Srinagar, September 22
The Gujjars today appealed the state government to postpone a survey regarding the families of those living Below Poverty line (BPL), as a large number of these families were under migration from the hilly areas to planes and warmer areas. The survey started today.

According to a spokesman of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, a national organisation working for the welfare of the tribes in India, these nomadic Gujjars had already preponed their migration due to the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan. He said that the process of this bi-annual migration takes about a month. The migrant population would be available for such surveys only in October. The scheduled survey is to be completed by October 10.

Dr Javaid Rahi, national secretary of the foundation, said the survey being conducted by the Department of Economics and Statistics, government of Jammu and Kashmir, would cover all 22 districts of the state for identification of the people living below the poverty line.

Besides, the survey would also include information about the number of educated unemployed seeking employment. The main aim of the survey is to formulate policies and plans for eradication of poverty and tackling the problem of unemployment by the state government.

Since, lakhs of Gujjars and Bakerwals, who live below the poverty line (BPL), are at present under migration, therefore the government should wait or arrange a special survey for these nomadic tribe, till their bi-yearly migration was completed, appealed Dr Rahi. He said no policy had been devised to include nomads in the survey and distribute mobile BPL cards to them.

These tribes constitute about 25 per cent population of the state and live below the poverty line (BPL) and do not get even sufficient food, health, educational and employment facilities. The maximum number of nomads belonging to the tribe could not even manage two meals, proper shelter and fodder for their livestock, the spokesman said. 

Rajouri, September 22
Even as the state government makes tall claims of improving the condition of roads in rural areas, the roads in this border township are in dilapidated condition.

In fact, the town, which is also the district headquarters, has roads even worse than village roads, due to lack of proper maintenance. The roads here are being maintained by two agencies. While the roads from Salani Bridge to Panja Chowk, Panja Chowk to Jawahar Nagar and beyond northern-end of the advanced landing ground (ALG) are maintained by the Border Road Organisation (BRO), the roads from Panja Chowk to Northern-end of ALG ground, Abdullah Bridge to Nagesh Bridge are looked after by the Public Works Department (PWD).

Affected residents say that both BRO and PWD have failed in maintenance work. They said both the agencies have not taken up repair work for the past one decade. They have swindled maintenance funds worth crores of rupees, the residents alleged.

“On several occasions, the bad condition of roads and failure of PWD and BRO to maintain the roads was brought to the notice of the state government, but it did nothing to mitigate our suffering,” said Aejaz Ahmed, a social worker and resident of the ward No.10.

“These two agencies are not only bringing a bad name to the government, but are also negating the positive effect of the massive development activities taking place in the district,” said a senior officer in the district administration, on condition of anonymity.