Governor directs time bound action on LAWDA issues

Governor N N Vohra chairing a meeting at Jammu on Thursday.
Governor N N Vohra chairing a meeting at Jammu on Thursday.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: Governor N.N. Vohra held a comprehensive review of the issues relating to the Lake and Waterways Develop-ment Authority (LAWDA) in a meeting in the Civil Secretariat here today.
The meeting was attended by B.R. Sharma, Chief Secretary; B.B. Vyas, Financial Commissi-oner, Planning and Development; Bipul Pathak, Commissioner, H&UDD; Rohit Kansal, Commissioner, PHE; Mohammad Afzal Bhat, Secretary Revenue; Sarmad Hafeez, Vice Chairman, LAWDA and other concerned officers.
After extensive discussions Governor directed that the rehabilitation work in  respect of Rakh-e- Arth colony, which was moving very slowly, must be speeded up. To ensure that the work is not constrained by inadequacy of funds the Planning & Development Department shall enhance the Plan allocation from  Rs. 10 crore to Rs. 20 crore.  Vyas, who is responsible for the functioning of the Housing and Urban development Department, informed that a comprehensive proposal for development of this colony under the PPP mode is under preparation by  ERA experts and LAWDA has already developed 1700 plots in this colony.
The Governor directed that development of an additional 800 plots should be completed by the 30th April 2016 and ERA exercise should be completed by 30th April and the capex allocation should be enhanced to Rs.20 crore to ensure that the another 1500 plots are developed by March 31, 2017.
Keeping in view the growing population and the needs of the areas around the Dal, the Governor directed that Rs. 26 crore sewerage project for Rainawari will be taken up under AMRUT as a part of the annual plan for 2016-17. The work on the preparation of  DPR for a new project of sludge management under the already approved part of AMRUT 2015-16 will be completed by 30th April, 2016 and the work allotted by the UEED by  July 31, 2016.
The Governor also directed Mr. Vyas to release, in the first week of April 2016, an amount of  Rs. 3.97 crore to LAWDA for the Kohekhan Project so that this work is completed latest by September 30, 2016.
To ensure timely procurement of various equipments, from time to time, the Governor established a Standing Purchase Committee which will be chaired by Administrative Secretary H&UDD and Chief Engineer (Mechanical), Director (Finance) and other concerned officers as its members.
It was decided that the motor boats and other equipments, costing  Rs. 89.20 lakh will be procured by June 30, 2016.
The Governor directed that the Planning & Development Department shall make available the maximum possible funds, at Rs. 5 crore, for the Doledum Project, with provision for additional funds, during 2016-17 and  Financial Commissioner, Planning & Development, shall hold an urgent meeting for the creation of various required technical and other posts by 31st March, 2016. He also directed Kansal, Commissioner PHE Department to ensure that all replacements of Engineering Wing Staff are appointed by March 28, 2016 and the personnel actually join LAWDA no later than 31st March, 2016. Commissioner PHE will also immediately post 11 additional  JEs to LAWDA and the Revenue Secretary  shall ensure that Revenue staff is posted by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to join LAWDA by March 29, 2016.
The Governor directed that district administration, particularly the concerned territorial Police Stations, shall ensure that the required legal restrictions are duly enforced, in letter and spirit, to enable LAWDA to timely complete all its tasks. He also directed that a dedicated Enforcement Unit of J&K Police will be made available to the three urban agencies operating in urban areas of Srinagar city, i.e. SDA, SMC and LAWDA, and  IGP (K) will ensure effective utilisation of this dedicated unit in close coordination with the respective territorial Police Stations.