3 yrs on, Centre’s Adarsh Gram awaits bridge to cross Beas

Locals use rickety boats with armature boat rower to commute

There is a dire need of a bridge on the river. The government should at least provide eight highclass motorised boats, equipped with safety equipment.

MUNDA PIND (TARN TARAN): More than three and half years have passed since nine persons including eight adolescents of village Munda Pind, 30 km from the district headquarter, were killed while crossing Beas river in 2013.

The government still has not taken any safety measure and the villagers continue to put their lives on risk, using improvised boats.

Lok Sabha MP from Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura had adopted the village in 2014 under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.

Owing to the government’s apathy, neither a bridge has been built on the river, nor the villagers have been provided safe boats.Every year due to floods, farmers particularly in low-lying Mand area suffer.

Many farmers go to Bhaupur, Jhugian and Bhaini villages in Kapurthala for cultivation work. As many as 200 people daily use the boats, which are in poor condition, to cross the river. The village has a population of more than 6,000.

Locals are not only using the rickety boats but have also hired an armature boat rower for traversing.The affected farmers pay money or grain to the boat rower for the service.

Notably, the boat tragedy occurred on 10 Oct 2013. 17 people of the village went to attend a religious function in Kapurthala when their improvised boat capsized on their way back to Munda Pind.

Sukhdev Singh who lost his son Harpreet Singh to the tragedy said, “Such tragedies could be averted if the government had taken better measures.”

Gurdial Singh, whose 22-yearold son was drowned to death in the tragedy said, “After the death of my younger son I don’t send my second son across the river.”

Sarpanch Paramjit Singh said, “There is a dire need of a bridge on the river. The government should provide at least eight high-class motorised boats, equipped with safety equipments.”

Hopes of villagers were raised after coming under the central scheme, with an announcement of construction of a bridge and provision of new boats. However, the villagers failed to get any relief.

“We have not received a single penny under the scheme, ” said block samiti chairman Gurdial Singh.

Brahmpura said, “The village was adopted by the central government and we have sent proposals of many development works. As soon as we will receive funds we will start the work.”