Saroori for making Indus Water treaty beneficial for people

PHE department utilize daily wagers services but not ready to regularize or pay them monthly wages

Srinagar, June 17: Advocating to keep water resources out of the man- made territorial bindings for the overall benefit of the mankind, Senior Congress Legislator from Inderwal, Mr. G. M Saroori urged for comprehensive evaluation of the Indus water treaty (IWT) to make it more purposeful and beneficial to both neighboring countries via India and Pakistan.

Participating in the debate on demand for grants for the PHE, irrigation and Flood control departments in Legislative Assembly, Saroori said among many hostilities in different spheres between India and Pakistan, the IWT, is perhaps the only treaty, which functional adding that when PDP was in Opposition they keep on making rukus in the Assembly over Indua Water treaty but now when they are in government they even failed to raise this important issue in Assembly. He said there is need that some world renowned expert agency needs to be engaged to evaluate how this treaty is made mode purposeful and fruitful for the general people beyond the territorial prism and to see how to overcome the losses on account of this, if any.

Saying that irrigation is primarily important for harnessing the vast Agriculture and Horticulture potential of the State, Saroori called for long term and short term planning to give boost to the state’s economy which, he said is primarily agriculture based.

Saroori urged for mobilizing water resources to provide quality drinking water to the people. He also demanded to engage those in PHE Department who have donated land for construction of water reservoirs in different parts of the State.

He said that proposal for new water supply scheme for sanctioning have been submitted to Water resource ministry, he stressed for early sanctioning of water supply schemes including Kansoo, Dugroon, Jakyas-Bhatyas, Mori Balgran, Dori-Bhagran, Deller-Chatroo, lift water supply scheme Dadpeth-Kuriya, Keshwan-Jungna Balna, and Srawan-Thakrie of Inderwal constituency so that people living in far flung areas are provided with adequate drinking water supply facilities besides this installation of 30 no. of hand pumps in Inderwal constituency and reparation of installed hand pumps.

Saroori stressed for construction of new reservoirs at Tanta, Batogra, Kanoo, Drought, Batoli, Nagni, Bunjwa, Saroor, Chatroo, Sigdi, Kuchal, Durbeel and Keshwan areas. He urged government for early tendering and construction of Rs 1.50 cores of 27km long part I and II work on Kandi Canal from Kahara to Pernote Kandoth, Thathri scheme.

He asked the government to regularize all the daily wagers, casual labourers in the state. “Shrugging off from responsibilities by either sides was against the public interests,” he said while asking the Government to regularise all those daily wagers, HR workers, casual labourers, who have completed seven years of service as per the norms in vogue. He said that the PHE department is utilizing their (daily wagers) services but not ready to regularize or pay them monthly wages and this is grave injustice with them”. He demanded wages on patern to daily wagers given in Srinagar region that Rs.4500 per month where as in Jammu region daily wager are being paid twice that is on Eid and Diwali festivals.

Saroori further said that there is urgent need to submit the DPR for sanctioning of Protection work for Chatroo Nallah, Inderwal Nallah, Singpora Nalla, Mugalmaidan, Kuchal, Sigdi, Kwath Durbeel, Tagood, Keshwan, Srawan, Sarthal, Bunjwah, Kahara, Jakyas and Thathri nallahs besides this early restoration and remodeling of kools at Chingam, Parna, Passerkote, Kuchal, Malanoo, Bitola, Goila, Patnazi, Jawalapur, Kewa, Sheela Bhagran, Ghan Sarthal besides this filling of vacant posts in PHE department including Junior Engineers and others.