Mir Iqbal
Just like other constituencies, Noorabad-the only constituency represented by ruling National Conference in South Kashmir too cries for improvement in basic facilities like health, road connectivity, education, ration, pure drinking water, electricity and developmental works.
The constituency represented by Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo, is known for its famous Aharbal waterfall has nothing to boast on development except its name.
Major roads leading to this constituency are in dilapidated condition as the MLA has focused on some selected roads and left the others in dilapidated conditions, locals say.
The inhabitants told EXCELSIOR that from Nehama town to tourist place Aharbal, the main road has not been repaired at Manzgam, Chogalpora and Khur Batpora for last six years due to which locals as well as tourists have to face tremendous hardships while travelling on this road.
Most of the roads connecting important villages with main town Damhal Hanjipora including Danew, Chemar, Nandimarg, Ahmadabad, Khasbe Khul, D. K. Marg, Khurbatpora, Mirwani, Khudhanjipora and other dozens of other link roads are in bad condition.
“The roads in our area are in complete shambles and even a small down pour inundates roads and these turn muddy during incessant rains thereby making the movement of vehicles and pedestrians difficult,” the residents told EXCELSIOR.
The locals held their MLA responsible for bad condition of some selected roads in the constituency, adding their crops are damaged due to the dust blown from these unattended roads.
Since a good number of people are associated with transport business but due to bad roads, “our vehicles suffer extensive damage every year,” the local transporters and drivers said adding that they have been neglected despite repeated pleas to Government.
Although, parts of the constituency witnessed some sort of development like construction of drains, pavements, lanes and health centre buildings, but people continue to suffer due to absence of effective governance.
Questioning the role of MLA in carrying out developmental activity, the inhabitants said Noorabad is one of the most victimized constituencies on development front among other three Assembly seats in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Manzgam residents said that it appears to be the victim of Government apathy and inefficiency of local representative as they lack basic amenities including healthcare, drinking water, electricity, education, road connectivity and other major developments projects.
“We have been discriminated by our MLA for last more than five and half years on every front, now the State Assembly elections are round the corner and she started giving assurances that once voted again to power all the genuine issues of locals would be resolved,” the inhabitants said, adding, they have been deceived by local leaders every time.
The inhabitants said that works done under MGNREGA program has benefitted some influential families, while as most needed area were left out. They alleged MGNREGA bills of NC workers are passed and money is disbursed immediately in Block Development Office. And those people who have no links with NC are harassed on one or the other pretext.
“MGNREGA works have been hijacked by the contractors for their personal benefits who receive work orders together with their political leaders. “If at all any work has been done in any village under MGNREGA scheme, sub standard material was used for construction of drains, streets and bunds,” Rayees Ahmad Rather, a local resident of Damhal said.
The electric supply in the area, villagers complained, is erratic and people are fed up with unscheduled power cuts. “There is no proper schedule for electricity supply and at the most we get only few hours of electricity a day while at times the villages reel under darkness for day’s altogether and authorities remain unmoved,” the inhabitants said.
They further said that the electric wires are fraught with danger and can lead to a mishap. These wires are passing through windows and rooftops of the houses as the Power Development Department (PDD) has not even erected electric poles at many villages.
The villagers have also complained that some areas remain plunged into darkness for months after any minor damage to the transformer. “Voltage remains so low that at times only a filament of a bulb is visible,” they said.
Manzoor Ahmad, a resident of Manzgam, said that they approached Sakina Itoo many times and requested her for addressing their demands and her assurances proved hoax.
Ahmad said when the villagers raised the issues of electricity, Ration and other important development works of the village with the MLA, she refused to help them saying that the village voted against her party.
The locals complained that some people close to MLA have Below Poverty Line (BPL) despite working in Government departments, while as “genuine” BPL families have APL cards.
Idrees Ahmad, a local resident of Wattoo, said that hundreds of families are not provided ration at Government depots because they weren’t given ration cards till date, while families having close proximity with MLA are sanctioned more than two ration cards each.
“Ration cards meant for economically poor families under Antadaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme have been distributed among economically well off people,” Wani alleged.
The inhabitants also accused the Public Health Engineering Department of providing contaminated water to them. They said the water supplied to the villagers is highly contaminated as the Government has failed to construct a filtration plant in the area.
“The Nandimarg water supply has become totally defunct in winters due to which many villages are facing water crisis,” said the villagers. They said the PHE Department has laid the pipes over ground and as the winter approaches they get frozen.
