Snowbound areas in Poonch facing acute shortage of essential commodities: Ajaz Jan

POONCH, Jan 3:  The tall claims made by the administration on alertness have been exposed with snowfall especially in Haveli constituency of district Poonch causing massive power breakdown and scarcity of water and other essential commodities.

This was stated by Ajaz Jan, Provincial President Youth National Conference Jammu and senior NC leader while interacting with a group of delegations from Haveli constituency of district Poonch. The deputations apprised the former MLA about the problems being faced by the general public due to non-availability of essential commodities after the snowfall in the hilly terrain of district Poonch.

The senior NC leader expressed serious concern over the plight of people living in snow bound areas of district Poonch asking administration to come up for their immediate help. “Despite the prediction by the Meteorological Department, administration was ill-prepared for the winter. Although snowfall is not something new to the region, the administration seems resisting change in its rusty work culture. With snowfall, the entire administration comes to a grinding halt which is reflective of a dire need for strengthening of disaster preparedness in the region,” he said.

Jan criticized the present administration for not stocking of essential commodities in the snow bound areas while carelessness of authorities concerned can be gauged from the fact that not even stocking of ration has been made. He said that the condition of rural areas roads is turning dilapidated and authorities have done nothing to tackle situation emerging after snowfall except establishing control rooms on papers.

The former MLA also lambasted over the J&K Power Development Corporation Ltd for its failure to ensure regular power supply to the snow bound areas.  “The general public is left helpless in darkness and freezing cold. J&K Power Development Corporation has miserably failed to create a buffer stock of electricity transformers to address the situation surfaced due to damaged transformers,” he said.

The senior NC leader appealed to the Lt Governor to intervene in the matter and pass on necessary directions to the authorities concerned to provide essential commodities to the people residing in hilly terrain of district Poonch.