Jammu Tawi: “With rampaging corruption having crossed all limits in J&K, the local administration and anti corruption bodies seem to have granted immunity to the offenders and wrongdoers in view of the political clout enjoyed by them. Not only was corruption rampant in bureaucratic circles, but the corruption by political persons and breached all previous records with vigilante organizations behaving as mute spectators. And all this notwithstanding the loud snubs that the administration has been receiving from the courts as well as the civil society”. This was stated by Harsh Dev Singh Chairman-JKNPP and former Minister while addressing public meetings in Noti, Naugalta, Chaksu, Gajad and Champeri in Chenani constituency during his two days tour.
Pointing towards the illegal usurping of govt premises including ministerial bungalows by the BJP leaders, he said that such unauthorized occupation of public premises provided the most glaring example of political corruption. And the nexus between the corrupt officers and politicians was evident from the fact that no action had been taken to evict them despite categoric orders of the High Court. Not only that the said leaders were availing all facilities in the illegally occupied houses at govt expense without paying any rent and still the govt was harping on the slogans of ‘good governance’ and corruption free dispensation. Pointing towards the illegal appointments made in Health Deptt, Power Deptt, PHE, Industries Deptts, J&K Bank besides others during the BJP-PDP rule, he regretted the patronage provided to the corrupt elements by the administration and anti graft bodies. He reminisced that even the erstwhile Governor had divulged before the media that 3000 backdoor appointments were made in J&K Bank for extraneous and monetary considerations by a politician-officers nexus in saffron rule.
Expressing grave concern over the brazen loot of funds in Chenani constituency, he said that plan and non plan funds amounting to several crores in the Deptts of R&B, PHE, RDD, PMGSY etc had been siphoned off in the name of repairs, restoration and maintenance without any tangible work having been executed on the ground during the past few years.
He flayed the authorities concerned for pathetic condition of Barmeen–Ghordi road, Charat–Pakhlai road, Tandhar–Satyalta–Charat road and Chenani–Pattangarh road and sought their immediate completion/up-gradation in view of massive public resentment in the area.
