The India Post, Chandigarh, October 29 :Beant Singh Memorial & the Chandigarh Center for performing and visual arts and a New Lake in Sector 42, today launched by the Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Gen. (Retd.) S.F. Rodrigues, PVSM VSM, amidst, gaiety and enthusiasm and participation of people from different walks of life. These two projects, featuring a national, social and religious content have been completed with the personal intervention, keen interest and constant monitoring by the Administrator, giving a beautiful look to the whole area besides giving a fillip to the social and cultural life of the region.
While interacting with Mrs. Jaswant Kaur, wife of Late Sardar Beant Singh and Senior officers of the Punjab Government & Chandigarh Administration including Mr. R.I. Singh, Chief Secretary, Mr. D.S. Jaspal, Principal Secretary, Information & Public Relations, Mr. M.P. Singh, Secretary to Governor, Mr. Ram Niwas, Home Secretary, UT, Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Finance Secretary and Mr. Tejveer Singh, Special Secretary and Director Public Relations, Punjab, General Rodrigues emphasized the need of making the Beant Singh Memorial a functional and vibrant project, broad-basing its utility to fulfill the ideals and the cause for which Sardar Beant Singh laid down his life. He said that this project must be developed further in an integrated and harmonious manner and this platform must be optimally utilized, with the participation of the people, for realizing the objectives and the concept visualized for raising this memorial. He asked the members of Sardar Beant Singh family to actively involve themselves in pushing its growth and development by making a core group to coordinate with the executing agencies of Punjab Government and Chandigarh Administration.
General Rodrigues went around the library building, an open air auditorium, a lecture hall, a conference hall, a committee room, a reading room and the fountains installed in the complex and asked the Home Secretary, UT & Engineering Department to landscape the surroundings and beautify the whole area to attract tourists and other visitors. He also visited the memorial site and paid floral tributes to the former Chief Minister, Late Sardar Beant Singh.
Later, the Administrator inaugurated the New Lake, constructed adjacent to the memorial site, at a cost of Rs.3.10 crores. The lake complex comprises of 3.25 acres of water body, 2 entry pavilions, 6′ wide walking track with interlocking paver block all around the lake and 2 decks to perform rituals. The outline of the lake has been protected by constructing retaining wall with stone masonry to retain the earth and water. Four toilet blocks at suitable places, having 6 changing rooms for men and women have been provided. The lake has been constructed to provide a place of relaxation and seclusion, like Sukhna Lake, for the residents of Southern Sectors. The city residents shall also be allowed to perform their religiousfunctions such as Chhat Puja, Ganesh Puja etc. at the new lake. The lake will attract some crowd of Sukhna Lake, thereby reducing the rush.
General Rodrigues, while interacting with the Municipal Councilors and residents of the area asked them to extend their partnership in maintaining and cleaning the lake. He asked for the setting up a citizens group to coordinate with the Chandigarh Administration, for the realization of the goals of this project. He also distributed sweets to the labourers and thanked them for their significant contribution for the speedy completion of the project in a record time.