Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 31: The National Conference-Congress Coalition Government has been vigorously pursuing its double standards towards those areas which otherwise require focused attention more particularly of Jammu region. This can be gauged from its approach towards the conservation of Surinsar, Mansar and Dalsar lakes for whose protection only peanuts are sanctioned/released in comparison to the Dal and Nigeen lakes of the Kashmir valley.
In order to properly look after, manage and conserve the water bodies and waterways of the State, the Government Vide Order No.117 of HUD dated April 11, 1997 created Lakes and Waterways Development Authority as an autonomous body under the Development Act, 1970.
However, the Authority took only Dal and Nigeen lakes as core areas of attention while as other lakes particularly the Mansar, Surinsar and Dalsar lakes of Jammu region were kept out of the jurisdiction of Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) for obvious reasons.
The disadvantage of keeping these lakes of Jammu out of the purview of the LAWDA was that Union Ministry of Environment and Forests sanctioned financial allocation of Rs 298.76 crore for the Dal and Nigeen lakes in September 2005 while as no such major conservation project was ever prepared/sanctioned for the lakes of Jammu.
According to an official data, against Rs 298.76 crore, an amount of Rs 2874.15 lakh was expended on Dal and Nigeen lakes in the year 2011-12, Rs 2538.77 lakh in 2012-13 and Rs 1372.21 lakh in 2013-14 while as only peanuts were expended on the Mansar, Surinsar and Dalsar lakes, which have not been brought under the jurisdiction of LAWDA and continue to be with the Forest Department.
“On one side the Government admits that if the conservation of these lakes of Jammu is to be taken up then these will have to be transferred to the LAWDA so that project reports for their conservation are prepared and submitted to the Government of India for approval and funding but on the other hand it has not issued any order till date to bring these water bodies under the jurisdiction of LAWDA”, sources said.
“This indicates double standards of the National Conference-Congress Coalition Government towards the lakes of Jammu”, they regretted, adding “had the Government been serious towards conservation of Jammu lakes it should have issued an administrative order bringing Mansar, Surinsar and Dalsar under the purview of the LAWDA”.
The step-motherly approach towards the lakes of Jammu can further be gauged from the fact that a representation made by the MLA Ramnagar, Harshdev Singh to the Prime Minister’s Office was endorsed to LAWDA with advice that appropriate action be taken in respect of the suggestions of the MLA concerning the development of Jammu lakes but no follow-up action has been taken till date, sources said.
“Even the LAWDA is of the saying that it could take any action on the communication only when these lakes are formally handed over to it”, sources said, adding “this clearly indicates that there is a lot of difference between the statements of the Government and actual approach towards the areas requiring focused and immediate attention”.
Notwithstanding the neglecting attitude of the Government towards these lakes, the Jammu leadership continues to remain mute spectator instead of building pressure on the Government to bring Jammu lakes under the jurisdiction of LAWDA.
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