Bandipora, Sep 30: Five years after Bandipora was given district status, the area still lacks proper basic infrastructure with majority of important Government offices functioning from rented accommodations.
The people are facing tremendous hardships in locating these government offices, housed in various private rented buildings.
Office of the Labour Commissioner, Geology and Mining Department, Indian System of Medicine Department, Chief Medical Officers Officer, District Social Welfare office, District Youth Services and Sports office, office of the Khadi Village, office the Deputy Drug Controller and a few other departments are also functioning from private buildings and each office is located in different area.
Barring few, most of the government departments do not have their own buildings. In and around the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the PHE, Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports Department, Fund Office and DIET Offices are located in rented buildings.
“We are facing immense hardships in locating the offices. Had there been a common office building in the district headquarters, people may not have to face such problems,” said Ghulam Hassan a local.
Few offices are also located in private residences and lack the basic facilities like parking of vehicles and lavatories. According to the employees working in these offices, they are also facing huge inconvenience due to the paucity of space. “The rooms are very small in the houses due to which we are unable to keep the almirah, files and other records at proper places,” the employees told Greater Kashmir, adding that they were also suffering immensely as these buildings lack lavatories.
“The offices located in residential houses do not have parking facilities and there are no ramps for physically challenged persons, which is mandatory in office buildings now-a-days,” Handicapped Association President, Nazir Ahmed Lone said.
Lakhs of rupees in rent is being paid to the owners of these private buildings, the locals added.

NO SIGNBOARDS
There are no signboards on the front side of some of the offices situated in the private buildings. Few of the boards are damaged and they haven’t been repaired yet.
“The people are not aware as to which office is located where,” a visitor told Greater Kashmir.
Demanding the opening of the Mini-Secretariat immediately, locals said, “If all the offices are situated at one place, it will be convenient for everyone.”
“We appeal to the Chief Minster, Omar Abdullah to open the Mini-secretariat for the public so that the locals don’t suffer further,” the people in the district said.
“We hope that our plea would be responded by the Chief Minster,” they added.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 30 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 30 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 1 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST