Cong MLC’s remarks create furore in House
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 30: Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh today had to face ‘unpleasant situation’, over the highly objectionable remarks passed by the Congress Member on the issue of Municipal Committee complex Bhaderwah, which triggered high pitched clashes between the Opposition members and the ruling party (PDP-BJP) Legislators in the Upper House today.
The BJP and PDP Members virtually came to the rescue of the Deputy Chief Minister when he was cornered over a short notice/ question of Congress Member Naresh Gupta. The high pitched clash between both sides disrupted proceedings in the House for about 15 minutes.
Congress member asked whether there is any rule or procedure prevailing in the State that despite its incompletion and further requirement of Rs one core for the completion of the Municipal Building, Bhaderwah, it has been inaugurated.
The Minister in his reply denied having inaugurated the building and said only local MLA was called over a cup of tea by the EO of the MC Bhaderwah on December 1, 2017 and no formal function regarding inauguration was held.
The Congress MLC stood up and said that reply was totally wrong and far from the truth and also used objectionable words alleging that DyCM, who was so senior Minister was trying to mislead the House while the fact is that the building was inaugurated officially and report was also published in section of press. He also produced copies of few papers where this report was also published with regard to inauguration. He alleged that it was contempt of the House and he would move privilege motion against those providing wrong reply.
As Congress MLC was firing salvo on the DyCM, the later stood and asked him to mind his language. The DyCM also asked the member to substantiate his claim. The remarks of Gupta triggered furore in the entire House. PDP and BJP members including Surinder Choudhary, Saifuddin Bhat, Yasir Reshi, Firdous Tak, Sofi Yousuf, Vibodh Gupta, ML Raina, Ramesh Arora, Surinder Ambardar, Vikram Randhawa and Ashok Khajuria trained gun on Naresh Gupta. The Opposition NC-Congress members including GN Monga, Sajjad Kichloo, Showkat Ganai, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone, Ali Mohd Dar, Balbir Singh and others also stood up and joined Naresh Gupta in the verbal spat.
Heated exchanges created ugly scenes in the House. It was started by spree of raising allegation and counter allegations on each other. The Chairman tried to bring order in the House but he failed. Minister for Law and RDD Abdul Haq Khan also tried to restore peace but he also failed in his attempts. Some ruling members came down from their seats towards opposition members and indulged in verbal clash. In the din, nothing was clearly audible. It was nearly free for all situation in the House. The BJP members pressed that Naresh Gupta should tender apology.
The BJP members requested the Chairman to expunge the objectionable words against DyCM which he did. With the intervention of Abdul Haq Khan, the order was restored after about 15 minutes. He asked the members to maintain sanctity of the Upper House as it goes against their image and reputation.
Taking serious note of the situation, Chairman Haji Anayat Ali took all the members to task and said they have not maintained the respect of the Chair. “They all are responsible for it. They have made mockery of this House.” Ali said he was new, no doubt, but before him many senior and highly respected Member remained Chairman of this House. The Members should honour the ‘Chair’. The Chairman said that he will take action in case any member would take this House for granted and create indiscipline.
Earlier, in his reply, Dr Nirmal Singh said that the office of the Municipal Committee, Bhaderwah was functioning in a private rented building having only three rooms and one store from 2012 to November 30, 2017 at monthly rent of Rs 8200 being paid out of the own resources of Municipal Committee.
He said that in order to provide adequate space/accommodation for smooth functioning of the office, a decision was taken to shift the office in the Office-cum-Shopping Complex at Passri Bus Adda Bhaderwah. This building is owned by the department having well-furnished six rooms at the first floor of Shopping Complex, whereas, second floor of the building is under finishing level. The office was shifted to the first floor of the said building on 1st December, 2017.
DyCM further told the House while shifting the office to the first floor of the Office-cum-Shopping Complex at Passri Adda Bhaderwah, MLA of the constituency was invited by the Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Bhaderwah. Since, shopping complex in the same building is running there for the last many years, therefore no formal function was organized to inaugurate the office building.
Meanwhile, replying to calling attention notice of NC member Qaiser Jamsheed Lone, DyCM said that augmentation work on receiving station at Sogam would be taken up during the next financial year.
He said the issue has been taken up with Planning Development and Monitoring Department for arrangement of funds.
The Minister replied to the notice of Qaiser Lone moved ‘to call attention of the Government towards the issue of public importance that has arisen due to delay in up-gradation work of 33/11 KV receiving station Sogam from existing capacity 6.6 MVA to 10 MVA.’
Minister informed that the receiving station Sogam of District Kupwara is having capacity of 1×6.3 MVA with feeders having 250 AMP peak load, Tikkipora with 230 AMP Peak load and hospital having 20 AMP peak load respectively.
He claimed that presently receiving station has total capacity of 330 Amp while as unrestricted load on the station of present is 500 Amps, owing to which additional rotational cuts are being implemented in addition to curtailment schedule.
If these unscheduled/distress cuts are not enforced, vital power equipments like power transformers, switchgear etcetera may get damaged thereby plunging the entire feeding area in darkness for a longer duration,” the Minister added.
“In order to mitigate this problem, augmentation of receiving station Sogam from existing 6.3 MVA to 10 MVA has been approved under critically overloaded component under PMDP (Rural) for an amount of Rs. 62.08 lakh,” Dy Chief Minister added.
The Deputy Chief Minister informed that a proposal for execution of 40 critically overloaded receiving stations (including augmentation of Receiving Station Sogam) to be taken up departmentally has been framed at an estimated cost of Rs 36.89 crore and submitted to Planning department.
The NC Member, however, contested that reply was wrong and he should not mislead the House. He pleaded the Chairman to take cognizance of it.
The DyCM, however, claimed that he would hold inquiry and verify the facts in both the cases of Bhaderwah MC and Sogam Power Station and if the reply is found wrong, he would take action against the concerned officials.
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