*No time-frame fixed for completion of all formalities
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 1: Though the Union Government had sanctioned two All India Institutes of Medical Sciences for Jammu and Kashmir about a year back yet the Health and Medical Education Department is still awaiting transfer of land identified for the prestigious projects at Vijaypur in Jammu and Awantipora in Kashmir valley. Due to this, nobody in the PDP-BJP Coalition Government is in a position to specify as to when the construction work will actually begin.
After hectic persuasions the State Government succeeded in getting two AIIMS—one each for Kashmir and Jammu provinces sanctioned from the Union Government and formal approval was received from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare vide Communication No.Z-28016/04/2016-SSH-Ph-IV (Pt.II) dated May 27, 2016.
Accordingly, the Union Health Ministry asked the State Government to identify required chunk of land in both the provinces as expeditiously as possible so that necessary steps are initiated for start of construction work through Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
The State Government identified 1907 kanals and 5 marlas of land at Awantipora in Pulwama district for establishment of AIIMS sanctioned for Kashmir province and 1951 kanals and 3 marlas of land at Vijaypur for setting up of AIIMS sanctioned for Jammu division. The identified land was shown to the Union Government teams following which Union Health Ministry cleared the same for establishment of mega projects.
However, despite lapse of nearly one year entire identified land at both these places has not been transferred to the Health and Medical Education Department of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “the dilly-dallying approach is notwithstanding the fact that unless this basic exercise is completed no further step can be initiated for start of work on projects”.
As far as establishment of AIIMS at Vijaypur is concerned, sources said that Revenue Department has yet not completed the process of transferring land measuring 293 kanals and 12 marlas to Health and Medical Education Department. Similarly, Health and Medical Education Department is awaiting transfer of forest land measuring 1395 kanals and 17 marlas for which demand of Rs 6.61 crore has also been projected with the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department.
“Though for acquisition of private land measuring 176 kanals and 19 marlas an amount of Rs 8 crore has already been released to Collector, Land Acquisition Samba, acquisition proceedings are yet to be completed”, sources informed, adding “likewise no step has so far been initiated for relocation of 204 nomadic families which have occupied land identified for establishment of AIIMS”.
As far as establishment of AIIMS at Awantipora is concerned, sources informed that 1309 kanals and two marlas of land has already been transferred to Health and Medical Education Department and for remaining 598 kanals and 3 marlas of Shamilat land the acquisition proceedings are still going on although an amount of Rs 24 crore has already been released in favour of Collector, Land Acquisition Pulwama for payment of land compensation and for meeting cost of road widening and structures etc.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Samba Sheetal Nanda confirmed that Health and Medical Education Department has yet not been formally given the identified land. She, however, said that land acquisition proceedings generally take time. About relocation of nomadic families, she said, “we will start holding discussion with them and I am sure they will move out of the area in a time-bound manner”.
Nisar Ahmad Malik, Assistant Commissioner Revenue Pulwama, when contacted, said, “we have to only complete the process with regard to 463 kanals of Shamilat land and hopefully we will complete the same shortly”. He, however, failed to specify the time-frame for completion of entire exercise and handing over of land to the Health and Medical Education Department.
“All this indicates that no time-frame has been fixed for completion of basic formalities vis-à-vis two AIIMS”, sources said, adding “these are not the only projects for which timelines have not been fixed as there are numerous other projects whose fate is hanging in balance because of failure of the Government to issue specific directions for completion of formalities in a time bound manner”.
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