INDIA HAS celebrated its 61th Independence Day and is going with a rapid pace of technology and development with the slogan to fulfill the needs of the poor masses especially in the rural areas, providing electricity, drinking water, road connectivity and other facilities. But if we go deep, through research in the far-flung and remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir, the real picture behind slogans will automatically start speaking for itself.
This picture is the evidence of the fact that in the home district of J&K's former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the adjoining villages, which are no more than 2 to 5km away from the road, are still lacking the facility of drinking water, electricity and road connectivity. For drinking water, villagers have to travel 4 to 5km to and fro to collect muddy water which is a health hazard.
The people of the village Kanow, Barnoo, Koona, Guwasw in Bhallassa Doda are seen collecting drinking water from muddy sources in this modern era of technology and development.
One can not estimate the joy of people of Doda when Bhallassa born Ghulam Nabi Azad became the first CM from Jammu region and the 10th of J&K. People of Bhallassa were demanding the widening of Thathri Kilhotran road, Gowari Khalgugasar road, Kahara Jaie road, Malik Pura road, Sinow road, telecommunication system and proper electrification to all villages. From time to time several politicians have fooled the Doda people and promised them that they will fulfill their demands. But once they got the vote and become MLAs and MPs, they did not return to these rural areas till the next election.
The problems and demands remains unsolved and unfulfilled. Poor and downtrodden people were crying and trying to raise their voice, but their voices remain unheard. When Azad became the chief minister with his policies of 'khushal Kashmir', the people of rural areas gave a sign of relief. People thought that 'khushal Kashmir' may also buy khushal rural Doda. No doubt there was a beginning of some developmental work. But at a slow pace.
The project of widening of a road was allotted to a contractor, who had promised to complete the work within a year. But four years passed and contractor has not even completed half of the construction of the road. Same is the case with Doda-Bhaderwah road under the Border Roads Organisation. The road speaks for itself regarding the ongoing work and material being used, which is of substandard quality.
The people of Bhallassa had mentioned that the telecommunication department is hampered and paralysing. Same is the case with electricity department. There are some villages in former chief minister's constituency which have not even seen the electric light. These villages are Haddal, Kanoo, Kona, Burnoo, Khanpurra, and Bani etc.
A local resident of village Burnoo, Noor Mohd Gujjar, 75-year-old told to a correspondent that when Azad become CM, they were hoping that they will get electricity and drinking water facility, but they were provided neither drinking water nor electricity. They have to walk about 4km from their houses to get drinking water.
Same statement was given by some other people of Bathri and Kahara Bhallassa. They also complained that although some opportunists got benefits during this year, but poor people's dreams vanishes into thin air.
The people of Kahara stated that their burning demand was Kahara-Jai road, but after foundation stone was laid by GM Saroori, MLA Inderwal, in the month of August 2006, till date there is no practical work done on this road.
The need of the hour is to check whether the scheme formulated by centre for rural areas reach to common masses or not because every time there is big announcement of different welfare schemes worth corers of rupees for the development of rural areas, but on ground they are implemented without proper monitoring of accountability commission. The work which is carried out by different developmental departments in old Doda district needs to be checked in order to book the corrupt officials and thereby to save the government exchequer meant for the welfare of the gullible people of hilly and remote areas of J&K. Otherwise, it would take more than a hundred years to meet the basic requirements of the hilly and rural people in the whole nation.
3.44 / 25 votes 
