Visits various rain affected areas of Jammu city Political uncertainty in J&K major cause behind development deficit: Bhalla

Jammu: Former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla on Tuesday visited rain-affected areas where midnight rain put public in trouble in many low-lying areas after water entered houses of the people.  While visiting affected areas including Amar colony, Ward 3, Govindpura Jammu cantonment, Bahu Fort Gorkha Nagar area, Bhalla said extensive damage done to the boundary wall of Shishu Smadhian at Bahu Fort Gorkha Nagar, land sliding near Har Ki Podi. Also, one side of the circular road connecting Panjatirthi, 3 vehicles parked here fell down the hill. Not only this, the boundary wall near Sulabh toilets built in the Government Medical College Hospital premises of Jammu also fell in the grip of this rain. Overnight rains created havoc in Jammu with a major portion of the busy Circular Road connecting the Chief Minister’s residence and Raj Bhavan caving in, causing damage to three parked cars.“Three cars have been badly damaged after a major portion of the Circular road caved in near Bawa Lal ji temple. This portion of the road was constructed just eight months ago and the quality of the work needs to be probed,” Bhalla demanded. He said that two similar incidents had already taken place in the area. Rainwater also caused extensive damage to houses in the Peer Kho area and the Amar Colony of Jammu. The road outside the IIIM, Jammu, was also flooded, causing severe hardships to people residing in the area. Meanwhile, water supply to several localities in the old city was disrupted due to high silt and erratic power supply, added Bhalla.Prominent among those who accompanied Bhalla included Block President Amrit Bali Adv. Roshan Choudhary, Bansi Lal, Vinod Kumar, Rakesh Kumar Nikka, Babal, Karun Pachyala, Raj Sharma, Sonu, Raju, Diwan Chand, Sahil Sangotra beside others.

Raising question mark over Administration’s arrangement to face Monsoon, Bhalla said despite the deficient monsoon rain in Jammu,two to three hours rain has exposed tall claims of Govt. Nearly 3 feet of water was filled in the street in Trikuta Nagar Extension, Ambedkar Nagar area of the city. After the arrangements of the people, about half a foot of water was filled in the houses of the public. Similarly, in the lower areas of the city Rajendra Nagar, Talab Tilo, Shanti Nagar and Digyana, the problems of people have increased due to water filling in some houses.Rainwater entered over a dozen houses in Amar colony, Ward 3, Govindpura Jammu cantonment damaging furniture, electronic goods and household items that brought strong resentment among people against the authorities.The affected people, however, accused the administration of negligence and alleged that the authorities did not act on their repeated complaints in this regard. He sought urgent help, compensation in terms of cash, free ration, medicines and other essential commodities from the government for affected families abiding by advisories issued by the government in light of COVID-19 pandemic. 

 Bhalla reminded BJP Govt that people want development, employment opportunities, better infrastructure and other basic requirements like adequate water and power supply. Bhalla alleged that the BJP befooled the people of this city with dreams of making Jammu a Smart City, for the past one year, there has been no discussions and deliberations with the elected corporators on the status and work done towards making Jammu a Smart City. Even the basic requirement of sanitation is suffering because of lack of Safai Karamcharies. There is no plan for solid waste management the whole process of waste collection is primitive and flawed, sewerage plant all exist on papers only. On the collapse of administrative apparatus with regard to development and ensuring utility services, Bhalla  said that while various projects are starving for funds, the payments under MGNREGA remain unpaid. Similarly, the problems of daily rated workers and other segments of employees are yet to be sorted out. “The insensitive Government has failed in releasing salaries and wages to the employees and work force”, he said.

