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| Punjab mafia illegally mining with connivance of local staff in Lakhanpur, alleges CE | | 1109 Gazetted, non-Gazetted posts vacant in Industries and Commerce deptt | | Avinash Azad
JAMMU, Feb 25: The report of Committee on Estimates (CE) which was tabled in upper house of State legislation today revealed that the State Industries and Commerce Department is reeling under staff dearth, as around 1109 post of Gazetted and non-Gazetted were vacant. Moreover, 12898 out of 37143 units in 47 industrial estates of J&K are financially sick.
The report said that being an organ of the Government, as it plays a vital role in over all socio economic development of the State, the industrial units are not growing as per expectations.
The committee observed that a large number of posts were presently lying vacant in both the Gazetted and Non-Gazetted cadres in various wings of I&C Department. "In the Directorate of Handicraft 533, in the directorate of Handloom Development Department 225 posts, J&K Handloom Development Corporation 78 and in Geology and Mining department 58 Gazetted while 215 posts of Non-Gazetted are laying vacant", the Committee observed.
It further said that I&C plays a vital role in the overall socio economic development of the State and there was a dire and urgent need to fill up all these vacancies at an earliest for the smooth functioning of the department. The committee directed the department to expedite the process for filling up of these post on priority basis before the end of financial year last as the delaying tactic could cast negative impact on the overall functioning of the department.
The committee also observed that there was need to revive the traditional carpet, Handicraft and Handloom industries in the State particularly in Kashmir and directed the department to explain briefly about the steps taken for competing with modern marketing trends. The committee also desired to know the status of Marble Mines of Kashmir and observed that Kashmir valley was bestowed with huge deposits of marble in Kupwara district and the department must come up with a proposal for reviving the extraction of marble from these blocks. However, in the response the department apprised the Committee that there were 9 marble mines in Kupwara block and its extraction requires the clearance from the forest and environment department which was under process.
The committee also advised the Geology and Mining Department to pay due attention towards the world famous Sapphire Mines of Paddar area of Kishtwar district as it has come to know the Government had flouted tenders to tap the potential of the high grade sapphire there and directed the J&K Mineral Ltd should itself undertake the exploitation of Sapphire through a joint venture.
The committee expressed its concerns over the unabated illegal mining especially from various rivers of the State as it was a causes of concerns for environmentalists and concerned department that Punjab Mafias were excavating sand and Bajri from Ravi River beds and other adjoining nullahs posing a grave threat to the ecology besides causing huge loss to the State exchequer as hundreds of tippers were being loaded from Kathua rivers and other nullahs daily by Punjab Mafia in connivance with local staff but the concerned department has failed to take the preventive measures to check the trend and initiate punitive action against the erring official. |
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