JAMMU: Provincial President National Conference and MLA Nagrota Devender Singh Rana on Thursday sought CBI enquiry into the implementation of APRDP through IRCON in Jammu, saying the use of substandard material and non-adherence to specifications have put power-distribution in the capital city haywire with just one windstorm.
“The Tuesday night high speed winds dismantled the much touted new power distribution system under the APRDP, financed by the Government of India,” Rana said, adding that a thorough enquiry alone will dig out the lapses and loopholes so that responsibility can be fixed.
Rana urged the government to initiate the process for CBI inquiry at the earliest so that the guilty, who have fleeced the exchequer, are punished and the wrongs committed are set right.
“This is imperative, as the people of Jammu have been held to ransom by unscrupulous agencies, responsible for implementation of the programme and the executing agencies can be held accountable”, he maintained.
Rana also urged the government to released compensation to the people hit by windstorm across the region, especially in Nagrota Assembly Constituency, which left two persons dead there due to wall collapse.
The Provincial President stressed the need for bringing windstorm damages under the ambit of State Disaster Relief Fund, so that the sufferers can be compensated adequately. “Since damages caused to windstorm are not covered under SDRF, the sufferers are left to fend for themselves”, he said and hoped that the State Government will take up this important issue with the National Disaster Management Authority earnestly so that relief gets distributed immediately.
Rana also sought formulation of a contingency plan to meet the situations arising in the wake of torrential monsoon rains and high speed winds in coming days and urged the government to set up control rooms with necessary wherewithal at tehsil levels so that administration is not found wanting when the people will be in real need of help and assistance.
The Provincial President sought identification of vulnerable areas across the Jammu region and devising necessary mechanism to reach out to the people in distress in minimum possible time. Referring to Tuesday night devastation in Nagrota Assembly Constituency, the MLA sought immediate restoration of roads and regulated power and water supply. “The areas which are suffering from water scarcity need to be covered by tanker services”, he added.
Rana urged the district administration to come out with details with regard to measures taken for mitigating difficulties of suffering people in Nagrota.