By Arfat Khan
Jammu: Entangled curiously in enforcement related tasks, the Jammu Municipal Corporation is drifting swiftly from its primary responsibility of ensuring cleanliness and hygiene up to acceptable parameters of better human living standards for citizens of Jammu.
The deplorable condition of drains, lanes and nallahs in almost all wards is a clear indicator of the disingenuous approach of JMC authorities towards the Prime Minister Narinder Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’ (SBA) mission. The awful condition of nallahs and drains in Narwal, Bhathindi, Bahu Plaza near Transport Commissioner office, Sunjwaan, Sainik Colony, Ekta Vihar, Digiana, Gangyal, Ward No 47, 48, Janipur, Rehari Mohalla, Gandhi Nagar reflects complete failure of JMC on sanitation front.
The level of seriousness of the JMC authorities towards PM’s most important mission of ‘Swachh Bharat’ can be judged from the fact that its most crucial wing of sanitation is currently headed by a person who was unceremoniously shunted out as CMO from Rajouri by the Health Department and remained attached with Director Health Services, Jammu for six months.
Further, making mockery of PM’s Narender Modi SBA, the JMC authorities on the noble advice of one genius in the corporation has made Medical Veterinary Officer (MVO), Dr Zaffar Iqbal as ‘master’ of Solid Waste Management (SBM) which is considered as the pivotal of SBA.
Ironically, Dr. Suresh Gupta is sitting on a position which is considered as demotion as compared to the post of CMO he previously held.
While, Dr Zaffar Iqbal, commonly known as jack of all trades and master of none in JMC had been painted in red by the ex-JMC commissioner for his failures to perform the assigned duties during his first stint in JMC.
Even as this was not enough, playing as pawn at the hand of Channi Himmat notorious black mailer turned self styled public oriented ‘journalists’ and RTI activists, the outgoing JMC commissioner through an estrange order has created cocktail of sanitation and enforcement which led to burgeoning problems of sanitation for Jammuites aspiring to see Jammu as ‘Smart City’.
This order has further worsened the condition of sanitation in JMC jurisdiction which is already sailing in troubled water on account of deep corruption and severe shortage of manpower, said JMC sources.
JMC is not only confined to enforcement wing. Ensuring a healthy environment for 10 its lakhs citizens is its most significant job which can only be realised with pro-active approach, said another JMC sources.
The magnitude of recent orders which were taken in haste with myopic view has started yielding its horrible results instead of any substantial improvement on ground.
“After assigned with additional charge of khilafwarzi, we are in a fix. We are being pulled from four centre of power in JMC –the Mayor, Joint Commissioner (A), Health Officer and Secretary” said an aggrieved officer. We don’t know where to focus, said an employee of sanitation wing. There is utter chaos prevailing in JMC, he added.
The task ahead is gigantic for incumbent commissioner JMC Avny Lavassa and to set the house in order she needs to take drastic measures and gave termite treatment to the crook lobby that is eating up the JMC coffers” added JMC sources.
Lavassa is known for her innovative administrative skills and hopefully she will dared to move out of the traditional ways of working in JMC and sought services of experienced and visionary officers for Health and Veterinary wings so as to provide the city of temples its respectable place in letter and spirit under PM’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.
(To Be Continued)