In a unique step, six candidates, contesting the Assembly election on SAD, Congress, AAP, BSP, SAD(A) and Left parties, took a pledge in the presence of hundreds of people that they would treat environment issues of the state on priority basis if they win and also participated in the debate on the Green Punjab clean Punjab issue at Seechewal village of Jalandhar.
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Interestingly, the debate on environment turned into a debate on the drug issue.
All the six candidates – SAD candidate and minister Ajit Singh Kohar, Congress’s Hardev Singh Laddi, AAP’s Dr Amarjit Singh Thind, BSP’s Ranjit Kumar, SAD(A)’s Sulkhan Singh and CPI(M)’s Bachittar Singh — are contesting from Shahkot constituency of Jalandhar.
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People questioned the SAD minister on the drug issue and fired several sensitive and direct questions at him on the free flow of drugs in Punjab and Kohar was in a spot because for all the other five contestants, drug is the main poll plank this election.
The candidates were even made to sign a written undertaking in which they promised that they would be committed to a clean environment of Punjab and ensure compliance of Environment Protection law.
Locals said they would vote only those who would take environment and drugs issues of the area seriously and on a priority basis.
Incidentally, people of the area have been facing a problem of pollution at Kala Sanghia drain, Citti Bein, etc.
Environmentalist Baba Seechewal, while giving the example of Kali Bein, said if the 164-km-long Bein could be cleaned and rejuvenated, then other water channels of the state can also be cleaned. “It is the most important issue of the state and we need a political will to keep the environment on priority basis in state,” he asserted.
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