Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Sept 17: In what can be termed as a hurried decision for establishing its existence, the State Government has issued an order making the newly created Administrative Units functional with immediate effect without notifying the areas under their jurisdiction.
The order for making the new Administrative Units has come at the time when the State machinery is looked paralyzed due to unprecedented situation emerged following heavy rains and subsequent flash floods that rendered more than 200 dead and the summer capital marooned for the last 10 days.
Instead of facilitating the administration to function more effectively, the order on New Administrative Units is likely to create a chaos like situation by confusing the authorities as well as public over the areas falling under the new Sub-Divisions, Tehsils and Niabats, sources in the Establishment hint.
According to an order issued by the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu, dated September 16, 2014, all the Deputy Commissioners in Jammu division have been directed to ensure functioning of New Administrative Units in their respective districts without further instructions or communication in this behalf.
Hurry in making the New Administrative Units functional can be gauged from the fact that official message in this regard was flashed by Commissioner Secretary Revenue Department through wireless.
“Kindly refer to the Commissioner/Secretary to Government Revenue Department, J&K, Srinagar’s wireless message number 1203/2140, dated 15-09-2014 whereunder directions have been issued to make functional forthwith New Administrative Units like Sub-Divisions, Tehsils and Niabats,” says the order copy circulated among the Deputy Commissioners.
It may be recalled that the State Cabinet in September last had approved the creation and operationalization of New Administrative Units viz 46 Sub Divisions, 135 Tehsils, 177 C D Blocks, 301 Niabats and 2576 Patwar Halqas.
These newly created Units were to be made formally functional by September 8 but due to the situation emerged following flash floods and heavy rains, no decision could be taken in this regard on the scheduled date.
Even as making the New Administrative Units functional is a scheduled move, the pending decision on notifying the areas under newly created Sub-Divisions, Tehsils and Niabats is likely to create confusion among the concerned officers and public, sources explained.
When contacted, the Commissioner Secretary Revenue Vinod Koul sought to clarify that the concerned officers were aware of the areas proposed under their jurisdiction and a formal notification in this regard would be issued very soon. The matter is pending before the Cabinet, which would accord its approval as and when it meets following which a formal notification would be issued on the areas, he added.
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