Sir,
The most irresponsible and in-efficient government in place! We, the Jammu city people are deprived of the most essential and basic amenities of life, as we have been reeling under acute power and water crisis for the last one and a half month. Any number of protests, dharnas and strikes by the suffering people fall flat on the concerned authorities. They have turned stone deaf and blind to the sensitivities of “Aam Admi”. People are left to confront the harsh vagary of weather viz. smouldering heat, without power and water. It can be anybody’s guess to imagine the condition of old, diseased, infirm and children not getting the basic essential amenities of life. Weather god perhaps, mistakenly provided a little respite to the people just for a couple of days , but has again come to the help of the insensitive authorities, by bringing them(people) back to squire one. Main reason for the wholesome crisis is that corruption and nepotism have reached the zenith. Affluent and influential people, by paying hefty amounts as bribe/taking advantage of closeness with the concerned officials, manage illegal electric connections with the result that the electricity so consumed goes unaccounted for, consequently overloading the supply system to an unbearable extent and snapping of the supply. It is believed that illegal consumption of electricity is much more than the legal. Similarly illegal water connections cause immense trouble to those who value morals and desist from paying bribes and invoking influence. Failure of the authorities to check the menace of theft, owing to obvious reasons, has its worst impact on the general masses. Instead of curbing the thefts by adopting harsh means and methods, people are asked to use water and electricity judiciously. One fails to understand what is to be used judiciously, when both these essentials are not supplied even to the bare minimum. One more usual reason for short supply of power is that on the pretexts (true or false, one does’nt know? ) of slight winds,( not to speak of storms), technical snags, faults, branch cuttings and carrying out of routine repairs and maintenance etc., no time is taken to snap the supply. Water supply naturally has the worst impact. We the people in Talab Tillo area have not been getting water supply continuously for the last several days for the reasons best known to the managers concerned. Even if supply is made, it is most irregular and quite meagre to suffice the peoples’ minimum need. This is the second time in last fortnight that such situation has occurred. No body in the governance area is bothered about the pangs through which people are made to undergo in the scorching hot season. No contingency plans, to overcome unseen happenings causing short/no supply of water and electricity seem to be in place, although tonnes and tonnes of money are believed spent on the pretext of these. Only eleventh hour measures are resorted to, which have reverse impact.
It was heartening to learn that a few days back the chief minister, on coming to know about the peoples’ hardships, had ordered minimum hinderance in the supply of power to Jammu, but that too has not been adhered to. Surprisingly the power crisis has worsened after that. We now have one/two hourly power cuts. What a travesty!
Yours etc….
AN Zutshi
Talab Tillo Jammu
Attack on Panchs and Sarpanchs
Sir,
In view of the recent attacks on Panches and Sarpanches in the Kashmir valley, it becomes obligatory on the part of the law enforcing agencies to provide security to them. In case it does not, the Sarpanchs, Panches will feel a sense of insecurity and may prefer to remain in hibernation. This may encourage the attackers and they will not all Panchayat process to flourish in the State. It will be a set back to Panchayat Raj system in the state for which elections were held sometime back and in which a large number of people participated. The Panchayati Raj ushered in a new era in strengthening democratic process, and empowering people at grass root level.
The people who are responsible for intimidating Sarpanchs and Panchs should be identified and dealt according to the law of land. Besides, adequate security should be provided to these elected members to instil in them a sense of security.
Yours etc…..
Gulzar Ahmed Malik
Shopian (Kashmir)
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