As a kid I often heard from my elders that if you come across a stone on a road, pick it up and put it aside. However, if the stone is so big that a person cannot lift it, it is better to bring that to the notice of the administration. And if the administration neglects it, then it must be reminded of its duty.
The footpaths in district Kulgam are in very bad condition, especially in the stretch from Kulgam town to Chawalgam. Pedestrians face great inconvenience as the footpaths are in a shambles and manholes lie open without their iron cover. It is perhaps due to the poor quality of materials used by contractors who constructed these footpaths that they are in such derelict state. People walking on them, especially in the dark, are at risk of falling into manholes.
I wish also to draw the administration’s attention towards the bushes which have grown beside the footpaths. They hinder pedestrians and at places make it almost impossible to pass.
Recently the roads were macadamised but garbage is still being thrown on these footpaths, which nobody cares to remove. I hope the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulgam will spare some time from his busy schedule and himself inspect the poor condition of the footpaths, especially near the PHE office in the main town, and will take necessary steps and issue the required orders to the department concerned to cover open manholes and repair broken footpaths as early as possible, before winter arrives and makes the job all the more difficult.
I have let you know about the condition of these footpaths, now the action is up to you.

—The writer is a PhD scholar. [email protected]

MUBASHIR IQBAL KITABA