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| Clogged drains put question mark on development claims, says Munish | | Shivaji Chowk, Guru Nanak Nagar residents stage protest against official apathy | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 22: Editor Early Times, Munish Gupta, on Saturday said that residents and shopkeepers of main market in Shivaji Chowk Guru Nanak Nagar staging protests against the clogged drains and unhygienic conditions prevalent in the area have put a big question mark over the tall claims about development being a priority.
Munish, who would be contesting the forthcoming assembly elections from Gandhi Nagar constituency as an independent candidate, expressed dismay over the filthy drain water seeping into the shops and residential houses. “The administration of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir should take a serious note of the problems being faced by the people,” he said.
Munish urged the helmsmen to put their act together and address the basic civic issues of the people. “The common people cannot be left to fend for themselves,” he added.
The Editor Early Times exuded hope that the administration will take a note of the problems being faced by the Shivaji Chowk, Guru Nanak Nagar shopkeepers residents and come for their rescue. Meanwhile, the residents as well as the shopkeepers of main market Shivaji Chowk, Guru Nanak Nagar said that they have been facing huge problems due to overflowing, blocked drain, which passes through the entire market as the most part of the drain has been encroached.
They even staged a protest in the main market against authorities for not taking this issue seriously due to which the shopkeepers have been facing huge difficulty as water overflows from drain at many points which enters into their shops.
“The drainage system has not been working properly due to heavy silt in it, which has never been cleaned by the authorities. Moreover the most part of the drain from Shivaji Chowk to Shiv Mandir has been encroached upon by the local shopkeepers,” said Sham Dutta, local resident and Chairman Good Morning Welfare Organisation Nanak Nagar. Sanjay Gandotra, the local resident, while talking to Early Times said that the drain was constructed around 20 years ago but with the increasing population in area, there was dire need of its widening, which has not been done till date despite number of representations to the concerned department.
“First time we gave representation to Commissioner JMC on 28-12-2018 demanding construction of drain and for that we also submitted the consent letter of all shopkeepers but nothing was done. Later, we lodged an online complaint at Lieutenant Governor Grievance Cell on 23-12-2019. After which, Superintending Engineer Sewerage and Drainage Circle Jammu made a detailed estimate of construction of deep drain from Shivaji Chowk to Shiv Mandir amounting Rs 31.87 lakhs and sent it to JMC Commissioner for approval but till date no action has been taken for its approval,” said Sanjay Gandotra.
Other residents, including Vishal Gandotra, Tara Dyer, Sourabh Gupta and Balwant Gupta alleged that the concerned department has been adopting delaying tactics due to which problem of drainage system remaining blocked has aggravated.
“Rajasthani Sweet Shop, Mahakali Medicos and Swiss Aircon are the most affected shops due to blocked drainage system as the water has been seeping into their foundations as well as the nearby houses,” they said further adding that they also met the local corporator, and highlighted the problem, but he expressed his helplessness due to non availability of funds.
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