Gurez (Bandipora)/Srinagar, August-27 9Scoop News) – Jammu 7 Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that his government is vigorously working to facilitate internal and external dialogues to address the State’s political issues politically and help cultivate permanent peace and tranquility.
“While we firmly believe that internal dialogue is imperative to provide platform for all shades of opinion in the State to ventilate their views, we consider Indo-Pak talks essential in evolving amicable solution to all Jammu and Kashmir centric issues in consonance with the aspirations of the people of the state” he maintained.
Addressing a largely attended public gathering here this morning, the Chief Minister said that peaceful addressing of issues in a political atmosphere is the only way out to resolve problems. “Violence is no answer to any problem” he said adding that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a saga of gun culture for more than twenty years yielding only destruction and bloodshed.
Omar said that stone pelting and shut downs only result economic, social and educational depression and will never help to address any issue. He said the continuous hartals and stone pelting in the parts of valley during last two months have marred the education of children and snatched bread earning opportunity from the daily workers, transporters, small shopkeepers and traders.
The Chief Minister said that the perpetrators of this kind of tactics should realize the damage they are doing to their own people. “Aisa Karne Say Hum Kashmir Ko Kahan Lay Ja Rahe Hain Aur Apne Bachon Ke Mustaqbil Ko Kis Tarah Daw Par Laga Rahe Hain” (Where are we dragging Kashmir and how we are damaging the future of our children by indulging in this practice).
On the development, Omar said that despite law and order situation in some parts of Kashmir, government has carried forward its agenda of speedy development across the state. He said rural and far flung areas like Gurez have been flagged as important areas in the development agenda of his government. “Every effort will be made to improve and upgrade the conditions of backward areas and help faster development”, he added.
The Chief Minister said that his government has taken up the issue of construction of tunnel to link Gurez with the valley and make the road communication a dependable affair round the year. “We want to bore a tunnel to connect Gurez with the valley in a similar way as has been proposed for Zojila”.
Omar said that special drive for recruitment in Police Department for the youth of Gurez will be organized after Eid. He said the engagement of trained nurses of Gurez under NHRM will also be considered actively.
The Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioner to furnish him the list of employees of Kishen-Ganga Project indicating the number of locals employed there. “We have already asked the Central Government to engage available local educated, skilled and non-skilled youth in the central projects and I want to ascertain whether project directors are adhering to this requirement” he said.
Omar also inspected the damage caused by the incessant rains to the potato and maize crop in Gurez. He directed the concerned authorities to assess the damages and send a report to him immediately.
Responding to the demand for tourism development authority for Gurez, Chief Minister said that government will actively consider the demand and necessary steps will be taken in this regard. He said government is also taking up the issue of procuring a 15-20 seat helicopter with the centre government so that people of Gurez like inaccessible areas will be facilitated during road blockades particularly in winters.
MLA, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi in his welcome speech highlighted the development demands of the area and requested the Chief Minister for special attention for the all round development of this far flung area. He expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for showing keen interest in the development of backward areas like Gurez.