People term construction of bridge over Ravi a big development
Avtar Bhat
KATHUA, Dec 19: The joy of 782 West Pak refugees knew no bounds in Kerrian Gandyal constituency of Kathua district who for the first time cast their vote in local elections after 70 years today.
These refugees were also jubilant that besides, getting the voting rights last year after abrogation of controversial Articles 370 and 35-A by Modi Government they also got about 1.50 km long bridge over the river Ravi to link this secluded area of Kerrian Gandyal with Kathua town and other parts of the district decades after the independence.
The 782 West Pak refugees whose names were included in the voter lists by the State Election Commission ensured 100 percent voting, however, they regretted that still there are hundreds of refugees in the area whose names are yet to be included in the voter lists so that they can also participate in the democratic process -the right denied to them by the previous Governments under the garb of so called special status.
As there was a tussle among some candidates in the constituency, the authorities had made tight security arrangements to avert any untoward incident and the polling passed peacefully in the entire constituency and no untoward incident was reported as feared earlier.
The people while talking to Excelsior reporter said that they voted for development and prosperity of the area which was neglected in the past. The construction of the bridge over river Ravi is seen a great achievement by the people of this belt which earlier remained cut off from the district Kathua and other areas especially for four to five months in rainy season and the people of the area who had to visit Kathua district headquarter had to travel via Pathankot by covering a 45 km long distance which is now covered within minutes.
“Even now the twin villages of Kerrian and Gandyal and Kathua town is at walking distance and people have been relieved of lot of trouble and worry after the construction of the bridge”, said Madan Lal, a West Pak refugee while casting his vote at Polling Station Kerrian”. He said the area was deprived of all developmental activities as it was cut off from rest of J and k due to river Ravi. The people were facing water and power crisis and there was no infrastructure earlier but with the construction of the bridge a lot of hope has been generated in the area, he added.
Rampal another refugee who cast his vote at Gandyal polling booth said it is the happiest day in his life as they had never thought that such a day will come when the West Pak refugees will be treated at par with other citizens of J&K. “We were deprived of all rights since partition after we came to this side of country by the successive Governments of J&K but now a new hope has been generated among all the refugees and we will get full benefit of the Government schemes employment and above all the voting right and right to cultivate and purchase the land”, he added.
“Now our children can get admissions in professional colleges as well which they were denied earlier”, he said, adding it is a great achievement for the refugees.
There was lot of enthusiasm among the voters in entire DDC constituency including Basantpur area where people in large numbers braving chilly cold and dense fog from early in the morning were seen in front of polling stations to cast their vote.
The West Pak refugees cast their vote at Polling Stations of Kerrian Gandyal and Ramnagar. Even among the voters there were nonagenarians, Octogenarians and septuagenarians belonging to both genders. They also remained in queues waiting for their turn to cast the vote. Even some specially abled persons didn’t lag behind and also visited to their respective polling booths to cast their vote and there was a heavy turnout of the voters in the constituency. At some polling booths due to rush the polling was closed at 2-30 and 3-00 pm to allow every person to cast his vote who had managed to enter the polling booth before 2 pm.
People in large numbers had come to cast their vote in two polling booths situated in Government Boys Higher Secondary School Glarh and Government Middle School Glarh in Samba B constituency near Inter National Border, where polling was also held today. An ex-serviceman who came to cast his vote at Boys Higher Secondary School, Glarh said that the border area has roads and other facilities but people face problems here in the event of cease fire violations and the authorities have failed to construct bunkers for every household.
Demanding construction of bunkers for every household in the area, he further stressed that these bunkers should be equipped with all modern facilities so that people taking refuge in them don’t face problems in the event of shelling from across. He alleged many bunkers are yet to be constructed in the area.
People including men and women were seen in long queues in front of polling booths in the twin constituencies from early morning to cast their vote and the dense fog and intense cold weather in the morning failed to dampen their spirits. The voters in the twin constituencies said that they voted for development in their respective areas which include bettering educational infrastructure, good roads, safe drinking water and better medicare facilities. They expressed the hope that the newly elected DDC members will come up to their expectations.
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