*Committees framed by CM yet to submit reports
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 23: The dual administrative control issues in many areas of governance cropped up with the creation of eight new districts in Jammu and Kashmir about eight years back have largely remained unresolved because of lack of interest from the top brass of several departments. Due to this, the common masses are facing numerous difficulties in getting their problems redressed in a time bound manner.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that though eight districts—four each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions of the State were created in 2007 with much fanfare and even the boundaries of these districts were defined but no exercise was carried out for making departmental divisions co-terminus with the newly created districts.
Due to the failure of State administration to re-allocate the areas of various divisions and sub-divisions of various departments particularly those dealing in essential services, the problem of dual administrative control came to the fore, sources said, adding because of inordinate delay in resolving this problem lot of areas are geographically falling in the new districts but their administrative control remains with the officers in the erstwhile districts particularly in the Public Health Engineering, Flood Control, Roads and Buildings and Power Development sectors.
Quoting some examples, sources said that people of several areas of newly created districts are still being compelled to visit the offices of vital departments in erstwhile districts to get their issues resolved because following creation of new districts no focus was laid on either creation of new divisions of vital Government departments or re-allocation of the areas.
In order to address the issue of dual administrative control in many areas of governance, the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, while chairing the District Development Board meetings of Ganderbal and Bandipora on June 27, 2015, constituted two committees headed by Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu. These committees were directed to examine and submit detailed recommendations for permanently resolving the contentious issue.
Disclosing that District Development Commissioners of several districts have submitted their reports sought by the respective Divisional Commissioners on the subject, sources said, “it is not known as to when the issue of dual control would get resolved as much exercise is yet to be carried out in this regard”, adding “following completion of this exercise, the Divisional Commissioners would submit reports to the Government and subsequently the same would be discussed in the State Cabinet for final decision”.
In response to a question, sources said, “Administrative Secretaries of vital departments are also responsible for inordinate delay in resolving the dual control issue as following creation of new districts they didn’t pay any attention towards this grave problem and are still acting as mute spectator”.
Not only this, the issue of exclusion or inclusion of villages/areas from the administrative units like Tehsils, Niabats and Sub-Divisions created by the previous dispensation last year has remained un-resolved, sources said, adding the Government is still in the process of seeking reports from the District Development Commissioners with regard to present status of pockets irrationally attached with the new administrative units.
“In many parts of the State, the people are demanding exclusion from one administrative unit and inclusion in adjoining unit keeping in view inconvenience being faced by them on account of distance from the headquarters of such units”, sources said, adding “in order to address such problems, the Government is required to either carry out inclusion/exclusion exercise or centrally locate the headquarters of new administrative units”.
However, the solution to this problem would take time as District Development Commissioners have been asked to submit reports in this regard only after consultation with the elected representatives of the people, sources said, adding before submitting reports, the District Development Commissioners are required to conduct proper mapping so that rationalization/resettlement of such areas is properly ensured.
When contacted, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal said, “deadlines have been fixed for the Deputy Commissioners of Jammu province for completion of exercise on the issues concerning dual administrative control and exclusion/inclusion of villages/areas”, adding “since the exercise is very lengthy the same would take time as we want to submit a comprehensive report to the Government”.
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