Gopal Sharma
surankote: The issues of people from Surankote constituency of district Poonch, are no much different than those being faced by the people from adjoining Mendhar or Poonch-Haveli constituencies of the district. This constituency was represented by Congress candidate Ch Mohd Akram, a former Civil Engineer, turned into politician, after the death of his father, Ch Mohd Aslam, an Ex-Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly and former JKPCC president.
Mohd Akram, who resigned from Govt service, contested elections from his father’s constituency during 2014 and secured major win with 30,584 votes, defeating National Conference candidate, Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, who bagged 22,520 votes. During 2008, his farther Ch Mohd Akram had defeated NC’s Mushtaq Bukhari by securing 28,102 votes. While, Akram claimed to have performed in big way but majority of the people from entire Surankote constituency are not happy with his performance during past about four years and said that the basic issues have remained the same and there was no change at all.
Excelsior team paid extensive visit to this constituency recently, collected public feed back on the performance of recent MLA and new projects started in the area with his initiative. But the report which the team gathered in most of the areas is not encouraging.
One Haji Aziz from Bafliaz said that there was shortage of PHE water and poor power supply in the area despite the fact that there is no dearth of natural water sources. He said the power voltage is very low and unscheduled power cuts have made the life of people miserable. There is no filtration plant at all in the area and raw and unsafe water is being provided to the public and that hardly 15-20 minutes after 2-3 days. In the local Primary Health Centre, there is shortage of Medical staff. But the ration supply is almost satisfactory.
Arif Khan, Wajid Khan and Farooq Khan from Bafliaz also projected the similar issues and said that poor power and water supply are the two main chronic issues which have remained unresolved since long. They said that road condition from Bafliaz to Surankote is also not good and R&B authorities hardly take up maintenance work at all. They alleged that public is consuming unsafe water.
A Water Supply Scheme was sanctioned for the area few years ago but it was not completed. They further said in Parnai project most of the people working there are from outside the State. Locals have been denied works there. Many MGNREGA payments are pending and poor workers have been left to suffer. They said the work on Bafliaz-Fagla-Mandi road was started in 1971 but till today this road has not been completed.
Ashok Kumar Bakshi, a trader from Draba said water supply position is almost satisfactory but power supply position was grim in the area. He said even after the establishment of power receiving station, the power supply position could not be improved as desired. He said the local Health Sub Centre was set up in 1984, it is still is shambles and is housed in a private rented house. He alleged that in Rural development works there is huge bungling and the labourers are not paid their payments under MGNREGA works. Bakshi said there are two Panchayats in Daraba with nearly 6000 population but they are deprived of the basic facilities. A large number of tiles were purchased by the RDD authorities but were not utilised in the area. He demanded that the higher authorities in the RDD in Jammu should hold an inquiry into the matter.
One Reyaz Ahmed from Chandimarh projected the issues of poor supply of power and water besides health care and said that ration supply position in the local depot is also not satisfactory. He said some improvement in the power supply positions was initiated with the upgradation of the system. A new health centre has been sanctioned at Chandimarh but work is yet to be started.
He said similar are the problems in Behramgalla and Poshana area. One Ghulam Ahmed from Gunthal said that people of the area are facing severe water crisis while power supply by and large is normal, but unscheduled curtailment is still there. The PHE pipes are broken in many Morhas and not repaired at all by the concerned staff since long. He also alleged shortage of ration supply and non-availability of kerosene oil in the area.
Mohd Ramzan, Sarpanch Sangla village said that PHE water supply is hardly made available once a week. The pipes are broken and not repaired since long. The local 40-45 years old pumping station remains defunct. The public is forced to depend on old traditional water sources and consuming unsafe water. Power supply position is also worst. After every 2-3 hours there is power cut for hours together and electricity is made available hardly for 7-8 hours a day. There is no doctor in local PHC. A doctor was posted few months back but he has been attached to SDH Surankote. Only one Medical Assistant is running this PHC with negligible facilities. The road condition is also worst and the old building of local Govt Girls Middle School is in shambles. He said similar problems are being faced by the people of Seri Khawaja area.The ration supply position by and large is satisfactory in the area, Ramzan added.
