Govt’s tall claims drown in first Monsoon rain in Jammu: Bhalla

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 12: Former minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla today said that despite tall claims by the Government, light to moderate rainfall last night once again exposed the poor drainage system here in Jammu city. The rain caused severe water logging in Jammu city resulting in immense inconveniences to commuters.
While interacting with people at different flood hit areas like Rajiv Nagar, Kalika Colony, Jawhar Nagar, Gangyal, Bahu Fort, Qasim Nagar, Narwal, Channi Rama, Nanak Nagar of Gandhi Nagar constituency, Bhalla said this rain has totally exposed the JMC authorities and this UT Administration. He said several roads, by-lanes of the city were under water and caused immense hardships to the public.
“It was difficult for the commuters to walk on various city roads. Few hours rain damaged several roads, caused residential buildings to collapse and created panic among residents living by rivers.” He regretted that Government has failed to learn from its mistakes when it comes to disaster management. BJP Govt only announced various plans for the disaster management, but the ground situation has always proved otherwise. Devastating rains once again brought to fore shortcomings in much-talked about disaster management programme chalked out by the Government.
He said the problem was compounded by defunct drainage system in various areas. The choked drains, according to locals led to water logging in various city localities.He interacted with cross-section of people and found damages and loss of property to the households, shopkeepers and other inhabitants of Gandhi Nagar constituency where the properties of the people like TV, beds, utensils, ration were damaged in addition to damage of their houses.
“On the one hand, we are fighting against covid-19 to stop its spread, and on the other, people are facing choked Nallahs, poor drainage system in Jammu city. Rainfall caused water-logging in most areas of Jammu thereby exposing the fragile drainage system of city and tall claims of the district administration,” he added.
Bhalla said as the rain lashed Jammu, majority areas of the city witnessed heavy water logging making it difficult for people to move from one place to another.Early in the morning, several roads, by-lanes of the city were under water, causing immense hardships to commuters.It was difficult for the commuters to walk on various city roads . He blamed the district administration and Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) for failing to upgrade the drainage system in the city.