Navjot Singh Sidhu: Punjab govt diverting attention from real issues

“The tragedy of Punjab is people changed the system to their advantage and that system pushed Punjab back. That’s why even today an attempt is being made to divert attention from real issues,” he added.

Eighty per cent of Punjab water is in the dark zone, he said, adding that the state has less water, but the government is not doing anything to save the water it has. “The water problem has increased so much that there is no drinking water. There is water shortage in Punjab. Rainfall has reduced by 30% in 10 years. Punjab does not have water to provide even for drinking purpose in several parts of the state and so, the real issue is how to manage the water we have. We have contaminated the canal water which should be available to the people for drinking. The water of Punjab’s Harike Barrage (at the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej) canal which was A grade and fit for drinking, has now turned C grade. Now, only the water of Ropar canal is potable,” he said.

“Isn’t it their (government) duty to provide potable water to the people of Punjab?” asked Sidhu. The former cricketer said that no efforts are being made to recharge groundwater in Punjab. There is a provision for recharging wells in houses, but nothing is being done on this front. No-one is paying attention to restore canal irrigation also, he added.

Sidhu said the price of sand in Punjab has gone through the roof. “One has to pay five times more than what it was during the Congress regime.” Punjab is buying electricity at Rs 17 to Rs 20 per unit and power is being provided to the people by mortgaging PSPCL, he added.

“Farmers are not getting good markets for their produce. There was talk of collecting revenue from liquor, but illegal liquor is being sold. No-one is ready to talk on these issues of Punjab,”

Sidhu said, alleging that there is a nexus of politicians, police and smugglers in Punjab which has to be broken. “This Bhaiwal (partnership) system in which people of various parties are partners will have to be changed to save the state,” he said.

“Where is the education policy in Punjab? If the youth are not living in the villages of Punjab and leaving the country for greener pastures, it’s an alarming situation. We need to have a strong policy to stop them from leaving India. The government says that there is no shortage of teachers and the infrastructure is robust, but to stop them from going abroad the government needs to give them a respectable income,” he said.

Justice has not been done till date in sacrilege cases in Punjab, he said. “SITs were formed. SIT means ‘sit’ and they are sitting on the cases. These are formed to destroy the real evidence of the cases and to weaken them so that nothing comes out of it,” he added.