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| Rajouri Minister forgets 10,000 LoC voters | | All water sources dried up in Keri sector, residents have to travel 5 kms for water | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
RAJOURI, June 22: “Pakistani shelling was better for us than the attitude of our government and local MLA and Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmed Khan towards us”, these were the words of thousands of residents living in various villages in Keeri Sector on Line of Control in Rajouri district who would have died a long before not with Pakistani firing but due to non availability of water. However, they are alive because army units operating in the area are providing them water facility.
Talking to Early Times, some 3-5 kilometer inside Line of Control in Ponthal area, residents said that though they had received a relief following 2003 cease fire agreement but there is no change in life style of the local population. They are suffering more than the border firing. All the water sources have been dried up in the area leaving at least 10,000 residents at the mercy of god.
The area being represented by Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmed Khan who according to villagers have never visited the area nor has he instructed Public Health Engineering (PHE) department for providing water connections to these villagers who had already suffered following partition of India in 1947. “We have been forgotten by our minister and we will teach such people a lesson in next election”, residents said. The population of at least 12 villages adjoining Ponthal area is approximately 10,000 which are equal to the votes got by Shabir Ahmed Khan in the last assembly elections.
The residents of Ponthal, Thanthali, Doongi Manali, Mithi Thera, Sali Dhera, Chiti Bakri, Kotli, Bagla, Jatote and Khanka Dhara areas on Line of Control are facing acute shortage of drinking water. Life seemed very tough in these villages. All men and women with their vessels supply water from 4-5 kilometers. Women are the worst sufferers. “I am 70 years old and fetching water daily from 5 kilomters because no male member is available in my house”, Kesar Bina, a Gujjar lady of Mitha Thera village told Early Times. She added that there are 11 houses on extreme Line of Control who are suffering a lot due to non availability of water. “It is better to die than to live life like wild animals” Kesar said. She added that there was a natural spring in the area which has dried up few years ago.
Ironically residents of Ponthal village are accumulating rain water for drinking purpose, they are storing the water into big drums in the village. However many villagers said that army is helping them in this regard. “If we had waited for government action, we had been died earlier but army came at our rescue and are saving our lives”, Mohammad Din a resident of Ponthal said however added “It was better to die than to suffer without water”. The residents said that though they decided several times to migrate from the area, they cancelled the idea due to no source of income.
The locals, who seemed annoyed with their MLA Shabir Ahmed Khan, said “We have seen him on the day of campaigning for election and he has never visited the area to know the situation of the people”, Mohammad Razman a resident of Chiti Bakri said adding “Why to vote in next election when politicians are just befooling us. We must thank army for their help and it is our real representative”.
Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmed Khan could not be contacted for his version however Executive Engineer Public Health Engineering Rajouri Swarn Singh when contacted admitted that these villages are not covered in their official record. However he said that his department is going to propose Lower Jatote Pipe Line Project to the government which will cover the whole area. “We will send the proposal within days and after getting approval will start work on it”, he assured.
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