Nishikant Khajuria
BUDDHAN (Mahore), June 14: When the nation is discussing development models of different States vis-à-vis Gujarat, tale of this model village is an eye opener for the people at the helm of affairs in Jammu and Kashmir.
What to say of privileges, this so called model village lacks even basic facilities like adequate road connectivity, health, education, power and water supply infrastructure in the area.
On the name of model village, there are 14 solar lights installed in the hamlet but only two are functional while two big iron poles, meant for erecting a gate on entrance of the village, are still lying on the roadside for the last more than five years.
The Government High School Buddhan has more than 650 students but only two teachers and a Headmaster as staff members for running this institution, which was established in 1974.
As far as medical infrastructure is concerned, the Primary Health Centre in this model village is being run by a Medical Assistant as there is not even as single doctor for attending the patients.
“Not only Buddhan but even from Saldar to Lincha area, which comprises five Panchayats having around 20 thousand population, there is no doctor in the Primary Health Centres,” said Mohd Sharief, a local shopkeeper.
The prevailing mess in this remote area can be gauged from the fact that the main transformer at village Dallu-A got damaged on March 14 thus snapping power supply to the hamlet but there has been no action by the concerned authorities till now to restore the supply.
“More ironic is the fact the we have been delivered power bills for the month of April and May also notwithstanding no power supply in the area for the last around three months”.
According to the locals, Buddhan was declared a model village during the previous regime of Mufti Mohd Sayeed following which a community hall and shopping complex were constructed there besides installation of some solar lights, construction of lanes, drains and announcements of more developmental works.
Rs 1.25 crores were then spent on these construction works and thereafter no one knows right from villagers to administration about the fate of pending projects under model village, said Shafi.
The roads under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) are also lying defunct owing to no metalling and black topping. “Twelve kilometer long Chaklas to Saldar road under PMGSY has not yet been metalled despite completion of cutting and earth work in 2008 while work on 26 km long Thuroo-Buddhan road, which was started in 2010, has been stopped midway since last year for the reasons best known to the concerned authorities and the infamous contractor,” said Keshav Singh, a social activist and local BJP leader who had unsuccessfully contested 1996 Assembly elections on Gool-Arnas seat.
Incomplete Panchayat Ghar and CAPD Store Hall, constructed in 2005, also tell the State of developmental works in this model village, which is a part of Gool Arnas Assembly constituency but comes under administrative control of Sub-Division Mahore.
“This confusion is also largely responsible for the woes of this area as people don’t know to whom they should approach for redressal of their grievances,” said Mohd Sharief, a local who was on way to Darmari for approaching the authorities in connection with a complaint of poor ration supply to the area.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Reasi, Shahid Choudhary said that all efforts were being made to ensure redressal of grievances of the people as soon as possible while the Government has already forwarded 72 projects for metalling and blacktopping of fair weather roads under PMGSY.
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