Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 23: The much talked about Rs 35 crore Jammu Convention Centre (JCC), which was inaugurated over a year back by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is crying for its maintenance as there is no one in the Government to take care of it.
The spacious JCC which was completed after a gap of 15 long years by the Hospitality and Protocol Department is now in shambles as the concerned Department has not bothered to pay any attention to its maintenance for the reasons best known to authorities at the helm of affairs.
At the outset, one is pleased to see the spacious building, its conference hall etc but while deeply peeping into the things one will be shocked to see leaking roofs, stinking backyard and shabby basement as authorities during last over one year totally ignored its maintenance and care generating a public wrath also.
The Government which spent such a huge amount on its construction has come to open criticism for its failure of not maintaining the JCC complex as well as the building. According to sources, there is so lack of interest among the authorities to properly maintain the complex that the funds worth lakhs of rupees meant for its maintenance and upkeep were allowed to lapse last year.
Sources said the convention centre has become the victim of official apathy as it is not any priority for the authorities of Hospitality and Protocol Department who have even failed to appoint the staff for its watch and ward as well as proper maintenance.
Sources said there are costly and latest gadgets and equipment in the building but no manpower and technical know how is available to run them. These equipments are proving a wastage in case the technical staff is not appointed to run and maintain them, sources added.
Sources said the Convention Centre has been fitted with latest fire fighting equipment but it is totally non functional and it is without water supply also rendering it totally useless. Moreover, the Department has failed to give contract for house keeping, AC Plant, maintaining the fruit bearing trees and garden, sources added.
The height of things is that no gardener has been appointed to maintain the garden, lawn and fruit bearing trees in the JCC. The costly fruit trees and other saplings are at the verge of extinction as there is no one to take care of them. The backyard of the convention centre has turned into a big jungle with eight to 10 feet long wild bushes, herbs and shrubs. This yard is being used for parking of the VIP vehicles like Governor and Chief Minister. This is dangerous from security point of view also as any one can take shelter under the cover of jungle there, sources said.
Sources said the urinals are not functional due to hard water used for flush and the calcium which the water contains gets collected in the urinals due to which they get chocked. Moreover, the fire fighting alarm control is also not functioning as electricity supply has not been provided to it. The bath rooms inside the Conventional Centre for handicapped persons are also incomplete, sources added.
The kitchen which has been provided with latest and costly equipments like griller, ice cube machine, fry pans, flour mixing machine, refrigerators, de -freezers, crockery washing machine, kitchen hoodwink and exhaust fans are all non functional due to lack of the technical know how to run them, sources added.
In the lobby, there are no sofas while reception counter is also incomplete. In exhibition area rain water is oozing from roof top and there is water logging often in this area, sources said, adding the door glass near VIP lounge is broken and it has not been replaced till date.
There is water logging under AC plant also as no water proofing has been done at this place of roof which is main cause for the problem. The JCC Centre has been completely forgotten by the authorities, sources said, adding there is no drinking water facilities at VIP parking and general parking also.
The road backside the building as well as general parking and drivers parking is also covered by bushes.
Moreover, the four feet long foot path near drivers’ park is not visible as the same has been covered by wild grass and this entire area is stinking emitting foul smell.
The Department has also failed till date to install water tankers on roof top and the water purifier, fogger and ice machine is totally non functional as there is no technical person to operate the same.
The authorities have taken the JCC so casually that no technical person has been engaged to run audio video system in the auditorium which has a seating capacity for 460 persons and to cover the Government functions the Information Department installs its own audio video system to cover the function. Some wooden panels in the auditorium have been eaten up by termite in the auditorium and it is no body’s concern.
The exhibition area is without electricity facility and basement for office space is totally incomplete giving a shabby look.
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