Slathia slams J&K Admn for unprecedented power cuts, erratic water supply
Terms BJP slogan Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas hoax
VIJAYPUR JULY 14- Senior National Conference leader and former minister Mr Surjeet Singh Slathia today slammed Jammu and Kashmir administration for enforcing unprecedented power cuts and resorting to scare drinking water supply during the ongoing summer months, saying this is not what the people deserved especially during these grim and hard times of fighting the corona-virus.
“Power cuts are as severe and long as 12 hours and more, leaving the residents of the entire Vijaypur constituency precipitating and farmers high and dry due to non-functioning of water-pumps”, Mr Slathia told reporters in an informal interaction held here while maintaining the necessary preventive guidelines and protocol.
Mr Slathia said not a single gallon of Ravi Tawi water has flowed to the fields in the constituency which torments the hollow slogan of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. Left to the only source of tube-wells water pumps the farmers are not in a position to irrigate their land-holdings due to erratic power supply. As if it was not enough the sky rocketing hike in the petrol and diesel prices has broken the backbone of farmers and commuters. With essentials getting costlier due to increase in transportation charges the poor stand marginalised and pushed to the wall, he said, asking is it what the BJP can boast about.
The former minister said the administrative inertia has left the people of kandi and urban areas of the Vijaypur constituency fumbling especially on account of power, drinking water and other essentials. He said the concerned departments have failed in maintaining essential services which is proving nightmarish for the people.
Mr Slathia referred to the opening spree of toll plazas, saying while Lakhanpur, Saroore and Ban in Nagrota were taxing the commuters, yet another toll post is on the anvil in Akhnoor. He questioned the rationale behind levying toll taxes on the commuters and transportation of essentials, especially Jammu being the premier pilgrim centre in northern India. He said the pilgrims must be wondering over the taxes being imposed on them from Lakhanpur to Ban and other posts. Vaishno Devi pilgrimage has sustained the economy of not only the Jammu region but entire J&K even during disturbed situations when economic conditions were haywire in this part of the country, he added.
Mr Slathia said people of Jammu and Kashmir had been sold many dreams after degrading its status of the state as Union Territory but the reality remains that they find themselves left in lurch. The unemployment is growing with educated unemployed seeing their future bleak due to various measures taken by the administration. The promise of fast track employment has been nothing but a huge lie which is staring stark at unemployed whose number is alarmingly increasing with each passing day.
Mr Slathia also blamed the administration for pushing J&K backwards by continuously denying them the 4G internet services. This is discrimination and a sort of human rights violation as the affected segments of students, professionals feeling marginalised.
“The necessity of fast-speed internet has assumed significance following the launch of online academics by both, the government and the private educational institutions, as also the professionals engaged in work from home”, Mr Slathia said, adding that the facility is equally important for medical diagnostic centres to ensure dispatch of findings to those having undergone various routine tests. Many of the patients have switched over to Tele-counselling due to restrictions on movement which makes high speed internet all the more important, he added.
Mr Slathia reminded the administration of various public declarations about imparting education online and motivating professionals to work from home, saying this has to be facilitated by restoring 4G, as the present slow speed 2G is an irritant. He said the 2G internet has become biggest impediment for students, especially younger ones, to keep pace with the online education, as vast chunk of parents cannot afford broadband services. He feared disruption in normal educational activities due to likely restrictions to continue for some time, saying this may require dependable internet services to such of the students as well who are solely dependent on mobile internet, thus ensuring level play field for all.
The former minister seized the opportunity to express gratitude to the front-line workers fighting pandemic, saying that at the peril of their own and their families’ lives they were serving the humanity. The administration, he said, should ensure all necessary facilities to those engaged in war against the virus.
Mr Slathia asked the administration to shoulder its responsibilities in ensuring minimum basics to the people, adding that denial of power and drinking water during the current scorching heat amounts to cruelty with old, aged, women, children and the entire population. He also sought immediate rollback of decisions to levy toll tax on the people, especially as the National Highway was still under construction and not fully functional.
Prominent among those present during the press interaction included Corporators, Sarpanchs of Block Vijaypur ,Block Ramgarh and Block Bari Brahmana Chairman Darshan Singh Ramgarh BDC,Chairman Jogeshwar Singh Jamwal BDC Vijaypur ,Chairman Rajni Devi Chairman BDC Bari Brahmana, Riyaz Malik District Youth President Samba, Bhagwan Singh Block President NC Bari Brahmana, Om Parkash Attri District Secretary NC, Surinder Mahajan President Beopaar Mandal Vijaypur and others.
