JK: Kathua residents take initiative towards construction of lanes and drains

Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir),[India] Dec. 20 (ANI): Residents of Mankey Talab village which is just three kilometres from the District Headquarter and Block Development office in Kathua, took the initiative to construct the lane and drains of the village after they were fed up from the government machinery. The people of the village led by prominent citizen Ram Krishan collected more than Rs. one lakh from the villagers and started construction of the lanes of village which were in worse conditions. The villagers, including the women also rendered self-service as labourers and contributed the money for the construction of lanes and draining system of the village Mankey Talab. Ram Krishan told ANI, "More than 60 families are residing in our society and facing worse condition of the lanes and drains as the water logging and muddy street put an ugly pose before our school-going children and women," He further said that even their relatives refuse to visit their homes in such circumstances. "We are approaching since last 20 years to Block Development Officer (BDO), Kathua, and other Government agencies, but no one took care and ultimately we have started the work with our own contribution." Krishan said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started the Swacch Bharat Abiyan in the country but the lower officers never implement the program. The rural development department has constructed toilets which are incomplete and only two feet height wall is constructed." He further said that the state government has adopted some of the villages. "The condition of our village Mankey Talab is bad and the state (PDP-BJP) government's 25 MLAs have not shown any interest in developing rural areas. The villagers are forced to collect the money and construct the lanes and drain in our village." (ANI)