Shaurya Sharma
Fatehgarh Sahib. June 02, 2020: Sewa Kendars (Service Centers) in Fatehgarh Sahib are proving as center of hardship for the public particularly during the COVID crisis defeating the objective of the Government to provide efficient and cost effective method of delivery of all services covered under Right To Service Act in time bound manner. The people stand in long queues from early morning throughout the day in scorching heat to get their work done as most of the services amid COVID threat are provided through sewa kendars, which are not capable to cope with the rush and majority of them had to return without their turn.
Hundreds of workers particularly ladies have started thronging the Sewa Kendars to get them registered after the announcement of the government to provide Rs.3000/- per month to registered construction labour during COVID crisis. The workers start queuing up in front of the center from 3 AM onwards and there is only one window for their registration and only up to 25 to 30 workers can be registered in a day. There is no tent, shelter, arrangement of drinking water, hand wash, some without mask and social distancing totally tossed up.
Advocate Amardeep Singh Dharni official spokesman of SAD(B) who is extending help to workers alleged that the middle men have started fleecing the workers, they charge from Rs.250 to Rs.300/- for down loading and filling the forms and some agent also charge hefty amount to get their registration work done without standing in queue. He said government should immediately provide them facilities and moreover separate arrangement should be made for the common man as the workers throng outside Sewa center and the common people had to face great difficulty as the gate keeper sends one by one inside and their turn does not come and they have to return.
Sohan Singh resident of village Talania said that he had been coming to the center from the last seven days but his turn does not come. There were so many others who had the same experience.
When contacted Kuldeep Singh Incharge of Sewa Kendar Fatehgarh Sahib, he said that he has brought the matter in the notice of the government as there is only one window for registration of workers and hardly 25 workers are registered. He said higher officials have assured to increase the windows. About COVID threat he said he has brought the matter in the notice of SP (H) that there is great rush some precautions should be taken and he has also assured to do the needful.