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| Jammu's Floriculture deptt awaits bloom | | | Bijay Charak
Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 13: The State Government seems indifferent to tapping the floriculture potential in Jammu as the regional department has been struggling without necessary manpower and infrastructure.
Notwithstanding that the region has a huge potential for growing flowers and there is an ever increasing demand in the domestic market, the official sources stated that the State Government was not doing enough to boost floriculture in ten districts of Jammu region.
The State Government created a separate Directorate of Floriculture for Jammu division in August 2007. Seven years on, Directorate of Floriculture Jammu is operating from a rented accommodation at Gandhi Nagar here with limited manpower and resources.
"The department requires 1236 gardeners to look after gardens and parks in city areas of the state whereas presently it has only 444 gardeners of which as many as 93 have been working at the homes of VIPs," states the official website of the department.
As a result of shortage of staff, the department in Jammu region is focusing on the upkeep of gardens and parks in city areas only; Bhour Camp Botanical garden-which is hardly 10 kms from the city, is one such example where the department spent huge money on development but could not maintain the garden later." Official sources said the entire division, has only nine assistant Floriculture Officers out of which at least five work at the directorate office whereas remaining four are posted at Doda, Kathua, Udhampur and Poonch.
They added that the department's wing at Doda district has been operating with just four employees. "It is looking after the adjoining areas such as Ramban and Kishtwar as well. While Poonch district has 18 employees, the department has not stationed any employee in Rajouri district. The scenario is not better off in rest of the districts," they said.
The main objective to separate the Directorate was to develop and maintain parks which were earlier taken care of by Housing Department, Municipal Corporation Jammu. "However, a lot of farmers have started showing interest in floriculture and the role of department is also changing with the changing times," sources said, adding, "but the department is understaffed and overworked. We can't encourage aspiring floriculturists in all the districts, even if we want to."
"Jammu has a very good climate for growing flowers for commercial use throughout the year," sources said, adding, "Jammu being a city of temples, the annual consumption of flowers is enormous. The domestic market for flowers is nearly four crore."
He further said that in district Udhampur one post each of Joint Director and Landscape Architect is also created by the state government but till date the posts are vacant, Deputy Director Samba and Kathua districts post is created but still the post is vacant. Director Floriculture, KK Sharma said, "We have sent some proposals to the state Government, requesting upgrade of the department on the pattern of agriculture department." |
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