No taker of repeated directions about timely follow-up
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 7: All the legislators of Udhampur district are fuming as the issues raised by them during the District Development Board meeting more than one year back have failed to become reality due to casual approach of the bureaucrats that too despite issuance of strict directions by the Chairman for timely follow-up action. Shockingly, the fate of decisions taken by the Board three years back is also hanging in balance due to non-cooperation from those at the helm of affairs in different departments in Civil Secretariat.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that while chairing District Development Board meeting of Udhampur on March 14, 2017, Minister for Forest and Environment Ch Lal Singh had repeatedly told the heads of various departments in Udhampur district to leave no stone unturned to implement the decisions of the Board in letter and spirit.
“The issues raised at this forum assumes much significance as such the same should receive due and timely attention of all the concerned authorities”, he had further told the officers attending the meeting.
“However, almost all the issues raised by the legislators from the district have failed to become reality as no follow-up action was taken by the concerned departments during the past over one year”, sources said, adding “in this way the concerned authorities have not only made mockery of the directions of the Chairman of the Board but also undermined the importance of the institution”.
Quoting some examples, they said that during the DDB meeting Chief Executive Officer of Patnitop Development Authority was asked to focus on development of tourist spots like Dudu, Basantgarh and Pancheri. “However, no major developmental activity has taken place at these spots during the past over one year”, sources rued.
“Similar is the fate of direction vis-à-vis creation of more infrastructure at Moungri Mela site”, they said, adding “the non-serious approach of the concerned authorities is notwithstanding the fact that Dudu-Basantgarh has huge potential for adventure and leisure tourism”. Due to this, Dudu-Basantgarh could not be brought on the tourism map.
The MLA from Ramnagar R S Pathania had demanded Herbal Research Centre to tap the rich herbal medicines found in the forests of the area and transformer repair workshop for Ramnagar but these demands have not been considered till date despite the fact that Chairman of the Board had directed the officers attending the meeting to take seriously the issues flagged by the legislators.
It was announced in the DDB meeting that Ritti Batla and Mani Water Supply Schemes in Chenani will be completed during 2017-18 financial year by timely releasing funds. “Though required funds were released but deadline for completion of schemes could not be met”, sources said.
MLA from Udhampur Pawan Gupta had raised the issues of augmentation of water supply scheme for the Udhampur town, delay in start of work on solid waste management plant and development of Gangera Hills as City Forest by making available all the facilities including proper track and approach road. “None of the concerned authorities paid any serious attention towards these issues and no follow-up action was initiated”, sources said.
When contacted, MLA Udhampur said, “during the DDB meeting the Heads of the Departments or district officers only listen our issues and forget the same soon after leaving the meeting”, adding “neither they have powers to release funds for the developmental works projected by us nor they take up the issues with the senior officers as such the importance of DDB is being undermined”.
MLA Ramnagar R S Pathania said, “though Government is coming up with instructions after regular intervals asking for strict implementation of DDB decisions yet the facts remain contrary as no follow-up action is taken by the concerned authorities”.
“What to talk of DDB meeting of last year several decisions taken by Udhampur District Development Board in a meeting held under the chairmanship of the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 2015 are still pending for implementation”, he said, adding “even Planning Department is not taking seriously the decisions of DDB and always adopt dilly-dallying approach in release of funds”.
Similarly, MLA Chenani Dina Nath Bhagat said, “the issue of non-implementation of DDB decisions was raised in the Legislative Assembly a number of times but still non-seriousness prevails at all the levels”. “The importance of the institution of DDB is only confined to the statements of the Government”, he remarked.
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