Vast population remains deprived of proper connectivity
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 15: In a major obstacle in the way of providing proper road connectivity to vast area of erstwhile Doda district, construction of over 40 roads in three mountainous districts is awaiting clearance from the Forest Department during the past many years for one or the other reason. This is notwithstanding the tall-claims of the PDP-BJP Coalition Government that road network in this region is all set for major overall.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that several road projects were sanctioned for different parts of erstwhile Doda district (presently comprising of three districts of Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban) under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), NABARD and CRF in order to improve road network in these mountainous parts of the State.
However, work on 43 roads could not be started despite lapse of several years for want of forest clearance and lack of coordination between different Government agencies in resolving bottlenecks, they said while expressing inability to specify time-frame for start of work on all these roads.
As far as PMGSY roads are concerned, 12 fall in Kishtwar Forest Division, two in Marwah Forest Division, 5 in Doda Forest Division and 15 in Bhaderwah Forest Division. Among the roads under NABARD whose execution has delayed for want of forest clearance during the past several years one fall in Kishtwar Forest Division, three in Marwah Forest Division, 2 in Doda Forest Division and three in Bhaderwah Forest Division.
Quoting some examples, sources said that indent for Galhar to Chichha Road in Kishtwar was forwarded to Chief Conservator of Forests Jammu vide Letter No. PCCF/FCA/1652/1546-50 dated August 26, 2013 for processing the case for forest clearance under FCA Act, 1997. However, the proposal is still awaited despite lapse of over four years.
Similarly, proposal to allow use of 5.815 hectares of forest land for construction of road from Patnazi to Kither by PMGSY was deferred in the 94th Forest Advisory Committee meeting held on March 30, 2016 with the direction to re-examine the alignment. It was directed that the Forest Department and PMGSY will jointly explore the possibility of aligning the part of the road. However, till date revised proposal has not been submitted.
Proposals are awaited for construction of road from Agral to Lawa, Ghan to Chandoli, Bugrana to Kalchanda, Sohal to Chitoo in Kishtwar several years after forwarding of indent to the concerned DFO, sources informed.
Not only the Forest Department even the concerned authorities of the PMGSY are not initiating steps to implement the decisions taken in respect of certain roads, sources said while disclosing that indent for road from KCS to Lohidhar in Doda Forest Division was forwarded to DFO Doda for processing the case for forest clearance under the FCA Act, 1997.
“On one side the proposal is awaited and on the other side Chief Engineer PMGSY has failed to ensure joint inspection for which request was made in November last year”, sources said, adding “even Forest Advisory Committee is faltering on certain aspects and inordinate delay in issuance of minutes of 103rd meeting where proposal to allow use of 3.30 hectares of forest land for construction of road from Nagar Lanchan to Kansar in Bhaderwah Forest Division was considered , is the testimony of the same”.
“Several proposals submitted to the Forest Department long time back have still not been placed before the Forest Advisory Committee, which is the major platform to decide diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes”, sources said.
They informed that in respect of some roads the executing agencies have not deposited the compensation amount despite clearance of proposals by the Forest Advisory Committee as a result of which formal sanction could not be obtained from the Government.
“Since vast population of erstwhile Doda district has been deprived of proper road connectivity due to lack of coordination between different agencies it is the high time for the Government to intervene in the matter and get bottlenecks removed so as to pave the way for start of work”, sources stressed, adding “hanging fate of 43 road projects has turned the tall claims of the Government about major overhaul in the road network in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban as farce”.
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