“Women folk have to walk several miles to fetch water from streams in chilly winter and we then consume this filthy water,” said the villagers. The locals said that their MLA has never paid heed to their repeated requests that they are forced to drink contaminated water.
The MLA has failed to come to the expectations of people even on completing the construction of hospital building at Damhal, Tehsil building, PHE building, ITI at Manzgam, development of infrastructure in dozens of upgraded schools and repairing of street lights in Manzgam.
Dozens of residents of Manzgam, Damhal Hanjipora and Khul whom EXCELSIOR talked to alleged the politico-mafia nexus was ruling the roost in the area and whosoever raised genuine voice against them have been labeled anti-social elements and then harassed on one or the other pretext.
“You visit police station Damhal and ask them to provide the details of cases registered in last 5 years against people,” they said, adding, you would be surprised to notice that 90 percent of the cases are registered against those people who have tried to raise voice against favoritism, corruption and nepotism in the area.
The locals said they are fed up with the false promises of these leaders, particularly their MLA, as she has only benefitted her own people, while rest of the population was left high and dry.
Locals alleged that for fulfilling genuine demands of the locals Itoo insists for swearing on holy Quran to vote for NC. The visibly angry residents said that they had much expectation with her after NC gave her Social Welfare Minister’s portfolio. But her style of working has disappointed the people in Noorabad constituency.
“The basic necessities are even given to the people during Governor Rule,” they said, adding, they were expecting major projects like construction of power project at Aharbal after its foundation stone was laid during PDP and Congress coalition rule, much needed Reshnagri-Wattoo Bridge, Manzgam-Mandguri Irrigation canal, Noorabad Irrigation canal (extension), Grumtoo canal, Gondola from Aharbal to Kungwatan and a much awaited construction of road from Nandimarg to Gool Gulabgud.
Zahoor Ahmad Dar, a local contractor of the area said had the MLA taken development of Aharbal tourists place seriously like other tourist places in the State it would have generated employment for local youth.
“If we compare the development work of present MLA with that of earlier one, only 10 percent of work has been completed for last six years,” Dar said. He said the Government has demarcated 147 Kanals of land under Aharbal Development Authority (ADA) and a compensation of Rs two crore is lying with J&K Bank, Nehama for last two years and it has not been given to the landholders.
NC MLA and Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo said that she worked hard to develop Noorabad area as much possible, which “is visible on ground”.
“Apart from providing basic necessities to the people of my constituency, I took revolutionary steps in my tenure to develop Noorabad constituency a model constituency,” she said.
When asked that most of the roads in her constituency are in dilapidated condition, she said her government has maintained almost all the major roads except few and the work was going on to macadamize them too. “I gave road connectivity to 136 villages in my area despite some of the villages’ affiliation with other political parties,” she said.
Social Welfare Minister also said that she brought “historic changes” in her constituency by establishing a Government Degree College, Sub-division status and construction of a Sub-divisional hospital with modern lines at Damhal Hanjipora. “I fulfilled some demands of people pending for last 40 years, which no other MLA did,” Itoo said.
Itoo also said that some important developmental projects had been left unattended after her father, late Wali Mohammad Itoo’s, tenure who had also represented Noorabad constituency in mid 1990’s.
“Ye PDP wale ande hai, inko ground level per mera kaam nahi dikhta hai. (These PDP people are blind, they don’t see my work from last five years on ground level), Sakina said, adding, PDP workers of her constituency sit on shops throughout the day to spread false propaganda about her and NC. “The same people might have met you also, who told you about all these issues,” she said.
Regarding development of tourist place Aharbal, Itoo said she has spent a good amount on its development like development of parks, bus stand etc.
When asked that there was a proposal for Gondola, the MLA said it needs foreign experts to survey the area, who then submits the report, whether Gondola would be successful or not. “Mufti Sayeed represented Pahalgam constituency, he can’t lay a Gondola there, how do you expect it in lesser known places like Aharbal,” she said.
Itoo also said that she has not harassed anybody in her area on party basis. “I am in touch with my constituency people, whosoever, approached me I welcomed them and there is no question of harassment,” she said.
Terming the MGNREGA works business of Panchayat members and Block Development Officers, Itoo said an MLA has nothing to do with MGNREGA funds, as these funds and works are looked after by district administration.
The PDP supporters see nothing related to development in my area. They spread lies in the market against me,” Sakina said.
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