Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 26: Two Nallahs in Ward Number 57 of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) get flooded in rainy season with water gushing into residential houses in the area inflicting damages and the worst hit places in this regard remain Roop Nagar and Sector-2 of Model Town Gangyal where knee deep water gets accumulated in houses after and during the deluge.
Informing more in this regard, Inderjeet Kour Randhawa, Councillor of the Ward said even during normal rains people of the area get panicked fearing flood.
“People throw poly-bags in the Nallahs which are still Kuchcha and are also not properly levelled while proper levelling and concrete work over these Nallahs is the only solution to the problem of repeated yearly floods and much of the land near these Nallahs has also been encroached,” she said.
In an exclusive interaction with the Excelsior, Inderjeet Kour Randhawa, who politically belongs to Congress and is a second time Councillor said that 2-4 deep drains in the Ward need construction and no house in the Ward has been numbered so far.
She said that areas of her Ward include Sectors 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Model Town Gangyal, Markari Mohalla, Meenia Mohalla, Roop Nagar, Industry Mohalla and Green Avenue.
The Councillor said that construction and repair work of lanes and drains is 90 per cent complete in her Ward while blacktopping is almost complete there.
She informed that 80 per cent of the Ward is now covered with Street Lights but many of the installed lights have been damaged for which the required repair is going on in a very poor manner.
“There is no park, no playground, no parking area for vehicles and no library in the Ward,” Randhawa maintained adding: “The Ward has four public toilets while the Health Centre of the Ward has been shifted to somewhere else and public bathroom is there awaiting reconstruction while a Community Hall is presently under construction in the Ward with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 50 lakh.”
It is pertinent to mention here that though more than four years of the mandatory tenure of five for the elected body of JMC have been passed, many developmental works have not been completed yet while many of such works have even not seen the light of the day.
The JMC Councillor said that there are 22 Safai Karamcharis in her Ward but there is a requirement of 50 and this shortage has badly affected cleanliness in the area.
She also said that there are power cuts in the Ward while water supply is good there.
Randhawa further said that almost all the residents of her Ward have made their Ayushman Cards and most of the eligible Voters have got their Voter Cards and same is the status of Domicile Certificates in the Ward.
“Though many widows, physically challenged and old age persons in the Ward are getting pension but the newly introduced rule for these pensions exclusively to Below Poverty Line people is creating problems for others,” the Councillor said.
She claimed that stray dogs have created a lot of problems in the Ward.
“These canines not only litter here and there but also bite people and chase two wheelers and have created a wave of terror among women, children and old age people,” she continued.
Randhawa said that hanging wires and damaged poles are there in her Ward and the damaged poles have become risky as these can fall anytime. Due to official red tape culture existing in offices of the concerned departments, no corrective measure has been taken so far in this direction.
She said that there are many vacant plots in her Ward where labourers live and as these plots lack toilet facility, the labourers living there defecate in open.
“At some places these vacant plots do not have any boundary wall and adjoining residents throw garbage in such plots,” the Councillor said.
She also informed that there are water coolers for public use in the Ward and these are in good working condition.
“At Markari Mohalla locals have given a piece of land for school but presently building of that school has been given to Social Welfare Department for which there is resentment among locals of the Ward,” Randhawa claimed.
“Reports of thefts involving iron gratings from the drains have been reported from my Ward,” the Councillor claimed adding that many drug addicts and peddlers are active in the Ward for which the police should take cognizance.
Randhawa also said that some 5-6 High Mast Lights are needed in the Ward while erection of Ward entry gate is also a long pending demand of the locals there.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