One Rashid Zargar from Faizlabad also projected water and power crisis in the area alleging that they have not seen any change/ improvement in these facilities in the area during past 4 years. He said the road condition is also worst and health facilities are pitiable. The teachers hardly visit the schools in the area and there is no proper monitoring by seniors. The ration and kerosene oil supply is also not good. Mushtaq Hussain from Fagla said there is around 5000 population in the area but all the people are facing acute shortage of water and grim power supply position. The road connectivity was also in shambles. For the past 30 years, the road work could not be completed as work was moving on snail’s pace.
Sanjay Sharma from Ward No. 5, Surankote town said that there was no improvement in basic facilities with the initiative of former MLA from Congress. Water supply is available once after 2-3 days. Power supply is almost ok but unscheduled power curtailment is there. He said there is shortage of doctors in local SDH. There is no proper cleanliness and street light in the town. Abdul Qayoom from Surankote town also projected similar issues and said that basic issues remains the same even after the coming of new MLA. He however, said that ration supply position was satisfactory and teaching staff was also adequate in local schools.
Abdul Rashid from Sanei village said there was chronic water and power supply problem in the area for the last several decades. Power supply is hardly available for 10 days while PHE water supply hardly for 15 minutes after 2-3 days. He said there are two Panchayats and nearly 3000 souls residing here.
Many people have not been provided Rs 12000 for toilets constructed by RDD. Ashfaq Ahmed and Mohd Javed from Lassana said that NREGA payments of many people were pending for the last 1-2 years. They said widow and handicapped pension is not being provided to the people regularly and moreover, power and water supply position is also not good in the area. One Magqool Ahmed from Dundak also projected similar problems in the area and said he hardly see any change during past five years.
Former MLA, Mohd Akram Choudhary when contacted said that during past three and half years, he carried out many development works in his Surankote constituency. He said two Water Supply Schemes under NABARD funding were started at Gonthal and Median villages. Two new PMGSY Roads were sanctioned in Chandimarh an Sanei area of Surankote besides five new roads under NABARD were also got sanctioned. It includes two roads at Sheen Darra connecting Kalaban area of Mendhar and another road from Kalai to Sakhi Maidan in Mendhar. These roads are also strategic in defence point of view. The work on Marhote to Sangla road is also in progress, he added.
Replying to a question, Ch Akram said from Bafliaz to Sangla and Mandi road which is about 52 kms in length, the work was started decades back, but now work on this road under CRF with the cost of Rs 43 crores is going on since 2008. It was sanctioned during the regime of Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2006-07 but work started late. He said 5 kms road from Mandi side and about 5 kms from Bafliaz side was completed by R&B earlier. It is expected to be completed in next one year. About 30 km road has been black topped so far.
The Ex-MLA said three power receiving stations at Lassana, Potha and Draba have been upgraded and a new at Marhote is also being given face lift. A large number of electric poles were distributed in many villages and hamlets while many electric transformers were also provided to improve power supply position.
About 50 hand pumps were installed at various villages where water problem was being faced by public. The water table has depleted during recent past in some areas. There is shortage of PHE staff at many stations. NREGA payments, mostly of material component are pending for the last one year in the area. Two Govt High Schools were upgraded to Higher Secondary level at Chandimarh and Hari-Marhote while Seri Khwaja school is due for upgradation. No facility or any support is provided to the farmers from Horticulture and Agriculture departments despite the fact that there is lot of scope/ potential in the area. He said an AMT school was established in Surankote recently. Two new Primary Health Centres were also sanctioned for Seri Khawaja and Bacheyan Wali villages recently, Ch Akram maintained.
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