Famed poet Batalvi's memorial in a shambles

BATALA: The youngest Sahitya Akademi Award winner and legendary Punjabi litterateur Shiv Kumar Batalvi is yet to get his due in his state, even as another birthday would be celebrated on Saturday by his diehard fans.
Built in 1981, eight years after he passed away, the dilapidated condition of the auditorium, dedicated to him, speaks volumes of the importance accorded to him by the state government.The roof of the building has myriad holes and its open space is used for dumping garbage. The auditorium resembles a tin shed, having no proper electricity.
Batalvi, also known as John Keats of Punjab, spent his earlier days in Batala and completed his education here before joining the State Bank of India in Chandigarh.
Last year, the state government had sanctioned Rs 1.80 crore for renovation of the building, but it is yet to be disbursed. If lovers of Punjabi literature blame the state government for making hollow promises, then they have reasons to do so.
"It is more like a haunted house rather than a memorial to a great poet. This is why the memorial has hardly been used for holding any literary function," said Varun Bansal, an admirer.
Suresh Dogra, a relative of Batalvi, said, "Once Shiv called Batala city loh da shahar', which means people of city are insensitive. Perhaps that's why the only memorial of the youngest Sahitya Akademi Award winner is still neglected as nobody speaks about government negligence."
The construction of the auditorium had been done by the state government with the special interest taken by the then governor of Punjab, Aminudin Ahmad Khan, and a Shiv Kumar Batalvi Trust was formed under the chairmanship of the then deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Kundra for taking care of it, but it remains incomplete.
The current education minister, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, had earlier announced that a state- level function would be held every year in the memory of Batalvi. A society called Shiv Kumar Batalvi Arts and Cultural Society, in which Sekhwan is patron-in-chief, was formed, but no function or any other cultural activity was planned this year.
Gurdaspur deputy commissioner Mohinder Singh Kaith said, "I have spoken to the state financial commissioner, Punjab, who assured me that the promised amount for renovation would be released in the next few days." The fans would have to wait till then.