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| CAG indicts Govt of proposing development projects in coherent to legislations, SC guidelines | | | Arun Singh
JAMMU, Mar 31: The ambitious project of the State Government of making Surinsar-Mansar an Eco-Tourism destination has fallen flat due to overlapping of the norms of Wild Life Department and Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority, indicting the Government of lack of foresight and directions of the Apex Court guidelines in this regard.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in its report said an area of 97.82 sq. kms adjoining the Surinsar-Mansar lake was declared as wild life sanctuary under Jammu and Kashmir Wild Life Protection Act, 1978 in 1990 for protection and preservation of its eco-system.
"Under this Act the entry of general public is restricted and is allowed only after having a permit issued by the Wild Life Warden. Also vide Supreme Court's order (July 2004) all types of construction activities were prohibited in wild life protected areas," CAG added.
State Government brought this area under Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority during the year 2005. Consequently, both the Acts have different aims and objectives as under the Wild Life Protection Act thrust should be on protection of flora and fauna with restrictions on construction activities and entry of public where as under Development Authority under the Development Act, 1970 more and more infrastructure has to be created.
"Due to overlapping of activities in the area under both the Acts, the numbers of projects under execution for increasing the flow of tourists in the area sanctioned by the Central and State Governments have come to halt," CAG said.
Meanwhile, a project of "Saffron Safari" executed at the cost of Rs 1.60 crore failed to achieve desired objective to promote eco tourism at Kishtwar.
CAG revealed that a saffron land measuring 21 kanals and 4.25 marlas at village Pochhal, Kishtwar was acquired by the Kishtwar Development Authority (KDA) for construction of "saffron safari" sanctioned (September 2007) by the Gol under 'Destination development programme Phase II'.
The project envisaged construction of one HRD centre, fencing of the area, walkways, water supply and sanitation to attract tourist to see the saffron fields as promotion of eco-tourism, CAG added.
It further noticed that the project was completed (March 2011) at a cost of Rs 1.60 crore, but no activity connected with saffron safari had been undertaken as of June 2013 resulting in idle investment and non-accrual of intended objectives. |
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