Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 9: Notwith-standing the apparent positive signals on possible formation of a political Government very soon by the erstwhile ruling coalition partners in the State, the Estate Department today asked the former Ministers to vacate their official bungalows in Jammu and Srinagar.
The Estate Department has served notices to all the former Ministers, Cabinet as well as Ministers of the State in then PDP-BJP Government, to vacate their respective Government bungalows within a week’s time, highly placed official sources told the Excelsior.
Since there has been Governor’s rule in the State for the last two months, the former Ministers in then PDP-BJP Government are ought to vacate their respective official bungalows and be provided accommodation as per their status of a Legislator, sources added.
The significant development has come in contrast to the speculations that Government may be formed by PDP and BJP very soon with possible end to the two-month long impasse in next few days.
The Ministers of the PDP- BJP coalition were yet to vacate their official bungalows despite imposition of the Governor’s rule in J&K on January 8, a day after the demise of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed.
Even as these former Ministers were entitled to reside in the official bungalows for a period of one month since the Government ceased to exist and were supposed to vacate the same within that period, not even a single accommodation, except that of the Chief Minister’s residence at Jammu, was vacated.
Despite being out of power and thus doing nothing for the last two months, these former Ministers continued to enjoy free water, electricity and other facilities, offered to them as they were in the office.
As no one, except the family of late Mufti Mohd Sayeed, vacated the official accommodation within the stipulated time, the Estate Department has now served notices for compliance of the same within a week’s time, sources said.
When contacted, former Education Minister and PDP MLC, Naeem Akhtar confirmed that he was going to vacate his official accommodation in the wake of a notice, served to him by the Estate Department. “I am going to vacate the Estate Department accommodation even as I am a Legislator and have no alternative arrangement for housing in the winter capital,” he said in a disappointing tone and also drew attention towards the personal security concerns in view of the development.
Pertinent to mention that a number of politicians, who are no more member of any House, are still occupying the Government accommodations in Jammu and Srinagar while the Estate Department has failed to initiate any action against them.
Even as the officials claimed that the former Ministers would be provided alternative accommodation in the capacity of legislators, there has been no mention of such arrangement in the notice, served by the Estate Department, said another former Minister and MLA.
In the erstwhile PDP-BJP coalition Government, there were 24 Ministers, including 18 Cabinet and six Ministers of State. All of them were allotted bungalows in Winter as well as Summer Capitals of the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel