Hajin (Bandipora), June 3: The inhabitants of Hajin in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district have accused the successive state governments of failing to develop the area.
 “Hajin is the biggest township in Bandipora and has been receiving step-motherly treatment from successive regimes on account of development,” the locals told Greater Kashmir.
 The town, situated on banks of river Jhelum and Wular Lake has not been given any due attention by the authorities, locals rue.
 Locals alleged that besides the indifferent attitude of the state government towards the area, lack of coordination between the members of civic bodies had added to the woes of the people living in the township.
 “The civic body authorities claim to have spent crores on various developmental schemes in the town, but heaps of garbage, dirt, damaged roads and pathetic streets tell a different story,” the locals added. They also complained about acute shortage of drinking water in the area. “The PHE is unable to provide uninterrupted water supply to the residents, due to which they face immense difficulties,” the locals added.
 Traffic jams in the town have become order of the day and encroachments are unabated, the residents added.
 “The main road passing through the Hajin market often remains blocked due to the traffic mess and encroachments by shopkeepers,” locals said.
 “Of the ten-feet-wide bazaar road, there is no foot space left for the pedestrians to walk, as the vegetable sellers and shopkeepers have encroached upon the stretch on both sides,” locals added.
 “The bus stand is in pathetic condition and it mostly remains sludgy as there is no proper drainage system in the locality,” the locals said.
 The residents said the bank of river Jhelum has become a garbage dumping site for the people and shopkeepers. “Heaps of garbage could be seen lying on the river bank with concerned authorities turning blind eye towards the issue,” the residents added.
 The residents also complain about the non-availability of public parks, public lavatories in the area. “The children are seen playing on the roads and if anything untoward happens, the onus will lie on the government as it has failed to establish any park, despite repeated pleas made by the inhabitants,” the people told Greater Kashmir.
 The residents sought the intervention of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and urged him to redress their grievances at an earliest.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 3 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 3 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 4 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST