Two years have passed but the Municipal Corporation is still debating over the best way to honour the martyrs from the city. From putting up their pictures in community centres, naming green belts after them to having a picture gallery in the MC building, numerous proposals have been floated. A final decision is still awaited, though.

The proposal to set up a Martyrs’ Gallery was floated last year. While the city already has a War Memorial carrying the names of martyrs from the region since Independence, the proposal mooted by the MC entailed putting up the pictures of the martyrs from the city and give a brief information about them.

The councillors proposed that pictures be put up in community centres of different sectors and pictures of the martyrs of a ward be put up in that ward. It was, however, later felt that martyrs should not be confined to a particular ward. Another suggestion was that the pictures be put up in libraries of community centres with a brief history of the martyrs.

The councillors had also suggested that their names be engraved in a stone to be kept at Shanti Kunj. However, the idea was dropped considering the dismal condition of the stone engraved with names of freedom fighters in Leisure Valley.

Councillor Harjinder Kaur suggested that greenbelts in different sectors be named after martyrs and some information be provided about them. “The idea of having a gallery in community centres has been rejected as people hardly visit the community centre and also these are in a terrible shape. The issue has been debated in the House for long, yet to no conclusion has been drawn,” she said.

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