Srinagar
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today held a public darbar in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. She also announced Rs 30 lakh for developing Nishat Garden and Rs 10 lakh for installing streetlights in the town.

Mehbooba is on a two-day visit to Bandipora to convene a grievance redressal camp. Legislators and ex-legislators of the district were present at the camp.

A government spokesperson said the deputations thanked the CM for bringing the government machinery to their doorsteps and addressing their problems on the spot. “They (people) hailed her for withdrawing law-and-order cases against the youths. The process should be expedited and others be also brought under the amnesty scheme introduced by the CM,” he said.

“The demands put forth by the deputations included better services at the district hospital, expedite conservation work at Wullar Lake, construction of the Bandipora-Lolab road,” he said.

Deputations from Bandipora town demanded operationalisation of the Putu Shahi grid station, a girls’ degree college in the town, construction of a bypass road, upgrade of Forest Training School, Chitranar, and Branch Middle School, conservation of some historic spots and development of religious tourism in the area.

Civil society members from Hajin demanded the establishment of a degree college there, macadamisation of interior roads, improvement in irrigation and health facilities in the town. They also sought reconstruction of an administrative complex at Hajin and upgrade of the Hajin-Sopore road and interior road links. The CM also announced Rs 10 lakh for constructing ghats on the Jhelum. She announced the construction of a community hall at Sumbal.

Deputations of various Gujjar parties demanded enhancement in the tribal sub-plan, construction of various road links, early construction of the Bandipora-Lolab road and electrification of their habitations. They wanted Shir Sar and Naga Marg should be put on the tourist map. The CM allocated 800 solar lights for them.

A Lawapora-based delegation demanded upgrade of a local water supply scheme, a power distribution network at Bankoot village and a local school and development of tourist facilities at Athwatoo.