 S Tahir-ul Haq
Early Times Report
KUPWARA, July 1: The Digital India slogan seems good on papers only, whereas the practical work has not been implemented yet, the residents of Chatwan and Behak Saba villages of Kupwara district are without basic facilities like roads, electricity and mobile communication in the 21st century. ‘Unfortunate part of the story is that far flung villages like Manigah and its adjacent areas are without basic facilities in the 21st century when other countries set their foot on the moon, said locals. Locals of Behak saba said that, In 2016, the foundation stone for a project at the cost of Rs 6, 55.56 lakh was laid down by the then MLA and minister for Rural Development Department and Law and Justice, which is still pending as it was.
Another local resident, Riyaz Ahmad said that the roads and culverts were supposed to be constructed under the scheme of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) by the Roads and Building (R&B) Department, but nothing has been done till date.
In the 21st century there is no electricity supply in Chatwan, Sabaya and Behak Sabya villages, due to which the area is reeling under darkness due to the callous attitude of the departments concerned, a local said.
However it is learnt that the High Transmission (HT) lines were fixed to some meters only and that was also left incomplete, but the Low Transmission (LT) lines were never laid in these two villages. Our school children, old aged people and patients have always suffered due to the lack of good roads, there are hundreds of problems that we are facing on a daily basis, locals informed.
Riyaz Ahmad told Early Times that, recently he had registered a grievance in LG office, after which some officials of the PDD visited the area, but after that nothing has been done.
A letter was dispatched to the Executive Engineer R&B Division Kupwara, and the Executive Engineer, PDD Kupwara by Joint Director Planning, Kupwara.
A representation was made by the residents of Sabaya, Chatwan and Behak Saba, “this office in receipt of representation from the residents of Sbaya Chatwan and Behak Saba regarding electricity, road and other issues. The contents of which are self explanatory, reads a letter.
It said that, in this backdrop, I am directed to request you to look into the matter and report to this office within a week’s time positively.
Residents of the two above-mentioned villages made a representation before the Deputy Commissioner Kupwara wherein the locals of these two villages mentioned the continents as, a strict action against R&B department for showing non compliance of direction as we are in 21st century without roads, electricity and mobile communication.
The documents said that, “it is submitted that we the residents of Chatwan Sabaya are without electricity, roads, mobile communication though NABARD a road of estimated cost of Rs 6.55.56 crore but on ground level only three lacks was utilized and remain held.”
“Electric poles, wires were given but they are lying on roads, similar situation on mobile network system”, reads an application that was submitted by the residents of Sabaya Chatwan. |
