44 villages merger becomes a bone of contention between Dy.CM’s constituency Jalalabad and Guruahrsahai

Ferozepur, December 15, 2016:   The proposed move to attach 44 villages under Guruharsahai Sub-division in Ferozepur with Jalalabad Sub-division in Fazilka is getting momentum.

Bar Association of both the divisions are agitating by putting their claims over the merger of 44 villages.

At the time of carving of new district Fazilka bifurcating Ferozepur jurisdiction, the 44 villages have been attached to Fazilka district for revenue matters while they come under the Ferozepur SSP for policing purposes.

These villages come under Ferozepur for matters pertaining to police, health, education, PWD and other government departments. But for civil and revenue cases, they are attached to Fazilka for reasons unforeseen.

Due to the peculiar jurisdiction of civil, revenue and criminal cases, thousands of residents of 44 villages of Jalalabad subdivision in Fazilka district are a harassed lot.

These villages are spread in a radius of 5 to 10 km of Jalalabad town. They visit Jalalabad town for civil and revenue purposes and are compelled to travel about 20 km to Guruharsahai subdivision of Ferozepur district for work related to criminal cases and the police.

Although these villages are situated near Jalalabad town, these are under Guruharsahai assembly constituency for voting by the residents.

The police department had set up a police post in Amir Khas village, 6 km from Jalalabad town on Ferozepur road and all 44 villages have been attached to this police post under the Ferozepur district police.

Due to this, these villages have become a bone of contention between the ruling party leaders of the high-profile Jalalabad constituency and Guruharsahai subdivision.

A complaint has also been shot off not only to the Chief Minister but also to the Election Commission of India by the elected lawyers’ body saying the move was aimed at appeasing voters in the Dy.CM’s home constituency.

While on the other hand, Guruharsahai residents would be forced to undergo inconvenience and harassment as they have to travel to Fazilka for the redressal of their grievances.

In the meantime, the Jalalabad Bar Association has take the decision that in case no decision is taken by the Deputy Chief Minister, they will intensify the agitation for merger of 44 villages with Jalalabad and even anti-government awareness meetings besides putting hoardings in whole of the constituency.

On anonymity, a senior revenue official said, it looks a dual citizenship in two districts within the state.  The carving of new district with jurisdiction of villages should be with one district for all intents and purposes to avoid any inconvenience and confusion keeping aside the political interests.

Parvinder Kamboj, president, Bar Association, Jalalabad said, three sub-divisions Abohar, Fazilka and Jalalabad were transferred to Fazilka district at the time of Ferozepur district’s bifurcation in 2011. Zira, Ferozepur and newly created Guru Harsahai sub-divisions remained in Ferozepur.

The association had started agitation since then and they are demanding that their entire police and criminal judicial work be brought under the Jalalabad subdivision, he added.

The counter claim is being put by the Bar Association Guruahrsahai over retaining the villages with Guruahrsahai for convenience of the people of the area.