Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 2: Speaker, Legislative Assembly Mubarak Gul today issued directions to the Government on ensuring presence of Ministers in the House during the Calling Attention Notice and purchase of DG sets by the Public Health Engineering Department to ensure adequate water supply in the Poonch district till restoration of damaged power lines. He also criticized the remarks of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) dubbing the House as “fighting ring”.
The direction regarding presence of Ministers was issued when neither Minister for CAPD was available in the House to respond to the Calling Attention Notice of Congress MLA and former Minister, G M Saroori nor the Ministers present in the House were having the copy of the written reply.
As no Minister stood up to respond to the Calling Attention Notice of Saroori regarding shortage of ration in erstwhile Doda district and serious concern having been expressed by Saroori over the same, Secretary Legislative Assembly M Ramzan immediately furnished the written reply to the Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir. Before the Agriculture Minister could start replying to the Calling Attention Notice, Saroori remarked, “at least Director CAPD is present in the officers gallery and he might take note of my grievances”.
Soon after Mr Mir read the reply, Speaker directed the Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand to ensure that in case the Cabinet Minister is not available then the Minister of State concerned must remain present for the reply especially during the Calling Attention Notice.
Responding immediately, Deputy Chief Minister said, “every Minister is the part of the Government. Whosoever responds on behalf of other Minister remains prepared enough to answer the query of the Members up to their satisfaction”. “The Member should address the Chair and not the officers in the gallery”, he added.
On this, Saroori remarked, “we are not daily wagers…we are not here for voting only. We have also been elected by the people to raise their grievances on the floor of the House”.
Thereafter, Speaker reiterated his directions to the Government that either Cabinet Minister or Minister of State concerned should remain present in the House especially during the Calling Attention Notice.
The directions to the Public Health Engineering Department for purchase of two DG sets-one each for Jammu and Kashmir regions were issued by the Speaker during the Calling Attention Notice of Ajaz Ahmad Jan regarding the situation that has arisen due to the non-availability of safe drinking water to the people of Poonch due to breakdown of power supply.
Though Ajaz Jan urged the Minister to purchase DG sets for ensuring regular drinking water supply till the restoration of damaged power lines, the Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Sham Lal Sharma expressed his inability on the ground of inadequate funds. He, however, assured the Member that he would submit a proposal to the Finance Ministry for purchase of DG sets and more water tankers besides ensuring his personal visit to the district.
“How your visit would provide succor to the people”, asked the National Conference MLA and sought the intervention of Chair in this regard.
On this, Speaker directed the PHE Department to procure two DG sets-one each for Kashmir and Jammu regions so that the same could be put to use wherever snapping of power supply creates water crisis.
Responding to many members’ grievances, the Speaker said, “whatever issues your raise during Zero Hour are being taken seriously by the Government”, adding “I myself would be monitoring the action taken on the issues raised in the House from time to time particularly during the Zero Hour”.
The Speaker also took serious note of remarks made by the PDP whereby the party has dubbed Legislative Assembly as ‘fighting ring’.
“Soon after they (PDP) took decision of boycotting the session I immediately made an appeal on behalf of the House asking them to return and take part in the proceedings”, he said, adding “even Chief Minister, while winding up discussion on grants of departments under his charge, appealed the PDP to come back. Moreover, Business Advisory Committee and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs also made similar appeals but they didn’t come back”.
“This was their unilateral decision. Nobody had compelled or forced them to take such a decision”, Speaker further said, adding “how they can dub this House as Akhara. They must remember that during their tenure grants and budget were passed on one day”.
While condemning the remarks of the PDP, Mr Gul said, “this House has its sanctity and importance and nobody should try to downgrade the same”.
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