| RDD purchases 47,500 fruit plants from Kashmir nursery, throws norms to wind | | Amla, Orange, Guava , Lemon, Mangoes not grown in Valley | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 27: The Rural Development Department Jammu has reportedly purchased a total of 47,500 fruit plants from a nursery of Kashmir valley, violating norms. These fruit plants include Amla, Orange, Guava, Lemon and Mangoes, which are usually grown in hot climatic conditions but the department has purchased it from a nursery in Kashmir.
An RTI applicant has got all the information from Rural Development Department, who has now knocked the door of State Vigilance Organization (SVO), seeking enquiry in the entire matter.
According to the documents in possession of Early Times, RTI applicant Altaf Ahmed of Jawahar Nagar Srinagar has appealed before SVO, alleging that though Directorate Horticulture department is the authority for supplying of plants such as Guava, Amla, Orange, Lemon and Mangoes to all government departments.
"Instead of seeking plants from Horticulture department the Directorate of Rural Development Department Jammu directed 12 Block Development officers of Bhalwal, Pragwal, Akhnoor, Suchetgarh, Bishnah, Mathwar, Mairra Manderian, Chowki Choura, Khharahh Baill, Samwan, Khour, to purchase plants directly from Bhat Kissan Nursery Kulgam", the applicant has alleged.
He alleged that a total of 47,500 plants of above said varieties were procured from Bhat Kissan Nursery of Kulgam, where these varieties are not grown. "Moreover, if we look at the availability of the plants in the said nursery, in the same period it had Apple A 3-12200 and Apple B-3 1300 plants, as per documents it had submitted to Director Horticulture Kashmir", it alleged, adding that it was beyond comprehension as why procedure was not followed to procure plants.
He has pointed out that it was also unknown as who uprooted the plants and who transported the same to BDOs of Jammu and where they have planted these plants or where they have supplied the same.
"As per the RTI applicant there seems gross violation of the rules and it is a big scandal which need to be investigated", the RTI applicant said.
A top official of Horticulture department from Kashmir said that plants such as Orange, Mango, Guava, Amla, Lemon are grown in sub-tropical areas but not in Kashmir valley. "All the industry owners have to furnish details of availability of plants with State Horticulture department as well as with National Horticulture department", he said, adding that these nursery owners could provide plants but not those, which were not grown in their nurseries. |
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