Lakes and Water Bodies Development Authority (LAWDA) has become one of the notorious organizations of the State for embezzlements and irregularities. Allegations of large scale misappropriation of funds have been leveled against the organization. It is also alleged that many employees of the organization, officers as well as subordinates, have raised properties disproportionate to their means of income. The case of alleged corruption is pending before the State High Court for quite some time. In a recent order, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court directed the Vigilance Organization to report about investigation in accumulation and amassing of disproportionate assets by LAWDA officials. It also directed LAWDA officials to immediately replace the officials posted in LAWDA by honest officers who have not served the LAWDA till date. The State authorities have informed the High Court that Government of India has accorded sanction to Rs 1068 crore to three projects for preservation, protection and conservation of the lake and the first is Rs 298 crore project under NLCP for construction of STPs, drainage and other facilities. The court has been provided details of all the three projects and their funding.
In a significant development, the court, after hearing the details of flow of funds from the Centre for these projects, felt that the quantum of funds allocated for the projects is insufficient. As such it has made an appeal to the Union Government to increase the flow of funds for these schemes if the Dal Lake is to be saved and the displaced families from the Dal relocated satisfactorily. We feel the observation of the court that the project of reclamation from the Dal and rehabilitation of the displaced persons at Rakh-e-Arth in Bemina locality should proceed simultaneously. The court is very right in anticipating the difficulties likely to arise if rehabilitation of the displaced families does not take place simultaneously and for which adequate flow of funds is of much importance.
We hope that the observations of the State High Court will be noted by the Union Government and allocations will be revised upwards to see completion of the projects. We also highly appreciate the order of the court to LAWDA authorities to change the tainted employees immediately and replace them with honest functionaries who have not been on assignment to LAWDA previously. We presume that the Vigilance Organization will come out with its report on the assets of tainted officials of LAWDA, which the court has asked it to produce. Actually, the civil society has been waiting for long to know what action the court and the administration take to eradicate corruption from this defamed organization. However, it has to be said that if the court has found some of the functionaries involved in corrupt practices, it should not remain content with only replacing them. Cases of corruption have to be established in letter and in spirit and recoveries should be ordered. That is what is meant by calling the culprit to books.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel