*Will work for betterment of my people: Jagdish
Govind Sharma
JAMMU: Ward No 2 of Jammu Municipal Corporation, which is a main constituent of old city, is grappling with many problems but insanitation, monkey menace and encroachment of lanes are the main issues which people expect their Corporator to solve on priority.
Corporators And The Issues
Ward No. 2
The Ward comprises of Jullaka Mohalla, Mubarak Mandi, Jain Bazaar, Pakki Dhaki and Circular Road areas, where lanes and roads are very congested and encroachments by the shopkeepers and residents themselves have further narrowed them.
Insanitation and monkey menace are also the main issues which the people of this ward are facing since long but authorities concerned failed to pay any serious attention towards the same till date. Besides, inadequate water supply and damaged lanes and drains are other burning problems which the people of the Ward are facing.
“Insanitation is big issue in our ward, particularly in Jain Bazaar. Every now and then, drains remained choked and in monsoon season, these drains overflow and dirty water enters into shops and houses”, Kamla Devi, a resident of Jain Bazaar said, adding heaps of garbage can be seen on road sides and corners of the lanes as no dustbins have been placed in the area.
Vijay Vaid, a resident of Pakki Dhaki, said that they are constantly facing the threat of monkey menace. “People are forced to stay indoors because of the monkey brigade that comes calling as soon as they attempt to step out. Few days back, a young girl fell down from the 2nd floor of her house in Pakki Dhakki after some monkeys pounced on her”, he added.
Rajni Devi, a housewife living at Mubarak Mandi said that water supplied by the PHE Department in their area is dirty and unsafe and it could be drunk only after being treated. Moreover, they have to face acute water shortage in every monsoon season but no solution has been found till date by the authorities.
“There is complete darkness on Circular Road in the night as most of the street lights are non-functional. Taking advantage of this, many four-wheelers parked along the road have been stolen by the thieves in past some years. This road is ideal for evening walk but due to darkness our mothers and daughters feel insecure to go for a walk on this road”, Suresh Kumar of Circular Road said. Mukesh Kumar of Pakki Dhakki said that the street lights in his and adjoining areas are not functional and whenever these lights are replaced with new ones, they do not last more than one week apparently being of inferior quality.
The newly elected Corporator of the Ward, Jagdish Kumar Sharma, while talking to Excelsior, said, “No problem of the people of this Ward is hidden from me. I have been serving people for last about 30 years while in BJP, which I joined in the year 1985”.
In 2005, the party gave him ticket for the post of Corporator but he couldn’t win and this time BJP ignored his service but people supported him and it is because of their affection he won as independent candidate.
Jagdish said now when people have given him responsibility he will not disappoint them. Talking about his priorities as a Corporator, he said he would try to improve the sanitation system, which is now in worst condition. The other priorities will be removing encroachments from lanes, roads and proper street lighting and their timely repair and maintenance, he added.
“Ending the monkey menace will be my another priority as even in broad day light people have to remain indoor with their doors shut as monkeys do not leave eatables even in their fridges. Children cannot go outside or on roof top of their houses alone due to the terror created by the monkeys”, he said, adding, he will also work for streamlining the water supply in the area.
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