Locals refute claims of Billawaria, says he worked in ‘biased’ manner
Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 12: As the tenure of elected Urban Local Body is coming to an end, more than half of the area in Ward number 56 of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is awaiting developments while cleanliness in the entire Ward is pathetic barring a few pockets which majority of the Ward residents claimed got selective treatment by the Councillor who remained “biased”.
Shockingly the Ward is being represented by none else than the one presently at the helm of affairs-JMC Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria, who politically belongs to BJP and is a first time Councillor and also remained Chairman of a Standing Committee of the Urban Local Body twice.
Areas of the Ward include Sectors 1-6 of Gangyal, Lane 1-9 of Ekta Vihar, Old Gangyal, Vikas Vihar, Pandit Mohalla, Pushap Enclave and Mangat Enclave.
The Ward also has some extended area with many new colonies coming up triggering infrastructural needs there.
A visit of the Ward brought to fore that the sky differences between ground reality and the tall claims of “all is well” by Billawaria.
A canal in the Ward has turned worst than dirtiest of the dirty Nallah of Jammu with garbage, poly-bags, used soft-drink cans and all rubbish thrown in it by the irresponsible persons with none to object.
In another sector of the Gangyal as there was a garbage dump and vacant plot filled with garbage while another such plot in Ekta Vihar Lane-1 was occupied by 23 labourers.
When contacted, S. Sanmukh Singh, 61, who runs a shop in the area informed that the vacant plot has been occupied by 23 labourers and the plot has no toilet facility due to which the labourers living there defecate in open thereby affecting cleanliness and sanitation of the area.
He also informed that these people were having illegal power and water connections.
Another resident of the area said that whenever it rains there, water overflows the drains and the street gets waterlogged after which the water enters shops and residential houses causing damage.
It is pertinent to mention here that though more than four years of the mandatory tenure of five for the elected body of JMC have passed, many developmental works have not been completed yet while many of such works have even not seen the light of the day.
An uncared Public Park in Sector-2 of Gangyal with a canal turned Nallah flowing along it was in very bad shape with wild growth all over including the tiles placed for walkway while some of the adjoining residents there have started planting vegetables in the Park.
Preetam Lal (name changed), 77, from Gangyal Sector-1 informed that switch of Street Lights in his lane were not functioning but none bothered to look into the matter.
He pointed towards one such light near his home adjoining Rajiv Gandhi Park and said that the light is non-functional for the last three years with none attending to the complaint in this regard.
Sat Paul Verma, another resident of the same area said that Safai Karamcharis do not regularly visit the area.
More residents of the Ward informed that there is problem of stray dogs in the area.
They said that these canines not only litter here and there but also chase two-wheelers and bite people while children, women and old people are terrified by these stray dogs.
Some ladies there expressed concern over the growing addiction in the area and said that police should take a cognisance of this as there are many active drug addicts and peddlers in the Ward.
There were also hanging wires in the Ward at many places and the locals demanded that sometimes wrong parking there, especially along highway, creates problems for them for which the traffic police should take a cognisance.
In an exclusive interaction with the Excelsior, JMC Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria, who is also Councillor of Ward number 56 informed that after taking over the responsible position in the Urban Local Body he started working on the vision to ensure cleanliness in every nook and corner of the city to bring Jammu at top among clean cities of the country.
He expressed dismay that a canal flowing through his Ward could not be beautified on its both banks due to paucity of funds.
Billawaria also said that it is his moral responsibility to do whatever he can to save the youth of Jammu from falling prey to the menace of addiction and sought cooperation from the public to achieve all these objectives.
He claimed that construction and repair works of lanes and drains is almost complete in his Ward and same is the status of blacktopping work there.
Billawaria further claimed all was well with Street Lights and Public Parks in his Ward and informed that there is no playground and no parking place for vehicles in the Ward while there are two Public Toilets and three Public Bathrooms and a hospital with name ‘Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital’ is also there in his Ward but it lacks staff.
The Councillor of Ward 56 informed that there are Shishu Smadhis in his Ward which are properly developed.
He said that autos moving from door-to-door are going a good work in garbage disposal.
Billawaria further said that almost all the residents of his Ward have made their Ayushman Cards and most of the eligible Voters have got their Voter Cards and same is the status of Domicile Certificates there.
“I helped many people including widows, physically challenged and old age persons of my Ward to get pension but the newly introduced rule for these pensions exclusively to Below Poverty Line people is creating problems for others,” he said.
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