Locals urge authorities to stop neglecting them and establish a path to facilitate people to cross over the stream
Malik Museab
Bandipora 19 May (KNB): Residents of several villages adjacent to Aloosa have been suffering due to unfulfillment of years-long demand for constructing a bridge in Chek’Mohalla situated in Bandipora district.
A stream flowing in the area has caused a major issue of connectivity for hundreds of people residing in more than Four villages for around 10 years, as per the residents.
These residents reached out to news agency Kashmir News Bureau and alleged that the concerned authority had planned to construct the bridge over the stream in Chek’Mohalla but as years went by, the project was diverted by the local Panchayat of the area towards another locality, leaving hundreds of people from several villages in despair.
A resident of one of the villages, Mehraj-din, told KNB that the locals have been requesting for the construction of a bridge over the stream for the last 10 years.
He said, “From past 10 years, we have been hoping for the Government to look upon us and fulfill our one basic need, which is a bridge.”
“Lot of People from Quil, Halmathpora and other areas come by this place and face immense difficulties due to the lack of a bridge. Even the children from these areas face a lot of problems here while going to schools or traveling here and there for any other reason,” Mehraj-din said, adding, “Parents here are constantly worried about their children cause either they have to travel long distances by foot to reach to the adjacent villages or just take the risk of crossing the stream.”
“Most of the time, when people from one side or the other have to visit the hospital; people start to realize the importance of a bridge here, because a lot of time gets wasted while travelling around the adjacent areas,” he emphasized.
He also said that even the labor class, who have to take material or supplies from one village to another face immense difficulties in transporting it.
When asked, if the elders of the area have ever brought this issue up infront of the concerned officials, He responded, “Of-course! We have repeatedly put forth the request for the construction of bridge here to every concerned official who has ever visited these villages.”
“Infact we have brought up this issue in every Gram Sabha and even the the recent ‘Back-to-Villages’ programmes that took place here but so for no one has given any importance to it,” Mehraj-din told KNB.
Another local said that once a person got hurt while crossing the stream and had to be hospitalized.
He said, “It took him 1500 Rs to get himself treated after he injured himself while crossing the stream. Just understand, we people are not fortunate enough to take such risks.”
“Someone must look out for us and our needs here and we are not asking for much, just a reliable structure that must be constructed here so that people do not suffer! Children do not suffer,” he added.
There are around 4 villages adjacent to each other within the area and people have been longing for a bridge to make the travel convenient between these villages.
“Connectivity between different societies enhances development and to ensure that in a place like this, we only request the government to construct a bridge here,” he said, adding that adequate facilities are there for the children of these villages but when it comes to traveling to schools and other institutions, “they have to travel through Sheikh Muqam, which wastes a lot of their time.”
An elderly of one the villages, Nazir Ahmad Bhat told KNB that emergency cases from Halmanth pora village have to be carried across the river to the Medical facility on the other side.
Bhat said, “Bridge is a major requirement here. Several emergency cases of pregnant women, ill children and elderly people from Halmanth pora and it’s adjacent areas reach out to us, during the day and more often amid the dark hours, in need of help/assistance in carrying them from this side to the other, where the Medical facility is situated.”
“We literally have to carry them on our shoulders at times or on stretchers; which we are most welcome to do but what concerns us is that this major issue can be solved if the concerned authority just constructs anything we can rely upon and cross the stream without getting ourselves hurt and wasting much time, especially when it comes to emergency cases.” He added.
Furthermore Bhat told KNB that recently a young girl, who was carrying food for some laborers working in the fields, fell into the stream and barely escaped death.
The elderly Nazir Bhat also told KNB that despite bringing up the matter in all the three phases of the Governments “Back-to-Village” programme; no one from the concerned authority has ever taken this issue due to which people of Four villages in the area are suffering day in and out for years.
Moreover, the residents of the Four villages urged the concerned authority to construct a proper bridge over the stream.
They said, “we have been requesting for the construction of a bridge here for the past 10 years and now again we are requesting the Government for the same. We hope the concerned authority wakes up and walks towards our villages and asks us just for once about the suffering of the people here, especially the innocent children.”
Regarding the issue, Kashmir News Bureau contacted Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD) Bandipora, who said that the concerned Panchayat is the authority that looks over these matters and they cannot do anything about it.
“It comes under the plans of Panchayat (Panchs and Sarpanchs), DDC Chairman and other concerned officials of these villages,” he said, adding that they develop the plans and approval for initiation of work.
When KNB mentioned about a resolution that was passed regarding the approval for construction of a bridge in the said area, ACD said, “that resolution must have been passed by the Panchayat only, which is powerful and can do anything they want!”
KNB reporter asked about legalities behind the decision taken to construct the bridge in another locality, ACD emphsized, “Yes, Panchayat Raj institutions can take the decision!” (KNB)