BATHINDA: Bathinda may have topped Punjab when it comes to cleanliness, but the residents of areas around the town's railway station are not impressed.In fact, this monsoon , garbage floating in dirty rainwater has left them worried over fears of an illness breaking out.The town was declared the cleanliest in the state in Union ministry of urban development's Swachh Survey 2017, whose results were declared two months ago.Sanjay Nagar and Paras Ram Nagar are among localities which have been hit the worst by the lack of sanitation. Though it topped Punjab, Bathinda was ranked a lowly 104th in the country.Even Mohali was ranked 109th. Sanjay Nagar resident Ramesh Kumar said muddy water stagnated in their area every time it rained. "We fear the water might affect the foundation of our houses," he said, adding that if an animal died in the water, no one would pick upthe carcass. Ramesh also owns a small shop in the locality.Another local, Kuldeep Kumar , said people of the area simply laughed at the suggestion that Bathinda was the cleanest in Punjab. Officials who evaluated Bathinda should have visited our localities too," he said.Another resident of Sanjay Nagar, Mohan Lal, said anyone travelling to Bathinda by train was witness to filth, heaps of garbage, dead animals, and muddy water. "This presents a really sad picture of the town," he said.When contacted, Bathinda mayor Balwant Rai Nath admitted to areas near the railway station being dirty."A pipeline is being laid to check sewerage issues. We are short of staff and a lock of funds has hampered work. We hope these areas will be cleaned soon," hesaid.

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