Mir Iqbal
Beerwah constituency, one of the five Assembly segments of Budgam district in Central Kashmir, seems to be the victim of “inefficiency” of its representative as people lack basic amenities including healthcare, electricity, education, irrigation, road connectivity and drinking water.
The constituency is being represented by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA, Dr Mohammad Shafi Wani who defeated NC candidate Professor Abdul Majid Matoo by a margin of around 200 votes. Wani polled 11, 720 votes and Matoo 11, 556.
The inhabitants of this constituency said that they have been discriminated by the successive Governments on every front and all the political parties have failed to deliver as per their aspirations, and promises made with them at the time of elections.
The inhabitants alleged that the ill-planned execution of the various Government schemes for last six years have least benefited them. They alleged that close friends and relatives of local political party members took away the lion’s share in some schemes without benefitting the common people. “Poor and helpless people continue to suffer in the area for want of basic necessities, while as influential are enjoying every facility meant for public,” Noor Mohammad, a local said.
The constituency has no sports stadium for its young sports enthusiasts. Sports lovers across the constituency are angry with the legislator, saying no sports facilities have been provided to them.
“Few places were identified as sports fields, till date no maintenance or any other developmental work was carried on these fields,” a group of young men said, who were playing tennis ball cricket on main road connecting Aripathan village with Khag.
Locals said that some villages got lion’s share in recently announced new Administrative Units, while few genuine areas are not happy with MLA for being unfair while creating new administrative units in the constituency at favourite places.
The inhabitants of Khag, Hardsuresh and Poshker alleged that no one seems bothered about the plight of public.
“Hardsuresh is a model village, but nothing changed from last six years, except a huge gate was erected on the road,” they said, adding, power wires are tied with trees at many places as MLA has failed to sanction electricity poles in the village.
Khurshid Ahmad, a local resident of Khag said that the MLA had even failed to avail the benefits from Central Government schemes like PMGSY and MGNREGA in the constituency.
Ahmad alleged that apart from a solar light in the bus stand Khag, MLA has failed to sanction any major development project in the village. Model village Hardsuresh, Khag-Poshker road has been completely neglected from last six years.
The inhabitants of Poshker, Alimnag, Patiposhker, Malwu, Dalwush, Gund, Lakipora and Saran said that the neighbouring areas being abundant in water resources has no proper water supply scheme to provide pure filtered water to them.
Similarly the inhabitants of village Kawoosa said that in mid-summer due to scarcity of water, they have to travel long distance with pitchers on their heads to fetch drinking water.
They said, Kawoosa village has a population of more than 5,000 households and in Halqa-B of this village 3,000 households are facing acute drinking water shortage.
“Four colonies including Teng Mohalla, Mir Mohalla, Khan Mohalla, and Ganiepora have been neglected by the Government and left to die for water,” the aggrieved residents said.
The village was getting water from Tangmarg water pipeline, but as the population increased upwards more people become dependent on the line.
As the MLA has failed to get separate water supply scheme for them, they pray for eruption of a natural spring in the village.
“Some of the natural springs with good water flow have been occupied by Fisheries Department for producing fishes in the area,” locals said, adding, had the same fresh water been properly channelized; it would have not only supplied fresh water to Beerwah constituency only, but its adjoining areas also.
The residents of Khag said the MLA concentrated development works in Aripathan area only, while ignoring their village despite it being centre to scores of other villages.
Healthcare in the Khag Tehsil is craving for improvement. The Public Health Center (PHC) lacks basic facilities, has only few beds, shortage of staff and only few medical equipment. “Naserpora, Trapia, Suresh, Nagbal, Poshker, Aalimnar, Dalwush, Dodar, Shungalpora, Sugan,Harshpora, Patiposhker, Lakipora, Palpora, Bamroud, Kandhama, Gumar and Sharan residents have to face a lot of problems due to lack of quality health services in the area,” they said.
Mushtaq Hassan, a Government employee said till date Khag area has no Fire and Emergency Services Station. “We are in constant fear that fire incident can devastate the area any time in absence of fire services station,” he said.
The residents of Aripathan said that a health sub-center is functioning in Panchayat Ghar despite land granted by the villagers to it. “The work was not started till date due to the inefficiency of MLA,” they said, adding, the area has acute shortage of doctors, paramedical staff and dearth of medicines, because of which patients and pregnant women of the area who need emergency care are denied medical facilities on time.
They said healthcare is not the only problem faced by people but dilapidated roads, shortage of pure drinking water, electricity and lack of play fields add miseries to the residents.
Road connectivity to these villages is dilapidated and lanes, bylanes have never been repaired. “Students have to board the bus tops to reach schools on time due to absence of proper service,” locals said.
Shopkeepers of Aripathan said that tippers ferrying construction material and bricks during day time particularly in morning and evening hours, when children are waiting for transport are risking their lives. “We approached to MLA dozens of times but he failed to handle transporters’ mafia in the area,” they said, adding, dust blown by these vehicles from roads has affected the health of students and commuters.
They said in Utligam village more than 20 brick kilns are functional in agricultural land that has damaged the agro-economy of the locals.
