Bijay Charak
Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 31: The Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA), is likely to be run homeless in the state as the landlord of the rented building from where the agency operated, has slapped notice asking to vacate the building.
The JAKEDA was established in 1989 with a mandate of electrification of remotest areas and providing alternative energy in urban areas. But ironically, the hyped agency had no accommodation for its central office in Jammu.
Reliable sources told Early Times that the department has been facing neglect of the state government, as land for their central office complex was purchased eight years back but the construction work could not be undertaken for eight years. "In 2006-07 the department of Science and Technology had purchased land at Chand Nagar for the construction of regional office complex Jammu from Jammu Auqaf but the department made no efforts to start the construction of building", Sources said.
The state government has created, Science and Technology, as separate department decades back, but since then the department has not created its own infrastructure in regional office, which is causing huge loss to state exchequer.
"Instead of establishing its own building, the department is paying lakhs of rupees annually as rent of this office", they said.
They further said that it was very surprising that the department is being monitored by a separate ministry in state, but has failed to augment its infrastructure. The department has started construction of complex few years back in Kashmir division of Bemina area but the work is yet not completed.
They further said that claims of state government to construct office using modern eco friendly and energy saving like installation of active energy conserving devices including Solar Air Heaters, Solar Water Heating Systems, Building Integrated Photovoltaic Systems, Trombe Walls, Air Ducts, Solar Glazed Spaces, Green Houses have fallen flat at ground level.
Repeated calls to Chief Executive Officer, Sufaq Sultan, were not responded. |
