PDP President Mehbooba Mufti file photo
Srinagar, December 09, (Scoop News)-Peoples Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti has said in spite of having voted continuously for the National Conference, over last 40 years, backward areas like Karnah, Kupwara and Gurez are languishing in almost in Stone Age, because of lack of infrastructure.
Addressing a largely attended public meeting at Taad area of Karnah constituency near Line of Actual Control, she said the interests of residents of border areas are crucial to her party’s vision of making Jammu and Kashmir a bridge between India and Pakistan and lifting the post independence siege laid around the state.
On this occasion the party Chief Spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar, senior leader and MLA Abdul Haq Khan and state secretary, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Raja Manzoor, Javaid Mirchal, Gh Mohammd Mir, Fayaz Ahmad Mir and others were present and spoke on the occasion. On the occasion a respectable and prominent citizen from the area, Mohammad Ashraf Bhat joined the party.
On way from Tangdhar to Taad, Mehbooba addressed a number of way side meetings mostly compromising women and youth.
Mehbooba said the infrastructure problems in Tangdhar sub division have remained completely unattended, perhaps because of the uninterrupted run of the National Conference which emerged winner from this area for most part of its history, because of emotional exploitation and, lately it benefited from fragmentation of the opposition vote.
She said the people of the area are now realising the value of democratic competition, as with the shape of the PDP their problems are getting projected.
“The people of Karnah constituency have overwhelming rejected the NC even in 2008 election, as its candidates got only four thousand votes, as against more than 18 thousand votes polled by its opponents, which were invalidated because of fragmentation. Now the people are realising that it is only through unity among the anti-NC voters that the party can be defeated,” she said.
Mehbooba said the development agenda for Karnah constituency, has remained unchanged for the last half century or more, because of failure of the NC to deliver. She said the internal roads in the subdivision present a picture of devastation and people living along the roads have developed chest diseases, because of the dust generated by traffic over them.
She said huge money allocated for these projects like the road from Tangdhar to Gabra or Teetawl have clearly been misappropriated.
“This money has straight away into the pockets of the ruling party leaders and their agents.
She said the health facilities in the area should have received priority because of difficult terrain but the main hospital there does not have even X-Ray facility
The newly constructed hospital building has developed cracks putting at risk of lives of patients and medical staff. The school in the area have been completely neglected and students are forced to seek admission in far away Srinagar.
Mehbooba said, though, as a result of mounting public pressure some mobile service providers including the BSNL extended their services to Tanghdar, but many areas are still craving for the facility. Even in Tangdhar proper the networks don’t work satisfactorily.
Mehbooba said the destiny of the people in border areas is largely linked to the success of the vision provided by the PDP to make the LoC irrelevant.
She said the people residing in these areas are the pillars of our concept to convert J&K into a bridge between India and Pakistan.
She assured the people that PDP will construct a tunnel to connect the border area with rest of the valley.
Mehbboba regretted the irrigation canals, in the area have been left unattended, which were damaged by the flash floods in 1994 and the roads under PMGSY are incomplete because of contractor-politician nexus. The area is facing huge power crisis and promises made about starting a hydel project in the area has never been fulfilled.
The PDP president said her party envisions a day when people could travel through the Tetwal, between two parts of J&K in their own vehicles. She said the present facility of contact point in Teetwal, would in due course develop into a full fledge travel and trade link opening up the area to economic opportunities and employment generation.
MORE AT http://scoopnews.in/det.aspx?q=34016