They said funds meant for Aripathan have been consumed by contractors, political workers while as village remained unchanged on developmental front.
Nazir Ahmad, a local resident said that forget benefits of Model village, the Middle School in the village is running from rented building. “High School was opened in Bakshi Sahib’s time and since then nobody cared for its up-gradation,” he said.
The villagers said that they can’t carry goods on their heads or shoulders from their agriculture land to home, because the electric wires are only some six feet above ground level due to huge gap between poles.
MGNREGA benefitted a particular section of society, while deserving left high and dry, Kartar Singh, a local resident said.
The residents of Magam said that dilapidated interior link road, water scarcity, erratic power supply, lack of healthcare services and other non-implementation of other important projects have added miseries in the area.
They said that politicians have given free hand to their workers and bureaucrats to loot the Government treasury in the name of general public and then using the same funds for their personal benefits.
A large number of Government schools in the area are housed in dingy, rented rooms with no toilet and drinking water facilities, where five classes are taught in only two rooms at many places.
Beerwah residents said most of projects including development of main road which bisects Beerwah town into two parts, development of much needed sub-district hospital, irrigation for agricultural land, improvement in education sector, power sector and filtered water were not taken seriously for last more than five and half years, because of which people of the area face a lot of hardships.
“Beerwah town has been neglected on every front despite remaining tehsil headquarter for dozens of villages,” they said, adding, the town is physically cut from its neighboring villages as successive MLAs have failed to construct important intra-link roads.
The locals are satisfied that a mega building has been constructed for the Sub District Hospital with some necessary facilities, but they complained that only few staff members remain present in the hospital and the situation goes worst after evening time, when doctors are seen treating their patients under candle lights.
“If a patient is referred to the hospital after 4 pm in critical condition, the doctors and Para-medics question why the patient was referred to the hospital so late,” Bashir Ahmad, a local said, adding, it takes them half an hour to light a candle or bulbs to check the patient.
The inhabitants said that almost all the health centers in the constituency are either without staff including doctors and paramedics or lack proper infrastructure and medicine.
Beerwah town has 13 municipal wards with 12-13 thousand households including Chividara, Sonpah, Gundipora, Lalpora and Kandoora, but till date no major initiative was taken by any of the MLA for the welfare of this huge population.
They said that 630 kv power receiving station at Sonpah was inaugurated in 1984 but till date no upgradation was done in it. “We are facing long power cuts as the load has increased manifold, but the capacity remained same since decades,” they said.
The inhabitants said that wires and poles are damaged at many places due to which for a minimal wind blow, the area is plunged into darkness. “33 thousand kv transmission line is passing through the market and PDD has used same poles HT line, that can prove costly for the whole town at any time,” shopkeepers said.
They said water is oozing at many places on the main road from water pipes, which has damaged the roads as pipes laid by PHE in 1967 were never replaced or repaired till date.
They said that residents are provided polluted water for drinking and domestic purposes, while as natural springs with fresh water have been allotted to the fisheries department. “MLA has failed to utilize spring water for drinking purpose despite giving him many reminders,” Abdul Hamid, a shopkeeper said.
“People never saw bumper production from Fisheries Department that could have benefited locals here.”
They said the main source of water at Sukhnag then Sunmoi, Lar, Ahie, Malkul and other tributaries have been polluted due to frequent human interference.
The education system in the constituency is similarly neglected as the locals alleged that education system has received a big jolt under the ruling MLA and the students have to suffer because of the lack proper teaching staff and other infrastructural facilities.
The Beerwah town residents said that they have been demanding an ITI, but till date MLA did not raise this issue in Assembly nor did he show any interest in it.
In village Matipora (Makhama), Government primary school was established in 1965, till date the school was not upgraded despite manifold increase in population in the village. They residents said that their children have to travel more than three and half kilometers to reach middle school Sehpora. “We are considered as backward people despite living only seven kilometers from main town Beerwah, because of lack of basic facilities in the village,” they said.
The inhabitants of main town Beerwah said that MLA has given free hand to Municipal Committee employees to go to any extreme without bothering about common people. “Municipal Committee has failed to construct a public toilet, drains and public places in the town,” they said.
The locals alleged that illegal construction, encroachment on both the sides of roads at many places have been carried out by some influential people in nexus with municipality and local MLA.
They said that Municipality employees seem active at a time only when someone approaches for new construction (legal as well as illegal). “They will ask for bribe, if you give them they will allow to construct the building,” the shopkeepers said.
The residents of village Check I Dewan, Wanihama, Dangam, Ruthsuna, Meeripora, Dragger, Machama, Malpora, S.K. Pora, Razven, Charihar, Bundgam, Watalpora, Russu, Narbal, Suzyeth, Kawoosa, Mazhama, Batpora, Kanihama, Vat Magam, Gundipora, Charangam, Betipora, Bunhama, Daseera, Churmujroo, Hokhlitri, Aatina, Shuligund, Najam, Pethkoot, C C Pora, Kralnew, Larbal, Kundoora, Sail, Zanigam, Latinoo, Rawathpora, Kanchitipora, Takibal, Malpora, Kalipora, Nussu, Iskanderpora, Fajepora and others said that they have been neglected since decades and the hope to taste development from present MLA faded away after he failed to address simple issues.
