Represented by Rather for 36 years, Charar-e-Sharief fails to see development

Mir Iqbal
The Charar-e-Sharief constituency in Budgam district has for the past 36 years been represented by the senior National Conference leader, Abdul Rahim Rather. He is representing the constituency for sixth consecutive time and still the inhabitants of the area are facing a lot of problems on developmental front.
The Finance Minister defeated People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ghulam Nabi Lone, by a margin of over 6000 votes in 2008 Assembly elections. Rather polled 24579 votes and Lone 18, 204 votes.
The inhabitants said that area has not received any special treatment on developmental front despite ruled being represented by senior NC leader for more than three and half decades.
The residents said that a bridge is under construction in Rather native village, Badipora, for several years now and proposal of the other bridge has not seen the light of day yet.
Village Badipora is located on the banks of Apzoer and Doodganga streams, where farmers remain cut off from their agriculture fields in rains or whenever flow of water is above normal level. “Every year we face problem in crossing the dangerous Nallah because of which a large portion of crop is damaged, and farmers watch all this destruction helplessly,” the villagers said.
Abdul Rashid Dar, Panchayat member of Badipora said that farmers have long pending demand of construction of two vital bridges in the village over Apzoer and Doodganga streams, but till date they have not been constructed.
Ghulam Nabi, another villager said that when the MLA failed to construct a bridge for decades, it was continuous villagers’ struggle and protests that a small pedestrian wooden bridge was constructed.
The villagers said the construction work was started on one of the bridges some three years ago. “The project was sanctioned years after our grandfathers, fathers and now our generation kept on pressing for the issue,” they said.
They said apart from this, MLA’s village does not have good road connectivity. The main road has been encroached by locals. The villagers of Badipora said that even the basic amenities like scheduled power supply, potable water supply and health services are lacking.
“A dispensary caters to almost 500 households here. It is functioning since decades and is without any doctor and medicine,” Abdul Rashid, a local said.
He said Margay Mohalla and Herpora are facing acute water crisis and other areas are forced to drink unfiltered water supplied by Public Health Engineering through tapes.
Rashid said lanes are in dilapidated condition, but was hopeful that the condition of village may improve as Rather declared Badipora as Model Village ahead of Assembly elections.
Similarly, other residents of the constituency said their MLA was awarded Life Time Achievement-Achievers Excellence by the NRI Institute, Dubai, for his outstanding contribution in the fields of economy, politics and social service, but he failed to rescue his constituency from the clutches of backwardness.
The inhabitants also said that hardly any work was done in the village under Centrally sponsored program MGNREGA due to the unnecessary political interference. “The Panchayat body has failed to develop area due to the high handedness of some vested interested people sponsored by the MLA,” they said.
Shahnawaz Hussain, alleged that the MLA has provided the Government jobs to his close ones who have lesser qualification and meritorious were left out. Providing jobs to influential candidates only has discouraged many youth to leave their studies halfway and they have switched over to some other fields to earn their living.
Pervaiz Ahmad Dangroo, 35, a local unemployed youth of the constituency said that corruption in the area is rampart. “At least 40 schemes under National Saffron Mission was given few influential families in the village, while as deserving farmers left high and dry,” Dangroo said.
The people of Nowpora, Hupru, Lolipora, Gigjipathri, Nagam, Watkul, Darwan, Boru, Khrid and Brinjan also accused the MLA for not addressing their burning issues including pure drinking water, electricity supply, corruption in Government offices and monopoly of some influential people connected with power corridors.
People of Charar-e-Sharif town said that the town was given the status of Block in January 2014 and was divided into 10 wards and till date no developmental activity was carried out.
The inhabitants said that Talab-e-Kalan or Bada Talab, Nowhar, Jabl-e-Noor, Wazabagh, Trajibal, Court Road, Gulshanabad, Alamdar Colony, Zaloosa and Kumar Mohalla are facing a lot of problem and MLA concerned has failed to mitigate them despite the area housing one of the most sacred Muslim shrines in Kashmir, where lakhs of people visit on special occasions.
Mohammad Latief Kumar, traders’ body president, Charar-e-Sharif told Excelsior that instead of addressing people’s grievances, MLA has formed a proposal to dismantle decades old Auqaf buildings at bus stand for his personal benefits. “Some influential people having close contacts with Rather Sahib and they have constructed buildings behind the Auqaf Market lane,” he said, adding, to provide benefit to them they want to demolish the front buildings.
Kumar flanked by other shopkeepers said that some building were constructed which violated Master Plan, but concerned authorities preferred to remain silent because of the fear being targeted by their MLA.
The locals also complained that street lights meant for revered shrine and its adjoining town was distributed in whole Charar-e-Sharif constituency on the directions of MLA.
They said till date no proper drainage system was constructed in the town despite repeated requests to the MLA.
The locals also said that the only playground in the town is in dilapidated condition. The ground was not maintained because of which scores of youth don’t take part in sports activities.
The inhabitants told Excelsior that health sector has not been properly developed in the area. “The Sub District Hospital is in pathetic condition. There are negligible facilities in the hospital and patients are referred to territory hospitals for minor complications”, they said.
A group of youth told Excelsior that only contractors and close workers of the MLA get favours.
They said that some 50 kanals of Veterinary land was reduced to only 20 kanals and an influential family has constructed two houses on the same plot of land near Sub-District Magistrate’s office.
They said Charar-e-Sharif to Yousmarg road has been encroached in the main town and authorities failed to stop encroachers.
