Apropos to the press conference addressed by DDC Chairperson Kishtwar, Smt. Pooja Thakur at Kishtwar, the other day during which she broke down and cried bitterly regarding mis-handling and not taking seriously the institutions of DDCs and BDCs.
The institutions which were brought into existence with beating of drums, claiming opening of floodgates of development and participation of local representatives in a democratic manner in rural areas through the institutions of BDCs and DDCs but in actual practice, it has ended in a big fiasco.
Referring to the press conference issued by DDC Chairperson Kishtwar which has gone viral over social media and has raised many eyebrows over the manner they are being treated as mere decorative, ceremonial pieces and rubber stamps.
It comes as a surprise that Divisional Commissioner Jammu who happened to visit Kishtwar and held meetings with the Panchayati Raj Institution members there, did not take the trouble to know the root cause as to why the DDC Chairperson Kishtwar is sitting on Dharna for more than 14 days?
As per press briefing, Smt. Pooja Thakur is demanding employment of local B.Techs, M.Techs, ITI Diploma holders, drivers and other youths having experience in other projects besides adequate compensation to land and house losers towards which the authorities are turning a deaf ear.
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Unfortunately the local B.Techs, M,Techs, ITI Diploma holders are not being treated as skilled workforce, she regrets. To add salt to the wound, a meagre amount of 2.5 lakhs per Kanal of land is being credited to the accounts of land losers without their consent in Tehsil Dachan. The companies engaged in construction of Dams namely AFCONS, Patel, CVPP, GVK etc are solely playing into the hands of administration, she maintained. Why shouldn’t land losers be absorbed she questioned?
In fact, the release said that the DDC Chairperson is clamoring for the absorption of local youths in the local Hydro Power Projects alleging that youths having affiliation with ruling dispensation as also some other political parties have been adjusted but for the share of outfit she belongs to as the elections to these institutions were held on party basis, the release maintained and said that this is the only reason same has become bone of contention. Pertinent to mention here that mighty Chenab alone has the power potential of 20,000 MWs.
Conclusion
It is appealed to the LG administration to utilize the services of BDC/DDC for development of rural areas for which these institutions were created in a democratic manner. Why should they be called ceremonial, rubber stamps and become a laughingstock among the people who voted for them?
Is it not a joke with the people and democratic system in the greatest democracy of the world? Is it not a mockery that no data or information is made available to a Chairperson DDC despite several letters and reminders to ensure speedy and accountable development? Also, closing of eyes on the subject will consequently tantamount to denigrate the institutions in public esteem and make it a butt of joke.
The people of Chenab Valley in particular and Jammu region in general need to read between the lines and take it for granted that the same thing is going to happen in respect of all other upcoming power projects if the problem is not nipped in the bud.