‘I prefer to shop and dine in Chandigarh’

experience,Ghuman realises the last time he went to buy something was two months ago in Sector 17,Chandigarh.

“I never shop in Ludhiana. A lot of people know me here and I am very often approached for some or the other work whenever I visit a shop or restaurant. So I have stopped going out for even recreation activities in the city.”

He,however,tells us the last thing he bought was two cotton shirts to beat the summer heat.

“I wear only cottons as they are skin-friendly and I usually purchase only formals because I am in office most of the time,” says Ghuman.

The civic body chief recalls an incident which prompted him to go completely off the social radar.

After he took charge of the post almost a year ago,Ghuman went out to eat out in the Indian Summer restaurant on Sherpur Chowk with his wife.

Though the food was excellent,the municipal commissioner says,the experience was spoilt when other diners started coming up to him with their problems and other general work.

“I literally had to tell people that I am not in office and was with my family. I asked them to come to my office in the morning. But after that,my wife never asked me to take her out in Ludhiana. We always prefer to shop and eat out in Chandigarh. Moreover,my daughter and son are studying there and we keep visiting them on a regular basis.”

Ghuman,however,says he is not too fond of purchasing something very expensive.

“Except for clothes,I hardly buy anything. And that too only when my wife insists. But yes,I do find time once in a month to take my family out and spend some quality time together,” Ghuman smiles.

And when is the next time he plans to go out,to that Ghuman replies,“Not very soon as it is a busy fortnight ahead.”

—— RAAKHI JAGGA