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| Panchayats operate from ruined buildings | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 22: The Panchayats may have started functioning in Jammu and Kashmir, but they are still operating from dilapidated buildings.
Elections were conducted last year for 4483 Panchayats, with a Sarpanch for each Panchayat Halqa, and 35029 Panchs in the state.
However, the Panchayat Ghars are in a bad shape, with authorities not making any efforts to renovate them. Majority of them lack proper infrastructure. People are made to sit on the floor due to non-availability of furniture. Besides, there are other issues including lack of toilets.
"There are no facilities in Panchayat Ghars. We are forced to operate from dilapidated buildings," a Panch from Pulwama said. "These buildings are in a bad shape. Government has failed to renovate them," he added.
Several Panchayat Ghars were set on fire by unknown persons last year.
Attack on Panchayat Ghars by unknown people had unnerved Panchs and Sarpanchs who have been demanding an improvement in situation. The Panchs said that government should have provided them all facilities besides creating a secure environment.
Quoting a letter, a Sarpanch from Baramulla said, "The government has written a letter to concerned authorities that the Panchayat Ghars of the state need to be kept neat and clean and under useable working conditions. It is impressed upon directed general Rural Development Department to issue immediate necessary instructions to the all ACDs and DPOs including BDOs to keep the Panchayats Ghars neat and clean and ready for functioning of Panchayat."
However, he said nothing such has been done. "The government has failed to keep maintenance and upkeep of these buildings. Government has also directed the officials to renovate buildings, which were set on fire. During last year, several Panchayat Ghars were set on fire. But many are still to be renovated," he said.
Earlier, the government had directed the officials concerned to ensure protection of Panchayat Ghars or face action.
The government had directed all Block Development Offices of the RDD to ensure that the field functionaries maintain their headquarters in Panchayat Ghars of their respective halqas.
"Besides, the land donors who have donated the land for construction of these Panchayat Ghars/CFCs and come under the purview of SRO 520 shall be responsible for watch and ward of these Panchayat Ghars/CFCs," the Sarpanch quoted from the letter. |
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