Scarred by militancy and lack of development, the quality of life in the remote Murrah village, nestling in Pir Panjal mountains, remains miserable, writes Ashutosh Sharma
As Zahida Bi moves steadily, clutching an ailing child to her, through the twisted, treacherous paths carved in the sheer rock faces of the snow-covered mountains, she knows that a slightest mistake can cost a life. The determined mother has embarked on this foot-journey from her village Murrah, located in the mighty Pir Panjal range in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir, to reach a Government hospital at Bufliaz in Surankote Tehsil, about 16km from her house, to get her child treated. After the visit to the hospital, she will undertake this journey again, trekking for hours on that merciless route to get back home.
“In the absence of a primary health centre in our far-off village, we are completely dependent on the basic health care services available in Surankote or Poonch. Even to board a passenger vehicle, we have to walk for over six hours as there are no roads, virtually disconnecting us from the rest of the world,” rues Zahida Bi.
The border district of Poonch has only 120 health institutions, catering to 189 panchayats. The numbers may seem adequate for the scanty population they cover, but the poor quality of service at these health centres is further marred by their distance from the people who reside in remote villages.
According to the 2011 Census, Poonch district has a population of about 4,76,820, over 90 per cent of which resides in the remote rural hamlets. Villages like Murrah, tucked away in the higher reaches, remain cut off during winters due to the absence of roads even as work on at least 16 road projects, conceived under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, remains abandoned half way for various reasons.
The intense geographical challenges, coupled with the absence of basic amenities, public infrastructure and administrative inertia, throw up shocking tales of extreme hardships faced daily by the villagers. Poverty is the primary human condition in such villages where militants once ruled the roost and prevented any development work. Though militancy has decreased considerably, the villagers are yet to taste the fruits of economic development.
In 2006, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj categorised Poonch as one of the country’s 250 most backward districts. It is one of the three districts in Jammu & Kashmir currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme.
Perhaps the worst affected by miseries of such undeveloped villages are the children. In the absence of an outlet of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department they have to ferry eatables and dry rations to their homes, besides collecting firewood and fodder from the nearby forest.
Haji Mohammad Aslam, Sarpanch, Murrah says, “We paid a heavy human cost during the years of militancy. Though peace has been restored, the promises of development in this backward village are yet to be fulfilled. Today, a large majority of village youth are doing menial jobs in big cities, simply because there are no employment opportunities in Poonch. We are not receiving the benefits of various welfare schemes due to official apathy. The Government has failed to provide us even the basics like safe drinking water facility.”
“We want better development for our children. From Bufliaz to Kalaali, a road was constructed on a war footing during Operation Sarp Vinaash but the road is not motorable for other passenger vehicles. A new road project under PMGSY was started many years ago but the work has been suspended,” said one villager. “Without a road, the Government cannot begin or accelerate developmental work here,” opines Ghulam Din, 48, another local.
Given the challenging topography, villagers cultivate the rocky land, but for six months or less. For the rest of the year, everything remains enveloped in snow. According to villagers, agriculture and livestock is their mainstay but the concerned departments are doing precious little to help them in these sectors.
When these issues were brought to the notice of the then District Deputy Commissioner, Ajeet Kumar Sahu, he said, “I have recently sent a proposal to the Government listing the issues of this particular village among the top 10 development issues facing the district.”