Poor funding delays replacement of water supply pipes in Ward 11

Careless sewerage work leaves problems for public

Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 12: Ward Number 11 of old Jammu city is grappling with the problems triggered by careless work of authorities that laid sewerage pipe-network in the city while the replacement of old worn-out pipes for water supply in the Ward has been delayed due to scarcity of funds which has further added to the woes of the people living there.
This was informed by the elected Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Councillor, Anita Sharma representing Ward Number 11.
In an exclusive interaction with the Excelsior, the Councillor claimed that the agency engaged with laying sewerage network dug the streets and left them without proper repair due to which the public is suffering continuously and this is the problem wherever that agency has worked.
“At many places the sewerage blockage leaves dirty water on roads and streets thereby creating a dirty environment on one hand, while posing a health threat on the other,” she said.
It is pertinent to mention here that problems in the city still exist though the tenure of the elected body of JMC is moving towards its completion as more than four years of its mandatory five years are over by now.
Anita Sharma, who is an Independent Councillor elected for the first time from Ward number 11, informed that her Ward consists of areas of Malhotra Street, Purani Mandi, Bharat Mata Chowk (City Chowk), Kanak Mandi, Lakh Data Bazaar etc.
Another grave issue of the Ward which she raised was that of water supply as there is no time in the Ward for water supply.
“Though the water supply is made daily but it remains there only for a short duration of 35 minutes,” Anita Sharma said adding: “As the houses in old city have no proper storage facility for water, so the supply should be made on daily basis in the Ward.”
She also talked about the problem due to wrong parking in the city due to which the public suffers.
“As the streets are very narrow in my Ward, the two wheelers parked on both sides of the lanes make it tough for the pedestrians to move through but the concerned traffic police pays no attention in this direction,” the JMC Councillor said.
She informed that due to congestion in the city many people are selling their houses and are moving outside.
Anita Sharma said that electric poles in the Ward are not properly fixed and are either tilted or broken and wires remain hanging in bunches.
“The Ward has so far got 80 per cent street lights of the total requirement but some of these are not functioning due to some snag which the concerned company pays no heed to rectify,” the Councillor claimed adding that the problems due to stray animals especially due to stray dogs have become a matter of concern in the Ward as these canines pose a threat to children and elders.
She informed that the lane and drain works in the Ward have not been completed till date and is still 20 per cent left.
“There is no door-to-door garbage collection by autos here as the lanes are very narrow,” Anita Sharma said further adding that the number of Safai Karamcharis in the Ward is also very less as against a requirement of 26, only 16 Safai Karamcharis have been given in Ward number 11 and there was also no replacement for those who died and retired resulting which the cleanliness in the Ward is not up to the mark.
She informed that in the ongoing dengue epidemic, JMC has done fogging in the Ward to safeguard the public.
“Almost everyone in the Ward has made Ayushman Cards while for Voter Cards, the concerned officials have visited door-to-door to provide the service,” the Councillor said.
She also said that COVID-19 vaccination doses have also been given to almost all of the eligible Ward residents and during the lockdown triggered by COVID-19 pandemic she used to distribute ration and other items of need to the needy people in the Ward and also got sanitization done in her Ward.
The Councillor further informed that there is no parking place and no playground in her Ward while the only park there is at Purani Mandi and it is a well developed park with an open air gym, sitting arrangements, lights etc.
“The Ward also has a Community Hall at Devi Dwara to facilitate people in their social functions,” Anita Sharma Councillor said.