Srinagar City turned into swarm: Sajjad Lone

Srinagar : Peoples Conference (PC) chairman and MLA Handwara, Sajjad Gani Lone on Tuesday said that the City has been turned into a swarm.
Addressing a presser here at Church Lane, Lone who was accompanied by newly elected Mayor of SMC, Junaid Azim Matoo and Irfan Ansari said that anything that is tall and beautiful doesn’t mean it is illegal. “The Srinagar City has been turned into a swarm because the past regimes were going with horizontal expansion only while as there was no land available for vertical expansion,” he said.
He said that there is a perception among the people that anything that is beautiful and tall is illegal. “According to my experience, I believe that we need to model our Municipal laws that would be appreciable across the world,” he said.
Asked about illegal structures of political persons, Lone said that Junaid will look on merits and “I hope, he will not go for personal attacks.”
Matto while adding to the reply said that “we (people) are here in favour of demolition chain but we always neglect the main issues. We have not changed since last 30 years, there is only one commercial Hub in Srinagar. We have to create more and more such places but keeping in view of ecology and development in balance,” he said.
“We are a poor state and we need to create jobs for which the infrastructure is must. We will try to bring changes on ground but we everything will be done in balance between ecology and development,” he said.
Asked about Governor’s statement over Mayor post, Lone said that “Governor might have murmured that Junaid is educated and there was a perception that they might win.” He also said that the Congress party was also beating the drums claiming they have 56 councilors with them to defeat PC. “I want to tell them to don’t belittle our efforts, let’s respect the verdict of councilors. We fought the elections honesty and with our dedication,” he said.
“We are a party of JK and of course we were thinly spread and now I am hopeful that this is a fast and rapid emerging force. Given the traditional and dynastic rule that prevailed here for last 50 years, I hope the JK people deserve a change,” he said.