Several Panchs from Zachaldara, Handwara on Saturday resigned from the position, alleging discrimination by the government departments.
In their resignation letter to District Election Officer (Deputy Commissioner) Kupwara, the Panchs said: “. . . (W)e the undersigned Panchs of Panchayat/Halqa Behnipora (Tehsil Zachaldara Handwara) are hereby submitting this resignation letter from the elected posts of Panchayat before you for further course of necessary action at your end please.”
The Panchs quoted following reasons in the letter for their resignation: “. . . the demands and proposals in our panchayat wards are not given due consideration and execution in the plans and proposals of block developmental programmes; our areas/wards have always been sidelined for (sic) welfare activities; few people at the top level have hijacked (sic) the developmental fund of our whole panchayat and the same is being spent/executed (sic) without the knowledge of Panch members; our localities/wards have been made untrodden ways (sic) and the people who elected us are fed up of our inabilities to redress their urgent local demands of construction and maintenance of public utilities.”
They further state in the letter: “. . . we all the undersigned have acknowledged the mismanagement and misleading of the masses/people by the administrative officers at block level, sub-district level officers (Divisional officers) & also at District level (District Officers) as we have by every means left at the mercy of the Almighty (sic)”.
Those who submitted their resignations include Sheikh Ashaq Hussain, ward member, PH Behnipora (Ward: 03); Amina Begum Ward member, (Ward:05), PH Behnipora, Ghulam Rasool Hajam, Deputy Sarpanch, PH Behnipora, Shabir Ahmad PH Behnipora and Meema Begum PH Behnipora.
Copy of the letter has also been sent to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) J&K Srinagar, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, BDO-Rajwar, Panchayat Halqa Behnipora and media.
Pertinently, BDC Chairman Handwara and several sarpanchs had resigned from their position a week ago.