Murtaza Mushtaq
Srinagar, Dec 12 (GNS): Amid sub-zero temperatures with Chillai Kalaan around the corner many mosques in Mawer block are still awaiting disbursal of firewood Forest Department.
A local delegation from Qalamabad Mawer, led by Chairman Markazi Jamia Masjid Qalamabad Abdul Gani Reshi, told GNS that they are facing huge inconvenience amid the unavailability of firewood for mosque hammams across the belt. “We have approached the authorities on multiple occasions so far, but each time we were told that the issue will be sorted out soon, however despite a lapse of almost one and a half month, nothing has been done in this matter, which has aggravated our problems”, Reshi said.
“It is sheer injustice with us that despite almost half of December gone and we being on the threshold of ‘Chillai Kalaan’, the authorities concerned are taking us on a ride”, Reshi lamented.
“With regard to Markazi Jamia Masjid Qalamabad, we see a huge influx of people particularly on Fridays’, with no heating system or at least warm water to at least make ablution with, it paints a grim picture about our sincerity towards our religious obligations”, Reshi said.
“The whole Mawer belt is more or less facing the same issue”, Reshi claimed.
The senior citizen has urged the authorities to look into the matter on priority to ease the suffering of people in the belt.
When contacted, Range Officer Langate told GNS that they faced an issue with tendering out of the firewood, because of which they have not been able to disburse the firewood to the mosque in the belt. “We had in July 2023 tendered out the firewood proposal and after much wait we were approached by one contractor who however, unfortunately, delivered only one consignment of three tonnes of firewood and didn’t go ahead as was the requirement”, Ahmad said despite being served with multiple communiqués, the contractor is yet to respond.
“We now have officially approached the contractor and will wait for his response in the given time frame, if he responds, we’ll expedite the process and if he doesn’t, we’ll cancel his contractor card and proceed departmentally to provide the people with required firewood”, the officer said.
“We’ll try our best to do away with the issue faced by the people”, the officer added. (GNS)
