Crime, drug addiction big problems
Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU: When it comes to crime and drug addiction, many pockets of Jammu Municipal Corporation’s (JMC) Ward Number-31, dominate many other places of the city.
Anyhow, the routine problems for which Jammu is well known for are also not absent in this Ward comprising of Puran Nagar, Garden Avenue, Rama Lane, Hari Nagar, UNO Lane, Vikas Lane, Friends Lane, Gole Pulli, Gole Colony, Sham Vihar and Bhawani Nagar areas.
Bansi-a vendor who sells pickles on his cycle informed that many youth in his Puran Nagar locality have fallen prey to drug addiction and under the influence of narcotics they often commit certain crimes.
Similar were the views of people from Gole and some other pockets in the Ward.
However, some houses near the bank of river Tawi had complaints of high tension wire going over their homes putting them under a high risk of life.
“Once one such wire fell near Yatri Nyas but luckily no damage was caused,” Bablu-another local said adding that in Puran Nagar area there are many hanging wires and tilted electric poles near residential area which are also dangerous to lives.
Sarita-a housewife said that Ward lacked place for garbage disposal, no dustbin, no container and people madly throw the garbage here and there while those who are throw it into canal or drains feel they have a good civic sense.
It is pertinent to mention here that Shri Amarnath Ji Yatri Nyas, Circuit House, Baba Sehaj Nath Ji temple, Directorate of Agriculture, Horticulture etc also fall in this Ward.
“There was a proposal to shift the traffic rush coming from fourth Tawi Bridge to Vikas Lane same is facing litigation by some people in Vikas Nagar resulting which the traffic now moves through narrow lanes creating problems of frequent traffic jams,” Dwarka Nath-an elder in the Ward informed.
However, problems in the posh localities like Rama Lane and UNO Lane were mainly related to cleaning of lanes and drains and there was a demand of plantation, the strip along canal for beautification.
A retired armyman-Shankar Singh said that sewerage network in the area mostly gets blocked which in turn gives rise to number of problems.
“The concerned authorities take at least 2-3 days to clear the blockage but by then litter spreads on road disturbing normal lives and making it tough to walk through such roads or lanes,” he maintained.
More people had complains regarding broken lanes and drains and sub-standard black-topping work on roads.
Yet, there is a hope in the eyes of these people as the recently concluded Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have given them a Corporator Sucha Singh on which residents of this Ward pin their hopes.
In an interaction with EXCELSIOR, Sucha Singh talked about his plans of reaching to solutions of his Ward problems.
“Soon the problems of the Ward will be no more there as I have already started working them,” informed Sucha Singh who is well known in his locality as ‘DC’.
He said that he will be meeting authorities in Power Development Department soon on low voltage in some pockets of his Ward and also with Public Health Engineering (PHE) on poor water supply in some other pockets of his Ward.
He further informed that on the menace of stray dogs he has already talked to the concerned wing in JMC while locals having cattle are instructed to keep their cattle in their premises so that they may not venture into streets creating problems.
On use of poly bags, Sucha Singh said that soon public will be made aware on the hazards of these bags and added that big companies too be needed to be acted against on the use of such bags.
On addiction among the youth, the Corporator said that police needs to maintain extra vigil in this regard and parents should too keep a close eye on the activities of their children.
He also said that soon he will form committees of volunteers to keep a check on addiction and youth falling into the trap of crime so that peace prevails in the Ward.
On the issue of lanes, drains and other issues, he said that all these including widow, old age and handicapped pensions apart from aadhar identity to all were his election promises which he will work hard to fulfill.
Sucha Singh said that soon street lights will also be given to the Ward for which he has initiated talks with the authorities concerned.
“Plantation along canal and road side are also part of my plans for the beautification of the Ward,” he said adding that there will be aware programmes to inform public about welfare schemes of the Government.
Sucha Singh won the ULB elections with a margin of 584 after defeating his nearest rival Som Raj of Congress who got 1410 votes against 1994 voted to Sucha.
The Corporator is a property dealer and contractor and his wife Manmeet Kour is a housewife while his son Samardeep Singh is a student of class 12th and daughter Kirandeep Kour is also in the same class.
He spent Rs 1.94 lakh on elections and has good relations with other Corporators.
He expects all the cooperation from his public and Government to improve conditions in the Ward.
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