| DB refuses to exempt three top officers, directs to appear in person | | Dal Conservation: | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Nov 19: A Division Bench of the J&K High Court today refused to exempt Commissioner Secretaries of Finance, Planning and H&UDD from appear in person and asked them to appear on November 26 to appearing and explain their position regarding the conservation of Dal and Nigeen lakes.
As soon as the hearing started, Additional Advocate General (AAG) B A Dar urged the court to exempt the officer from personal appearance.
"By not casting their appearance as directed yesterday, they (commissioner secretaries) are making fun of the court orders," the division bench said, adding, "There cannot be any compromise on it."
The AAG also submitted that claim by the LAWDA that it is being starved of the funds was not right and also produced an order by the government, claiming that an amount of Rs. 22.5 crore have already been released to it on March 31, 2015.
However, LAWDA Vice Chairman, Sarmad Hafeez submitted that the amount mentioned by the government relates to the previous financial year.
"An amount of Rs.15 crore released by the Central Government under National Lake Conservation Project (NLCP) has still not been forwarded/released by the State government to LAWDA," he said.
In a compliance report, the Vice Chairman submitted that against sanctioned project cost of Rs.298.76 crores under (NLCP) for conservation of Dal and Nigeen Lakes, LAWDA has till now received only Rs 248-cr by ending March 2014. The project was to be completed by March 2010 itself.
The VC said that for previous financial year (2014-2015) and for current year, the LAWDA has not received any funding under NLCP till date.
Referring to a report of Additional Secretary Project Director, Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), Hafiz said that by the end of December 2010, only Rs. 159.44 Cr were provided. "With a further release of Rs 99 Crores during next three years till March 2014, the total amount released is only Rs. 248cr, the VC said.
Against the funds, the VC said, major works like Sewage Treatment Plants, Intermediate Pumping Stations, Sewerage network, afforestation, silt control works, opening of channels were taken up and completed. "On account of non-availability of funds in a prescribed time frame the project was bound to be affected along with cost overrun."
The VC said, "the J&K government after carried out re-appraisal of the project and was later submitted to New Delhi after approval by Monitoring and Coordination Committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary. The project has been accepted by Ministry of Environment and Forest with time frame extended to ending June 2016.
"Out of balance cost of Rs.40.00 Crores (after accounting for Rs 10-cr interest earned as released) Rs. 15 Cr have been released to the State Government for onward release of LAWDA but have not been released to LAWDA till date," the VC submitted to court. |
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