People's Democracy

 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

 

CPI(M) Demands Restoration of

Basic Services in Snow-hit Regions

 

                                          

THE Theog Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), through a statement issued on January 31 has stated that the wheel of providing services to the people has come to a grinding halt. The snowfall on January 17-18, 2013 has buried the electricity services, transport services (HRTC), water services, health services; gas services (LPG) and public distribution services (PDS ration). The government machinery to provide these services has totally collapsed. The common man’s suffering is increasing daily and the government is wasting its energies in conducting postmortem of the decisions of the previous government.

The CPI(M) has stated that large areas of Theog assembly constituency are without electricity supply for the last 15 days. Electricity supply has not been restored in Bhalech, Jadeog, Serion, Jakhari, Hallai, Majoholi, Kihri, Basa Mahogh Kashdhar, Gadah, Rohni, Jalan, Sholvi, Jagatchowki etc, under the Theog HPSEB Division. While under the Kumarsain division of HPSEB – four transformers under the Thanedhar section, seven under the Kumarsain section, two under the Baragaon section and four under the Jadoon Panchayat in the Narkanda area are not in working condition depriving villages in the Kanar, Jelti Jadoon Madhauni and Baragaon area of electricity supply. 27 villages are without electricity supply.

The Theog committee of the CPI (M) has stated that the government must give a serious thought of improving the electricity services under the Theog assembly constituency. Under the Theog division of the HPSEB alone, the government has only replaced 8,144 electricity poles since 2007 while 18,000 poles are required to be replaced. At this pace of work, it will take another ten years to replace all the worn out poles. It is shocking in several places G.I wire is being used to supply electricity and there is a shortage of more than 300 transformers. Apart from this, the electricity Board is running without adequate staff. Under the Theog division of the HPSEB alone, there is a shortage of 12 Junior Engineers.

Under the Kumarsain HPSEB division, there is a shortage of five JEs and other field staff is totally inadequate. In order to restore the electricity supply in the Kanar area, the field staff is engaged from far off places who are forced to travel more then 20 km daily and the department has no vehicles to transport them. The workers are forced to walk long distances in which most of their energy is consumed.

The Party has stated that 40 per cent of villages under the Theog block are without drinking water. The HRTC bus services to the rural areas have been suspended, though the private bus services are plying.

The CPI(M) has stated the PDS ration has not been supplied to many of the fair price shops under the Narkanda block. The Kirti, Oddi and Kumarsain fair price shops have not received the ration quota for the month of January.

The CPI (M) has stated even the old age pension for the last quarter (October-November-December) has not been provided to the pensioners under the Theog and Narkanda Blocks.

The CPI(M) has appealed to the government to convene an emergency meeting of the heads of the various departments and make time bound decisions to restore the basic services to the people. Failure to do so, the CPI(M) will be forced to launch a struggle to restore the basic services to the people.