Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 24: Giving an impression that bureaucracy is more powerful than the Legislature and can brush aside any of its directions, the Estates Department has not acted upon the recommendations of Legislative Assembly committee, which had asked for retrieval of the department’s commercial units worth billions of rupees from illegal occupants in both the capital cities.
The Committee on Estimates of Lower House of State Legislature, in its 43rd report, had observed that a number of commercial units worth billions of rupees, were under illegal occupation of certain businessmen at Jammu and Srinagar and department should initiate immediate steps for their restoration and proper allotment under the prescribed norms without any further loss of time.
However, the recommendation of the Committee has received no attention from the Estates Department despite the lapse of over five months, sources told EXCELSIOR. “The Estates Department has remained unmoved notwithstanding the fact that House Panel had laid thrust on retrieving of commercial units without wastage of time thereby giving an impression that directions and suggestions of the committees being constituted by the Legislature have no importance for the bureaucrats”, sources rued.
According to the sources, the Estates Department has around 170 commercial units in Jammu and nearly 200 in Srinagar. In Jammu, the commercial units are situated at Panjtirthi, Gole Market Gandhi Nagar, Bikram Chowk, opposite Convent School and near Green Belt Park while as in Srinagar such units are situated at Residency Road, Lal Chowk, Polo View and Press Enclave areas.
What to talk of retrieving commercial units from illegal occupants, the Estates Department has shown utter disregard to another recommendation of the Committee on Estimates whereby it (department) was directed to revise the rentals prescribed for such properties in order to bring them at par with the prevailing market rates, sources said.
“It is not understandable as to how the Estates Department could show cold shoulder response to such a recommendation, which on implementation can generate huge revenue for proper maintenance and upkeep of properties”, they further said. How can the department justify increase in the rentals for the accommodation for the Legislators and Government employees affected few months back and leave the commercial units? asked sources.
“Ever since the recommendations were made by the Committee on Estimates, the department has shown no seriousness to see that sanctity of the Committee is maintained by implementing its suggestions”, sources regretted.
When contacted, M M Gupta, who is holding the Additional Charge of Director Estates, said, “the recommendations were made prior to handing over of charge of this department to me”, adding “as far as rentals of the commercial units is concerned, the same has been to decided by the Rent Assessment Committee”.
However, sources said that the recommendations of the Committee on Estimates were forwarded to the Deputy Directors for implementation as they are having the Magisterial powers.
When approached the Deputy Directors of the Department for Jammu and Kashmir areas expressed their ignorance about whether Directorate had taken any action on the receipt of the recommendations of the Estimates Committee.
“This indicates how seriously the recommendations of various committees of the State Legislature are taken by the bureaucrats”, sources said, adding “in order to ensure that sanctity of Legislature is maintained the top echelons of Government must pass necessary directives to the bureaucrats/officers to take the Legislature business seriously”.
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