Una MLA Satpal Singh Satti today submitted two memorandums to Municipal Commissioner Prithi Paul Singh, highlighting critical civic issues including the stray dog menace, drinking water shortage, sewer expansion, and monsoon flooding in low-lying areas. He was accompanied by municipal councillors and prominent residents.
Stray Dog Attacks on the Rise
Satti said stray dogs in several parts of Una city had become a threat to public safety over the past month. Nearly half a dozen incidents involving attacks on children, women, and lone pedestrians had been reported. Some of these incidents, captured on CCTV cameras, had been widely circulated on social media, heightening public concern.
Satti stressed that the Municipal Corporation (MC) is responsible for ensuring residents’ safety and should formulate a comprehensive plan to address the issue. He noted that the problem has escalated recently, demanding urgent intervention.
Water Shortage and Sewer Expansion
Raising concerns over increasing stress on groundwater resources due to continuous extraction, Satti urged the MC to explore lifting water from the Sutlej near Bhabour Sahib on the Nangal Dam reservoir or from Raipur Maidan on the Bhakra Dam reservoir for supply to city residents. He said the demand for water had increased after Una was upgraded from a Municipal Council to a Municipal Corporation, with 14 adjoining villages merged into the city limits.
The MLA also demanded extension of the piped sewer network to the 14 newly merged village panchayats to facilitate planned development and maintain sanitation standards. Without proper sewerage, these areas risk unplanned growth and health hazards.
Flooding and Drainage Woes
Highlighting another major concern, Satti said several low-lying areas of the city continue to face chronic waterlogging and flooding during the monsoon season. He said a Rs 43-crore project for constructing concrete drains across various localities had been prepared during the previous BJP government. While eight drains were completed at a cost of Rs 19.5 crore, the remaining works were still pending, he added. This incomplete drainage network exacerbates flooding every year.
Commissioner’s Response
Responding to the concerns, Municipal Commissioner Prithi Paul Singh said nearly 80 per cent of the city’s stray dogs had already been sterilised and the remaining canine population would be covered soon. He said an estimate exceeding Rs 1 crore had been prepared for a dog shelter equipped with cubicles, a veterinary facility, and a kitchen. Revenue officials had been asked to identify suitable land within or around Una city for the project.
On drinking water supply and sewerage expansion, Singh said his office had taken up the matter with the Jal Shakti Department. The department had sought funds for a preliminary survey, after which a detailed project report would be prepared. He assured that the issues would be addressed on a priority basis.
