Shadow Correspondent
udhampur, Aug, 23
Concluding his three day whirlwind tour of various villages of Ghordi and Seuna blocks of Chenani constituency, Mr Harsh Dev Singh chairman JKNPP and former minister expressed his grave concern over the deprivation and neglect faced by the people of the said villages even with regard to provision of basic amenities. With the mandated leaders having abandoned the rural poor after their ascendance to power and an unconcerned bureaucracy having abdicated its responsiblity towards them, the people inhabiting these hilly and farflung villages had become the worst victims of the govt-politician apathy and indifference, said Mr Singh. He was addressing public meetings at Champedi, Najad, Seuna and Satyalta in the final leg of his tour of Chenani constituency.
“With people reeling under acute power and water crisis in majority of the villages, the concerned officers seemed to have buried their heads in the sand. The people of several villages including Chajj, Lower Mada, Champedi, Bandhole, Naugalta, Dhandal, Prowa had to travel several kms on foot to fetch water from the Nallahs and rivers in view of non provision of piped water despite loud slogans trumpted by the govt. The power scenario was worst in Matlowa, Dhandal, Prowa Jagir, Satyalta, Naugalta, Nepha etc with several households still without power connectivity and several others connected through rotten wooden poles. The low voltage problem was found in majority of remote area villages with no action whatsoever to ensure adequate power supply”. Coming down heavily on the PMGSY deptt, Mr Singh sought the immediate completion of Tandhar-Satyalta road, Barmeen-Sarsu road, Satyalta-Charat-Pakhlai road which were lingering on for the last around 9-10 years. He called for a high level probe into the slipshod works and substandard materials used in the construction of Chenani-Tandhar road, the construction of Barmeen-Satyalta road, Kither ladha road, which had got damaged within six months of their completion/construction. He called for early release of payments to the work force engaged under MGNREGA and other RDD schemes.
Pointing towards the ration problem faced by the people in the panchayats of ladha, kither and chirdi, Mr Singh expressed his shock that not a single ration depot had been provided in any of the said three adjoining panchayats forcing the people to travel 10-12 kms on foot to collect their ration from the nearest depot in Drounthal area. He called upon the CAPDS deptt to immediately open ration depots in the said panchayats or else be prepared to face the public ire.