Govt yet to release funds for payment to vendors
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, June 16: Contrary to tall claims of the Government, concerned authorities have failed to complete the process of delineation and demarcation of Gair Mumkin Khads/ Daryas/ Nallahs etc, which do not form a part of water channels but have been recorded in Revenue records.
Even after expiry of the extended deadline for completion of the work, there has been little progress on the assigned task while the Government has yet to release funds to the concerned district administrations for payment to the private agencies being hired for GIS survey and digital mapping.
Official sources told the Excelsior that only 20 percent of work has been completed so far in Kathua and Samba districts while in Jammu district, only first phase has been completed with the areas within Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) limits uploaded on official website for seeking public objections.
The Deputy Commissioners of these districts have requested the higher authorities to sanction funds for floating e-tenders for DGPS/GIS Survey and payment to the successful bidders, sources added.
Pertinent to mention that the exercise is being conducted in a phased manner, starting from districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua and then remaining districts in one year. The approved procedure provides for Khasra-wise delineation by the internal departmental committees using GPS for generation of digital maps, conducting actual spot verification to establish desirable width of water course/channels especially in the proprietary lands, and removal of illegal encroachments on identified water courses through remedial action.
The entire process of delineation and demarcation in Jammu, Samba and Kathua was to be completed within three months i.e. by or before May 4.
In Jammu district, approximately three lakh Kanals are required to be surveyed for demarcation of land which do not form part of water course. Out of this, approximately 80,000 kanals land falls within the area of Jammu Development Authority. The Office of Deputy Commissioner Jammu has already issued Work Order for Survey of the land falling under the jurisdiction of JDA to M/s K S Construction (empanelled vendor of JDA) at the approved rate of Rs 135 per kanal.
As the ongoing survey work in JDA limits is likely to be completed by this month, funds to the tune of Rs one crore for payment of the vendor are needed while rupees three crores are required for floating tender for the survey of remaining area of Jammu district, falling outside the JDA jurisdiction, sources explained.
Therefore, sources added, the Deputy Commissioner Jammu, vide letter number DM//LO/2022-23/7197-99, dated 28-05-2022, to Commissioner/Secretary, Revenue Department, has requested to release Rs 4 crores, required for Survey of Gair Mumkin Khads, Gair Mumkin Nallahs, Gair Mumkin Dariya etc in the district Jammu.
Sources further informed that similar communications seeking release of funds for the survey have been forwarded by the Deputy Commissioners of Samba and Kathua.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Samba, Anuradha Gupta said that the tendering process was completed and the successful bidder has been assigned the job of GIS mapping in the district.
“Along with that ground survey is being done by Revenue and Flood Control team. Now the roadmap is easier to follow and we will complete the work on faster pace,” she added.
According to Additional Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Minga Sherpa, who is supervising the entire process in Jammu district, there were some issues of administration nature, which have been almost resolved now and the tenders are being floated soon.
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