Jammu Smart City Project, Swach Bharat Abhiyan fall flat when it comes to development, cleanness
Mohd Irfan
The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is there by the corporate body of Jammu which consists of about 75 wards if I am not wrong. Prior it was 71 wards and now presently it is 75 wards which consist of respective councillors of the respective municipal wards.
Tried to give a background of the JMC. But now, the tenure of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor as well and councillors has ended. Powers now vested with the JMC Commissioner. Now, what I want to highlight in this story in regards to the open drain outside the Chisty Manzil in Lakkad Mandi which has become the cause of concern for the Chisty Manzil in particular and inhabitants in general.
Along with the open drain, there is a double whammy for the Chisty Manzil residents which is the garbage being thrown by the inhabitants which has left the residents of the Chisty Manzil in a distressing situation coupled with they rued, open drain has become make their life miserable.
As in every municipal ward, there is a respective councillor whose duty is that ensure the Cleanliness of their wards coupled with also redress the grievances of the masses who have elected them.
But this open drain left the resident of Chisty Manzil fuming and they expressed their inability and helplessness that this open drain was not being covered meaning there by work not being done by the authorities who are required to do the same.
Owner of the Chisty Manzil rued that for past fifteen years, they have resided here but it’s a sordid saga that concerned authorities miserably failed to cover the drain resultant which aggravated our hardships. We could not able to stand for a minute reason the foul smell emanating from the drain coupled with garbage being thrown by the inhabitants of the area.
“The infamous slogan Swach Bharat Abhiyan has no takers in Lakkad Mandi”, the owner of Chisty Manzil regretted adding, that it is intriguing and baffling aspect why the authorities paid Nelson’s eye towards this open drain which has become a nuisance. We urge the authorities to do the needful in this regard at the earliest so that we heave of sigh of relief from the nuisance and mounds of garbage which is stinking. Sooner the authorities act, the better it would be.”
Now, it has to be seen how much time the authorities will take to cover the open drain, this is a million-dollar question that begs an answer. “Every Municipal councilor get the funds for his wards ” One of the local rued adding, for the maintenance of his Wards but didn’t understand as to why this open drain work was not done when the drain from the inception of the Lakkad mandi covered only the drain outside the Chisty Manzil not being covered.
This raises several questions as to what stopped the authorities from covering the drain. What is the fault of the locality meaning by the owner of the house that the work of the drain was left unattended? If any fault then the same should be share. Without citing any reason this raises eyebrows or you can say fingers on the authorities concerned? Sometimes keeping silent brought under severe criticism the authorities who have been under bounded duty to discharge the work which has been cast upon their shoulders.
When asked Ex Councillor Subash Gupta about the inordinate delay in covering the drain, he divulged that the file of this project meaning there by of this drain has been pending before the Secretariat since January 2023, due to which there is no headway in this project rather project of has drain is in limbo”, he added.
On being asked Whether any time frame can be given of this drain when will be completed, To this query Councillor Subash lamented that he could not able to specify the time frame within which the drain would be completed and was quick to add that if I give the time frame of the covering of drain then under that period work will not be completed then you would question so better would be to tell the reality meaning there by the truth”, maintained.
He (Subash) Councillor reiterated that he had sent the plan before the government but there has been a delay on their part resulting in all happened that the work on this drain not being completed. Even there are three drains on which work required to be done namely the one you quoted of the Lakkad Mandi, second Bhawani Nagar, and third one is of Kheer Bhawani which required about an amount of 3 crore”, he divulged but expressing his helplessness and inability to complete the project in time at the hands of the higher officials.
