Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 27: Government has decided to redouble its efforts in retrieving the missing and loaned rare artifacts at the Sri Pratap Singh (SPS) Museum so that a comprehensive compliance report is presented to the High Court in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Valley based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Valley Citizens Council.
Chairing a high level meeting at Jammu today, Commissioner/ Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Atal Duloo issued directions to the departmental officials to pull up their socks so that they could come with a reasonable reply as the PIL is listed for February 12, 2013 for next hearing. Duloo while expressing dismay over the slack performance in retrieval of the artifacts said that this has to be taken seriously by the department.
“During the meeting, the Commissioner/Secretary pulled up the officers for their laid back attitude and held them responsible for many follies. Directions were issued so that the missing artifacts are traced at the earliest so that the reputation of the whole department is restored,” said the sources while divulging details about the meeting to Excelsior.
Besides Duloo, the meeting was attended by Special Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Deputy Director, Archives, Archaeology and Museums-Jammu, Peerzada Mohammad Ashraf, Deputy Director, Archives, Archaeology and Museums-Kashmir, Mohammad Shafi Zahid, Curator SPS Museum, Srinagar, Mushtaq Ahmad Beigh and Consultant, Department of Tourism and Culture, Khurshid Ahmad Qadri.