S Tahir-ul Haq
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, July 27: Scores of people living under Below Poverty Line category in urban and rural areas have complained that they lack toilets facilities, as they were either not added in the list or the payment was not released yet due to which the work was stopped by department concerned. The Centre launched flagship scheme Swatch Bharat Mission (SBM) in many rural areas under which BPL category people are provided help to construct Toilets with flush point in their homes. "We were told to construct flush point at our homes, but after completion of it the government has not paid any amount to us," said Mohammad Subhan of Tangmarg area. Other poor people of the area said they constructed the flush points by borrowing material from the market, but only half of the expenditure incurred was paid to some people. They said that most of the houses which lacked toilet facilities were excluded from the list for unknown reasons. "From past three weeks, we have made many rounds of the municipal department, but they are repeatedly saying that the director ULBK has assured the concerned officials that payment will be released very soon," the locals said. Janna Begum, a widow, said that in June, "I was told to bring photograph, bank account details, etc. so that they can enlist my name, but nothing was done later." There are hundreds of poor families who are either living in tin sheds or have made temporary mud houses and have no other option except to attend the nature's call in the open. |
