Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 19: The Irrigation and Flood Control department (I&FC) has been taking up projects related to irrigation without conducting any preliminary survey and requisite clearances from Forest department, costing Rs 80 lakh to the exchequer.
Sources told Early Times that construction work of four out of 130 schemes was taken up without preliminary survey, geological investigation, forest clearance, etc.
"Non-fulfilment of pre-requisites led to non-development of canal section and consequently resulted in abandonment/change of proposals, which defeated the basic objective of these projects," said sources.
They said that in case of construction of Buzzla Khul in Doda district wherein after incurring expenditure of Rs 50 lakh the work was abandoned due to development of sliding zone since 2005.
Similarly in case of construction of Pranoo Khul, the Rs 30 lakh was incurred and head works of khul was damaged since 2006-07 and the work was held up for want of forest clearance.
They alleged that the department deliberately ignored the basic procedure while taking up the schemes which should have be taken up in a planned manner after fulfilling all the prerequisites.
Astonishingly, after abandonment of the work of Buzzla khul due to development of a sliding zone the scheme was transferred to Hydraulic division Ramban, but the Hydraulic division claimed that the khul was not transferred to them. Pranoo khul had been damaged due to continuous sliding at different spots from the head works, said the sources. |
