STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Hitting out at the ruling PDP-BJP government in the State, Congress on Sunday accused them of callousness in providing basic facilities like drinking water and proper ration to the people of Jammu region.
“The pesky acute drinking water shortage is unprecedented, which speaks of callousness of the government towards residents. They seem to have been held to ransom by the insensitive, irresponsible and anti-people government. It is deliberately denying them basic facilities,” former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla said on Sunday while addressing huge public gathering including Displaced Persons (DPs) from different areas. The programme was organized by Block President Congress party at Bhour Camp regarding discrimination with PoK Refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971 upon one time settlement package and water supply and ration issues. Prominent among those present on the occasion include Amrit Bali Sarpanch Bhour Camp, Jagmohan Sharma Naib Sarpanch, Bal Krishan, Rishab Bali, Panch Dr. Ramesh Sharma, Baldev Singh, Gurbachan Kour, Jai Ram Sharma, Master Khushi Ram, Harpal Singh, Kapoor Lal Ward President Bhour Camp and others.
The former minister claimed the scenario in the rural areas was quite appalling. The residents of the Bhour Camp Ward 2 while protesting against the coalition Government told former Minister that main Tube well catering to the needs of drinking water in the area is defunct for the last two months and they are managing domestic affairs be it drinking water, water for cooking, washing clothes and most importantly taking bath with utmost hardships.
Addressing the protesting DPs, he said State Government issued notification during March this year through DC Jammu, inviting documents to be submitted along with application forms for all categories of DPs for claims. “The PRO and DC have been appointed as designated authorities for this purpose. It is strange that even after several months no additional staff has been deployed to verify the documents of the DPs at the designated offices”, he pointed out and demanded inclusion of left out families, ownership rights to DPs of 1947, issuance of ALC certificates to DPs and reservation for their wards. He described the coalition as a “hotchpotch combination of divergent forces” that are struggling to remain glued to power despite their inherent contradictions.
“It is extremely pathetic that the previous state government proposed Rs 9,096 crore for 31,619 families of 1947 and 4,765 families of 1965 and 1971 i.e. Rs 25 lakh per family but NDA Government announced Rs 2000 crore that too is not exclusive for PoK DPs which is a cruel joke”, he maintained.
