Srinagar, Jan 28: Peoples Democratic Party President, Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday accused the ruling National Conference of taking Srinagar and its dwellers for a ride adding the City was turning into “world’s fastest growing slum”.
 Addressing meetings of Zonal Committees of Hazrathbal, Sonwar and Zadibal, the PDP President blamed the NC of “worsening economic, political and infrastructure condition of the summer capital.”
 “Srinagar is turning into world’s fastest growing slum because of government neglect while the ruling National Conference doles out the haphazardly conceived works to its cadres in the name of development, only to provide them monetary benefits,” she said.
 Mehbooba said that “lack of vision in the ruling party was the misfortune of Srinagar as the City now looks, centuries behind its counterparts in other states.”
 “National Conference has unfortunately taken Srinagar for granted and does not feel accountable to its residents as its leaders from the City know they are only beneficiaries of boycott politics and are not even concerned with the huge issues of development that City faces.”
 She said had that not been so, the eight MLAs and a Member of Parliament from Srinagar would not have allowed crores of rupees meant for development of the City, besides Rs 48 crores under the Central Road Fund (CRF), be diverted to other areas.
 “This atrocity was committed on the City with the approval of the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who also holds the planning and R&B portfolios,” she added.
 She said the shelving of the ADB funded flyovers has frozen road expansion in the City with more and more bottlenecks being added to the system.
 Mehbooba said the Dal development project, sanctioned at a cost of Rs 300 odd crores is showing no impact because of faulty implementation. Except for spending money there is no visible improvement in the condition of lake which is the primary tourist asset of the City.
 She sought the cooperation of the people of Srinagar for strengthening the PDP so that a new era of change and development could be brought into the state.
 Coordination Secretary Ab Hameed Kosheen, Vice District president Nisar Ahmed Mandoo, Senior Leader Asiea Naqash, Zonal presidents Ab Hameed, Abul Hassan and Mohd Shafi Mir also spoke on the occasion.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:00:00 IST