At 84, ex-sarpanch leads crusade

ROPAR: A former sarpanch, Ujagar Singh, is now 84, but his pursuit for justice and love for his village Sirsa Nangal has kept him “young’’ and active for the last three years, chasing government officials and fat files.
His day starts with a visit to mini secretariat every day to plead with the authorities to pay the money they owe the village panchayat over acquisition of land and buildings for NHAI, which was constructing NH 205 connecting Ropar to Manali, in 2008.His eyes burn with anger and his strong voice does not quiver when he expresses his anger against district administration for delaying the payment.
“They (the administration and NHAI) have ruined my village. Ours was among the first villages in India, which, in 1960, had facilities like library, school and hospital. A foreign delegation had also gifted us 40 buffalos. Ropar was then a part of Ambala district,” a proud Singh revealed, but only to rue how all the good work has been undone, following acquisition of their land.
Ironically, the NHAI has already deposited money with the administration for further payment to the village panchayat, but only part-payment of about Rs 10 lakh has been made with officials still holding back nearly Rs 28 lakh.
“In 2009, they took away 4 kanals and 18 marlas including the land of primary school, library, dharamshala, primary health centre and bus stand, and paid pittance in return. Worse still, we have not received full payment, which is holding up construction of a new village school,’’ said Ujagar. “The government should either reconstruct these buildings for us or give us money so that we can build these ourselves.’’ The village urgently needs to construct the school building as students presently sit in a small hall which NHAI has tried to demolish many times, but villagers’ agitation forced the authority to turn back. “Students of four nearby villages study here. They can’t be made to sit in the open daily. We need a new building before the old one is demolished,” said Singh.
In the absence of a bus stop, villagers have to wait for buses in the open, exposed to rain and harsh sun. With the dharamshala gone, villagers, especially poor people, find it difficult to solemnize marriages or hold social functions, Singh said.
Encroachments on village pond, patwar khana, wells, library and veterinary hospital, have made things worse, while authorities have made no efforts to clear them despite the panchayat having won cases in civil and revenue courts.
Supporting Singh in his pursuit is sarpanch Sucha Singh of Sirsa Nangal. ”We have been shuttling from one office to another for the last three years but nobody has paid attention to our grievances. We have already spent money to renovate library out of our own sources, hoping that the money would be reimbursed, but nothing has happened,” he said.
On June 1, ADC (development) wrote to SDM, Ropar for immediate release of the pending amount to panchayat, but no money has been released yet. DC, Ropar, G K Singh, said, “I am personally looking into the matter and action will be taken against guilty officials.”