Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar Apr 9: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said that Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) will be held directly responsible for public delivery mechanism in the districts across the State.
Mehbooba said this at SKICC here today in her first meeting with DCs and SSPs of Kashmir valley after assuming charge of the Chief Minister early this week.
Chief Minister in her hour long address to the DCs and SSPs asked them to strictly adhere to the Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) while dealing with law-and-order situations. She stressed for better crowd management by using innovative methods to safeguard human lives in law-and-order situations and sought suggestions from the Director General of Police, K Rajendra Kumar.
Mehbooba said that the DCs and SSPs will be held directly responsible for public delivery mechanism in their districts. “Real administration lies with DCs and District SPs. You are the principle instruments of change and I expect immediate results so that people, who are the real stakeholders, feel a positive change on the ground,” she said.
The Chief Minister directed for devising a mechanism to provide succor to the people, especially belonging to the far flung areas. “Devise a mechanism where DCs and SSPs hear public grievances at least two days a week (Tuesday & Thursday) from 2 pm to 5 pm. In many cases law and order situations arise due to unmet civic demands. If genuine concerns related to basic amenities are addressed, several law-and-order issues will be automatically resolved,” she observed.
Mehbooba said that besides delivering on the law-and-order front, the SPs must also deal effectively with normal crimes, especially those committed against women, thefts and youth falling prey to menace of drugs. “Pendency in criminal cases has to be cleared so that common people feel a sense of relief,” she stated.
Chief Minister asked the officers to lead from the front in reaching out to the people in mitigating their problems. She described late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s vision as a perfect roadmap in making districts real models in development.
Mehbooba urged Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to carry forward the mission left behind by late Mufti Sayeed during his previous tenure as the Chief Minister of the State. “Mufti Sayeed toured extensively and personally monitored developmental works in all districts. Even when his health was failing, it did not deter him from working selflessly for the welfare of the people,” she stated.
Mehbooba stressed for capacity building of lower-rung staff at district level and advised DCs and SSPs to reach out to them by listening to their genuine grievances so that they attend to their assignments in a better way. “Welfare of Government employees is as important as ameliorating the sufferings of the general public,” she said.
On the issue of implementation of the Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA), she expressed serious concern over non-adherence of timelines fixed under various services with special reference to issuance of rations cards, copy of FIRs, birth and death certificates.
Mehbooba directed DC Srinagar to conceive a model in implementation of PSGA which can be replicated in other districts. “I will be sending cases on experimental basis to check if the system is working properly,” she said adding she will be happy if these services are extended to the people well before the stipulated timelines fixed under the Act, especially in case of CID verification carried out for issuance of passports as well as NoCs for newly-appointed candidates in government services.
Chief Minister drew attention of the officers towards gaps in implementation of National Food Security Act. She emphasized upon proper identification of consumers in each category and publishing reconciled information for general public right from village level.
Chief Minister instructed the Divisional Commissioner to hold meetings with mutton dealers so that consumers are provided mutton as per rates fixed by the Government. She also passed directions to make auto-rickshaw meters functional within the next one month.
Mehbooba said that solid waste management is a daunting task for each of the Deputy Commissioners. She pointed out the difficulties faced by the people by the stink which emanates from Achan dumping site in Srinagar. “I will visit each of the districts to see for myself the status of solid waste management projects as this is a serious health issue for the people at large,” she added.
She announced pilot solid waste management project for RS Pura in Jammu. A similar project in Kulgam, in Kashmir valley, has already been started.
Emphasizing upon strict implementation of the rule of law, Mehbooba called for retrieving public spaces from encroachers and pedestrian pathways to allow better management of traffic. She also suggested additional manpower in traffic wing of the police for smooth movement of vehicles. “Traffic management has emerged as a real challenge and drastic steps are required to get rid of the menace of frequent traffic breakdowns,” she added.
