| Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex craves for renovation | | 2 and half years on, Governing body fails to meet | | Akshay Azad
Jammu, Nov 18: The non serious approach of state government especially Chief Minister Omar Abdullah towards renovation of Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex, could be well gauged from the fact that the Governing body of MM Heritage Society (MMHS) has not met for the last more than two and half years. The last meeting of body was held in April, 2011.
Sources informed Early Times that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was the chairman of the Governing body of Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society (MMHS) and the Tourism Minister its vice chairman, but in the last two and half years, Chief Minister didn't get time to chair the meeting, so that some pending administrative decisions could be taken.
They further said that though there was another executive committee of MMHS under the chairmanship of Tourism Minister but that Committee was non-existent for around one year and was reconstituted in year 2012. "Though the meeting of MMHS' executive body is being held after regular span of time but the pace of renovation work is very slow", sources said, adding that many administrative decisions could only be taken in Governing body, meeting of which was pending since April 2011.
Sources further disclosed that for the past around two years, the renovation work of Mubarak Mandi was almost stopped. "The renovation work of Mubarak Mandi was started in 2006-07 and so far only around 10 percent works have been completed", a member of Governing body, seeking anonymity said, adding that the pace at which the renovation work has been going on, it would take two decades for complete renovation.
They further informed that finally the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah spared few hours for holding the Governing body meeting on November 18, 2013, but same was postponed due to some engagements of vice chairman of Society, state Tourism Minister.
Director of Tourism department Jammu, Dr. Soujanya Sharma said that the meeting of Governing body has been postponed but the new date has not finalized yet. Regarding the slow pace of renovation work, he said that Archeological Survey of India (ASI) which was doing the renovation work, had expressed inability to do much work so a new agency has been involved for renovation.
"Moreover the ASI has send estimates for renovation of two buildings, which would be approved soon, following which the work on two other structures will also start", he said. |
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