Issues raised at open courts yet to be addressed

SHANGLA: The issues faced by local communities in Shangla highlighted in the open courts (Khuli Kachehries for many times have yet to be addressed despite the administration claims to have  resolved them.
Nowsherwan a former village nazim, says he had highlighted three issues in five different Khuli Kachehries, the government primary school, Shanai Kas repair, establishment of basic health unit in Kuz Batkot and taking notice of over-billing, but except bringing on the paper the issues could not be sorted out till now.
The Pakistan Tehrik-I-Insaf’s former government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had adapted the policy of holding open courts at tehsil level to address the public issues in grassroots that is being practices across the province and notables called at the events raise their respective towns problems but in most cases the high authorities of the Khuli Kachehries ask the relevant department officials to address the issues point out in the event but in-fact that could not move further to practical step.
Abdullah, a coal mine workers rights activist, pointed out an issue of compensation in a Khuli Kachehri in 2019 of nine miners who had died in an incident at Dara Adam Khel but that deceased coal miners families are not compensated till date, however, the open courts documents obtained from the deputy commissioner office states this issue in resolved category.
The document states the DC asked the Coal Mine Worker Welfare Association to visit his office on working day and meet him and the issue they raised will be taken up with the concerned authorities after mutual consultation and in the next category of Remarks they mentioned the issue resolved.
“I have taken up these nine miners’ compensation cases in almost every Khuli Kachehri held in the district headquarters Alpuri and his native town Pir Abad but only got assurances,” Mr Abdullah says.
He said the firewood quota issue was also highlighted by him because there was no natural gas facility and people used firewood but the government did not bother to allow the firewood for domestic use.
Sultan Nabi is a former district councilor from Kamach, raised the issue of shortage of staff at BHU Martung and dilapidated condition of Martung-Kamach road, the documents of DC office says that the district health officer assured the complainant that a request will be made to the health secretariat to fill the vacant posts of BHU Martung about the road executive engineer of construction and works department told after release of funds the Martung-Kamach road will be repaired.
The documents remarks category as mentioned that Martung-Kabalgram road and vacant posts at BHU Kamach are resolved.
Sultan Nabi, however, says a single penny was not used on the road to repair as it was still in bad condition and nor vacant posts of the BHU Kamach filled yet.  
“It is just waste of time and verbal assurances because I never see the government practically take action on any issue highlighted in the Khuli Kachehri and now I avoid participating in such events of the administrations since I no longer trust on the authorities’ hollow words,” Mr Nabi claimed.
Haider Ali is a social activist from Chakesar tehsil, who complained about shortage of life saving drugs and oxygen cylinders but till date that issue is not addressed the hospital has been facing shortage of essential medicines.
“The hospital is now upgraded to tehsil headquarters from Rural Health Centre but it is not only facing shortage of staff but also equipment and drugs,” Mr Haider Ali said.
The report on this Khuli Kachehri was the same in previous that DHO asked to address it and mentioned it was resolved, however, still after two years the facility was the same.
Mr Ali, says if the hospital is upgraded it must be equipped with required machines and medicines and the authorities were also not interested to address the public issues.
Sajjad Ali is a student from Martung Kass area, who also raised his voice for his town issues in November, 2019 demanding the government to sort out their drinking water and power supply issue but till date the same.
The additional assistant commissioner, Puran was assigned this issue by AC Puran to see into it in two weeks but in 2022, according to Sajjad Ali the Kass area of Martung is still deprived of the water supply and electricity.
This scribe has obtained data of the Khuli Kachaeries held in the year 2019 as it was complete data because after this the Khuli Kachehries are conducted virtually.
Total 21 Khuli Kacheheries were conducted by the district administration in 2019 across the district where 361 complaints were raised by the communities.
The information of 21 Khuli Kachehries says 194 of 361 complaints resolved on the spot in terms of assigning to the relevant department officials and 147 referred to the provincial authorities but the category resolved after refer as mentioned completely 0 zero.
The sources in the district administration say that the ratio of addressed complaints is just around 20 percent because of the least powers of the administration and the provincial government never solved any complaint as yet they submitted after highlighting by the communities.
The present deputy commissioner, Shangla, Ziaur Rehman when asked about the ineffective Khuli Kachehries being held in Shangla with zero results, he said that since he assumed the charge as DC Shangla he asked the departments to implement what they promised in the open courts.
He says the issues pointed out by the notables in these events are mostly not fallen in their domains but related to the secretary level and they just submit the high ups to address.
“We could only assure cleanliness through tehsil municipal administration and road clearance to request the construction and works department because most issues could easily be solved by the elected lawmakers,” DC Shangla said.
Replying to a question, DC Shangla says indeed the issues raised in the Khuli Kachehries need proper implementation to address them after coming on the paper.