Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Sept 26: For the first time since the unrest began in the Valley on July 8, the Civil Secretariat on Monday witnessed a huge rush of people.
SSP, Civil secretariat, Ajaz Ahmad told Early Times, "Right now I am not able to give the exact number, but yes we witnessed huge rush of visitors during the day."
This reporter found men in large numbers waiting outside the chambers of ministers to get their problems redressed. "Ministers, secretaries and other authorities were seen entertaining everybody and gave a patient hearing to their demands," sources told Early Times.
There was hardly any restriction on entry of people into the chambers.
"I came here from Ganderbal to meet the Secretary, Tourism, for getting my file signed. This is my sixth visit since the unrest began in the Valley. I hope that at least this time my long pending issues will be redressed," said Shabir Ahmad.
A Secretariat employee, wishing anonymity, said that work was adversely affected in the past nearly three months due to the unrest in the Valley as the officers rarely visited their offices and the files piled up at their tables waiting for approval.
The security officials also maintained that it is for the first time during the current unrest that they saw a huge rush of public at the Secretariat. "The corridors at the Secretariat were wearing a deserted look in the past three months, but it seems to be changed now," they said.
Top officials said that their efforts were on to deal with the problems of the general people. "We are here to meet people and resolve their problems," they said.
"We are in queue since morning," said Habib-ullah of Handwara area of north Kashmir. "I have to meet a minister," he said.
Habibullah was not alone. There were many waiting for their turn to enter the Civil Secretariat.
Many people, especially youth, preferred not to disclose their purpose of visit.
As they were allowed to entire inside the Civil Secretariat, they were spotted waiting outside the chambers of concerned ministers.
Incidentally, a good number of ministers were present in the Secretariat owing to the fact that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has directed them to remain present in Secretariat on working days. |
