Mail

Remove encroachments

Sir,

This is in response the editorial 'Crowd management' dated 7th of February 2001, and how the authorities have failed on this front. What to speak of managing a big crowd consisting of thousands of people the authorities have failed on managing much smaller and easily manageable crowds too. Yes I am hinting towards the unauthorised and unlicensed 'Rehariwalas' and shops who have encroached the most important roads in Jammu city. One of them is the important road from Jewel Chowk towards canal via Krishna Nagar. On this very road the anti social elements had planted explosives in the past also which had claimed several lives. Why the authorities are sleeping now again over the issue by allowing encroachments and illegal 'Khohkas' to come up on the roads? Don't they realise that these can sometimes prove fatal to the precious lives of public. The only road leading to the Old University campus is totally chocked because of illegal 'Rehariwalas' and vegetable vendors. Since the area falls within the jurisdiction of Jammu Municipality, why the concerned authorities do not take the trouble of removing such encroachments is a million dollar question for obvious reasons as corruption has entered our blood. Thus, I am reminding the concerned authorities of Jammu Municipality to 'wake up', rise to the occasion and remove all such 'Rehariwalas' and encroachments on the road leading to the Old University campus in Krishna Nagar areas before any untoward incident takes place and some more lives are lost because of uncalled for congestion.

Yours etc...
Arun Gandotra
Jammu.

Unplanned ventures under NABARD

Sir,

Perhaps that illiterate person from that remote hilly area was perfectly correct, who opined that perhaps Jammu and Kashmir Government has no intention to repay the massive loans being obtained from NABARD on the name of construction of road because wasteful and unplanned ventures, pursuits have been started.

This man was referring to three motor roads started simultaneously to reach Swalkote, these days. I too, was surprised to read a Government reply given to MLA Reasi (Sh. Jagjivan Lal) that not one but two roads stand sanctioned to penetrate Bamhag Nagote from Salal side. And recently I noticed tender notices for construction of third road from Kanthan. No person can be happy to find three roads leading to same destination because in last fifty years not one could be included or envisaged in any Five year Plan proposals.

It was eleven years back that P N Khar the then Executive Director of National Hydro-electric Power Construction Corporation informed me, in writing that Salal Project has been directed to take up construction of twenty eight kms long Simbal Tali Batalgala-Bakhal Serthalakote road (for Sawalkote Hydro electric Project) and Forest Deptt. clearance had been solicited. Nothing was done by the Forest Department. Prior to this, Hameed Raina the then ED Salal Project had informed me that Sawalkote Hydro Electric Project had provided rupees sixty lakhs for construction of this road but J&K State Govt. or Distt. Administration remained disinterested (so much so that even land acquisition process was not initiated) and grant simply lapsed.

Salal and Bidda habitations of Tehsil Reasi were unfortunately tagged with Gool constituency and as a populist measure MLA Gool just to please someone of Mohra Kotli of village Salal manoeuvred to get road meant for Nagote proposed to be started from Kotli though not only this will lengthen the link by ten kms but for decades together contractors will remain tinkering with hard rock formations.

Thus three roads, one via Batalgala, other from Kotli third from Kanthan will remain to be talked off and Sawalkote Project authorities will be forced to get first of all Dhamkindsidhv eight kms opened, thereafter have Landar Giliot road extended.

And three roads from Salal side will require the expenditure incurred thereupon written off, perhaps as security related item.

Somebody should ponder over the matter and get only Batalgali alignment (duly surveyed and aligned) taken up in right earnest, otherwise to construct three roads for the same place will be wastage of public money, which is very precious particularly at this hard time for the State.

Yours etc...
Bansi Lal Kohistani,
63 B/D Gandhi Nagar Jammu

Welcome Gesture

Sir,

A friend in need is a friend indeed' as the adage goes. Pakistan like many other countries of the world has stood by India at this hour of bereavement following high intensity earthquake in Gujarat causing unprecedent death, destruction and devastation by sending two planes carrying much needed relief material including woolen blankets and tents etc. It has generally been seen in movies and in real life as well that onetime close friends, relatives currently not keeping good terms do come to aid at such sad occasions forgetting their bitterness and then once again turn into permanent close friends, relatives. Should people of India expect the same thing and be hopeful of improved and better relations with Pakistan"

Yours etc...
Ravi Sharma
Shaktinagar
Jammu