 Vinod Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 15: The much needed flower market for flower growers of Jammu region is nowhere in sight but the machinery purchased by department for collecting flowers, is gathering dust.
The Floriculture department had reportedly mooted a proposal to construct a flower market in one of the park in Green belt park of Gandhi Nagar locality, which was halted due to a court case.
The half constructed structure is in ruins, while as the department had also purchased four cold storage flower collecting vans, which are reportedly gathering dust.
One such van stands in Green belt park area for the last many years and is almost out of order, as same is not used since long, sources said, adding that three more vans were stationed there but due to repeated criticism of department two of the vans were shifted to some districts, only to save their criticism.
The officials of Floriculture department posted in Green belt park area informed that cost of one van, runs into several lakhs and one van was recently sent to collect flowers from Kathua and Samba district while another was sent to Kishtwar, Ramban and Doda.
But surprisingly, when this correspondent talked to Assistant Floriculture Officer Kathua, Sunil Singh said that one van made a single trip, once in a month, and the vehicle was stationed in Samba, which clearly spoke about the negligible usage of van.
Moreover, Assistant Floriculture Officer Doda, AS Parihar said that the vehicle was not used and didn't come there due to non cooperation from the farmers.
The vehicles are of no use, sources said, adding that funds to the tune of several Lakhs were wasted by the then head of department, by purchasing the vehicles before beginning of flower market.
The officials in department said that they had recently taken up the matter with District administration and DDC Jammu had assured that a space in Narwal market would be allotted for flower market, but so far nothing has been done on ground.
Moreover, in Green belt park, two tractors, two trolleys have also been gathering dust, which speaks about the lack of planning in Floriculture department. |
