Administrative Inertia: Works hit in absence of any SDM in bordering town of Uri, Sarpanchs threaten to resign enmasse
“Being public representatives, people expect a lot from us. But we are hapless and can’t don’t enough. There is no SDM who can take the things to logical conclusion,” the protesting Sarpanchs said.
Imran Boniyari
URI: Over a dozen Sarpanchs are up in arms against the government for not filling up the vacant post of Sub-Divisional Magistrate that is lying vacant from past two months in frontier town of Uri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
These Sarpanchs have threatened to resign enmasse in case government fails to fill up the SDM post.
Local sources said that two months ago the then SDM attained superannuation and since then no SDM has been appointed for the Uri, as a result people have been suffering immensely and are wandering from pillar to post to get their works done.
Chairman Sarpanch Association Uri, Shabir Ahmad Naik told news agency Kashmir News Trust that in absence of any SDM, no Centrally sponsored scheme or project is being implemented. “Besides, scores of land acquisition cases that have been settled are pending for want of final approval of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
He said that in absence of any Collector in the town, works under PMGSY have badly hit as the locals whose land had been acquired for road construction are not allowing the authorities to start the work as their payments are withheld.
Panchayat Association Uri comprising of 13 Sarpanchs’ from 13 different villages along Line of Control Uri recently staged a protest demanding filling up of vacant SDM post. They threatened to resign enmasse. “Being public representatives, people expect a lot from us. But we are hapless and can’t don’t enough. There is no SDM who can take the things to logical conclusion,” the protesting Sarpanchs said.
They sought the intervention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. (KNT)
