Saturday, June 6, 2009

KMC Demolition Drive Based On “Pick And Choose” Policy


Kishtwar: The Kishtwar Municipal Committee (KMC) has been creating new records in corruption and malpractices, leaving its primary duties behind. Even as the town wears a dirty look overall, with piles of garbage lying in lanes and by-lanes, the KMC is giving out contracts of various municipal works to its blue-eyed contractors.
All this is being done by hushing up the norms and ignoring rules and regulations. As a result of which, the contractors, once being allotted work, collect the money and forget about the work to be done.
An example of the corrupt practices of the KMC is reflected in the way the recent drive to remove roadside encroachments was carried out. The drive, which began on May 27, 2009, was started with the usual zeal and public announcements. However, the KMC had in mind only a few khokha owners, whose khokhas were dismantled as part of the drive. This pick and choose policy of selecting the encroachers resulted in much public anguish as only a handful of encroachments were removed while most of the encroachments stand even today.
The drive was allegedly carried out in an unlawful manner, wherein the KMC did not bother to serve any notice to the culprits whose khokhas were brought down. In fact, some of the sufferers even claim that they had been paying regular rent to the KMC for the last decade, still their khokhas were demolished.
When asked to explain the large number of public complaints arising after the drive was completed, KMC President Shabir Ahmed insisted that no pick and choose policy was employed in selecting khokhas for demolition. He also claimed that KMC had arranged for prior notice to be served at the culprits.

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