For some years in the past the State Government has made it a fashion to announcement “Development Authority” for every small of big developmental programme for a particular locality. Word particular has many dimensions in this context. It could be historic, religious, cultural or aesthetic dimension whatever. There is nothing wrong in constituting such an “Authority”. However, there is everything wrong in first constituting them and then starving them for want of funds or manpower. An authority has to be supplemented by unavoidable pre-requisites and minimum work force and work culture. Just announcing the creation of Authority makes little sense when follow up action is lacking.
On February 16 this year, Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti discussed various urgent issues confronting the holy town of Katra with the top bureaucrats of the State and finally several important decisions of far reaching consequences were taken. Katra, as we know, is the base point for the pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi. The number of pilgrims each year computes in crores. As such one can imagine the great pressure on various services like power, water supply, sanitation, environs, transport, supplies, healthcare etc. The meeting brought under its purview the tasks that Katra Development Authority needs to initiate and bring to completion within time frame. Some of the decisions taken in the high powered meeting were conveyed to relevant authorities forthwith. The top bureaucracy was also represented in the meeting and it was expected that the decisions taken and instructions conveyed to the Administrative Departments concerned would be taken up for implementation
Nine months have passed when these decisions were taken and instructions for their implementation were issued. Nothing is visible on the ground, and not a single decision is implemented. Foremost among the instructions issued was that in order to achieve multiple objectives, filling up of all the vacant posts of Katra Development Authority and engagement of competent Town Planner were to be prioritized. Moreover, the Housing and Urban Development Department was directed to immediately prepare Zonal Plans of Katra town keeping in view the need for planned development of base camp of pilgrimage to cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. The issue of appointment of a Town Planner is hanging fire as two Departments that have a hand in filling the post are at loggerheads. Coordination between two or more departments and Government agencies is not forthcoming and it puts the status quo position of the town frozen. The appeal for coordination among various services and departments has fallen on flat ears since many years. Likewise, unplanned development and encroachment are continuing without obstruction. Nobody pays heed to the appeals of not throwing polythene bags and litter spread everywhere.In the meeting it was decided to strengthen medical care services at CHC Katra keeping in view huge influx of pilgrims. The Governor and Chief Minister had issued directions for setting up of 5-bedded ICU in the CHC to be run on round the clock basis. Even instructions were issued to the Administrative Secretary of Health and Medical Education Department to fill up all the vacant posts particularly of General Surgeon in the CHC Katra on urgent basis. We learn that the mandarins have put a note for 3-bedded ICU as a part of the existing hospital in Katra. In the same vein, the road has not seen any improvement so far. About the condition of the CHC, sources informed that one post of General Surgeon and two posts of Medical Officers are still lying vacant in CHC Katra. “The post of General Surgeon is lying vacant during the past one and half year as whosoever was transferred on this post managed to get the order modified within few days. Though instructions were issued to the concerned authority that metered three wheelers should be introduced for the convenience of the pilgrim, no step has been taken for implementation of this order.
All this shows that the orders and instruction even the highest governing authority in the State is not translated into practice by the entire bureaucratic machinery. This is a deplorable state of affairs and gives the impression that not the rule of law but of lawlessness prevails in the State. We have, in some of our earlier editorials brought to the notice of the readers that there is a big gap of understanding between the top functionaries of the State and the administrative structure. This gap needs to be filled and that is actually the task of the Chief Minister as long as the representative Governments in place It is an aspersion on the quality of governance and we hope that the responsible quarters in the Government will take due note of it.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel