ALL IS NOT WELL IN BUNJWAH Tehsildar, Block Development Officer along with various other posts of institutional heads lying vacant for months together

GNSONLINE CHENAB VALLEY

SHAFQAT SHEIKH

At a time when doorstep good governance and digitalization in the functioning of Administrative institutions is claimed across Jammu and Kashmir, The Bunjwah region with a status of Tehsil headquarter is without an independent Tehsildar as the post has been lying vacant since August 2022, with an additional charge to Tehsildar Drabshalla along the post of BDO Bunjwah is lying vacant since months together and look after the additional charge is assigned to BDO Drabshalla.

The posts of Administrative and institutional heads have been lying vacant for a long time, creating a major gap in the smooth functioning of offices from their establishments in Bunjwah. The post of Principal in GHSS Binoon and Patnazi along with headmasters of various schools is lying vacant wherein the Incharges are holding these charges in some institutions.

The lying of vacant posts is creating a major difference between the subordinate staff and the general society that is facing a lot of troubles every upcoming day. The establishments of governments in Bunjwah are functioning under violations of requirement norms including proper infrastructure, office accommodations, quarters, community hall, electric systems, and many more.

At the time when Bunjwah was assigned with the status of Tehsildar, the post was always filled with the independent officer as the area is hilly terrain and mountainous regions sharing its boundaries with Padder, Nagseni, Saroor, Bhalessa, along with dozens of tourist spots.

There is nothing changed or new in a decade but the worst Dunadi Bunjwah road with a length of 20kms was blacktopped after the hectic efforts of the general society for which various demonstrations were held at Bunjwah, Thathri, and Kishtwar. The other portion of road is in the worst condition and there is an unnecessary delay in the completion of earthwork over Patnazi Kither road.

The picturesque Bunjwah is waiting for the change from the representatives of Bunjwah including the Block Development Council Chairperson, District Development Councillor, and Sarpanches and Panches who were elected for representing Bunjwah on the District and Divisional levels.

The office establishments including Agriculture, Horticulture, Sheep and Animal Husbandry, IndianPost Office, Power Development Department, and others are running under violation of required staff for which the general society is becoming the worst sufferer.

The greater inconvenience due to the vacant posts of Administrative and institutional heads is one that some of the subordinate employees are not performing their legitimate duties in Bunjwah for which they are appointed and getting hefty salaries creating a great loss for the state exchequer.

The matter of vacant posts was presented before DDC Kishtwar during a public darbar but nothing had been done so far as the gap between the administration and the public is increasing.

A few weeks ago, during a mass rally of Former Chief minister and chairman of the newly floated Azad Party supremo Shri Gulam Nabi Azad while retracting and recalling his tenure as Chief Minister of the then Jammu and Kashmir State, in a diogulage manner said that I announced and established tehsil and Hospital in bunjwah but unfortunately have not constructed its buildings and accommodations which are looked just like cock house (Yea Tehsil menea Tehsil Diye Ha, Yea Hospital menea Hospital Diya Ha, Menea Coker Mour Nahi Diya Ha). The Bunjwah is in the back pocket of the Administration as it is not wrong to say that there is stepmother behavior in this region.

There is a lot of failure of the elected representatives who have not jointly raised these issues in one voice since assigning their chairs but remain in touch only to MG NREGA except for other various developmental issues which bunjwah is facing since independence. The author while recalling his childhood memories of developmental issues of showing moon stars during election rallies are still the same after crossing the adult age.

It’s time for the general society to come on one platform to raise all such developmental issues without any politics for their better future otherwise the day will not be so far that the sheen of Bunjwah will be completely gone.

                                                                  (The author is a Freelance writer and columnist hailing from the neglected Bunjwah region of the Kishtwar district and can be reached at freelancershafqat@gmail.com 9419974577).