Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: While Jammu-Surankote-Poonch highway continued to remain closed for the third consecutive day today, the people of the area were facing severe hardships in view of snapping of power, water supply, communication system and shortage of LPG and kerosene oil besides other food items and fresh vegetables.
Due to blockade of main Jammu-Poonch highway, many vehicles are still trapped at various places while many have been removed with the help of Army and police. The men and machinery of GREF have been engaged to clear the highway and restore traffic besides removing trapped vehicles. The people in Poonch town are facing acute shortage of drinking water, while there is no power supply for the last three days. There is no possibility of restoration even within next 3 to 4 days as main 132 KV line has suffered extensive damage. Even some areas of Rajouri including Budhal and Thanna Mandi are also facing similar problems.
Dy Commissioner Poonch, Ajit Kumar Sahu in a meeting held today, took a detailed review of the of the restoration works of the essential services. SP Poonch Shamsheer Hussain, Additional DC Anwar Hussain Shah, ADC Jatinder Singh, officers from PDD, PHE, PWD and other departments attended. The main thrust was given to restore snapped power supply, drinking water and clearance of snow from the roads to restore normal plying of traffic within the district as also Jammu-Poonch via Rajouri-Surankote on war- footing.
The DC said that massive damages have been occurred to 132 KV line towers supplying power from Jammu to Daraba (Surankote) and to Chandak Grid Station. Several lines within the district have also been badly damaged due to snow fall. The PDD, PHE and R&B officers were directed to restore services on war footing. The PHE department was asked to run the motors on Gen-sets to ensure water supply and also press tankers into service.
Later, DC and SP Poonch also held public meetings at Mandi and Loran today and took stock of the situation there. They also moved on foot in some areas to reach up to the people and held meetings with the Sarpanchs and Panchs of the area besides locals. They also supervised the snow clearance work and listened to the problems of the people and assured an early reddressal. They were accompanied by the senior officers from PDD, PHE, R&B and Tehsildar, Mandi.
Meanwhile, BJP workers and some locals held protest in Poonch town against the Government for failure to ensure water supply and other essential services. The workers alleged that department has generators but they are not operating them to ensure supply in the absence of electricity. They alleged that there was acute shortage of LPG, Kerosene oil, fresh vegetables and other food items and the Government has failed to act promptly. No minister or top bureaucrat from Government has bothered to monitor the restoration work and supplies. They only focus on Kashmir while Jammu areas always face discrimination.
Chief Engineer, R&B Tahseen Mustafa told the Excelsior that several link roads have been cleared from snow and additional men and machinery pressed into service in Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and other snow bound areas of Jammu region. He claimed that Poonch-Mandi Loran and Surankote-Mendhar link roads have been cleared while GREF men are engaged to clear main Jammu Poonch Highway from BG to Surankote and BG-Mendhar-KG-Poonch roads.
He said the R&B authorities cleared Rajouri-Thanamandi –Shahdara Shrief road, Kotranka-Khwas and Darhal road. Thathri- Gandoh-Bhalessa road is also cleared besides, Ramnagar-Majori-Basantgarh and Dudu roads. Bani-Loang, Mahore- Gool and Uhampur-Pancheri-Landhar roads have also been opened to traffic, Mr Musfata said.
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