Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 28: Though more than four years of the mandatory tenure of five for the elected Urban Local Body of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) have passed, yet many areas of Ward Number 40 of JMC suffer damages in rainy season after water from the flooded Nallahs there enter residential houses, and this tragedy visits the area every year.
Giving more details about this, Neelam Nargotra, the elected Councillor of the Ward informed that there are four Nallahs in her Ward which overflow in rainy season causing floods and the water enters residential houses in Teerath Nagar, Kabir Nagar, Durga Nagar and Jawahar Nagar areas of her Ward.
In an exclusive interaction with the Excelsior, Neelam, who politically belongs to BJP and is a first time Councillor informed that areas of her Ward include Jawahar Nagar, Priyadarshni Lane, Shiv Nagar, Bharat Nagar, Shankar Vihar, Vishal Nagar, Bank Colony, Vijay Nagar, Kabir Nagar, Tirath Nagar, Durga Nagar and Basant Vihar.
She informed that about 70 per cent blacktopping work has been completed in her Ward while construction and repair of lanes and drains is also nearly 70 per cent over.
“The remaining work is only there due to the scarcity of funds,” she said adding that old water supply pipes in the Ward need replacement as with time these pipes have been damaged and have developed leaks at some places but this replacement of pipes also suffered due to scarcity of funds.
She informed that there is no pond, no park, no parking place for vehicles, no public toilet and no playground in her Ward.
On cleanliness and sanitation in the Ward, Councillor Nargotra said: “My Ward has been provided with 26 Safai Karamcharis but there is a need for 40. Owing to this shortage of manpower, cleanliness in the Ward is not satisfactorily.”
She said that there is one Crematorium in the Ward which is properly developed with all facilities while there are four Community Halls among which Rs. 80 lakh work was done on Ravi Dass Mandir Community Hall and Rs. 12 lakh work was done at Guru Nabha Dass Sabha Community Hall.
Neelam further said that sewerage work has not yet started in her Ward while fogging has been done there only once and that too not in a proper manner.
The JMC Councillor said that there is lot of resentment in the Ward regarding installation of Smart Meters as these Meters are giving hefty bills to poor people while there was no such problem earlier.
She further said that autos moving from door-to-door to collect domestic garbage are doing a good job and have played a good role in reducing number of garbage dumps in the area.
Nargotra expressed serious concern over the presence of stray dogs in her Ward.
“These canines not only litter here and there and chase two wheelers but have also created a wave of panic among the children, women and old age peoples,” she said.
The JMC Councillor said that many drug addicts and peddlers are very much active in her Ward and the police must take a cognizance of this to save the youth from ending their lives in this wrong world.
“There are hanging wires and damaged poles at many places in the Ward for which the concerned authorities have taken no corrective measure which is a direct fallout of the ongoing official red tape prevailing in the government offices of J&K,” she claimed adding: “Before some tragedy is caused in the area due to these hanging wires and damaged poles, the concerned authorities should take a note of this and must do the needful.”
The Councillor also said that many theft cases involving stealing of iron gratings from the drains have taken place in her Ward.
She said that there are some water coolers installed in the Ward by JMC to which no water connections have been given so far and these coolers are lying in the area for some years just like showpiece.
Nargotra informed that almost all the eligible people in her Ward have got COVID-19 vaccination and all the eligible Voters have made their Voter Cards.
“Almost all people in the Ward have made Ayushman and Aadhar Cards along with Domicile Certificates,” the JMC Councillor informed.
She said that presently many widows, old age people and Physically Challenged people are facing problems in getting pension as the concerned authorities have made a rule that only Below Poverty Line people are eligible for these pensions.
Meanwhile, some residents of the Ward have complained that the Councillor always took their grievances non-seriously due to which many issues remained unresolved.
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