Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU Oct 31: As the mandatory tenure of five years for the elected Urban Local Body of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has hardly a year left and the city has also seen some developmental works completed but still much has been left which was expected to be done. Here we interacted with the elected Councillors of JMC to know about the real ground picture and to get details about the incomplete works, reason for that and much more.
Covering of two big Nallahs (deep drains)-one flowing from Janipur to Talab Tillo via Shanti Nagar and the other coming from Janipur and passing from the back side of a prominent shopping mall, are pending due to lack of proper funding in Ward number 39 (Toph Sherkhanian).
This was stated by Rajinder Singh Jamwal, JMC Councillor of Ward number 39 who belongs to Congress and was elected in Urban Local Body elections for the second time from the same Ward which includes areas of Toph Sherkhanian, Shanti Nagar, Patoli, Patoli-Thathar, Subash Nagar (Extension-I & II), Neelam Colony and some areas of Vikas Nagar.
In an interaction with the Excelsior, Jamwal informed that Detailed Project Report for all the deep drains (Nallahs) of Jammu falling in the limits of JMC was made and it showed an estimated expenditure of Rs. 693 crore and it also included two deep drains of Ward number 39.
“If central funding becomes available only then the pending works can be completed,” he said.
On pending works, Jamwal said though Rs. 62 lakh was spent on the crematorium at Toph for its facelift and up-gradation but still Rs. 30 lakh more is required to properly develop the place of performing last rites and to construct rooms for Sadhus (saints) there.
He expressing dismay over the poor strength of Safai Karamcharis with the JMC and held the same responsible for poor cleanliness in the Ward.
“Though my Ward is not dirty but still I am not satisfied in this regard as more Safai Karamcharis were required in the Ward for cleanliness up to my satisfaction level,” he continued.
Jamwal said that when he was elected as JMC Councillor for the second time in the year 2018 there were issues related to lanes and drains, cleanliness, street lights etc.
He further said that there was also a demand of a park in the Ward and the Ward still lacks a playground due to non-availability of land in the area.
Among prominent works he did during his tenure this time included up-gradation of crematorium in the Ward with construction of a big water tank along with a bathroom there to facilitate the people visiting there to perform the last rites of their loved ones.
Jamwal informed that he got sitting arrangement made at the crematorium along with a new cremation shed besides getting the path constructed there which is now properly tiled.
“Open space at the cremation ground has now been converted into a beautiful park but still some work has been pending owing to lack of funding,” he maintained. The Councillor said that two children graveyards (Shishu Samadhis) in the Ward-one at Patoli and other at Toph, have also been developed now.
“A very old well in the Ward has been filled and the area around it including that of the well has now been converted into a community hall to facilitate the adjoining area people for social functions involving small gatherings,” the Councillor claimed.
He said that almost all the lanes and drains in the Ward have been properly developed now and coloured interlocked tiles have been laid on most of the lanes.
“Some drains in the Ward have been covered but most of these have been left open,” Jamwal said adding that about 90 per cent works involving lanes and drains have been completed in the Ward and the remaining 10 per cent is pending due to paucity of funds.
The elected public representative further said that Rs. 37 lakh was spent on Toph Park while two open air gyms have also been given in the Ward-one at Toph and other at Shanti Nagar while a high mast light has also been installed in the Ward.
“My Ward has achieved the 100 per cent target as far as street lights are concerned,” he said.
Jamwal informed that as presently dengue fever has spread like an epidemic so fogging has been done in all the Wards of JMC in a turn-wise manner and only 2-3 Wards get fogged daily.
“Still if a complaint comes from some area, we send the JMC personnel there the very next day to manually spraying the insecticide,” he claimed.
“During COVID-19 pandemic, we supplied ration and other things to the needy people and also arranged ambulances for shifting sick people to hospitals and organised vaccination camps in the Ward,” the Councillor said.
He further said that presently he is organising Ayushman camps in the Ward to cover the left over people and the public in his Ward feels satisfied with his works.
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