Gopal Sharma
BILLAWAR, Dec 26: A population of over 15,000 souls from remote and mountainous area of Macchedi in Billawar Sub Division of district Kathua is facing Government apathy due to `criminal neglect’ in all respects.
It is not only the worst condition of its road, the people of this area have been deprived of the essential services like adequate stocks of food grains, kerosene oil, power and water supply. Even the `health’ of the Health department is not better in this area. Majority of the people of this entire belt, which is mostly part of backward Bani constituency, are poor and belonging to labour class. They virtually consider themselves as the children of the lesser God as no body is there to listen to their woes.
The concerned MLAs and even the MPs forgot them after their win and never turned up to listen to them while those in the Administration, whether Tehsildar, SDM or even the DC Kathua, never bothered to ease their hardships and provide them any relief. It is strange that after creation of new Tehsil headquarters at Machhedi, the new Tehsildar is functioning from Billawar, which is 34 kms away from this small town. Even the Naib Tehsildar hardly visits there and he too, functions from there. Neither the SDM Billawar nor the Deputy Commissioner Kathua bothered to streamline the system in the interest of general public. The people are made to come down to Billawar by spending Rs 80 fare (two- way) by bus for any revenue related work or for getting any certificate. Similarly, most of the tehsil level offices are functioning from the old Tehsil headquarters yet.
Sarpanch, Macchedi Khushi Ram told the Excelsior that they had brought the matter to the notice of concerned MLA, Jeevan Lal and even the SDM at Billawar, but they gave assurances only and nothing has happened till today. He said mostly this office remains locked or some time a Patwari or Girdawar is seen here. He said worst is the condition of this road. No repair has been conducted for the last more than a decade. There are no side drains and at Machhedi town and Nangalla village there is massive mud and slush on the road. Hardly 10 kms road from Sukrala to Badole has recently been black topped, but remaining 14 kms road has been left by R&B Department. Most sub-standard work has been done by the agency as upper newly black topped surface has started breaking. The contractors and concerned engineers should be punished and an inquiry be ordered.
Another prominent person of the area Ghulam Rasool said there was scarcity of ration, sugar and kerosene oil. There is no proper ration storage facility. One small old store is there but it is in dilapidated condition. Power supply is also worst and voltage is very low. Water supply to several hamlets has not been ensured. At Najot hamlet there is no water supply and road work has also been abandoned for the last 2-3 years. There is no ambulance in PHC Machhedi. In case of delivery the women are taken to Billawar at their own by the people of this area. Driver’s post is there but there is no Ambulance. No allopathic doctor is posted there. Two Ayurvedic doctors are posted and they come by turn. Necessary medicines are not available in the hospital. He said neither DyCM Dr Nirmal Singh, nor Health Minister Ch Lal Singh who belong to this district or their MP have ever visited them after coming to power.
One Krishan Chand from Najot said that first bus service reached Machhedi in 1989, about 26 years ago, since then the condition of the nearly 15 kms patch of the road is even more worst today. He said vehicle operators avoid to ply their vehicles on this route due to worst condition of the road. In case of rain, the road is closed and the people are made to walk on foot. After snowfall, the road is closed and no agency bothers to open it. There is need to increase number of buses as people are generally seen travelling on the roof top of the vehicles and the entire road is accident prone. He also demanded laying of PHE pipes at Najot as water tank has already been constructed but pipes not laid even after one year. He also demanded that work on the tractor road to the village be resumed.
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