india

Updated: Jun 03, 2019 13:10 IST

Seven months after being elected Srinagar’s mayor and deputy mayor, the two municipal officials have alleged bureaucratic interference in city’s infrastructure development work.

Deputy mayor Sheikh Imran even threatened to resign along with mayor Junaid Azeem Mattu if things did not improve.

Mattu, 34, a former financial analyst who returned from the US barely a decade ago to join politics, is currently a senior leader of the People’s Conference, led by former BJP ally Sajjad Gani Lone.

He was earlier the spokesperson of the National Conference (NC) and considered a close aide of former chief minister Omar Abdullah.

He left the NC in September after the party decided not to contest local body elections.

Imran had contested municipal elections last year as an independent candidate and was elected deputy mayor with the support of independent and Congress councillors. He joined the People’s Conference recently.

Now, Mattu and Imran have blamed officials in the civil secretariat of scuttling their proposals for the development of the city. A series of tweets by Mattu shows his helplessness. “In about a month from now, the present SMC SWM landfill cell at Acchan will run out of space. We moved a proposal for the new cell five months ago! All we have seen till now is file notations! Does the administration want the city to rot and stink,” he said in one of the tweets.

He also pointed out his helplessness in ending the stray dog menace. “For the stray dog menace, I sent an elaborate proposal to the administration almost immediately after assuming office. Nearly 7 months later, we haven’t even received an official feedback about the DPR. Why is Srinagar being suffocated and punished?” he said in another tweet.

Mattu blamed top officials for sitting on files when drains were choked.

“Most of our drains are chocked and blocked – especially after the 2014 floods. We have repeatedly initiated the process of seeking mechanical upgrades and procurements to make the drains functional. In whose interest is it to keep the city waterlogged and dysfunctional. Some invisible hand of officialdom has ensured to handpick officers and send them to SMC with apparent instructions to ensure nothing happens and nothing moves! What is the objective of conducting elections if the Civil Secretariat has to scuttle an elected body’s resolve?” he questioned in another tweet.

Imran said they faced boycott calls and at the end of the day they had to listen to the people who had no idea of Kashmir. “We get bureaucrats from across the country and they think they know Kashmir better than those who live here. Separatists used to call this a remote-controlled democracy. I believe it is,” he said.