Srinagar, Jan 21 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Monday said that unremitting fights and tussle that Srinagar Municipal Corporation is beset with has rendered the prestigious institution dysfunctional.
In a statement issued to KNS, YNC Provincial President and former Mayor of Srinagar, Salman Ali Sagar said that rampant tomfoolery, every day fights between Mayor and deputy Mayor has affected the working of SMC. “The bravado that was created about serving Srinagar has turned out to be a damp squib. The unfortunate incident where deputy mayor suffered injuries after an altercation in a meeting is testament to the fact that SMC has been turned into a fighting arena.”
“The exigencies arising after the recent snow fall haven’t been dealt with effectively by those running the corporation. The woes of people unfortunately have been compounded by the slack attitude of the corporators who are more interested in fights and social media bickering rather that performing their duties,” he said.
Salman said that mere photo-ops cannot absolve people running SMC of their sheer failure to rise-up to the demands of people. “Many low lying areas have turned into a cesspool. The mayor has manifestly failed to maneuver his field staff to help resolve the day to day issues of the people of Srinagar,” he said adding, “In most of the localities de-watering hasn’t been carried out. The intermittent water logging on various urban arterials of Srinagar city is adding to the miseries of commuters and pedestrians. The situation of sewage also narrates a grimy tale of neglect.”
Salman asserted that role of municipality is to promote the comfort, convenience, safety and happiness of citizens. “The daily cock-fights in the SMC are taking toll on the development and sanitation issues that Srinagar city is fraught with,” he said.
“So far SMC has failed to mitigate basic problems. What can be expected from the Corporation busy politicking vis-à-vis development issues, water and sewer treatment, infrastructure augmentation in fire fighting and other mandatory functions? The utter failure of SMC has plunged the urban life of Srinagar city into chaos,” he said. (KNS)