Development a distant dream for people of Doda, Kishtwar: Harsh

NPP Chairman Harsh Dev Singh addressing public meeting on Sunday.
NPP Chairman Harsh Dev Singh addressing public meeting on Sunday.

Excelsior Correspondent

DODA/KISHTWAR: Mar 31: Expressing shock over developmental crisis in the erstwhile Doda district which remained unabated, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Minister said that both Doda and Kishtwar had suffered neglect and deprivation by the State and the Central Governments. “The roads are lying in a shabby condition. People lack basic civic amenities and despite several hydro electric projects underway, the districts face acute power crisis”, Harsh regretted.
He was addressing trail of public meetings at Batote, Assar, Khelani, Doda city, Thatri and Kishtwar town during his campaign in Udhampur Lok Sabha Constituency today.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh said that the people had gone through the nightmarish experience of all the previous regimes and the elected representatives and now after trying and testing them they had realized that no one actually raised the issues of the electorate in the parliament.
“The people were made to suffer. Development remained a distant dream for the people. All the successive Governments including the BJP partnered coalition sold dreams to the people. They had pinned high hopes with the previous combine but all grandiloquent promises which were made to the masses proved hollow. Nothing tangible appeared and people were befooled again. The politics of duplicity and deceit continued while the people at the helm of affairs made fortunes by swindling the tax payers’ money. The so called representatives enjoyed power by abandoning their responsibility only to make mockery of the democracy”, annoyed Harsh said.
Elucidating on the genuine resentment of the people of Doda and Kishtwar belts, Harsh Dev said that three major hydro electric projects were underway but the twin districts even san regular power supply.
Moreover, despite construction of the said projects, the unemployment soared which had caused severe embitterment among the local youth, Harsh added.
Lambasting the power companies like AFCON Engineering and JP Engineering who were allotted the construction of 100 MW Pakal Dul HE project on river Chenab, he said they brazenly ignored the locals in providing employment and preferred to hire outsiders for building 167 m high dam and 2 tunnels of 10 km each.
“Support Panthers Party this time in Lok Sabha polls. You will witness a sea change. We are committed towards the welfare of the people. Zeal for work runs in our blood. We want to deliver, we swear to live up to your expectations”, urged Harsh.