Mayor-Dy Mayor tussle halt dev works, employees’ welfare

Srinagar, Jan 30: The ongoing tussle between Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has put the developmental works of summer capital on halt.
Since Junaid Azim Mattu and Sheikh Imran took over Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively of the SMC, the two have never been on the same page.
An SMC official, who did not wished to be named, said, “The developmental works have been affected in Srinagar due to the ongoing differences between Mattu and Imran.”
“Several files related to developmental works are pending,” he added.
“Drainage schemes have also been affected due to non-releasing of funds to contractors. Nobody seems to be bothered to ask contractors for immediate completion of schemes,” the official added.
With scores of streets lights across City lying defunct, authorities seem to be little concerned to replace them with the new ones.
Delay in the installation of new street lights and the restoration of defunct lights, turns the city and its by-lanes absolute dark, which makes it unsafe for people to venture out of their houses during the evenings.
“I am a working woman and I travel by public transport which makes it difficult for me to reach to my destination early. It feels so unsafe while traveling alone during the evening as there is complete darkness,” said a resident from Soura.
“I usually close my shop early. People in absence of street lights avoid going out to do any purchases, and it in turn affects my business,” complained a shopkeeper from Nishat.
The tussle between the Mayor and his deputy is also hampering employees’ welfare. The unwanted delay in the promotions of class IV employees is a good example of that.
“Our class IV employees were to be promoted in 2018. But no such formal order has been issued yet as Mayor and Deputy Mayor are busy in their own ‘cat dog fight’,” the official said.
To make them heard and to get their demands fulfilled, the SMC employees even went on a strike for a week and held regular protests. But to no avail.
“We raised the complaint to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and the Commissioner, but our problems remain unresolved,” he added.
“Winter is about to end, field staff including sweepers are yet to get their winter uniforms. They (authorities) are even unable to provide basic tools like broom and lorry to the sweepers,” an anonymous SMC sweeper said.
Commissioner SMC, Peerzada Hafizullah Shah, refused to comment over the tussle between the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. “We are trying to resolve all the issues of employees,” he added.