UDHAMPUR: Peeved over the failure of the Govt to meet the power and drinking water requirements of the people besides their neglect by the administration over host of issues, a huge contingent of women folk, youth and civil society members organized a massive procession followed by a protest demonstration under the leadership of the Harsh Dev Singh former minister at Udhampur.
A large number of protestors who assembled at Kalar in the morning, took out a procession which marched through the main bazaars of Udhampur and culminated at DC office Udhampur where a massive protest was organized. The protestors raised slogans against the Govt, besides the departments of Power, Jal Shakti, PMGSY, Education and RDD. They later submitted a memorandum to DC Udhampur, seeking early redressal of the grievances of the people of various Assembly constituencies.
Pertinent to mention that people of all constituencies of the District including Chenani, Ramnagar, Udhampur-East and Udhampur-West participated in the procession and the protest demonstration against the Government.
Speaking on the occasion, Harsh Dev lambasted the Govt for accusing the general masses for power crisis in the name of power theft. The Govt can’t absolve itself from the responsibility of ensuring un-interrupted supply of basic amenities merely by deflecting the blame upon the public at large. And it’s not the common man who is involved in power theft. It’s the big, moneyed, powerful and influential people who are using more power by abusing their position and authority and even failing to pay the power tariff”, Singh asserted.
He said that the position of water supply was equally pathetic. The people were forced to fetch water from rivers, canals and ponds after travelling long distance in the villages and remote areas in particular.
Singh further castigated the Govt for turning a deaf ear to the shrill cries of the rural populace for settling their claims under MGNREGA, PMAY and PMGSY. He said that the pending claims of Panchayats and work done liabilities under MGNREGA had remained unpaid for the last 5-6 years.
Asserting that the deprivation of rural folk and injustice with the poor would be fought tooth and nail, Singh cautioned the Govt and District administration to address the issues of the common masses at the earliest.
