Baramulla, Jan 12: The Municipal Council Baramulla has declared the entire Old Town and Khanpora area in the district as a slum.
 “As per the guidelines of Integrated House Slum Development scheme, these areas come under the slum category,” reveals a recent survey conduced by the Municipal officials, sources said adding a comprehensive report had been prepared and submitted to the concerned authorities in this regard.
 “The residents of the Old Town are living under miserable condition and there is no proper sewerage system. Several families are residing under one roof and most of the houses don’t have bathroom facilities. The area is so congested that fire tenders cannot reach on time if any untoward happens in the interiors,” an official of the Council told Greater Kashmir on the conditions of anonymity.
 Commenting on the survey report, the locals told Greater Kashmir that the State government was “totally indifferent” about the development of the area. “After Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram’s visit to Baramulla town, most of the sensitive areas in the district including Old Town and Palhalan started receiving attention from the administration. Even the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore for the development. But the measures initiated by the Government can prove halfhearted if authorities failed to implement the Master Plan in letter and spirit,” the elders in the Old Town told Greater Kashmir.
 “We want implementation of master plan, which will definitely raise the living standard of people,” said Manzoor Ahmad Kababi of Mohalla Jalal Sahib, Baramulla.
 “The Government had announced a plan for the development of the Old Town in which three roads from Tawheed Gunj, Jalal Sahib and Kakar Hammam had to be constructed to the hillock inhabited by thousands of families in the residential colonies. The plan had also proposed conversion of three shrines and temple into tourism heritage, besides beautification of river banks and construction of a community hall. But the proposal was never implemented on ground,” the residents added.
 “The Government assurances regarding the development of the Old Town and other adjoining areas had always proven a hoax,” Khursheed Ahmad of Old Town said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 13 Jan 2011 00:00:00 IST