Excess of Politicking impairs governance in Himachal

Small state of Himachal is ridden with excess politicking that is holding back the development of the state and there is not adequate attention to the projects and execution of on going work. Major issues like Central university, Smart city and health of people are shrouded in controversy. Money provided in projects or proposal requested by centre , as in case of Beas cleaning, are neglected and no one attends to these. No wonder in a survey 70% citizens have voted that governance has deteriorated in the state.

When unemployment is raging in the state delays in such vital areas can seriously impair the development, The result is today Shimla is in the grip of major epidemic of jaundice as water supply to the capital was not properly handled and no one checked or controlled the quality of water supplied to the city.The situation became so serious that almost 4000 citizens or tourists are in the grip of this disease that is direct outcome of neglect and poor governance. It appears that therfe was no regular testing of water by IPH or Pollution board. Affluent are discharged in Khad that supplies water to the city. Treatment plant is out of order for months. Even senior doctors of IGMI the premier hospital of the state and Senior Superintendent of Hospital have suffered this illness. 7 people died and IAS officer Priyanta Maudlal is critically sick finally referred to PGI at Chandigarh. Mayor of the city  says ‘ Why government is sleeping and guilty being protected”. It is such s a serious issue that it will damage the state even in tourist arrival and it is important that not junior officials only but top officials and political masters need to be held responsible for such a fiasco. Is there more serious failure of governance when government remains busy in elections?

 Central University was sanctioned to the state 6years back but till now it is operating in rented premise whereas Uttarkhand that too was allotted Central University along with Himachal has already established campus at Srinagar and is operating from there. There is controversy between the CM Himachal and former CM that location should be at Dharmshala or Dehra. But even CM is not able to answer his own party M.P. Viplov Thakur who has strongly voiced her support to location of the University being at Dehra on the ground that Dehra is a neglected area and no important unit has been set up there. She says ‘ It is absolutely shocking and intriguing that how CM has suddenly changed when it is already approved that major portion is in Dehra” She has definitely logic and facts to support the case but the question is why governments is delaying the start of the campus and not  finalizing this matter for years. It is grave lapse of governance when University could generate a lot of employment.

Now let us see what happened to another important issue of Smart city where the controversy is between Dharamshala and Shimla. A tug of war is going on and the Mayor of Shimla have alleged that figures have been manipulated by Dharamshala. Nevertheless whatever the fight we have lost an opportunity to create employment due to poor governance. It is disgusting to observe that while Railway budget is being drawn and Himachal is abjectly denied access on broad gauge trains there is no effort on the party of the government to fight for the cause of the state and most of the leaders are busy in sorting out the local elections or playing politics against each other.

The connectivity of state is still a moot point that neither air nor rail connections are being organized that  is failure of governence.There are many more curial problems and no one has heard anything happening in the state on start up or skill India projects while lakhs of young men are languishing without jobs.

Bus Stand

First passenger: How Himachal government is approaching Californian experts in America to help us in controlling monkey menace?

Second passenger: May be government people are trying to fix their foreign jaunts soon.

----Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority