Ward worst hit by crime, addiction
Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU: Ward Number-27-comprising Bakshi Nagar and Mahesh Pura areas is one of the dark areas in City of Temples where the grip of demon of drug addiction and crime is very strong.
Barring a few pockets, the entire Mahesh Pura youth either have previous records or are presently active in crime and drugs consumption and supplying.
Similarly, crime and drug addiction is also a problem in Bakshi Nagar area albeit to a less extent.
This in anyway does not mean that other issues are absent in this Ward as poor sanitation, dirty lanes and drains, crumbled garbage disposal system etc too further deter the normal lives of the people here.
Bittu–a resident of Mahesh Pura informed that there are very few street lights in his locality and anti-social elements take full advantage of this in evening hours when it grows dark.
“Incidents of snatching, molestation etc are since decades in this area and cops are notorious of earning illegal graft from the existing gangs here for not acting against them,” he informed.
Rajesh-a political worker informed that drug addiction among the youth in Mahesh Pura is not new and some youth in the area are notorious peddlers.
A housewife in Bakshi Nagar-Rajni said that there is no proper place for garbage disposal and people throw their garbage here and there and even in drains which in turn gets blocked and this further leads to other problems.
Rattan Lal of Bakshi Nagar said that lanes are not properly made near his house.
“At least twice or thrice in a year the lanes are dug by one or the other department for laying something underground or for checking something already laid and all such works start with the digging of lanes,” he said adding that after digging exercise none cares for repairing the damaged lanes and the residents are left to suffer.
Apart from all these this Ward residents also face the problems due to uncovered Nallahs, prevailing insanitary conditions, poor water and power supply.
Under all there circumstanced the people have elected a young housewife-Chaaranjeet Kour Shingari as their Corporator and now the Ward is eagerly looking towards her to see how she sets the dilapidated Ward in order.
In an interaction with EXCELSIOR, Charanjeet talked about her plans of making the Ward green by starting plantation drive there.
On the burning issue of drugs and crime, she sought cooperation from the police department to kill this demon which she said is spoiling the youth of our society.
“I will also like to appeal the parents also to take care of their children and remain vigilant to their activities and company,” the Corporator said.
She also voiced for diverting the youth from addiction and crime to sports and informed that a playfield at Girls Higher Secondary School in Bakshi Nagar will soon be modernized to benefit the youth to use their energies in a constructive way.
On prevailing insanitation in the Ward, she said that lack of Safai Karamcharis with Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is responsible for that but she assured that conditions will soon change as everyone getting paid will be made accountable.
The Corporator also felt that there is an urgent need to aware the public about hazards of using poly-bags as these block drains and leads to insanitation.
On garbage disposal, she said that transport section of JMC should remove the garbage containers well in time.
When asked that people have turned habitual of throwing garbage here and there as per their convenience, she said that there should be CCTV cams to check such violators.
She also said that her other plans for the Ward include developing an old park near a wine shop in Bakshi Nagar on modern lines.
She wished that her voters will feel satisfied with her work and sought public cooperation for modernizing the Ward with all facilities.
Though a first, timer, Charanjeet is not familiar with other Corporators but she said that she will be having good relations with all.
She contested the Urban Local Body elections on Congress ticket and won with a margin of 1800 votes. She claimed that her election expenditure was about Rs 72,000.
Charanjeet was polled 2310 votes against BJP’s Madhu Gupta who got 569 votes.
In family, Charanjeet’s husband, Surinder Singh Shingari is a businessman and a senior Congress leader who remained a Corporator in this Ward last time.
She has two sons-Satvinder Singh, who is persuing Law and Harpreet who is doing graduation.
Jasmeet is her only daughter and is in Higher Secondary School.
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