Congress seeks rehabilitation of Nai Basti shopkeepers uprooted airport inhabitants

Jammu, March 16, 2025: Hitting hard the concerned authorities for their failure to honour their commitments to the people from time to time, forcing them to come on roads, Congress today strongly advocated for the proper rehabilitation of Nai Basti shopkeepers, besides seeking the immediate settlement of 30 refugees families uprooted from the parking site of airport Jammu who are running from pillar to post for six years, during the period 27 persons lost their lives in stress & struggle.

Addressing a joint Press conference JKPCC senior leaders including Working President Raman Bhalla,Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, Former Minister Yogesh Sawhney, I/C HQ Ved Mahajan, DDC Sdr T S Tony  & Neeraj Gupta,Chief Media Co- Co-Coordinator said that the highest authority of LG administration made commitment with agitating Nai Basti Shopkeepers and sweets were distributed by BJP leaders but that commitment was not honoured and shopkeepers served notices,forcing them to start agitation.

Bhalla said that it is a question of the livelihood of shopkeepers and everyone supports their cause but the LG administration failed to honour the commitment and the widening is under central department, so ball lies somewhere else and commitment should be honoured before disturbing them.BJP failed to get the commitment honoured after getting mandate in Lok Sabha and assembly.

 Referring to the thirty uprooted refugees families from the site of parking place outside the airport a few years back, Bhalla said that these females are running from pillar to post for their settlement & rehabilitation at the place identified for them at Raipur Rakh. They are very poor & ,living in rented places and 27 members of these families have lost lives in stress and struggle during this period but they not get setlled on place earmarked.

This is great injustice to the poor people who were thrown under open sky after demolishing their shelters / structures in 2019,who were residing here since post,1947. They were first asked to go Suunjwan tehsil Bahu but now awaiting resetlement at Rakh Raipur,Teh Bahu. Congress leaders took to task the higher authorities who make commiments with people but later don’t honour well in time,resulting into great harassment to them and people loose faith in the authorities.Every commitment should be honoured within time schedule and no one should be uprooted before proper settlement,they added.

Senior Congress leaders also reminded the higher authorities of the repeated commitments to the inhabitants of Chhanni Rama, Chhani Bija, Chhanni Himmat, Chhani Kamala regarding re- opening of Public PWD road,which has been closed by Armed police complex Chhanni Himmat Jammu, causing great incinveninec to the general public.

A project estimete costing 343.58 lacs is awaiting sanction and funding for over three years but biting dust in higher offices of Home department.It is unfortunate that the authorities are sleeping over urgent issues while BJP leaders only busy in photo ops and making hollow claims of massive and speedy development under centre controlled UT and LG administration.

Raising another important issue of the proposed laying of ammunition depot near residential localities and religious place in Chowadi area, the Senior Congress leaders especially Congress Contesting Candidate T S Tony  expressed grave concern over the hardships to be faced by the residents.This is very unreasonable decision of the authorities and required highest level intervention to stop this project in the larger intrests of people of adjoining localities.They also sought intervention of LG and CM in matter.

The Congress leaders express great resentment over the delay in grant of statehood- as a result people are suffering a lot undu dual powe centre and demanded immediate restoration og statehood-.

Congress leaders again raised the issue of Gair Mumkin Khads, & said that failure to follow the high court directions in the matter has ruined some bonafide purchasers who are not getting building persmissions due pendency of timely action for yrs.Let the authorities do the needful ti give a sigh of relief to the genuine owners.

The Congress leaders also expressed great concern over shortage of water tankers & the failure of the Muncipal authorities to supply water tankers to the needy people despite payment after two three days too. It is duty of authorities to provide regular and sufficient water to each family in each locality and in case of shortage,the tankers used to be sent on government expense in such localties.They demanded  immediate action in this regard as summer has yet to set in. Accusing BJP leaders of shedding crocodile tears on every such issue of public concern while utterly failing to deliver on promises in past during their direct,indirect rule  in over ten years.All commitments made by them ten years prior have remained unfulfilled,so far.