Ranks 251st in country despite promises to turn it into Smart City,
Leh is ranked 100th, Anantnag 197th and Srinagar 241th.
The “Swachh Sarvekshan-2017” survey has landed the ruling BJP in an embarrassing situation as Jammu, the winter capital of the state, holds 251st position in the country, making it the dirtiest city of the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, in charge of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD), has been repeatedly claiming for the last one year that Jammu would be declared a “Smart City very soon” as it fulfils the criteria for the same.
The survey report left a “shocked” BJP speaking in differing voices as they played the blame game. Party spokesperson Varinder Gupta minced no words in laying the blame on both the Housing and Urban Development Ministry and the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC). “Preferred persons, who lack efficiency, have been employed and adjusted in the JMC,” Gupta alleged while regretting that no sincere effort had been made to fulfil the criteria for getting the “Smart City” status for Jammu.
In contrast, party state chief Sat Sharma, who is Jammu West MLA, tried to downplay the report. “We are trying to make the city one of the beautiful cities of the country,” he said while resorting to the party’s favourite plea that “those who have ruled the state for the last 68 years are responsible for the prevailing situation”.
Nirmal Singh, when contacted, said that he was busy and would speak on the issue later. However, Rajesh Gupta, BJP MLA from Jammu East, considered the heart of the winter capital, blamed the previous government for lack of basic civic amenities in the city.
“The JMC has increased the number of wards from 23 to 71 but the strength of the safai karamcharis is the same,” he said, adding that the failure of the state government to conduct urban local bodies elections was another reason for the discouraging survey report.
The survey findings, sources said, were likely to be counter-productive for the BJP as for decades it had been raking up the issue of discrimination with the region to reap political benefits.
The survey has lent credence to Jammu residents’ allegations that the BJP, which has been ruling the state for the past two years, has failed to meet their expectations, the sources added.
At 100, Leh cleanest
The Union Ministry of Urban Development had conducted a survey of four cities of the state. While Jammu has been placed 251st, Leh is ranked 100th, Anantnag 197th and Srinagar 241th.
‘Previous govt responsible for lack of amenities’
“The Jammu Municipal Corporation has increased the number of wards from 23 to 71 but the strength of the safai karamcharis is the same. Moreover, the failure of the state government to conduct urban local bodies elections is another reason for the discouraging survey report.”
Rajesh Gupta, BJP MLA from Jammu East
