Residents use boats to reach their villages near Makora Pattan on the Indo-Pak border in Gurdaspur.
Gurdaspur, June 24, 2016:
Over 3,000 residents of nearly eight villages located on an ‘island’ at the confluence of Ravi and Ujj rivers near Makora Pattan on the Indo-Pak border here have been cut off from the rest of the World with the authorities dismantling the pontoon bridge on Friday.
The temporary pontoon bridge was dismantled by the authorities ahead the monsoon season leaving the residents on the mercy of a single boat provided by the Punjab government as a mode of transportation during the rainy season. Residents of these villages have left with no facilities like health, education, communication, transport for the nest three-four months.
This island is surrounded with Ravi and Ujj rivers at the international border. The BSF has also deputed their four posts namely Tass, Pariyal, Lasiyan and Nikka to curb infiltration from across the border.
Gurnam Singh, sarpanch of Toor village, said that the government had dismantled the pontoon bridge connecting Toor, Lasiyan, Chebey, Pariyaal, Kajle, Chumbri, Kukker and Mamian Chakk villages with the district headquarter and other parts of the country.
Singh said that panic gripped every time among residents when the water level raises in the Ravi and Ujj rivers. The government has not given safety jackets to the villagers nor taken any precautionary measures for the safety of these residents, he said. He said that government has not shown any keen interest to develop this backward area. Not even a single Primary Health Centre has been established here to provide better medical facilities to the people living in these villages he added.
Balwinder Singh youth zonal incharge of youth congress and resident of Makora Pattan told that, “Due to lack of basic facilities like transport, electricity, road and medical we felt like second class citizens in India. He said, “Swollen water level meant three months holiday for school children and no health and medical care facility for patients and pregnant women.” Balwinder said that Primary school upto 5th class has been running in Lasiyan, Toor and Mamian and secondary school upto 8th class has been running in village Pariyal. But in the rainy season no teacher can took personal intension to came via boat and studied the students.
Local residents said that soil erosion is also assuming dangerous proportions due to floods and about 150 acre of land has already been washed away. They said we demanded many times and gave memorandum to every minister for construction of a permanent bridge by which we can also joined with the remaining part of Punjab. Alleging on local MLA and Member of Parliament they said no one take personal interest and done any single effort to make this bridge and the development of this area.
They said we have provided only boat facility to commute with the remaining district and two sailors have been deputed by the Government to ferry the people, but the boat facility also remains closed after sunset or after warnings of rising water level danger in the area.