Srinagar: Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has hired 120 tractors to lift snow from roads in case of any snowfall in Kashmir capital Srinagar till January 4 next month.
Insiders in Srinagar Municipal Corporation told news agency Kashmir News Trust that these tractors were hired for the period of one month after the prediction from MeT office that there will be snowfall in Kashmir Valley on December 5.
Though no snowfall was recorded in Srinagar, the operators of these tractors have been provided accommodation as well. Insiders said that these tractors have been parked in different wards of Srinagar while tractor drivers are staying at community halls and other places at the expense of SMC.
“It’s not a bad idea to hire tractors for snow clearance purpose in Srinagar but it is also not good to hire them for the period of one month and we all know that it won’t snow for a month at a stretch,” said an employee on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, Meteorological Office today said that the weather will remain dry tomorrow (Tuesday). “Dry weather is expected tomorrow. On 8th and 9th December, there may be slight rainfall and after that till 12th of December weather is expected to remain dry,” the official told KNT.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation as per insiders will have to pay Rs 35,000 as rent to each tractor driver plus these drivers will get accommodation charges as well.
“It’s a huge amount. It means Srinagar Municipal Corporation will spend over half a crore rupee on snow clearance in Srinagar between December 4 and January 4 and who knows the hiring period for these tractors may be extended,” they said.
Efforts to contact, Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation Athar Aamir Khan didn’t materialize. (KNT)
SMC REACTS A DAY AFTER THE NEWS REPORT
Srinagar Municipal Corporation has said that tractors hired by Corporation for snow clearance operation in Srinagar will be used and paid only during snowfall, rest it is the headache of the Contractor how he manages the affairs.
SMC, Joint Commissioner Works Rajinder Singh while reacting to the news report filed by Kashmir News Trust said that it is the contractor who has to manage the affairs. “We have hired the tractors through a contractor. These tractors will be ready during ‘prediction’ (about snow) days and the drivers will be paid only for those days and that too through the contractor,” he said and termed the news report ‘baseless.’
When asked why the tractors are still parked in different wards of Srinagar and who will pay the expenses for the accommodation of the drivers, Mr Singh said it is the headache of the contractor. “We are going to pay to the contractor for only those days when tractors will be pressed into service,” he said.
