Sarangpur: On the road to progress but still a long way

For the benefit of cattle, a veterinary sub-centre has been started on 12-marla panchayat land. The centre has facilities such as first aid for cattle and vaccination. Toilet block and garbage collection centre have also been constructed and made operational. A total of four bus queue shelters have been constructed on both sides of the village entries.

For improving water supply in the village, a generator and a water booster has been installed. The work of concretisation of streets in the extended abadi area and painting of old buildings in the village has been completed. For providing primary health service in the village, a dispensary-cum-diagnostic centre has been constructed, but is yet to be inaugurated.

Funds to the tune of over Rs 3 crore have been spent by Kher on the village from the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD).

Kher maintains the village was selected under SAGY as the administration had sufficient land which could be used for development work. “In a large number of villages, there was a constraint of land,” she told Chandigarh Newsline.

She claims that work on Sampark Centre, panchayat ghar, anganwari and sports stadium has been initiated and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The UT village is governed under the Panchayati Raj system in which elections are held for the panchayat, panchayat samiti and zila parishad. Sadhu Singh, sarpanch of the village, lauds Kher’s efforts in carrying out various development works, which have benefited the locals.

Veterinary Sub Centre at Village Sarangpur which adopted by Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher, in Chandigarh. Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh

Areas of concern

ONE of the major causes for concern is unauthorised construction beyond lal dora. This illegal construction is spread across around 10 acres. The term lal dora refers to the village land that can be used for non-agricultural purpose only or for support systems like livestock.

In the absence of building bylaws for villages, there has been no check on the haphazard urbanisation and development. The new construction activity in the village is beyond the permissible maximum height.

Acknowledging it as an area of concern, Kher claims that she has taken up the issue with the Union Home Ministry for regularising the construction outside lal dora. With an increase in population, there is a need for upgradation of sewerage and storm water drainage system of the village. In recent years, power outages during summer have increased, making life difficult for the residents.

Sadhu Singh, the village sarpanch, underscores the tough times the villages are facing this year due to frequent outages caused by overloading of the system. The power infrastructure of the village needs to be upgraded at the earliest as there has been a rise in the number of theft cases. “We inform the police, but they fail to act.”

Yadav Rai, a resident of the village, highlights the dire need for a library in the village and expansion of Government Senior Secondary School for accommodating more students. At present there are two schools — Government High School and Government Model Senior Secondary School — at the village having over 1,200 students each.

For the benefit of the villagers, Kher claims that she will try to meet all their genuine demands.

Kher to adopt more villages

AFTER turning Sarangpur into a model village, Kher has decided to adopt a few more villages. She will select the villages in consultation with the local administration.