Srinagar, Aug 1: The much delayed Eidgah beautification project worth millions seems to have been reduced to meagre annual dewatering and sanitation drill. This is what one could infer from the official handout released Wednesday whereby administration has been directed to “level the uneven grounds and gear up sanitation” ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

THE HANDOUT
 Mubarak Gul, Advisor to Chief Minister, during his visit to the area, as per the handout, was informed that levelling of ground and dewatering would be taken up soon.
 “He was informed by the Deputy Commissioner, (Srinagar Baseer Ahmed Khan) that the work for levelling of Eidgah ground would be taken up by the JKPCC very soon and Fire Service department will be put into service to clean unwanted weeds and water from the prayer ground owing to the importance of the ground for Eid prayer,” the handout said.

THE EXPOSE
 The handout seems a confession that even the levelling of the Eidgah ground hasn’t been taken up during the present regime than to talk of other big initiatives which were scheduled to be a part of the beautification project conceived by the previous PDP led regime for the 700 odd kanals of land.

THE PROJECT
 Rs 10 odd crore beautification project was scheduled to facelift Eidgah on multiple fronts including fencing and picturesque landscaping. By now some velvety green grass fenced by flower beds should have been an eye-catching attraction. But what visitors come across are weeds, cow dung and of course stinking waters inundating the uneven fields.
 The prestigious work started during the previous regime didn’t witness any further progress for the past three years even though the project was slated to be completed within mere 18 months.
 While the incomplete fencing has started decaying, its foundation too has eroded at several places.
 As about the lawns, the official handout itself says that de-weeding and de-watering would be required to make the place worth host Eid prayers, held twice annually.
 Like most other developmental projects, which are witnessing a chronic delay, the Eidgah facelift seems to be worst hit.

THE TRUMPET BLOWING
 While the ruling government says that there was no “political revenge” with the beautification project started by their predecessors, the ground situation reveals a different tale.
 Waterlogging is one such problem. Even during the ongoing summer when water table has drastically gone down, waterlogging persists in the Eidgah grounds enough to highlight neglect towards the low kept but revered park.

THE TEAM
 Apart from Mubarak  Gul, the high level team which Wednesday visited the Eidgah grounds included District Development Commissioner Srinagar, BA Khan, Vice Chairman, Wakaf Board, MY Qadri and senior officers.
 They took “stock of the ongoing development project and cleaning and leveling  operation of Eidgah ground.” Gul also took stock of the problems faced by the people of Eidgah, the handout said.

MIRWAIZ CONCERNED
SRINAGAR: Reacting sharply to the dilapidated condition of Eidgah Valley’s head priest Mirwaiz Dr Umar Farooq has sought immediate repairs of the ground. In a statement Dr Mirwaiz said: “In the given condition offering Eid Salah will not be possible at the Eidgah.” Mirwiaz’s reaction came instantly after his close aide and senior separatist leader Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam visited Eidgah to take stock of situation.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 2 Aug 2012 00:00:00 IST