Suhail Bhat
GANDERBAL: In the last Assembly elections, the residents of Ganderbal elected National Conference candidate by voting overwhelmingly in favor of the party, hoping a new era of development will begin. However, years have passed; the constituency remained neglected on the developmental front.
All the major projects for the upliftment of the people of the constituency failed to take off owing to either lack of political will or lack of funds. From the establishment of the Central University of Kashmir to the construction of a New Ganderbal Hydel Power project, promotion of tourism and water transportation- none of the projects has been complete and even some are yet to take off.
Ganderbal has been one of the strong bastions of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference with party winning elections from 1977 until it lost in 2002. However, the NC managed to retain power in the last two assembly elections. In 2008 Assembly elections former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, won from here and in 2014 elections the NC’s Ishfaq Jabbar defeated People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Qazi Mohammad Afzal by a margin of 597 votes. He secured 1948 as against Qazi’s 18881 votes.
The Constituency has been represented mostly by Abdullahs but it has not been given its due as it deserved. Over one lakh voters are registered in the Constituency. A major portion of the population is concentrated in rural areas with a small percentage of people dwelling in the urban area. Out of the total population, a small percentage of people belong to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribe.
The Constituency faced several problems including congested or poor roads, inadequate infrastructure for health services and delay in the implementation of projects meant for upliftment of the education sector. In addition, lack of effective disposal of domestic and commercial waste is worrying the residents as the garbage threatens the water bodies and the pristine environs of the constituency.
Littering of local water bodies including Manasbal lake and the river Sind and ineffective disposal of the commercial and domestic waste has left the constituency, particularly, Ganderbal Town the commercial hub of the constituency, strewn with unattended mounds of trash. The garbage can be seen lying on the embankments of water bodies and busy squares. The traffic problem remained unsolved and the lack of parking space continues to haunt the busy commercial place.
The constituency has poor road connectivity. The widening of the vital road link from Nagbal to Beeham Chowk and from Behama to Duderhama and other areas are in limbo causing problems of commuting for thousands of people. The road connects the constituency with the Srinagar, Kangan, Sonmarg and even Ladakh. The narrow road causes frequent traffic snarls particularly on the 12 kilometre stretch of the road from Nagbal to Bihama.
The residents of the town lamented about poor road connectivity. “The encroachments on the roadsides and footpaths have squeezed the roads further and authorities are acting mute spectators to the whole thing,” a local said. The Beehama Chowk, a crucial stretch of the Srinagar-Leh highway, has been witnessing traffic jams for years while the government has done nothing, the residents said, adding during Amarnath Yatra the stretch is a nightmare for the commuters.
In order to ease the burden of the road stretch, an alternative road that bypasses the busy square was build but it has been marred by encroachments and illegal construction. The residents said that the former MLA remained mute spectators to the vandalization of agricultural land along Srinagar- Leh highway on the outskirts of Ganderbal town as unabated constructions have marred the paddy fields despite people taking the issue with him.
Several commercial and residential structures have come up along agricultural land on a seven kilometers stretch of the highway from Manigam to Baroosa. Over the years dozens of structures including shopping complexes and residential houses have been constructed on the entire stretch from Manigam to Baroosa. Places like Laar and Baroosa are most affected as there are massive violations in this portion of the highway.
The residents complained about lack of headways in the establishment of the permanent campus for the Central University of Kashmir at Ganderbal as the university continues to operate from the rented building at different places in Kashmir.
There is a strong resentment among the people across the constituency as the construction work on 93-MW hydropower Project is stalled for last six years. Aimed to tackle the power shortage the power project was announced almost two decades ago with a project cost of 800 crores. The construction of this project would have not only mitigated the power shortage of the constituency but also improved the availability of electricity in the State. “We raised the issue with the former MLA but he showed helplessness”, said residents.
At Ganderbal, people alleged that town lacks proper waste disposal mechanism posing a serious health threat to residents. “The entire town is strewn with piles of unattended garbage making the whole area look untidy,” Bashir Ahmad, a local said, adding that in absence of a proper dumping site roadsides and the embankments of water bodies are covered with litter piles which besides posing threat to environment invites diseases .
The residents also complained that the Sind River that runs through the constituency has been ravaged by the discharge of waste, siltation, and encroachments, bringing misery to the people. People have also raised illegal structures on the river at several places and continuous dumping of waste into its waters, they said. “We raised the issue with the former MLA several times but nothing was done”, said residents.
They added that they also raised the issue of garbage dumping along the main highway near Beehama which emanates foul smell making the pedestrian movement difficult but it continues to get dumped there.
Some 10 kilometers away from the District headquarters the Shalbugh village paints a picture of neglect on part of their representative. This village is known for its willow wickerwork and almost 70% of the people here are associated with the trade. However, the artisan complained about lack of financial support for the artisans and that has declined the art. “The artisans said that they have to toil hard to make their ends meet. We are all dependent on the trade but total neglect has forced us to change profession. We raised the issue with the former MLA but there is no headway,” Ghulam Mohammad, a local artisan who is associated with this work for the last 30 years, said.
Former Member of Legislative Assembly, Ishfaq Jabbar said what others could not achieve in the last 10 years he has done that during the last three-four years.
Regarding the establishment of Central University, he said Infrastructure has been created in the main campus and some classes are being taken at the main campus. “In order to meet the space deficiency old Physical College has been put to use”, he said. “Several construction firms that were given the contract earlier did not deliver. We are now issuing short tenders for different departments and are roping in some of the local contractors as well,” he said. “Besides, 40 High Schools and 14 higher secondary’s were upgraded by my intervention”, he added.
He said that the Sub District Hospital Ganderbal has been upgraded to a 200-bedded District Hospital with an estimated cost of Rs 52 crores. The hospital would be equipped with all the diagnostic facilities and a dialysis machine would also be installed. “A Nursing college and an Unani Medical college would also be established in the constituency. Besides, we have sent a proposal for the upgradation of Laar Primary Health Centre to SDH,” he said, adding that a 6- bedded mother and child hospital is also coming up at Zakoora.
Regarding the widening of the road, he said that the road has been put under Central road fund and the construction work is underway. “Widening of phase-I from Pandash to Bihama is underway and Detailed Project report (DPR) for the second phase from Bihama – vayel has also been submitted,” he said.
Regarding the issue of dumping site, he said a proposal has been sent to the government for the setting up of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) along with DPR.
On Ganderbal Hydel project he said that the project has been delayed by the negligence of the successive Governments. “I took up the issue with the Government and the contract would be soon awarded to the second bidder,” he said.
In order to put the Constituency on the tourism map, the former MLA said several projects have been proposed, “Laal Marg, has been put under Prime Ministers Development Programme (PMDP). Shalbugh Park will be developed on a pattern of Dachigam and DPRs have already been made,” he said.
In order to tackle the unemployed, he said, two industrial centers at Vaskoora nad Baroosa would be set up. “Powerhouse, a university will also provide employment to the people,” he said.
For the wicker willow artisans, he said: “Boilers are being ordered from China and establishing a wicker market here. Besides, artisan cards have been issued to these people”, he said.
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