Residents protest civic neglect in Udhampur, expose governance failures in IIOJK
Jammu, : In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), residents of the Sangoor area in Udhampur district staged a protest against the occupation authorities’ failure to provide basic civic amenities, saying official apathy has created serious health and sanitation hazards.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protesters voiced strong resentment against the Municipal Council, Udhampur, saying that sanitation services have deteriorated sharply since the tenure of the elected municipal councillors ended, causing immense hardship to local residents.
The protesers said heaps of garbage have remained unattended for years near residential houses, emitting a foul smell and posing a serious health hazard. They said the accumulation of waste has led to a rise in mosquitoes and other insects, increasing the risk of infectious diseases. Despite repeated complaints to the Municipal Council, they said the authorities have failed to take any meaningful action beyond making empty promises.
District Congress Committee (DCC) Udhampur President Sumeet Magotra also visited the locality and criticized the Municipal Council for its failure to maintain basic civic services. He warned that if the sanitation system is not restored within the stipulated time, the Congress party, along with local residents, would launch a stronger protest, including a road blockade, against the Municipal Council.
The protest reflects growing public dissatisfaction over poor governance and crumbling civic infrastructure in IIOJK, contradicting the BJP-led Indian government’s repeated claims of development and improved governance in the occupied territory following illegal abrogation of its special status in August 2019
