Baramulla: Baramulla Coordination Committee (BCC) – an amalgam of various trade, social, religious, transporters, lawyers, journalist, and academic and other civil society associations on Monday threatened massive agitation in the town if the government failed to restore past glory of the historical town and develop it on modern lines
Addressing a press conference at Beopar Mandal Baramulla’s office, General Secretary Baramulla traders federation Er. Tariq Ahmed Magloo who was flanked by representatives of other bodies, said, “It is a historical fact that Baramulla Town has enjoyed a glorious past. Entire trade in Kashmir used to take place through Baramulla-Rawalpindi Road which was the focal point in the development of trade and commerce of the town. But partition of the State brought untold miseries for the people of this town so does the previous regimes and neglect of authorities.”
He said that BCC is a non-political, non-profit and non-government organization and has been formed for development of Baramulla. The committee is committed to ensure that overall development of Baramulla town, which extends from Sheeri to Delina in the South and Khadenyar to Ladoora.
“Unfortunately, Baramulla has been completely neglected by both administration and the public representatives and the promises made by the same in past have proved to be simply deception. Various development schemes that were formulated on paper only but nothing happened on ground,” said President Beopar Mandal Baramulla Mohmmad Ashraf Ganai.
He informed that for instance during 2009, Baramulla Town was selected under J&K Urban Sector Development Investment Programme (JKUSDIP) and Greater Baramulla dream never turned a reality due to the non-seriousness of civil authorities and officials in the administration who have been occupying top chairs without facing transfers from last 10 years due to which the town has witnessed total deprivation in socio-economic and development areas.
The various issues and problems faced by people of Baramulla highlighted on this occasion were also highlighted that included establishment of mini- secretariat, housing Colony for the people of old town Baramulla, Parking slots for the small vehicles, macdamization of link roads, initiating work on already sanctioned water-supply scheme of the town, of Mother and Child Care Hospital (MCH) in the Old District hospital Complex, beautification of banks of River Jehlum, expedite construction work of SRTC Bridge at Baramulla, expedite waste disposal scheme, rehabilitate street vendors at one place, creation of posts of doctors, providing of permanent staff and to improve administrative set-up of District Hospital Baramulla, Up-gradation of Boys Higher Secondary School Baramulla to Model Higher Secondary School, transfer of possession of 13 Kanals of land to Government Degree College Baramulla, establishment of already sanctioned Consumer Court in the Town, ensure matador facility for poor patients up to District Hospital till 10 pm, initiate action against people involved in drug-trafficking, transfer overstayed officers and employees.
The speakers said that given the indifferent attitude of administration towards solving the problems of people of Baramulla over the decades, the Baramulla Co-ordination Committee is compelled to take drastic measures including shutdown of all kinds of business and arranging protests to get their problems solved and in that case the administration shall have to be responsible for the consequences.
