Poor functioning results in JMC failure to meet expectations: Councillors

Independent Councillors of JMC addressing a press conference at Jammu on Tuesday.
Independent Councillors of JMC addressing a press conference at Jammu on Tuesday.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 24: Independent Councillors of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) have expressed resentment against the poor functioning of the Corporation and claimed that JMC has badly failed to come to the expectations of masses.
In a press conference here today Sham Lal Basson, Independent Councillor of JMC along with other Councillors said though the Mayor has called general house meeting of JMC on November 28, 2020 after a lapse of about nine months yet surprisingly no visitor and media is allowed in the meeting.
They claimed that Parliament session, Bihar election, big rallies and even US election were held during the pandemic and proceedings were covered by media but JMC is not allowing media to cover proceedings of upcoming general house meeting which has raised many eyebrows.
Basson told reporters that CBI raid at JMC Town Hall offices few months back has endorsed what was pointed out by them many times in general house meetings that corruption is at peak in JMC.
The JMC Councillors also claimed that JMC has failed on all fronts as there was unnecessary interference by the Corporation at Rupaywala Mandir wherein it had made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the temple land.
They also flayed JMC for poor management in COVID-19 pandemic and said JMC could not engage sufficient labour for sanitization of the city and Safai Karamcharis were engaged for the purpose.
The Independent Councillors also claimed that development works remained stalled by JMC and the people of Jammu suffered a lot due to this while the concerned Councillors had to cut a sorry figure before the people.
They further claimed that elected representatives of local bodies are not getting due respect from the government officers who always ignore them because of non-implementation of 73rd and 74th constitutional amendment in J&K.
“Many resolutions passed and questions raised during general house meetings apart from decisions taken by the Mayor could not become reality because administrative system has failed in JMC,” the Councillors claimed adding that Rs 50 lakh were spent on consultancy for solid waste management with no result.
They urged upon the Lieutenant Governor of J&K to implement 74th constitutional amendment act in J&K as abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A has been done in here and J&K has became an UT.