Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 29: Underscoring urgent need for utilizing ground water in a big way, especially in water scarce and rain fed areas of the State, the Minister for Industries and Commerce, S.S. Slathia today directed the Geology and Mining Department to take up drilling of tubewells also besides its assigned job of ground water exploration.
Speaking at a function, after dedicating about 12000 gallons per hour (GPH) capacity tubewell at Sumwan in district Kathua today, Mr Slathia called for dovetailing of activities between Public Health Engineering and Geology and Mining (G&M) Departments so that expertise of the available drilling engineers and skilled man power could be utilized to bore tube wells for drinking water in the water scares areas of the State, adding that the G&M Department will conduct free drilling services for this purpose.
“The G&M Department has been equipped with most modern and heavy drilling machines (Rigs), which can bore beyond 70 meters deep”, Slathia said and asked the Legislators to approach the department with their requisition about drilling of tubewells in their respective areas to augment drinking water facilities for the people. The department will bore such tubewell free of cost.
Mr. Slathia announced that the G&M Department is, for the first time in its history, poised to surpass its highest ever target of Rs. 60 crore this fiscal which is five times more than the revenue ( Rs. 12 crore) registered before 4 years when the present Government took over.
Responding to the issues raised by the local public representative, Mr Slathia asked the officers of G&M Department to send a team of officers to visit Ravi Tawi river in Kathua and stop such mining activities, if any, which do not conform environment protection guidelines.
Responding to some issues raised by MP, Ch. Lal singh, the Minister said that the new list of BPL families will be formulated shortly on the basis of latest census data, where in all the genuine people will be enlisted.
Speaking on the occasion, MP, Ch. Lal Singh demanded 20 more tube well in Sumwan area, adding that most of the areas on the tail end of Ravi Tawi in Kathua do not get adequate water facilities.
The Director, Farooq Ahmed informed that the G&M Department has bored 460 tubewells in the State including 95 in Jammu province. He said department has adequate skilled and professional man power including 50 drilling engineers who are ready to take up boring of tubewells across the State on demand.
Among other, the function was attended by MLA, Charnjeet Singh, District Development Commissioner, Zahida Khan, Managing Director JKI, Javid Iqbal, Managing Director, J&K, SICOP, R.L. Ticko, Managing Director, Handloom Development Corporation, M.S. Dua, Director, Handloom Department, D.R. Sharma, Director Industries and Commerce, Gulzar Qureshi., Secretary J&K,JKBI, S. Ravi Singh, and MD, JK Minerals, V.K. Sharma.
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