The members of the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) of Sector-7 expressed anger over the supply of dirty water and sewage flowing onto roads. The RWA members also alleged that officials of the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) had failed to provide basic amenities to residents even after eight years.
Randhir Singh, President of the RWA, and Rampat Nain, Vice President, said that a 5 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) was supposed to be set up for Sectors 7 and 8 for the treatment of sewage water, but it had not been installed for many years. Due to this, sewage was being discharged into open areas at four locations adjoining the railway lines, they alleged.
Apart from this, residents of Sector-7 had been facing problems due to the supply of dirty water for the last ten days. They further alleged that soil-mixed water had been supplied in the sector during this period, making it unfit for drinking and bathing.
They also alleged that departmental officials were not serious about providing even basic amenities to residents and that facilities were instead being taken away.
The President and Vice President of the RWA further alleged that the lethargic attitude of HSVP officials was solely responsible for the harassment faced by residents. They said that files were not being moved from one table to another. “Residents are paying property tax and development tax, so why are basic amenities not being provided to them?” they questioned.
They further said that they had raised the issue of basic amenities with Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda, Chief Administrator (CA), HSVP, Panchkula; Administrator, HSVP, Rohtak; Estate Officer, Panipat; and SE/XEN, HSVP, but the problems had not been resolved so far.
Residents of Sectors 6, 8, 13/17, 18, and 24 also expressed anger over the lack of basic amenities. They alleged that the department was collecting all taxes from residents but was doing an injustice to them.
Baljeet Singh, convener of the Haryana State HUDA Sectors Confederation, said that construction of the community centre in Sector-7 began in February 2024 and was scheduled to be completed by February 2025, but the work had still not been completed. He said that the contractor had left the project midway and taken away his equipment. The project cost was estimated at Rs 6 crore at that time, he alleged.
Similarly, a 5 MLD-capacity STP was to be constructed in Sectors 7 and 8, but the tender had not been allotted so far. The estimated cost of the project was Rs 27.68 crore. However, the Chief Administrator had approved the project and sanctioned the amount around one-and-a-half years ago, but the XEN had not allotted the tender yet, he said. Baljeet Singh further alleged that the XEN of Panipat was stationed at Rohtak and did not provide any information regarding development works to the RWAs.
Apart from this, HSVP was providing potable water supply to residents at five times the cost charged by the Municipal Corporation, which was a direct example of exploitation of residents, Baljeet Singh added.
The members said that they would visit Rohtak on July 8 to stage a protest and submit a memorandum to the Administrator, HSVP. They warned that if their problems were not resolved, residents would begin an indefinite dharna at the Estate Office, HSVP, Sector-18, from July 21.
