MT News Service
Jammu, June 13:
In a recent press release, DCC Jammu Urban laid down various demands in front of the UT administration of Jammu and Kashmir in a bid for raising local issues that the people of Jammu are encountering on a daily basis.
Former Minister Yogesh Sawhney, General Secretary JKPCC In Charge District President Jammu Urban, spoke on behalf of DCC and underlined these demands “concerning local problems that the government has failed to address”. In view of the continuing lockdown, he stated, people have incurred financial losses and have endured other kinds of complications, and amidst all of this, they need certain kinds of remedies and compensations in the form of government help.
DCC Jammu’s first demand is that the administration waives off electricity bills for the worst-hit people for the last six months. If they can’t be waived then minimum charges should be levied, stated Sawhney.
Businessmen, hoteliers, shopkeepers, and transporters, in particular, have been affected by the shutdown of their businesses.
Usage of water and electricity in these cases is a bare minimum. Secondly, water bills should be excused, especially for hoteliers etc in Katra and Jammu where there has been bare utilisation since last few months due to the lockdown. Thus the DCC demanded that the aforementioned people and others in a similar condition should be excused from payments of heavy electricity and water bills, until the return of normalcy in the UT. Any kind of government help in this matter would be welcome.
Sawhney also pleaded to the administration to direct their attention towards helping transporters, or other people affected adversely by the lockdown, who have taken loans from various banks. No commercial vehicles have been in service, for the last three months. Thus, it is required that the administration excuses these transporters from the payment of interests and instalments of their loans for the last six months. Sawhney also highlighted that many of the people involved in the transportation business like conductors and drivers have been suffering from a lack of basic necessities like food. Another demand for direct cash transfers and monetary help for the poor was also made by the DCC.
Another situation that the DCC highlighted was the problem of parking in the City area in Jammu. After the release of official notification regarding parking, people have been charged with heavy penalties for parking near their houses. “The traffic police is simply putting penalty stickers on the vehicles, without any sort of warning.”, spoke Sawhney. The DCC JAMMU appeals to the administration to stop this kind of harassment and instead take steps to resolve the issue. First, identify regions where parking can be allowed for the people of City, provide alternate parking and before charging such high penalties, firstly give out warnings for wrong parking.”, demanded Sawhney. Emphasizing that these businessmen, shopkeepers and other residents might already be suffering the backlash of the lockdown, Sawhney said that they shouldn’t be expected to pay such high amounts.
Finally, Sawhney appealed to the administration on behalf of DCC Jammu Urban to allow the opening of places of worship and religious places of all communities. Preparations have been and can be made for following social distancing norms. “If malls and other shops, such as wine shops can open, there is no harm in opening religious places, provided basic health advisories are adhered to,” added Sawhney.
