Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senior leader and MLA elect from Amirakadal constituency, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari Saturday presided over a meeting of officers of various wings of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC). The meeting was convened to take stock of various developmental works going on and public utility issues pertaining to the constituency.In his address, Bukhari asked the Commissioner SMC to convene a two-day camp in the worst affected places of flood hit Amirakadal constituency wherein the flood victims will receive on spot building permissions from the Corporation. “The SMC must organize the camp at the worst hit places of Amirakadal wherein all the officers concerned with the building permissions will remain present. I will also attend the camp on both the days," Bukhari assured.He impressed upon the officers to accelerate the pace of works being executed at various places of the constituency which include construction of community halls, public facilitation centers, drains and public lavatories. He further laid emphasis on completion of works that have been started by the previous dispensation and are currently in progress. “The Corporation has performed excellently before floods and earned laurels for its commendable job after the devastating floods that hit Kashmir. This spirit needs to be carried on and the all the circles of the corporation must put in their best to serve the people,” Bukhari remarked.
Asking SMC officers to make Lal Chowk’s clock tower functional within a week, Bukhari emphasized on beautification of the city center and all the pavements leading to its adjoining vicinities. “We will have to say no to encroachments including occupation of pavements if we are really serious to beautify this city. These encroachments are not only giving a tough time to commuters but also create a lot of hurdles in streamlining the traffic movement. We need to act and provide better facilities to our people and the corporation has a bigger role in it,” Bukhari opined.The MLA Elect stressed on the SMC drainage wing to flush out the flood-choked drains across the constituency before the first snowfall of this winter and ensure that no drain remains blocked before snowfall. Bukhari said that SMC must now also refocus on eradication of dog menace in the city. “I know the corporation was round the clock busy with post flood muck clearance but now stray animals particularly the dog menace which has created a fear in the areas like Jawahir Nagar need to be addressed on priority,” he emphasized.Bukhari said that all the street lights in Amirakadal constituency that have developed technical snags should be repaired without any delay and wherever there is a need for installation of new lights, the Corporation must act swiftly. “The floods have turned our posh colonies into ghost towns. Repair and installation of streets lights to facilitate an easy movement of public in the entire city especially the worst hit Amirakadal must figure in top priorities of the Corporation,” Bukhari asked the corporation.
He said that the focus of Corporation must be restoration of pristine glory of the Srinagar city as the SMC has a bigger role in beautification of the city. “PDP wants to see the Srinagar city as one of the best cities in the world and for that SMC has a significant role to play. There should be no compromise on the quality of work and all the developmental projects undertaken by the corporation must meet their deadlines. I assure you that there will be no unwanted political interference from our side but the Corporation must also take it seriously that it will have to come up to the expectations of the public,” Bukhari maintained.Before Bukhari’s address, Commissioner SMC, Dr G.N Qasba gave a detailed video presentation highlighting the Corporation’s work during and after the devastating floods that hit Srinagar in September. Dr Qasba also briefed Bukhari about various public utility works being undertaken by the Corporation in the city especially in Amirakadal constituency.
The engineering wing informed the meeting that the government of India has already approved a Solid Waste Management project worth Rs 91.97 Crores out of which an amount of Rs 20.44 Crores has to be spent on collection and transportation of Solid Wastes from various areas within the jurisdiction of SMC.The engineering wing of the corporation also informed the meeting that out of 77 developmental projects including public facilitation centers, dispensaries, play field, cycle shelter sheds and lavatories amounting to Rs 228.59 Lacs taken during the year 2014-2015 in Amirakadal constituency, 50 percent have been completed and 35 per cent works are in progress. Khan said that 15 per cent of works are yet to be taken up.
While Bukhari was accompanied by Abdul Hamid Kosheen, PDP state coordinator, Haji Parvez Ahmad district coordinator Srinagar and Shuja Sarwar party’s youth general secretary, the meeting was attended by Bashir Ahmad Khan, Joint Commissioner SMC, Hilal Ahmad Dewani Secretary SMC, Abdul Majeed Raina Joint Commissioner Works, Ishteyaq Ahmad Shah Incharge Superintendent Engineer Drainage, Shafat Ahmad Khan Executive Engineer river left, Itrat Naseem Executive Engineer Mechanical, M H Kakroo Executive Engineer Drainage, Madan Lal executive Engineer drainage circle, Nisar Hussain Shah Chief Enforcement Officer, Manzoor Ahmad Parray Chief Sanitation Officer, Syed Nisar Hussain Chief Revenue Officer and various other officers.