Udhampur, June 24: National Panthers Party (NPP) president and former minister Harsh Dev Singh on Saturday led scores of party workers and activists to protest against the power and water crisis, saying the government has neglected the poor and marginalized sections of society.
“A massive procession started from MH Morh and culminated at DC Office Udhampur. The protesters raising slogans against the government passed through many bazaars of the city and submitted memorandums to district officers of power, water, social welfare, education and PMGSY departments, and finally to DC Udhampur,” the party said in a statement.
On the occasion, Harsh Dev said that people’s distrust was fast translating into anger which could prove disastrous for the present regime. “The frequent and unscheduled power cuts, huge voltage fluctuations, irregular supply of water besides polluted and contaminated water supplied in the Jammu city besides other places had created an alarming situation with people boiling with rage against the criminal apathy of helmsmen,” he said.
Singh regretted that the acute power crisis had made the life of the common man miserable all across the Jammu region including Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban during the ongoing summer season. “The scheduled and unscheduled power cuts during scorching summer with soaring humidity had thrown life out of gear in both urban and rural areas with clamoring and grievances of people going un-heard and unaddressed,” he said.
The NPP president added, ”Despite the pathetic plight of the people, the mandated leaders of the Saffron party had failed to pay any heed to their concerns.” He ridiculed the tall claims made by the J&K and Central government on good governance, saying, “The people of Jammu, especially the aged, ailing, traders and the children were having the horrific and gruesome experiences of the much-proclaimed Achhe Din of the BJP government.”
Drawing the attention of the DC Udhampur towards the major concerns of the people, Singh said that sanitation of the town was worst with heaps of garbage having created the most unhygienic conditions and none to respond to public outcries.
He said that the majority of PMGSY roads in rural areas were in shambles and the people had been deprived of due compensation for their lands and structures. “Pensions to old aged, physically challenged and widows had not been paid by the social welfare department for several months. BPL ration cards of several eligible persons had been cancelled in various villages. The MGNREGA payments to workmen were pending in the majority of panchayats for years. The schools and health centres in remote villages were without staff. And despite all-around chaos, there were no takers for shrill cries of people for justice,” he said.
