Law in offing for uninterrupted gas pipeline to J&K

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 8: In order to ensure uninterrupted activities regarding laying of gas pipeline by Gujarat State Petronet Limited and other underground public utilities in future, the State Government has decided to enact a law and the proposal in this regard is being placed before the State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah tomorrow morning. The Cabinet will also accord sanction to the promotion of nine members of J&K Accounts Services and is likely to order transfers and postings of some Deputy Commissioners.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that in order to ensure uninterrupted activities regarding laying of gas pipeline to Jammu and Kashmir by M/s Gujarat State Petronet Limited and other underground public utilities scheduled to take place in future, the State Government has decided to enact a law and a detailed proposal in this regard is being placed before the State Cabinet tomorrow morning for consideration and approval.
Sources said that when a presentation was made before the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah regarding laying of gas pipeline in the State by Gujarat Petronet Limited recently, it was decided that for smooth activities in this regard as well as other projects of similar nature in future, a proper legislation should be enacted.
Accordingly, Revenue Department in consultation with the Law Department prepared draft legislation and the same is being placed before the Cabinet for discussion and approval, sources said.
According to the sources, the gas pipeline project originates from Punjab covering eight districts and in Jammu and Kashmir the spur covers a distance of 243 kilometers from Samba to Srinagar comprising of eight districts.
“The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board under the Union Ministry of Petroleum, is the competent authority to ensure uninterrupted and adequate supply of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas in Jammu and Kashmir and to promote competitive markets”, sources said, adding “when a pipeline is built the construction project not only covers the civil work to lay the pipeline and build the pump/compressor stations, it also has to cover all the works related to the installation of the field devices that will support remote operation”.
According to the sources, the Cabinet will also accord sanction to the promotion of eight members of J&K Accounts Service to the Special Scale.
These officers are Hardeep Kaur Sudan, FA&CAO, Jammu Development Authority, Lochan Dass, Deputy Director (Hqrs), Directorate of Local Fund Audit and Pensions, Mohammad Aslam Malik, Joint Director, Accounts and Treasuries, Jammu, Ghulam Mohammad Khan, Joint Director, J&K Funds Organization, Kashmir, Kuldeep Singh Jamwal, FA&CAO, J&K Tourism Development Corporation, Kuldip Kumar Gupta, FA&CAO, J&K State Power Development Corporation, Mohammad Yousaf Pandit, FA&CAO, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar and Neelam Gupta, Principal NZAT Institute, Jammu.
Sources said that Cabinet will also accord sanction to the promotion of Pushpa Devi, Director, J&K Funds Organization to the Super Time Scale.
They said that Cabinet will further accord approval to the creation of staff for the Jammu and Kashmir State Water Resources Management Authority. “The possibility of Cabinet ordering transfers and postings of Deputy Commissioners of a few districts cannot be ruled out”, sources added.

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