Says system needs complete revamp
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Aug 25: Continuing his outreach to people in his Assembly constituency, J&K Apni Party chief and former Minister Altaf Bukhari today stated that nothing significant has been accomplished in the last seven years to address the issues faced by people, highlighting the need for a complete system overhaul.
Speaking to the media after canvassing in Rawalpora, which is part of the Chanapora constituency, Bukhari said that his interactions with people revealed ongoing struggles with day-to-day issues and a strong desire for these problems to be resolved through an elected Government.
“After several years, I am back in this area. These are the people who elected me in 2014. During the three years I held office, we addressed nearly 90 percent of the issues, whether it was drainage, better roads, or electricity; we set things right,” he said.
However, Bukhari emphasized that the progress made during those three years does not mean there aren’t still issues requiring immediate attention.
“Conditions have deteriorated, especially after our three-year tenure ended; nothing has been done for the people in the last seven years. I see that people want their day-to-day issues resolved, particularly the issue of unemployment, which adds to the hardships of the youth,” he said.
Hoping that an elected Government would address people’s concerns in line with their aspirations, Bukhari noted a “disconnect” between the current Governor’s rule and the people on the ground.
“As I have fulfilled my promises before, I will do the same in the future. We will provide the necessary assistance to poor families. We are also committed to granting a general amnesty to the youth; some people made mistakes years ago, yet they are still being summoned to police stations. With this amnesty, they will have relief-they will get their passports, and police will stop summoning them. Police verifications will be eased,” he said.
“There is a need to revamp the system. I used to think there was less work to be done in Srinagar, but when we reach out to people, we see that in the last seven years, nothing has been done. I promise the people that we will deliver,” he said.
Regarding the issue of high monthly power bills, Bukhari pledged to provide relief as well.
“We have seen the administration waive interest for big industrialists; the same can be done for people with meager monthly incomes who cannot pay large bills,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for a “clean slate” for poor people and those living below the poverty line, proposing that they be provided with 300 free units of electricity, which would make life easier for them.
Bukhari also addressed the shortage of drinking water, noting that while the population has increased, the supply infrastructure has not kept pace. During canvassing, he urged people to vote for the Apni Party to have their issues resolved.
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