  “The J&K UT government must come forward to provide financial assistance and free ration and medicines to the BPL families, daily wagers, causal labourers, construction workers and other underprivileged sections of the society in these hard pressing times to combat spread of the deadly Coronavirus while maintaining the government imposed lockdown in letter and spirit,” Bhalla demanded.   He asked Govt to give major thrust to focus on the public issues, which have remained unattended during previous PDP-BJP regime and ignored even under Governor’s Rule.Congress leader said that governance is the continuing process and the projects taken in hand for the public welfare by any Government should be continued ahead which ever Government takes over later. He said Centre claims having provided huge funds to J&K during past several years but the said amount has not been properly utilized. Bhalla claimed that political uncertainty in J&K during last over four years has remained the major cause behind the development deficit. He said consistency in the governance is crucial factor for the better growth and development. He said a popular political Government is soul of democracy. “A Governor Rule can never be its substitute. Many public issues remained unattended during past five years in J&K. The burning issues of the people from remote and border remained unaddressed under present Administration, Bhalla added.

 Bhalla maintained that lack of vision in present dispensation has created chaotic situation which is evident from anti-youth policies like disengaging self help groups of engineers and waxed problems being faced by all segments of the society.He said that BJP’s public admission of non-governance is ironic as it is remotely controlling the government.“Therefore the failure of the government is failure of BJP which has brought the situation in Jammu and Kashmir to morass and there seems little hope in its getting back on the tracks again,” he claimed. He said while development remains a far cry, the utility services are almost dysfunctional, as a result of which the people are suffering on all fronts. Referring to the issues faced by the youth, Congress leader said, while educated unemployed stand pushed to the wall, those struggling to stand up are being disempowered.In this context, he made a mention of the disengaged self-help group engineers and said, on one side the administration is unable to provide them jobs while on the other hand they are being disengaged.“Same is the scenario with daily rated workers and other categories of casual workers, who have been struggling for regularization,” he said adding that the government has failed in doing justice with such workers.

  Bhalla  said people in J&K expected protection in all type of jobs, and right on land, but it was not given. “Our children remain disturbed since last thirty years. The borders with Pakistan i.e. International Border or Line of Control continue to remain disrupted. Hence, there were expectations from the Union Government to extend helping hands,” they said.Being the ruling party at the Centre and having secured heavy mandate in the elections from Jammu region, Bhalla blamed BJP  for its total failure to address the genuine problems and concerns of the people. “The Government at the Centre and UT administration is choosing the opportunity to take certain decisions against the wishes and aspirations and interests of the general people, taking advantage of the situation on account of COVID crisis, forcing the people to protest and come on roads. The Government should immediately ensure better coordination at all levels and drastically improve and ensure adequate facilities in the Quarantine Centres and upgrade facilities in the hospitals include testing, before the situation goes out of control,” he said. Already 9 percent taxes of new vehicles, heavy taxes on petrol, diesel and unprecedented hike of all items, has broken the backbone of the transporters and common people, he said and demanded immediate rollback of toll plazas, in the larger interests of the common people.The party also lashed out at the recruitment policy whereby a class of outsiders has been allowed to participate in all the recruitments, besides depriving higher qualified youth of applying for Class IV. He also asked the government to safeguard the life and property of the jawans and civilians and protect the territorial integrity at all costs.

 Bhalla also asked the government to restore 4G internet service for the welfare of youth and students fraternity in J&K. He said BJP should come out with a paper to show what they have done for the people of J&K = especially Jammu since last six years, their biggest achievement shall be betrayal with the people of Jammu. He said people of Jammu feel totally betrayed and ditched by the BJP. He asked the people not to be misled by the BJP’s crocodile tears.The country are witnessing all-time low economic growth and employment rate has dipped to an all-time low,” he said. He alleged that the Centre was not taking any “effective steps” to improve the economic situation of the country. He said that sections of society are facing difficulties and that the centre should take effective measures to improve the current situation. Senior Congress leader said that the administration must come out of deep slumber and infuse responsiveness and an element of accountability in its machinery in order to mitigate the sufferings of people. All major sectors like manufacturing, trade, construction, education, health, information technology, transport, and accommodation and restaurant have failed to pickup under BJP rule. The BJP manifesto promised to ensure a peaceful and secure environment, where there is no place for either the perpetrators or exploiters of fear but nothing was done also in this regard also.