Kandajan villagers said that their road is in dilapidated condition and authorities failed to address the villagers’ basic issues.
They said that the area is being supplied unfiltered water as the only filtration plant in the area situated at Dunkel Pathri has not been completed yet.
A top official of PHE said that Water Supply Scheme, Branpathri was yet to completed as the work on it was going on at snail’s pace due to the lethargic attitude of concerned officials.
He said villages like Kanidajan, Dunkul Pathri, Dodekul, Branpathri, Baldora, Dar Kamen, Sunny Darwan, Brad Pathri, Wugen Darwan and Chalen are facing water crisis as water is supplied for only 4-hours a day and the discharge is very low.
Similarly, shepherds in the area said that their thousands of kanals of pasture land has been encroached by Bakerwals of Rajouri and Poonch. The pastures belong the Charar-e-Sharif area and the MLA despite knowing it didn’t help them.
In tourist place Yousmarg, residents are facing electricity crisis and their livestock always remains on high risk of attracting deadly diseases as government has failed to establish a Veterinary in the area.
Inhabitants of Watkul, Gojipathri, Kutbal, Thera, Jaden, Buzgoo, Nowpora, Showpora and Badoo are facing problems in irrigation and they said that the MLA has failed to construct an irrigation canal, a long pending demand of people in the area.
National Conference MLA, Abdul Rahim Rather said that the major achievements registered in his constituency since 2009 in education is that a Model Degree College at Charar-e-Sharief, Polytechnic College at Nagam, Higher Secondary Schools at Kanir and Surasyar, Girls Higher Secondary Schools Nagam and Charar-e-Sharief were sanctioned and they are now functional.
He said High Schools were opened at villages of Branwar, Dadaompora; Girls High Schools at Zoohama, Sogam, Badipora, Nowpora, Buzgoo, Tilsera, Chrawani, Mallapora, Hushroo, Chraripora, Sani-Darwan, Nagbal, Brinjan, Lolipora and Watkaloo.
The MLA also said that almost all Primary Schools of the constituency were upgraded to the level of middle standard.
He said school buildings completed or under construction included Model Degree College building Charar-e-Sharief. “This is is under construction and is likely to be completed by the end of this year. Polytechnic College building at Nagam is ready for commissioning, additional building for HSS Zoohama was inaugurated”, he added.
Rather said laboratory building for HSS Hafroobatpora is under construction, Additional building for BHSS Nagam is under construction, auditorium building for BHSS Nagam was constructed, High School Tilsera, Nagbal, Chraripora were inaugurated.
“Some 20 kanals of land under acquisition for Sheikh-ul-Alam Chair at Charar-e-Sharief and land for High School Dadaompora has been acquired and fenced. Work on High School building has been started and it is funded under CDF”, he said.
MLA said health sector was given boost over the years. “Primary Health Centres were opened at Nagbal, Tilsera, Nilnag Buzgoo, Watkaloo, Kherigund, Nowpora, Branwar, Kanir, Panzan and allopathic dispensaries have been upgraded to the level of primary health centers at Dalwan, Hnjura, Chrawani, Chalyan, Ranger and Sogam”, he said.
Rather said the indoor, outdoor patient block for SDH Pakherpora is coming up, indoor block for SDH Charar-e-Sharief, indoor block for SDH Nagam, building for PHC’s at Nowpora, Dadaompora, Nilnag, Hanjura, Tilsera, Kanir are in the pipeline. “Dispensary buildings for Chraripora and Kutabal have been constructed and inaugurated”, he said.
The MLA said that Power sector also received a boost in the constituency. “Branwar and Kanir Receiving Stations were made functional; receiving station for Pakherpora and Nowpora were sanctioned and work will start soon; LT and HT network improvement was carried in a number of villages out of CDS grants”, he said.
To improve road connectivity, Rather said Nagam-Gigjipathri, Kanidajan- Batpora-Nowgam road, Muqam-Hangoo, Nilnag-Kristwar road, Ledan-Doba/ Kralgam, Waddar mohalla Watkaloo road upto Kralgam, Nilnag – Wangwass road, Bajipathri -Sanidarwan road, Charar-e-Sharief – Yusmarg -Pakherpora road, Kanidajan – Braripathri and dozens of other roads are either completed or are under construction.
The MLA said besides this new connectivity were provided to Hafroobatpora – Herpora Brinjan, Borwah – Banagund, Nowgam -Doodkhatu, Kutbal-Thera, Hangoo-Dana Negoo, Zoohama-Herpora Pethgam, Muqam – Shumnag, Surasyar-Wani/Ahanger Mohalla, Batwaddar, Sultana Colony Nagbal, Wangwass- Lashkhalan,  Narpora -Kachloo, Chrawani-Zagipora-Dardpora, Gangibagh- Baghibuchroo, Kanidajan -Fresdab, Tilsera Bachnad, Panzan-Dar Mohalla, Jabbad – Zilsidara and Mir Mohalla Kutbal.
Rather said 11 bridges were also taken up in the area including Kralwari, Nowpora, Hafroobatpora, Panzan, Sogam, Showpora, Baghibuchroo, Devbagh, Kakawring and Qanoongopora bridges.
To boost the people of the constituency economically and provide banking facilities at door steps, a number of bank branches of Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd were opened at Nagam, Nowpora, Hafroobatpora, Lolipora, Ranger, Panzan, Mallapora, Kanir, Chraripora, Kanidajan, Dadaompora and Surasyara. “A treasury was opened at Nagam to make the drawls easy and hassle free”, he said.

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