Agri-centre, vet-clinic 5 km away in newly created Ward
Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU: Ward Number-72 of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) which is a new Ward and includes small villages like Shahzadpur Pupa, Shahzadpur Kanhiya, Pathali Chack, Rakh Nagbani, Khanna, Tikri, Derian and Gangwan.
Being a rural zone, this Ward has additional problems associated with the rural areas.
An interaction with the locals here brought to fore certain problems which the people here confront.
Bansi Lal, a middle aged man said that the Ward lacks proper lanes and drains.
“The lanes were built long back and the drains mostly are not concreted,” he said, adding that none comes to clean the drains which mostly remain blocked.
He further said that the people here have never seen a sweeper cleaning the lanes in the area.
Anjana Devi—a housewife said that there is no proper place for garbage disposal in the Ward and the people here throw the garbage either in the irrigation canal there or anywhere else as per their convenience.
She also informed that the Ward lacks dustbins and garbage containers.
Many more people talked about the problems in absence of street-lights and due to dilapidated roads.
Bishan—an elderly person in the village Pathali Chack said, there are hand pumps in the Ward to quench thirst of the people while the PHE laid pipes are not properly functioning and are leaking at many places thereby wasting the water.
Pushpa Devi—another housewife informed that the entire Ward has so far not become an open defecation free zone as many people go out to ease themselves.
“This really gives a shabby picture of our area and these people should be made aware on making a toilet at their homes,” she maintained.
Many more people in the Ward talked about the problems due to lack of cleanliness and insanitary conditions prevailing there and mentioned about flies and mosquitoes. They demanded that cleanliness should be taken care of as it is directly related to human health.
Sangita—a Higher Secondary student informed that stray dogs are a big terror in the Shahzadpur Pupa. She said that these canines chase and bark at them while they go to school and many times students have to change their way.
Bimla of Derian talked about hanging wires and old poles in her area and said that there is an urgent need to repair the hanging wires and replace the old damaged poles as some mishap may happen anytime due to this.
Many more people expressed concern over the excessive use of poly bags in the Ward.
These people informed that most of the drains are blocked due to these poly bags.
They also said that these poly bags are many times consumed by the cattle which then develop many types of ailments in them.
Kirpa Ram and some other elders of the area expressed concern over the increasing addiction among the youth of the area and said that police should do something strictly in this regard.
These elders also said that parents should also keep a check on the activities and company of their children to safeguard them from the demon of addiction.
“There is no playground in the Ward where the youth should play so that they can be deviated from the menace of addiction,” Ram said.
Many more people expressed concern over the poor public transport system in the Ward and said that the Transport Department should get ply some minibuses in the area from city.
After the election of Rashpal Bhardwaj as Corporator of the Ward the public here has pinned very many expectations from him to get all the problems of the Ward solved.
Rashpal is first time Corporator of this new Ward from Congress party and he is a retired army-man.
He won the Urban Local Bodies elections with a margin of 200 votes after defeating his rival Mahesh Bhardwaj of BJP.
Rashpal was polled 544 votes while Mahesh got 344.
In an interaction with EXCELSIOR, Rashpal said that he will do all he can for the good of his Ward.
He informed that the nearest agriculture centre and veterinary clinic in the Ward are five kms away at Marh and the nearest Higher Secondary School is also five kms away.
“I will work to get agri-centre and vet-clinic in the Ward or some mobile services in this regard so that people here are benefitted,” he said adding that upgrading of schools in the Ward is also a part of his plan so that students have not to travel far to get higher education.
He further said that he will also work to ensure pension to old age people, widows and to physically challenged people.
“Next I will work to make my Ward Open Defecation Free,” he informed adding that there is a Nallah in his Ward which gets flooded in rains and creates problems.
The Corporator informed that Panchayat Ghar in his Ward is of no use now as the area has come under JMC.
“We will plan to put this Panchayat Ghar in some other use,” he said appealing his public to cooperate him in making the Ward a role model one.
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