Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 28: Stepping up its campaign against illegal settlement of Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants in Jammu, the National Secular Forum (NSF) today questioned the people sitting at the helm of affairs for facilitating power supply to them unauthorizedly and that too at highly subsidized rates.
Addressing a press conference here, NSF State president Dr Vikas Sharma, while citing a RTI reply said that the Power Development Department (PDD) sanctioned as many as 7273 connections to the Rohingyas and Bangladeshis presently putting up in Jhuggies at different places like Karyani Talab, Rakia Nallah, Narwal Bala, Sunjwan, Bhathindi and its adjoining areas from 2008 to Feb 2017.
“The illegal immigrants have been provided with the electricity connections whereas the genuine State subjects of the State are being made to run from pillar to post to get connection. It speaks volume about the larger plan to settle the illegal immigrants in Jammu wherein the people sitting at the helm of affairs facilitating the same at the instance of their political bosses,” he alleged.
Dr Sharma also revealed that PDD collected meager revenue of Rs 1.42 crore from 7273 connection holders for the period of nine years which is negligible as monthly revenue from each connection comes to Rs 18 only. “Rohingyas and Bangladeshis have been consuming much electricity as most of them use Refrigerators, Coolers, TVs, Heaters and other electrical gadgets whereas people of Jammu are being made to pay electricity bills at much higher rates, which means that locals are being made to suffer at the cost of illegal immigrants settled here in large number,” he mentioned.
Questioning the criminal silence of BJP leaders over this issue, the NSF president said that when BJP was out of power its leaders were vociferous for the cause of Jammu people but after coming to power they too have sided with the Kashmir bosses and couldn’t muster courage to oppose the illegal settlements in Jammu.
Dr Sharma warned the PDD Minister to immediately issue an order to disconnect all electricity connections to these illegal immigrants otherwise or face an agitation against him. He also asked the State Government to throw out these illegal immigrants who were eating vitals of Jammu and vitiating the atmosphere of this peaceful city.
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