Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari on Friday warned the ruling National Conference government not to sabotage development in Kashmir under garb of statehood.
He alleged that development works across Kashmir have come to a standstill.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Bukhari claimed that the condition of roads, hospitals and other public infrastructure reflected what he described as a “complete halt” in developmental activities.
He alleged that more than half of the working season in Kashmir had already passed without significant progress on projects.
“The working season in Kashmir is from April to the end of September, and over 50 per cent of it has already lapsed. Hardly any work is taking place. I think the development of Kashmir has been halted under a conspiracy,” Bukhari said.
He alleged that local contractors were facing severe hardships due to delays in payments, scarcity of construction material and what he termed discriminatory policies in the allotment of mining resources. According to Bukhari, sand, boulders and other raw materials were being leased to outside contractors, forcing local contractors to purchase them at substantially higher prices.
He also referred to the sharp rise in the prices of bitumen due to the Iran-US war, saying the increase had made road construction financially unviable for many contractors.
“The government blames contractors for not participating in tenders, but it has not cleared payments for works executed over the past several years. How can they continue to work under such circumstances?” he asked.
Bukhari further alleged that changes in tendering norms had compromised the quality of infrastructure projects by removing mandatory requirements related to plant and machinery. While stressing that quality standards must be maintained, he said the government itself had diluted the safeguards that ensured quality construction.
The Apni Party president urged the government to accord priority to infrastructure development, saying improved roads, hospitals and public facilities were essential for tourism, healthcare and economic growth.
“Therefore, we give the last warning to the government that does not cover everything in the name of statehood. Statehood has nothing to do with the development of Kashmir being stopped,” he said.
“We know that you want to lapse the funds here, so that you get an excuse, look, we wanted to work, but we do not have the rights . If you do not have the rights, why are you not using those rights? Tourists will come only when there is infrastructure here. We will be able to take care of our patients only when the infrastructure of the hospitals is good. Development is necessary for all this.
And until this development is not done in priority, nothing will happen,” Bukhari said.
Bukhari said the government could not evade responsibility for the lack of development by shifting blame between ministers or repeatedly citing the demand for restoration of statehood.
Holding Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directly accountable, he said the responsibility to deliver on governance and infrastructure rested with him.
“You are the Chief Minister, it is your responsibility to deliver. Only tourism will not fill our stomachs. It is important, we do understand, but it is not the only important thing,” Bukhari said.
He demanded that the government issue a white paper detailing the utilisation of funds since it assumed office, including the amount of development funds that had allegedly lapsed. Referring to reports that around Rs 7,000 crore remained unspent last year, he said they must explain.
