NPP protests outside Anti Corruption Bureau HQ

NPP protests outside Anti Corruption Bureau HQ

Govt properties, tax payers’ money being plundered by corrupt officer-politician nexus: Harsh

Jammu, 14-12-2021: Accusing the corrupt officer-politician nexus of looting and plundering the govt properties and tax payers’ money in J&K, the activists of NPP led by Harsh Dev Singh chairman JKNPP and former minister held a massive protest outside the headquarter of Anti corruption bureau in Jammu today.
The protestors raised slogans of “Brasht adhikarion ko giraftaar karo, giraftaar karo”, “corrupt officers ke khilaf karwai karo”, “Tax payers money ki loot khasoot nahin chalegi, nahin chalegi”. They later submitted a memorandum to Director J&K Anti corruption bureau in his office.
Addressing the media, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that It was shocking to note that BJP leaders who were not holding any position in government and fell in common man’s category were occupying not only ‘Special Type’, ‘A-type’ Estates mansions but many of them were still living in Ministerial Bungalows. Not only that the allies of BJP from Kashmir were provided govt bungalows at Gandhi Nagar Jammu to establish their political offices.
He said that a reply received by him in response to RTI revealed that several BJP workers have been allotted Estates Bungalows which continue to be retained by them in violation of all norms and stipulated procedures. It was further shocking to note that the concerned authorities had allowed the BJP leaders to retain the said Estates bungalows despite categoric orders of their eviction issued repeatedly by the High Court. Not only that the Apni Party and Peoples Conference had been conferred undue favours by allotting govt accommodation for their political offices by defying the orders of the High Court. Strange are the ways of the present regime which provides the most glaring example of the famous proverb “Rules are for fools”. On one hand, the govt was demolishing/evicting the poor, marginalized and unemployed in the name of illegal occupation of State lands, it had granted a sort of immunity to the corrupt leaders of ruling party who had encroached huge chunks of State and Forest lands worth crores besides govt bungalows. Likewise, the complaints of large scale destruction of forest wealth and smuggling of deodar from Ramnagar jungles were pushed under the carpet by vested interests.
Mr Singh said that not only the Estates Bungalows but the security vehicles and PSOs were also being allotted purely on political considerations, said Mr. Singh. He pointed out that all the Ex-MLAs and Ex-Ministers of BJP and JKAP were provided security vehicles and huge paraphernalia of security personnel while denying bare minimum security to opposition leaders.
Pointing towards the non disbursement of house compensation to hundreds of farmers of Chenani, Dudu, Ramnagar and Ghordi blocks by the respective collectors for their residential units dismantled for construction of PMGSY roads 8-9 years back, Mr Singh said that it provided the most glaring example of official redrape, non performance and corruption besides contempt for the poor, indigent villagers. He said that despite funds having been placed at the disposal of District Collectors/SDMs by the PMGSY deptt 7-8 years back, the said collectors had withheld the said funds for extraneous considerations forcing the deprived farmers to lead a miserable life putting up in tents and sheds.
Referring further to the unprecedented and unquantifiable pilferage of ration meant for the poor by the CAPD in Udhampur, Mr Singh said that no cognizance was being taken of the huge scams in the deptt despite repeated complaints. Hundreds of ration card holders were being deprived of their ration every month on one pretext or the other with the helmsmen appearing to have buried their heads in the sand. It is not the theft of ration which is so surprising, said Singh. The most intriguing aspect is the cold criminal silence of the higher authorities towards the brazen loot which seems to be executed in collusion. Seeking personal indulgence of the Director ACB, Mr Singh said that if such incidents were allowed to go scot free, the govt would have to redefine the terms ‘deadwood’ and ‘corrupt’.
The NPP leader further invited the attention of ACB towards hundreds of hand pumps having become non operational in Chenani and Ramnagar constituency with ground water wing of Jal Shakti deptt refusing to operationalize them by taking the plea of empty coffers despite availability of funds. He said that while people in rural and remote areas were forced to drink water from ponds and rivers, the Jal Shakti deptt in Udhampur had shut its eyes to the woes of public and completely abdicated its responsibility towards the people.
The Director ACB gave the delegation a patient hearing and assured to take appropriate action on the issues raised by the NPP members.