Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 30: Placing Mufti Mohd Sayeed-led PDP-BJP Coalition Government in an embarrassing situation for denial of funds for the repair of a road connecting about half a dozen villages in Thannamandi tehsil of Rajouri district, the hapless villagers raised donations from the locals of the area and repaired a road for their convenience.
The village Panchayat members led by locals of the area were holding protests since October last year and they even blocked main Rajouri-Thannamandi road 2-3 times, inviting attention of Tehsil and District Administration besides R&B authorities but they only received false assurances and no action on the ground. They even moved to the office of SDM and Dy Commissioner Rajouri some time back but their plight could not be mitigated.
They pleaded that this 7 kms road which was constructed by State R&B authorities under PMGSY about four years back connects several villages hamlets of Rajdani, Nazoor, Bagla, Kopra etc. But during September 2014 rains and floods its condition went from bad to worse. At many places road had been washed away in the absence of side drains and it was not possible for vehicles to move or even the pedestrians to move on foot. Huge patholes/ pits etc had appeared on the road and land and mud slides turned it in bad shape.
Few days back, the village Sarpanch and some other Panchayat members in deputation moved to the R&B office at Rajouri and met the SE and the concerned Executive Engineer who expressed their inability to repair road due to non-availability of funds. On this the people got agitated and even called a spade a spade to the officers concerned.
After this, the village heads called a meeting and decided to go ahead with the repair of the road at their own by collecting donations (Chanda) from the villagers. Many of them offered free labour work and deputed their tractors.
They raised fund to the tune of over 1.25 lakh, hired a JCB and engaged three tractors and about 80- 100 labourers repaired this road within four days.
Putting `the Popular Government’ into embarrassing position these villagers have presented a unique example for the people of other areas who are also facing similar problem. Since September rains and floods the roads in the whole State including Poonch, Udhampur, Kathua, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar and even in Srinagar and Jammu city have turned worst. Even in Jammu city, in many localities the people were seen repairing roads by filling pits/ patholes with debris by engaging labourers at their own.
Sarpanch Mohd Riaz from Thannamandi told the Excelsior that they had been fed up with the Administration at Thannamandi and Rajouri. Many times, they moved their the offices of Tehsildar, SDM and even DC Rajouri. They also met R&B officers in Rajouri and Thnannamandi but nobody listened to their plight. Even the villagers blocked main road 2-3 times and held protest to draw the attention of the higher authorities/ government towards this issue but no body listened in the Government. When the R&B Executive Engineer and even the SE told that they had no funds then they realized that they have wasted their time and money and even committed blunder to elect popular government. The local MLA from ruling PDP has failed to mitigate villagers’ plight as he was also approached.
Mr Riaz further disclosed that the people have slapped the ruling Government by repairing road from their own money but it is also apprehended that the field engineers of the area will try to draw funds for repair of the said road which the villagers have done at their own.
Ali Akbar Ex-Sarpanch said that there seems to be no Government and no administration. No body cares for the sufferings of the public. Even the MLA did not visit the area after elections. He will face the public wrath when he would come next time. He said many villagers offered free labour work on this road. Bajra was brought from the near by nallas and patholes were filled with it and `malba’. Side drains were also got cleared so that rain water do not damage road surface. He said villagers have spent just Rs 82,000 till now for the repair and for the same work, the R&B people would have drawn funds worth lakhs. Akbar alleged that this Government has proved worst for the people of this area.
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