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| Guv urged to probe misappropriation of funds in LAWDA | | | Early Times Report
srinagar, Aug 20: With Jammu and Kashmir under Governor rule, voices are brewing up demanding probe into spending of funds on Dal Lake over the years.
An official said that there are lots of complaints about misappropriation of funds in Lakes and Water Ways Development Authority (LAWDA) over the years.
"Even the Governor's Grievances cell has received complaints about misappropriation of funds in the LAWDA. Probe has to be ordered despite spending hundreds of crores on Dal Lake, there has been no visible change in the famed water body," the official said.
The official said that there are grievances that successive governments did nothing to check on misappropriation of funds. "Some LAWDA officials have accumulated a huge wealth over the years. Now there are expectations that Governor may order a probe against officials responsible for wasting and misappropriation of funds," the official said.
An official of the Housing and Urban Development Department said that over Rs 700 crore have been spent on three conservation projects in the last 13 years. "There has been no change in its improvement," the official said.
The official said around Rs 10 crore have been spent on dredging in the last three years. An amount of Rs 4.06 cr was spent on cleaning, dredging and deweeding during 2015-16, Rs 3.54 cr in 2016-17, and Rs 2.77 in 2017-18.
The government had framed three centre and state sponsored major projects designed to lease fresh life to the Dal Lake. A major project 'National Lake Conservation Programme' was started in 2005 costing Rs 298.76 crore. The second conservation and management programme 'Prime Minister's Reconstruction Programme' (PMRP) of 2010 costing Rs 356 crore. The third project was for the rehabilitation of the families dislocated from Dal and Nigeen Lake. The official said that High Court has also expressed unhappiness over the condition of the lake.
"Political intervention is also one of the reasons which create hurdles in taking of preservation measures of the Lake. Authorities need to relook where there has been mismanagement for implementation of preservation projects despite spending crores of rupees," the official said.
Dal Lake is the second largest lake in the state and is divided into four basins Small Dal, Big Dal, Gagribal and Nigeen besides small and big Dal have each an island in the center known as Rup or Charchinari.
"Almost all the funds released over the years have been spent on Dal Lake but there is no positive change," he added.
On the directions of the High Court, government has framed a monitoring committee for preservation of the Dal Lake including to keep check on proper implementation of various projects. |
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