The British

The major interest of the British, after they discovered the poorly managed political states in the sub-continent, was that of a business man who plans and wishes to flourish the trade giving major benefits to their own people living in the Britian and some to those whom they serves as shop-keepers. They had long range plants for providing opportunities to the natives to grow more and to consume more. And they were successful in their objectives to a greater extent. The quickness with which the transport and the irrigation facilities were provided to the Indian populace, were achievements, which are come across rarely. They ruled the Punjab for about 98 years (1849 to 1947) and developed the communications, transportation and the irrigation facilities in a sudden spurt of agro-industrialisation of the farming infra-structure ever seen in the world. After the fall of the Lahore government in 1849, they took the minimum amount of time in laying the rail track from Ludhiana to Karachi parallel to the riverine course of the Sutlej.
Even though they hardly had any canal system in their own British Isles, they experimented and developed reliable techniques for providing irrigation facilities in the vast but level plains of North West of the Indian subcontinent. For accelerating the agro-industrialisation, they established a training institute for engineering staff at Roorkee in 1847.History has proved that of all the European colonisers, who spread out of their native countries on the basis of naval power and industrial skills and were driven out because of their economies, the British were the wisest. These intelligent men realized in their own interest, if not of the Indian people, that the enhancement in money flow could take place only if the Indian hinterland could produce the real wealth by better tools and tackle and facilities with trained man power. India had the possibility of providing raw materials and a vast consumer market. East India Company did it by using all the tricks of the trade just like present day multi-national companies. They were one up in having political power as well by which they could decide the policies suitable to their interests.

They encouraged the growth of agricultural products by creating a vast infra-structure of canal irrigation by the new techniques which were available because of the industrial revolution which had taken place in Europe. The steam engine was invented in 1763 and that was the time when the British become a world naval power. For movement of the time when the British become a world naval power. For movement of  the various goods, they laid out a network of railways along with the canals for irrigation. Enhancing the agriculture, renovating the revenue system and means of transport and communication become the obvious concern of the British rulers. The total manpower of the governors and district officer machinery was aligned  towards this objective. Renovation, maintenance and construction of irrigation networks were the most important priorities.

But the supporting system of establishing educational institutions and health facilities were also not neglected. And watching their approach, the local  religious groups also initiated their effort of establishing similar facilities. The Indian princes also took part in these activities and several enlightened states initiated institutes and hospitals on the lines as per the practice initiated by the British.

The British agents were developing institutes at Ludhiana in 1807, and their agencies eagerly watched the most powerful Sarkar-e-Khalsji. They were curious to know the going on in Lahore Darbar and their agents visited Amritsar in 1807 and 1827. The political happenings on the left bank of Sutlej were fluid and as was the practice of the British, they planned ahead and in 1844,the place where Fazilka town came later, a bungalow was established to keep an eye on the political happenings in this region. After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh,  in 1839, the British had all cards by which they could establish and enhance their dominions. The Punjab was annexed in 1849 after the two Sikh wars and the further strengthening of British interests in this area, was their aim.

As is golden rule of politics that one should be a perfect gentleman at individual level and ruthless to politicals rivals, the British agent Mr. Vans Agnew paid the price of the land he had acquired from the local land-lord Mian Mohd. Fazil Wattu Lambardar, valued at Rs. 144 and 8 annas from the Panchayat Fund. And also named the new town after him as Fazilka rather than after the queen of England.(Queen Alaxanderina Victore was declared empress of Indian in 1876) This personal integrity in human dealings always pays itself. The contemporary politicians also use this standard  behavioural scheme for proving their love for the common man by going out of way in helping on the personal affairs. The British were ruthless in dealing with their political rivals, yet at the individual level they behaved as angels.

Source: Fazilka - The Town of the Learned by Dr. Bhupinder Singh