the candidate will ensure that women feel safer,” she said.

48-year-old Arun Kumar,a National Agriculture Bank and Rural Development (NABARD) employee,who came out in a wheelchair to vote,said that there were a slew of developmental issues that he would like the candidate of his choice to address. “There are smaller issues like the difficulties being faced by people in getting the voter cards and ration cards prepared and I voted for the candidate who I expect will get these problems resolved,” he said.

Kumar added that the Sector 10 area has parks that have not been developed properly and there is no system for cleanliness in the market. He said that there is also no check on the increasing number of stray dogs and this has become a menace for the residents.

Residents of village Raila said that the fixing of dysfunctional street lights and the cleaning of garbage filled nullahas should be the priority of the elected candidate. 71-year-old Somnath Kumar,who was waiting for his turn to cast the vote outside the government middle school in Raila,said that in Sector 12 the sanitation is poor. “In our ward the public utility services like urinals are deficient,” Kumar said.

Outside the Chamanlal Devi Senior Public School in Sector 11,voters had lined up in large numbers. 42-year-old Ravinder Singh said,“The drainage lines are choked and this needs immediate attention. The sanitation condition is the worst in the market.” Added 46-year old Satpal,“The government is supplying water through cement pipes,which burst often due to which we face frequent water cuts.”