People of distts created in 2007 still facing numerous problems
Repeated communiqués of Div Coms fail to yield any result
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 4: Despite being aware of the fact that vast population in the districts created 11 years back is facing numerous problems, the Government is sleeping over the proposal about redefining the jurisdiction of various departments which was submitted two years back. Shockingly, even serious discussion has not been initiated on addressing the grave issue at any level in the administration.
In the year 2007, eight new districts—four each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions were created and their jurisdiction was also properly defined but no attention was paid towards making divisions and sub-divisions of several key developmental departments co-terminus with these administrative units.
Due to this, fringe areas virtually emerged as ‘no-administration land’ and vast population started facing difficulties in getting their grievances redressed in a time-bound manner, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
Quoting some instances, sources said that several areas of Reasi district are still under the control of Power Development Department’s divisions and sub-divisions in Rajouri district. Similarly, the forest area of Shiv Khori Shrine falls under Nowshera Forest Division as a result of which in case of any work relating to the Forest Department people are compelled to visit Nowshera.
Likewise, several Panchayats of Reasi district are covered under MGNREGA from Udhampur district.
“Several water supply schemes of Samba district fall in the domain of PHE Department’s divisions and sub-divisions in Udhampur and for redressal of any grievance people are compelled to travel long distance”, sources said, adding “similar is the situation in respect of other key departments like Rural Development, Roads and Buildings and Irrigation and Flood Control Department etc”.
They disclosed that vast population in Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Jammu, Samba, Reasi, Udhampur and Kathua in Jammu division are the worst victims of this confusion prevailing since 2007.
For nine long years the affected people continued to knock one after another door in the State administration for removal of this confusion but there was no taker of their grievances. However, in 2016 the then Divisional Commissioner Jammu vide Communication No.902/Div Com/E&S/870-77 dated July 28, 2016 sought proposal from all the Deputy Commissioners particularly those of newly created districts so as to bring an end to the difficulties of the people.
All the Deputy Commissioners of Jammu province submitted their respective proposal to the Divisional Commissioner within a period of one month and thereafter the then Divisional Commissioner submitted a comprehensive proposal to the higher authorities for necessary action, sources said, adding similar exercise was also conducted by the then Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir.
“Thereafter, numerous reminders were sent to the Government was early action on the proposal but till date there is no positive response”, sources said, adding “what to talk of clearing the proposal keeping in view the difficulties being faced by the people even discussion on the proposal at the relevant quarter has not been initiated till date”.
According to the sources, even 11 years after the creation of eight more districts the people of fringe areas are still knocking the doors of the Deputy Commissioners for redressal of their grievances but the latter are finding it difficult to mitigate problems of the people.
It is pertinent to mention here that the then Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu while admitting that jurisdiction of divisions and sub-divisions of various developmental departments was not co-terminus with the jurisdiction of the administrative units had early this year announced to initiate the necessary groundwork in this regard.
He had announced that a group comprising Administrative Secretaries of all the key departments will undertake a comprehensive review of the jurisdiction of divisions and sub-divisions in various development departments so as to bring their jurisdiction in harmony with the administrative units.
However, neither group was constituted by the political dispensation nor the proposal submitted by the Divisional Commissioners was cleared. “Same situation is prevailing till date and people hope that Governor’s administration will take this issue seriously and put an end to the difficulties started 11 years back”.
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