MT News Service
Jammu, August 26:
A team of senior Congress leaders led by former Minister & Vice President PCC Raman Bhalla Chief Spokesperson JKPCC Ravinder Sharma DCC President Yogesh Sawhney, Former Minister Manooar Lal Sharma, DCC General Secretary Urban Vijay Singh Chib, jitender Singh Chib, Block President Amrit Bali, Corportor Pritam Singh, Sarpanch Shamsher, Pawan Bhagat, Dilawar Singh Makhan, Puran Chand, Babbi Sharma Kewal Krishan, Latish Sharma, Diwan Chand, Aditya Gupta, Aman Bawa, Ashu Mehra, Sukhdev Singh, Surinder Singh Dutt,Pras Ram Harvinder Kour Panch, Gagan Bral beside others today visited rain affected areas of Gandhi Nagar constituency including Dharap, Bhour Pind, Bhour Kothey, Rohi Morh, Nanak Nagar, Kalika Colony, Bahu Fort, Preet Nagar, Qasim Nagar, Rajiv Nagar, Dilli, Langar and took stock of prevailing situation arising out of heavy rains and the problems being faced by the people of these areas.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla expressed shock over collapse of strategic bridge at Dharap connecting more than 28 villages and also linking several roads upto RS Pura. He said the bridge was constructed in 2014 costing nearly 2 crores keeping in view the movement of BSF and CRPF to Shergarh .He said that on several occasions, it was brought into kind notice of concerned authorities that the land by the pillars skidding away with every rain and that there is an urgent need for crate and protection wall to save this bridge but nothing was done in this regard ant the callousness on part of Govt resulted in collapse of this bridge today affecting lacks of families besides fabricated structures of Gujjar community residing nearby and loss of cattle also which got washed away in heavy rain. Similarly due to no protection wall on Nallahas in Bhour Pind and Bhour Kothey, rain water enterd into residential houses causing serious loss to properties and other things. In addition to this cremation ground got fully submerged in rain water besidfes rain water extremely damaged school building here where a family uprooted from airport area lived damaged her valuable belongings making her weep bitterly before the former Minister.. In kalika colony, rain water due to no protection on Nallahas damaged several residential housesand also brought serious loss to property at Bahu Fort low lying areas. Same was the situation in Dilli area also where people suffered huge loss to property due to excessive rain.
Expressing serious concern over the situation arising out of today’s rain in various localities of Gandhi Nagar constituency, Bhalla said that the government must take the plight of people seriously, in view of heavy losses suffered by the people of these areas. He alleged that the Govt. failed to take lessons from the Sep. 2014 rains and floods and did not undertake the required dredging of nallahas for free flow of water and construction, repairs and maintenance of embankments to minimize the loss and damage to the properties and people. He said that the Congress party is very much concerned about the prevailing situation and the safety of the people. He assured the people that party will leave no stone unturned in highlighting the problems of people and extending all sort of help to affected people of these areas.Urging upon the authorities Bhalla said that there is need for taking immediate measures for the safety of the people of these areas and demanded construction of embankments and dredging of the Nallahs passing through these localities in order to ensure free flow of water. He said the government and the concerned agencies must be geared up for undertaking these measures on war footing.Bhalla demanded that loss of household goods and damage of houses of these areas be assessed immediately in order to provide them relief and compensation.
Bhalla said following continuous rain since last night, roads in city and in the outskirts have turned into pools due to the poor drainage system and slackness of concerned officials.The rainfall has exposed the tall claims of Jammu Municipal Corporation as many areas in the city and outskirts had to face severe problem of water logging.The downpour has thrown normal life out of gear in the outskirts of the city and at the same time exposed the urgent need for an integrated sewerage system. With the rain damaging most of the roads in the area, water logging has become a common feature even in the newly constructed colonies.Even though the water recedes gradually after the rain stops, the garbage and mud left by it on the roads continue to remain for a long time causing inconvenience to people.
The problem of water logging arises every year and the concerned authorities do nothing except giving hollow assurances.The downpour which has been continuing since last night, has thrown normal life completely out of gear in Marble Market, the whole area and major crossings were inundated in water. The rain shower has exposed JMC’s preparedness in dealing with the situation. One can easily see the knee-deep water that has accumulated in the area due to which it becomes difficult to move out. The commuters, two-wheeler riders and motorists struggle hard to find their way from these inundated lanes and roads which present an awful scene of water logging.wonder why the authorities cannot make proper arrangements so that people can enjoy rain rather than feeling helpless and irritated, asked Bhalla.government has no concrete plan to sort out this issue even though the country is having high-tech technology in restoring the water logging problems. The recent announcement and the list prepare for Smart cities where Jammu and Srinagar cities have been named by the Central government has totally exposed the tall claims to the government who has already failed in sorting out the water logging problems in Jammu and Srinagar cities.the rain lashed out in the area, the people mainly shopkeeper have faced hardship due to the callous attitude of the JMC and others concerned agencies who have still fail in addressing the long pending issue in the area and there is a dire need of the hour to utilize high-tech technology so as to address the water logging problem in the area.
Former Minister after visiting several rain affected areas said that rainwater entered into houses and shops at different low lying areas due to flooding of streams, causing hardships to the people who were seen wading through the waters, he said.Bhalla expressed shock over killing of A 35-year-old nomad and four to five buffaloes after a cattle shed collapsed in Mendhar area of Poonch district during heavy rains that lashed Jammu and Kashmir early Wednesday, he said.He further said that a foot bridge also collapsed in adjoining Rajouri district while the 270-km long Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained blocked for the second straight day after a stretch of the highway was partially washed away in rains on Tuesday at Dalwas.He appealed govt to press into “Men and machinery into service for early restoration.Bhalla further said that it was just first heavy rain of the Monsoon season, which wrecked havoc in many city areas here, totally exposing the tall claims of the Jammu Municipal Corporation and UEED. Due to choked nallahs and drains, the water entered many localities including Krishna Nagar, Canal Road, Jewel Chowk, Talab Tillo, Janipur, Naseeb Nagar, Bhagwati Nagar, Nanak Nagar, Preet Nagar, Channi Rama, Pamposh Colony, Gangyal and parts of Shastri Nagar besides other areas, causing extensive damage to the public property. The rain water entered many houses and shops and damaged public property including electronic gadgets .
Several bikes and scooters parked in the lanes also got damaged and a few washed away. maintained that situation has exposed the lack of preparedness of the administration in tackling such situations. Despite having a master plan for Jammu in hand since long, there seems a lack of interest in government to implement it. Not even a single meeting of different agencies has so far been convened in this context. How can the objective of a better city achieved, when government seems to have no interest towards it.”He said nothing has happened in the name of development. BJP rememberS development during elections, and rest of the time it is forgotten. Look at the condition of roads. Today, it took me one hour to reach a place which was 15 minutes away from my home. Then they talk about tax payers’ money. Where is tax payers’ money going if not in development?”Recent rains lasting just an hour had inundated parts of the city of Jammu just because the choked drains could not support down flow of rain water. As a result water flowed into many residential houses causing them damage.It is a matter of much concern that the drains get choked owing to non clearance causing blockade to the flow of water. While there is the need of streamlining the drainage system in both cities, it is also important that people are educated not to throw litter and waste into the drains as blocked drains would cause harm to their houses and structures.
He said Govt should be conscious of the damage which blocked drains are liable to cause and as such the Government and should have taken necessary steps to improve the entire drainage system in the twin cities.
He regretted that Sewage Treatment Plant (STPs) in both Jammu and Srinagar were still incomplete. Regular de-silting was not done.
