| 3 yrs on, Abhinav Theater renovation awaits completion | | JKAACL holds function in GCW auditorium, pays one lac | |
G S Asgotra
Early Times Report
Jammu, March 9: The slow pace of renovation of Abhinav Theater, Jammu has been forcing the artists and the Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (AACL) to host Annual Drama Festivals for the last three consecutive years in the auditorium of Government Women College Gandhi Nagar.
For organizing the 14-day Annual Drama Festival 2015, the JK Academy of Art Culture and Languages has reportedly paid over Rs. 1 Lakh. Moreover, the lackadaisical approach of state government and Jammu Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) has been depriving the art lovers to move to some other venues for organizing any event, costing heavy on their pocket and also to the government exchequer.
Source in the department informed Early Times that so far, the culture academy Jammu has paid a big amount to different departments.
"This year Academy had to give Rs. 1.05 Lakh to Gandhi Nagar college administration for using their auditorium for 14 days to organize Annual Drama Festival 2015", an official of Academy said, adding that the one day fee of Zorawar Singh Auditorium was Rs. 80,000.
In the last three years, he further said, several Lakhs have been paid by Academy to organize various events. "If the Abhinav Theatre will be in good shape, same money would have been utilized for promotion of art, culture and languages", he said.
He further said that last year then former minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture, Raman Bhalla, has asked JKPCC to work in double shifts for speedy completion of renovation work on Abhinav Theatre but these directions of Minister remained confined to papers and not an iota of change was reported, and the Abhinav Theatre was far from renovation even today.
A Drama Group director, wishing anonymity said that they repeatedly appraised administration of Academy for speed up the pace of renovation work but every time they ignored, alleging, "There seems a hidden nexus between officials, who have been getting commission for taking other accommodations on rent and they are reportedly not interested for completion of early renovation", he said. |
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