The Chief Minister stressed for traffic discipline, particularly related to roadside parking, use of helmets for both driver and pillion, wearing of seat-belts and barring use of cell phones while driving. She also called for better management of street vendors so that they earn their livelihood without creating traffic hassles and problems in movement of general public.
On the construction of Jahangir Chowk-Rambagh Flyover, Mehbooba stressed for completion of the project by December 31 this year. She was also informed by the Divisional Commissioner about the closure of traffic in patches along the under-construction site, keeping in view the safety and security of the commuters.
The Chief Minister reviewed the progress on developmental activities as well those related to law-and-order by DCs and SSPs of Srinagar, Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla districts.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, said the real challenge lies in giving people fruits of good governance for which conducive environment has to be created by the respective district administrations. He also laid stress upon extending benefits of various Centrally-Sponsored Schemes which have been launched for the welfare of the people, especially youth, women and children.
Singh also called upon the DCs to remove negative perception about the National Food Security Act. He also laid stress upon organising camps for making people aware about various social sector schemes of the Government.
Later, Mehbooba reviewed the progress of dredging of river Jhelum from Anantnag to Baramulla in a high-level meeting.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister was briefed about dredging and Comprehensive Plan for Flood Management Works on Jhelum, Phase I, for which Central Government sanctioned Rs 399.29 crore.
Mehbooba expressed concern over slow pace of work by Kolkata-based Research Dredgers, which has been tasked with mechanical dredging of 16,00,000 cum along the Srinagar and Baramulla stretches of river Jhelum. She emphasized that weekly timelines be fixed to ensure that ongoing dredging works are carried out speedily so as to relieve the people from perpetual fear of floods that grips them during heavy rains. “People have already waited for a long time and any further delay in dredging work will be totally unacceptable,” She stated.
Presently, two master dredgers engaged by Research Dredgers are carrying out mechanical dredging at Shivpora and Sopore. However, only 2000 cum dredging of Jhelum has been carried out since the work was allotted to the firm.
Chief Minister also asked the Divisional Commissioner to issue directions to concerned Deputy Commissioners to provide support to I&FC Department in speeding up dredging in their respective districts. She also passed instructions to Chief Engineer I&FC to immediately commence work on those stretches of land which have been retrieved from the encroachers.
Mehbooba was informed by the Commissioner / Secretary PHE, I&FC that the dredging of river Jhelum has been divided into two components. In the first component, carried out by the department itself, around 9,50,000 cum dredging has been done, which has also generated a revenue of Rs.3.5 crore. In the second phase, a target of 16,00,000 cum has been fixed for Kolkata-based Research Dredgers for mechanical dredging of the river.
On the end-use of dredged out material, the Divisional Commissioner informed the Chief Minister that part of it will be utilized for earth-filling of the Rakh-e-Arth Colony where Dal dwellers are being rehabilitated as well as the Central University at Ganderbal.
The Commissioner /Secretary explained that mechanical dredging would continue round-the-year even during rains and irrespective of the changes in the levels of water in the Jhelum. It was given out that the carrying capacity of the river has been increased to 45,000 cusecs from 33,000 cusecs.
The Chief Minister was informed that I&FC Department will require another project for mechanical dredging to increase the carrying capacity of Jhelum to 60,000 cusecs.
A component of Rs.34 crore has been fixed for dredging of the river while as Rs.75 crore will be spent for strengthening of river embankments and spillover channels under Flood Management Works on Jhelum Phase I costing Rs.399.29 crore.
The review meeting of dredging of Jhelum and Flood Management was attended by Minister for PHE, Sham Choudhary Minister of State for Haj and Auqaf, PHE, I&FC and I&C, Syed Farooq Ahmad Andrabi, Chief Secretary, BR Sharma, Commissioner/ Secretary, PHE, I&FC, Rohit Kansal, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon, IGP Kashmir, SJM Gillani, Chief Engineer, I&FC, Kashmir, Javed Jaffar and Chief Engineer, PHE, Kashmir, GM Bhat.
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