Politicians campaign from Govt buildings in Bandipora
Mir TariqBandipora, Oct 29: The mainstream political parties in this newly created district are not adhering to the directions of administration and using government buildings for their election campaigns. After Governor's rule was imposed in the State, the district administration issued directions to the political leaders asking them to vacate the buildings occupied by them and their party workers.
Official sources said that ex MLA Usman Majid is running his election campaign from the residential quarter of Assistant Engineer R&B while PDP MLC Nizam-ud-Din Bhat has ‘occupied’ BDO's quarter along with his office. They said that NC block president Ghulam Muhammad Malik has occupied Irrigation hut nine years back and is using it as his main office for election campaign. With the mainstream politicians taking over the buildings, the functioning in government departments has been affected with employees unable to discharge their duties efficiently. Sources said that the three politicians are not depositing the rent to the government. “They have been occupying the buildings when the NC and coalition government came in power in the State,” they said.The officers and employees of the departments, whose buildings have been ‘occupied’ by the politicians have demanded immediate evacuation of the building for running the affairs smoothly.''Political workers make all kind of noises. We cannot concentrate on our work and this has badly affected the functioning of some departments,” confided a woman employee, who wished not to be named. Talking to Rising Kashmir, ex-MLA Usman Majeed said that he has been in the possession of the government building long before. “I have prepared the document and these are pending in R&B department. The building was vacant and I used it after the consent from then Chef engineer R&B." He, however, was quick to add that the building will be evacuated sooner or later for the befit of the employees and general public.A top official said, pleading anonymity, said, “In May 2008 Chief Engineer R&B wrote to DC Bandipora and urged him to get the building vacated from the possession of politicians and political workers. However, Chief engineer’s pleas were not taken serious”. Executive Engineer R&B Ghulam Qadir Pintoo and Assistant District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Bandipora Bashir Ahmed Bhat admitted that the ‘political occupants’ don’t have permission from the government to use the buildings.Bhat told Rising Kashmir that they are holding dialogue with the politicians to get the buildings vacated. “We have also to keep the security concern of the political leaders in view before getting the buildings evacuated," he added.