Town Drainage system should be integrated in UEED department
Contractors threatens tender boycott if 4 point demands are not resolved
Srinagar, May 14: In order to strengthen the drainage system in the cities and towns, the contractors have demanded to bring the town drainage back in the UEED and said that after the handing over R&B department, the existence of this department has been vanished. He warned that if no progress was made in resolving the four-point demand, the contractors would stage a boycott of works and tenders and protest.
During a press conference in Srinagar on Saturday, the Central Contractors Coordination Committee, a joint coalition of contractors, said that the construction and development claimed by the government was not visible on the ground.
Farooq Ahmed Dar, general secretary of the coordination committee, alleged that the departments which used to build and develop are gradually being abolished. He said that town drainage (data collection) was separated a decade ago and the department Attached to public works Dept, But R&B did not have experience in such works due to which the funds allocated for drainage are lapsed. He said that there was already a burden on the Public Works Department due to which they were not able to do the work of drainage. Dar demanded that the drainage sector be shifted to the UEED department.
Dar said that the contractors have already demanded the government to resolve the four-point demands and if their demands are not addressed, the protest wave will intensify and besides boycotting tenders. Stressing on the need for remittances, renewal of contract cards and moderation in prices of construction materials, Dar warned the Administration that if their demands were not met, they would have the option of boycotting the works. He said that at present the government has a debt of Rs. 685 crore, and they are trying their best to get rid of it. He said that renewal of contractors’ cards should be done immediately as it would delay the contractors from participating in the tendering process. He said that some bureaucrats were obstructing the construction work.
“The lieutenant governor is in favor of development and construction in Jammu and Kashmir, and the bureaucrats are thwarting his program, He said”
Town drainage Association President Mohd afzal kuchay,sheikh Mushtaq,Estates Div president zaffer ahmed shah, Riyaz Ahmed Bhat,Ishfaq Ahmed Khan,Senior coordination Leaders Javid Ahmed Zerger and KEA Senior Leader Haji Nisar, was also present in press conference.