Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 8: A public rally was held by BJP spokesperson and Chairperson of Waqf Development Committee of Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, Dr Darakhshan Andrabi at Waterhail in Budgam today.
The rally was organized by Sheikh-ul- Aalam Elaqai Taamerati Board which is looking after the public welfare in the area. The president of the Organizing Committee, Abdul Rashid Beg presented a detailed report of the area based on the public aspirations and requested Dr Andrabi to take up the issues of the hilly area with the administration for resolution.
Dr Andrabi interacted with the representatives of the area. Adressing the gathering, she slammed the local leaders who represented the for depriving this area from the development activities for decades. She said that she was in favour of creation of a separate Assembly constituency for Waterhail carving out many very close adjacent areas of Budgam, Beerwah and Khansahib constituencies and she will peruse her plea on substantial grounds with the Delimitation Commission.
“Waterhail was the political centre of Budgam earlier but the dynasts who ruled after 1947 left this fertile land into darkness of backwardness by depowering the area and depriving it from all due development. Those who represented the area in Assembly ignored it altogether but now things need to change,” said Dr Darakhshan. She said that her efforts in the past too provided some developmental opportunities to the area and now she will ensure that due projects for the area be undertaken at the earliest.
She said that she will take up the issue of making the already sanctioned and approved Tehsil Office functional at Waterhail. “Waterhail has a huge feeding area around it and a separate Medical Block is highly required for the area. The present PHC needs to be upgraded for the benefit of the huge population,” said BJP leader.
Dr Darakhshan Andrabi said that the proposal for establishment of Zonal Education Office at Waterhail is lying pending in J&K Civil Secretariat since 2009 and no political representative could resolve this issue. Dr Darakhshan said that the district administration also has ignored this area. She asked the concerned authorities to organize Block Divas in Waterhail at the earliest to realize the mission of reaching out to the people with the benefits of the welfare schemes being implemented through developmental blocks. “I assure the people of the Waterhail area that their genuine and just demands will be taken up one by one with the administration for resolution at the earliest,” said Dr Darakhshan Andrabi.