Nawaz Ahmad, a local resident of the area told Excelsior that the area apart from this, reels under darkness most of the times due to frequent and unscheduled power cuts. “Our village road is in dilapidated condition as MLA fails in including it in macadamized road projects,” he said.
He added that electric poles and wires at many places were not repaired from decades, which has posed threat in many villages as at some places wires are tied with trees.
The inhabitants said they have appealed to their leaders for taking these important issues with the Government, but nothing has been done and things remain unchanged from last many years.
MLA Beerwah Dr Mohamamd Shafi said that he has done many developmental works from last six years in his constituency despite sitting in opposition in the Government.
Shafi said that work on vital projects was started in Beerwah constituency in last six years which have become assets for the general public. “First time in the history of Beerwah that a Community Health Centre (CHC), Beerwah was completed at the cost of Rs 5 crores, that will provide relief to the locals,” he said, adding, CHC was the long pending demand of people, which only was fulfilled in his tenure.
The MLA said to revolutionize health sector in Beerwah constituency with the aim to provide relief and cost effective medical facilities at the nearest health centre, scores of healthcare facilities were made available for people in these years.
“Sub- District Hospital, Magam is under construction and I am hopeful that it will be completed very soon to provide medical facilities to the people at their door steps,” he said.
Work on some Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Pathkoot, Gondipora, Narbal, Makhama and Hardsuresh is going on, in which some were created in his tenure and infrastructure was developed in other centers.
He said that share of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was spent almost in every village in the constituency. “Apart from spending CDF on development in villages, I spent Rs 12 lakhs for the construction of College building at Magam,” Dr Shafi said.
The MLA said that it was in his tenure that Commerce and Science subjects were introduced in Government Degree College, Beerwah that gave major relief to the students of the area.
To ensure gross enrolment ratio in primary schools in far flung areas of his constituency, 24 new schools were opened under SSA scheme from last six years.
“22 schools were upgraded from primary to middle, a dozen of school has been upgraded from middle to high school and funds were released for the upgradation of infrastructure at many schools,” he said, proposal for upgradation of high schools at Poshker, Rutsun, S.K. Pora and Girls High School Khag have been sent to concerned department.
MLA said first time new eight villages were electrified including Patiposhker, Nowrozbala, Kukerbagh, Zogwari, Shughipora, Abandar Check and Dulipora in last six years.
“Money from CDF was released for purchasing of 62 new transformers and were installed at deficient areas in the constituency,” he said, adding, repairing of transformers, damaged wires and poles were replaced at many places in the constituency.
MLA said that a separate feeder for Beerwah town from Receiving Station Beerwah was carved out with the active support of public.
Receiving Station SK Pora is in under construction for that MLA said to have contributed Rs 40 lakhs from his CDF.
He said to provide pure quality water to its residents, Bundgam, Poshker, Beerwah, Renipora and Utligam filtration plants were made functional. “I got augmentation of filtration plant at Batipora, Magam and Narbal schemes,” he said.
MLA added that new water supply schemes were sanctioned for Ruthsuna, Pathe Kanihama, Isganderpora, Lolipora, Shanglipora, Suresh, Nowrozpora and Trapai villages.
Apart from this, MLA said that Rs 5 crores spent for augmentation of filtration plant of Narbal. “Five new five irrigation projects were framed by any MLA and approved by GoI, are Suresh Canal with Rs 19 crore cost, Gogaldara Canal (Rs 26 crores), Humri Canal (Rs 04 crores), Malkul Canal (Rs 26 crores) and Manjnar Khag (Rs 09 crores),” he said.
MLA said to connect villages and towns, many roads were upgraded in the area, while as scores of new roads have been taken under PMGSY and these villages will be connected first time in the history.
“Aripathan –Khag road was upgraded and macadamized, Kandhama– Poshker road macadamized, SK Pora –Malpora road upgraded and macadamized, Sonpah –Russu road was macadamized, Kukarbagh –Zogywari road was macadamized, Sugen –Rawatpora road was macadamized, Utligam- Bonner was macadamized and Beerwah- Bonhama road macadamized,” he said, adding, Narbal-Nopora Payeen, Lohri Check-Bandnara and Roshanabad –Kantbagh were constructed first time under PMGSY.
“Many other vital projects were prioritized under NABARD and project details for Panzyari, Check Naserpora, R D Checkpora, Lambrin, Shuplun, Nowroz Baba, Tolipora, Veripora and Hanji Lawaypora were sent for approval,” he said.
He said that he brought many changes at administrative level in the constituency in last six years including Tehsil status to Magam and Narbal, Sub-District status to Beerwah, Nayabat for Poshkar, creation of two Blocks at SK Pora and Ruthsuna.
“Revenue complex Khag, New Munsif court for Beerwah, treasury building Beerwah and Model village to Ruthsuna were constructed,” he said.
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