Integrate Town Drainage with UEED
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 14: To strengthen the drainage system in the cities and towns, the contractors today demanded to bring the Town Drainage back into the UEED while alleging that the existence of the town drainage has vanished after it was handed over to the R&B.
Addressing a press conference here Farooq Ahmed Dar, general secretary of the Central Contractors Coordination Committee here, warned that if no progress was made in resolving the four-point demand, they would stage a boycott of works and tenders.
He said that the construction and development claimed by the government were not visible on the ground. “The departments which used to build and develop are gradually being abolished,” he said.
Dar said that the town drainage (data collection) was separated a decade ago and the department attached to the Public Works Department, “but R&B did not have experience in such works due to which the funds allocated for drainage have lapsed.”
There was already a burden on the Public Works Department due to which they are not able to do the work of drainage, he said while demanding that the drainage sector be shifted to the UEED department.
“The contractors have already demanded the government to resolve the four-point demands and if the demands are not met, the protests will intensify and besides boycott of tenders,” he said.
Underlining the need for remittances, renewal of contract cards and moderation in prices of construction materials, Dar warned the administration that if their demands were not met, they will have the option but to boycott the works.
“At present, the government has a debt of Rs. 685 crore and they are trying their best to get rid of it. The renewal of contractors’ cards should be done immediately, if not done, it would derail the participation in the tendering process,” he said, adding some bureaucrats were obstructing the construction work.
Town Drainage Association president, Mohd Afzal Kuchay, Sheikh Mushtaq, Estates Division, president, Zaffer Ahmed Shah, Riyaz Ahmed Bhat, Ishfaq Ahmed Khan, senior Coordination leaders, Javid Ahmed Zerger and KEA senior leader, Haji Nisar were also present on the occasion.
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