STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Former Minister and senior PCC leader Raman Bhalla on Wednesday slammed JMC and UEED for not doing enough to gear up their men and machinery to provide adequate assistance to residents during monsoon season.
He was speaking during an interaction with people of various areas including Bahu Fort, Kalika Colony, Qasim Nagar, Rajiv Nagar, Jalalabad-Bathindi, Trikuta Nagar, Shiva Colony, Gangyal, Pamposh Colony, Satwari, Gadigarh and Rani Bagh, who were subjected to undue ordeal due to incessant rain and flooding.
“Surprisingly, the first spell of heavy Monsoon rain, which wrecked havoc in many areas, exposed tall claims of Jammu Municipal Corporation and UEED regarding fortification against flooding and taming of Nallahs”, he said adding choked Nallahs and drains led to water logging in many areas damaging property worth lakhs. “Nallah in Channi Rama area washed away several lanes and entered many houses. About 4-5 feet deep large drain has been created in the main lane. About half a dozen vehicles were also washed away”, Bhalla said. The locals apprised Bhalla that despite several requests to the JMC authorities no protection work was done in the area and nearly 1,500 families have been affected due to heavy morning showers.
They said that the projects undertaken by ERA during NC-Congress regime were quite effective but soon after BJP-PDP Government took over the reins no drainage project has been given to ERA. Earlier, Bhalla along with Vice President PCC Kanta Bhan and President DCC Jammu Urban Anil Chopra besides other local leaders visited rain and flood affected areas of Janipur and other parts of Jammu. They expressed deep shock over the death of two school girls who were washed away in the flood. He alleged that the government failed to take lessons from the September 2014 rains and floods and did not undertake the required dredging of Nallahs for free flow of water and construction, repairs and maintenance of embankments to minimise the loss and damage to the properties and people.
He assured the people that party will leave no stone unturned in highlighting the problems of people and extending all sort of help to affected people of these areas.
