STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana on Sunday asked PDP-BJP Government to spell out measures taken to provide succour to flood sufferers which they had promised and made main plank during elections.
“The sufferers have neither been compensated nor any major initiative taken to restore infrastructure damaged due to floods and landslides”, Rana said while interacting with people during his extensive visit of the Nagrota Assembly Constituency, adding that the farmers are yet to be compensated for loss of crops in the wake of weather fury”.
Rana expressed anguish and dismay over stopping free rations to the sufferers and taking concrete step to provide succour to farming community. “The abject indifference towards farmers woes amounts insult to injury”, he said, adding that National Conference will raise these basic issues in every forum so as to get redressal.
Dwelling upon dilapidated condition of various utility services, which were severely damaged by flash floods and incessant rains during the past few months, the Provincial President said these remain generally unattended despite the hype created by the Coalition Government during elections. He made a particular mention of the road network and damaged culverts and said the government has not been attending to very basics, least to speak of initiating further development. He said the condition of pumping stations is worse due to which the farming community was suffering immensely on account of irrigation to their land holdings. Similarly, hand pumps and water pipes remain disrupted as a result of which drinking water facility has been badly hit, he added.
Rana also referred to erratic power supply and said this is going to be acute in ensuing months when mercury will further rise. “The government cannot stand as a mute spectator”, he said while urging the administration to make all necessary arrangements in terms of procuring more power and keeping transformers standby for replacement. He also stressed the need for improving road network by taking up renovation and restoration on war footing.
The Provincial President also stressed the need for adopting a futuristic plan to tackle the flood problem by constructing protection bunds in vulnerable areas ahead of monsoon.
Responding to the issues raised by people, Rana said the Coalition Government has miserably failed in satiating their urges and aspirations.
“People want development to get precedence over politics”, he said adding that since the electoral phase was over the government should now concentrate on governance and mitigate the problems of the people which were accumulating with each passing day.
