Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 6: A 50 year old Nallah in Karan Nagar area of Ward number 9 gets flooded in rainy season and needs immediate reconstruction as houses near it have started sinking.
This was informed by Suneet Raina, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Councillor from the Ward who mentioned official red tape as the reason behind the delay in reconstruction of the Nallah.
He said that construction and repair of lanes and drains in the Ward is almost complete but few lanes and drains have been left in Ustad Mohalla area where the work is going on in phased manner.
Raina, who politically belongs to BJP and is a first time Councillor said that dirty water is supplied in Ustad Mohalla by the Jal Shakti Department and there is an urgent need for replacement of water supply pipes, the work of which is presently under tendering process.
He said that areas of his Ward include Manda, Karan Nagar, Ustad Mohalla and Narainia Mohalla.
“There is no street lights on National Highway in my Ward from Hari Niwas Palace to Peer Baba while poles have been fixed there and wiring work also done,” the Councillor maintained adding: “Rest of the Ward has got sufficient number of street lights but of these many are non-functional and the service of the company responsible for repairing these light is very poor in this regard.”
It is pertinent to mention here that over four years of mandatory tenure of five for JMC elected body is over now yet many developmental works await completion and some such works have not even yet started.
He said that road blacktopping work is pending in Karan Nagar area of the Ward though tenders were floated for the same five times but none of the contractors came forward.
“Autos moving from door-to-door to collect garbage are doing a good job and after this service was started in the Ward, garbage dumps have been reduced by 50 per cent,” Raina said adding that there is a need of one more such auto for proper disposal of garbage as presently there is only one such auto and one e-rickshaw which serves Ustad Mohalla.
He said that hanging wires and damaged poles still exist in the Ward and could not be corrected due to lack of funds and carelessness of the department concerned.
The Councillor said that there are four parks in the Ward and all are properly developed with lights, seating arrangements, tiles etc while there are Open Air Gyms at Narianian Mohalla Park and at Karan Nagar Park.
“There is no playground and no parking place for vehicles in the Ward but there is a public toilet to facilitate the people,” he informed adding that there is no Health Centre in the Ward but it is very much needed there and the people of the Ward are even ready to give land for that.
Raina claimed that sewerage network has totally failed in his Ward as it frequently gets blocked at many places due to which the litter comes out from manholes and spreads on the roads and streets leaving problems for the passersby and the locals.
The JMC Councillor informed that presently only 42 Safai Karamcharis are there in his Ward as some of these got retired from their services and few have died but no replacement was made against these and now 10 more Safai Karamcharis are needed in the Ward for proper cleanliness.
“Smart Meters have been installed in the Ward and there is a lot of public resentment against these as these meters are giving hefty bills,” he continued.
Raina said that stray dogs also create problems in the Ward as these canines not only spread litter but also chase two wheelers and have created terror among children, women and old age people.
He further informed that the Ward also faces monkey menace but only to some extent.
“Though many widows, old age persons and physically challenged persons in my Ward get pension but the newly introduced rule for these pensions exclusively to Below Poverty Line people is creating problem for many other deserving persons,” the Councillor claimed.
He said that almost all the residents of his Ward have made Ayushman Cards while most of the eligible Voters have got Voter Cards and there is a continuous camp going on for these services at Jambhu Lochan Hall, which is the only Community Hall in Ward 9.
“There are many cases of thefts involving iron gratings from the drains and there are also many drug addicts and peddlers active in the Ward for which the police should take a cognizance,” Raina said.
The JMC Councillor said that there are many water coolers in the Ward from where the passersby can drink cold water but 50 per cent of these coolers are not functioning.
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