11.9.08

Guardians of law will now save heritage


The Tribune, Chandigarh
December 22, 2007

Guardians of law will now save heritage
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service



Pul Kanjari, December 21
Though the “Friends Of India New Zealand” (FOINZ) and state government agencies have failed to see their plans on preserving glory of Pul Kanjri ,once a bustling town ,associated with Maharaja Ranjit Singh materialise, the Punjab Police has adopted the border village for overall development with support of local people .

The police took up the challenge of preserving the heritage sites of the border belt .

The historical town on the Amritsar-Lahore road, which was a big trade centre at time of Partition , has been reduced to a tiny village now. Most of the residents of Pul Kanjri who had survived the bloodbath, a few days after Partition, migrated to safer places, especially Amritsar. Partition brought ruin to this place.

It is joint venture of police-public to clear wild grass and clean about t 300 -year- old "Talab" (historical pond).Dstrict police chief Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh and other IPS officers today visited the place to enourage villagers for cooperation with the police to accomplish the project .

The police has also prepared a project to identify drug addicts of Pul Kanjri and adjoining villages for de-addiction at various centres, run by the District Red Cross Society and other government institutiions.The district police chief has also set up a committee, headed by SHO , Attari to prepare a list of educated , semi-educated unemployed youths to send it to departments for their placements .

Earlier H.S Luthra , general secretary of the FOINZ, had announced a plan to revive glory of the town. In a letter to the Prime Minister which read the association intended to involve people of India and Pakistan for raising appropriate memorial to all those who fell in the tribal attack , a week after Independence ,could be raised. However, two years after the announcement ,nothing concrete has come so far.

Luthra is grandson of Shaheed Partap Singh of Panja Sahib (now in Pakistan). The FOINZ had also planned to build “Unity Park” with freedom memorial walls at Pul Kanjri. The park was proposed to raise four freedom memorial walls with flora and fauna from both India and Pakistan and walkways. He had also announced to install statues of freedom fighters and famous people, a museum and a theatre to promote art from India and Pakistan are also proposed to be constructed. The association also planned to invite private investors from overseas and local persons to set up shopping arcades, hotels and other attractions like children’s park and cultural centres.

However Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh said to promote tourism , other heritage buildings of the border belt would also be identified for preserving with people’s help.
[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071222/punjab1.htm#7]

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