Elections 2019: Apple Bowl of Kashmir Betrayed by PDP

Awaneera is the last village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district. Here even basic facilities like water, road, electricity and education are unavailable. The village falls in Wachi constituency that Mehbooba Mufti represented in the 2008 Assembly elections.

Before former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad created the new administrative districts in 2008, Shopian was a part of Pulwama, later it was converted into a separate district.

The village of Awaneera was an ancient town with historical importance, being situated on the ancient imperial route commonly known as the Mughal Road which connected Lahore and Srinagar. This road is now being constructed to connect Shopian with Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu region.

Located 60 kilometres from Srinagar, villagers of Awaneera have to travel almost 26 kilometres to the district hospital at Shopian for basic medical facilities. Two main water projects and a middle school which was started in 1956, lie in ruins.

Also Read: Elections 2019: Villagers in Rajpora Still Await Clean Water Promised by PDP

Awaneera is one of the most fertile lands in south Kashmir which produces the best quality apples on a large scale. The plateau of Awaneera known as Tazipora Wudur was once home to thousands of apple trees but now most of the apple orchards are barren due to lack of water.

The main water source to these orchards was the Duripora-Tazipora canal which flows through the middle of the orchards. However, the canal which had high water level at one time can’t fulfil even the basic requirements of the villagers now.

A local women fetching water for orchards. (Photo Courtesy: Zubair Sofi)

With an intention to put an end to the water problem in 2002, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA from Wachi, Khalil Naik allotted a water lifting pump station for the Tazipora Wudur. The water lifting plant aimed to connect the Gurdamgi canal which is fed by hundreds of springs – so it is not season dependent – to the Wudur. But like any other project, there was a huge delay in this plant as well, despite Naik having allotted the pump. The slow paced work by authorities made the condition worse. During Naik’s time, one building was constructed and water pipes at around 550 feet were laid from the canal to the Wudur and a few water pumps were installed in the plant.

But in 2008, along with the change in government in the state, Mehbooba Mufti was elected from the seat.

Muzaffar Ahmad Rather, a 50-year-old farmer by profession, recalls his visits to Mehbooba Mufti asking for starting the water lifting plant. “Before elections, Mehbooba in her rallies would promise to people of Wachi, Awaneera and other neighbouring villages that she will fight to remove Armed Forces Special Power Act (APFSPA) and will give her 100% for development in the areas,” he said.

“Votes in exchange of development is the cheapest bargain politicians make. Especially in Kashmir, due to the volatile situation it becomes easy for politicians to fool people,” he added.

Whenever the villagers visited Mehbooba, she would ask them to visit the irrigation department, where the authorities would push them away saying that they don’t have funds for construction. Muzaffar said, “There was no requirement of construction, all that the plant needed was just an electric transformer but despite multiple visits no one paid heed to our despair.”

With the passage of time, the water lifting plant turned into an unfulfilled dream for the villagers of Awaneera. But they didn’t leave any stone unturned.

In 2014, when PDP again came to power, they reached out to the new MLA of Wachi, Aijaz Ahmad Mir with their complaint of the delayed water plant project. “He was happy to help as it was just a matter of an electric transformer. He thought he would allot the transformer and inaugurate it, and earn votes in Awaneera,” Muzaffar said.

Also Read: Election 2019: How PDP’s Failure in Infrastructure Development Weakened Its Base in Pulwama

But the irrigation department was not able to find the documents. So, again people came back with nothing but disappointment. Lack of water forced people to carry water in cans and take it to the orchards in pulling-carts. Awaneera village alone used to produce around 4 lakh boxes of apple which had a revenue of almost Rs 28 crore.

Due to the fertile soil, the horticulture department had issued high density apple plants to the villagers to generate more revenue but owing to the water shortage, the plants died resulting in a huge decrease in the production of apples. The road which leads to Tazipora from Awaneera village has been made by the villagers themselves. “All the villagers contributed for it’s construction. There were no initiatives taken from the government, we paid for every single item,” he said.

TRANSFORMER INSTALLED BY VILLAGERS

Villagers transport the apple boxes on their back and carts for almost 1 ½ km from the orchards and load it in the trucks. They have been doing this since the last 56 years. The village consists of almost 400 households and the Power Development Department (PDD) has allotted only a 2 kilowatt electric transformer. After paying more than 100 visits to the PDD, the villagers decided to get the transformers themselves, like they had constructed the road earlier.

Muzaffar said, “My brother and I went door to door and collected almost Rs 5 Lakh and bought 6 transformers. Whenever there is any fault in the transformer we collect the money and get it repaired on our own.” He added that he’s either working in his orchards or at a transformer in Awaneera.

NO FILTER IN WATER PLANT

The only water plant in the constituency which provides water to almost seven villages including Awaneera has no proper filtration system which can filter the water. The water from the canal is distributed untreated. Water tanks are left open without any staff who can monitor and stop animals or kids from going near to the tanks.

“Staff which is appointed on the water plant come only in the evening to keep a check on the water schedule,” said Muzaffar.

He added, “The gate of the water plant is broken, water tanks are filled with the dead fishes, condoms, diapers and other garbage which flow from the canal to tanks. Anyone can add poison and kill all the villagers as there is no one at the water plant to keep watch.”

ONLY SCHOOL IN THE VILLAGE LACKS INFRASTRUCTURE

The only middle-school of the village which was started in 1957, when J&K had its own Prime Minister late Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, is still in the same condition as it was before 63 years. The Government Boys Middle School was started in a private building rented by the government. It has 6 rooms which were converted into classrooms and two lavatories. There is no proper gate, no peon has ever been appointed. The owner of the building hasn’t received rent since the last 5 years. The sweeper who is assigned to the school at the cost of Rs 300 per month has not being paid since many years. The teachers of the school have started to contribute and pay around Rs 1,000 to him per month.

Photo Courtesy: Zubair Sofi

Headmaster of the school, Riyaz Ul Haq Naik, a 45 year old man has approached the higher authorities regarding the deteriorating conditions of the school but nothing has been done.

“Since many years we haven’t received any maintenance funds. The infrastructure of the school is really disappointing for us and the students,” he told NewsClick. He added, “Whenever the sweeper is on leave, students clean their classrooms. They are forced to sit on prickly-mats which are mostly used on cricket turfs.”

Ripped sacks are used as curtains. All facilities and amenities that would make this building even eligible to be called a school are lacking. Extra-curricular activities are just dreams for pupils.

During the last snowfall of 2019, as usual Awaneera and the nearby Chearemarg villagers were left to God’s mercy as no one from the authorities came to clear the snow from the roads.

“We approached MLA Aijaz Mir but he was in Jammu. We tried to call him but he was out of reach. Our helplessness forced his brother Majaz Mir to give us a meagre Rs 2,000 to clear the snow,” Muzaffar said.

“Our village has been abandoned by the government and administration. Now, we have learnt how to live on our own, but we regret having given two chances to PDP. We thought they would come to our rescue and improve our condition, but development for the sake of votes was nothing more than drama,” he said with disappointment on his face.

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