Uncertainty over strategic road projects
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 22: A major controversy has erupted with the Government of India taking serious note of Jammu and Kashmir Forest Ministry headed by BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh imposing Rs 2.17 crores worth fine on Border Roads Organization (BRO), which works under the Defence Ministry, for construction work on Basohli-Bani-Bhaderwah road, which is vital not only from the public but also defence point of view. The fine has prompted BRO to suspend all works from Kathua to Bhaderwah via Bani and Basohli pending resolution of the controversy, generated by the Forest Minister of J&K Government.
The BRO has been engaged in construction of several strategic roads in Jammu and Kashmir including mountainous Ladakh region, where India shares un-demarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, apart from National Highways and other roads, which were very crucial from defence point of view.
Official sources told the Excelsior that this was not the first time when the Forest Ministry has tried to block prestigious developmental projects in Jammu and Kashmir, undertaken by the Union Roads and Surface Transport Ministry through various executing agencies like National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) etc. Previously also, they said, the Centre had to intervene to facilitate the projects.
However, the latest decision of J&K Forest Ministry headed by BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh to impose Rs 2.17 crore fine on BRO, which was unprecedented and unheard of by the construction agency, which draws its officers and troops from Army’s Corps of Engineers, has snowballed into a major controversy with BRO not only taking up the matter with the Government of India but also deciding to suspend all its works from Kathua to Bhaderwah via Bani-Basohli and Billawar till the matter is resolved.
The BRO has been engaged in construction of Basohli-Bani-Bhaderwah road and some other projects in the area. While justifying the BRO decision, sources said the Centre and the BJP high command, both of whom were seized of the issue, were expected to intervene shortly to set the things right as the projects taken up by the BRO were of very strategic nature.
“The issue of J&K Forest Ministry imposing Rs 2.17 crore worth fine on BRO, whose Board is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Defence Minister Arun Jaitley as Deputy Chairman, hasn’t been taken lightly by the Centre as it has dented image of not only the Government but also the BJP as Forest Ministry is headed by the BJP leader in Jammu and Kashmir, who significantly, represents Basohli Assembly constituency from where prestigious Basohli-Bani-Bhaderwah road will pass.
Pointing out that Defence Ministry and Surface Road Transport Ministry, headed by Nitin Gadkari, have been going all out to expedite works on major road projects in Jammu and Kashmir as the State was very significant having boundaries with both hostile neighbours, Pakistan and China, sources admitted that the decision of J&K’s Forest Ministry has caused major setback to the projects.
Apart from this, they said, several local youth of Bani, Basohli, Billawar and surrounding belts, who had been engaged by the BRO for construction purposes, were rendered unemployed after suspension of work by the construction agency.
Forest Minister Choudhary Lal Singh, when approached for comments, didn’t respond.
An order issued by Divisional Forest Officer (DF), Basohli Forest Division, Basohli and addressed to Officer Commanding 69 RCC (GREF) had charged the construction agency with violation of J&K Forest (Conservation) Act 1997/J&K Forest Act 1987 along with terms and conditions contained in different sanction orders, thus punishable under Section 5 of J&K contain in sanction orders of the State Government and imposed Rs 2.17 crores worth penalty on the agency.
Pointing out that the Government of India as well as the BJP high command have taken serious exception to the J&K Forest Ministry’s decision, targeting defence road construction agency, sources said a direction could be issued shortly by the Centre for immediately suspending the order imposing fine on the BRO as well as taking all precautions in future for creating road blocks in construction of strategic roads in the sensitive border State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Noting that this was not the first time when J&K’s Forest Ministry has created hurdles in projects of national importance, sources said Union Surface Road Transport Ministry headed by BJP veteran Nitin Gadkari had to personally intervene when Jammu-Srinagar National Highway work was stopped by the Forest Ministry at Ramban last year on flimsy grounds. The Ministry had taken serious note of the issue then.
Again, sources said, BJP MLA from Bani, Jewan Lal and several party workers along with local people had held massive protests in the constituency after road work was suspended.
Yet again, they said, the Forest Ministry raised hurdles in construction of temporary pathway from helipad landing area to Government Medical College, Kathua’s foundation laying ceremony, which was to be attended by Union Health Minister and BJP leader Jagat Prakash Nadda and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti among others.
According to sources, DG BRO Lt Gen AK Shrivastava has personally met the representatives of the Government of India and brought all the problems faced by the construction agency including the unprecedented issue of fine into their notice and sought an end to them before the agency could resume construction work.
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