Details

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 24 March 2016

JAMMU:  Governor N.N. Vohra held a comprehensive review of the issues relating to the Lake and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) in a meeting in the Civil Secretariat here today. The meeting was attended by Shri B.R. Sharma, Chief Secretary; Shri B.B. Vyas,  Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development; Shri Bipul Pathak, Commissioner, H&UDD; Shri Rohit Kansal, Commissioner, PHE; Shri Mohammad Afzal Bhat, Secretary Revenue; Shri 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.  Sh. 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 shall be completed by 30th April, 2016 and the work allotted by the UEED by 31st July, 2016.

The Governor also directed Sh. 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. The Governor was informed that IIT Roorkee has been engaged to submit their recommendations for the upgradation of the three STPs by July 15, 2016 for which the LAWDA shall release the requisite funds and ensure time-bound further action on the IIT’s recommendations.

To ensure timely procurement of various equipments, from time to time, the Governor established a Standing Purchase Committee which shall 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 lac, shall be procured by 30th June, 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 Sh. Vyas, 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 Sh. Kansal, Commissioner PHE Department to ensure that all replacements of Engineering Wing Staff are appointed by 28th  March, 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 29th March, 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. The Governor directed that a well considered SOP shall be drawn up by IGP Kashmir to clearly spell out their interface with the territorial Police Stations. The Governor also directed that the Home Secretary shall notify this unit by March 31, 2016.