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| Fisheries Deptt finds out new way to mint money but puts public safety at stake | | Pay Rs 20 to carry "mobile" bomb inside Bagh-e-Bahu aquarium | | Bharat Bhushan
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 14: In a state like J&K, where terror outfits and their mentors have no work other than continuing with their wicked ways of devising new strategies to terrorise people and disturb peace, a soft target won't be ever missed by them. J&K Fisheries Department provides them one such opportunity. It allows visitors to carry cellphones inside the aquarium-cum-awareness centre at Bagh-e-Bahu without even verifying the genuinity of devices, thereby putting the lives of hundreds of people, who visit there daily, in danger.
The trouble never discloses the time and place of its occurance. Any militant or his sympathiser, like other people, can appear at the unguarded ticket window, which is at the aquarium entrance, in the guise of a visitor, and buy a Rs 20 ticket to officially carry the "mobile" bomb inside the aquarium. Then, after planting it anywhere inside the complex, he can easily leave the premises unnoticed in the absence of security bandobast. Who knows that the Fisheries Department's "innovative" idea of generating revenue of Rs 20 per cellphone may sometime become the reason for a cellphone explosion? In case, the militants take benefit of this lacuna in security till the department wakes up from its deep slumber, who will be held responsible for the loss? Of course, the Fisheries Department.
At the aquarium entrance, there is no male or female security staff for the frisking of visitors. Not even a door frame metal detector has been put there to prevent the entry of explosives inside. Police ought to be engaged necessarily for this purpose. Let security agencies take a suo moto notice of this big gap in security and take effective steps to plug it, and not wait for a tragedy to happen first. The lapse can lead to a catastrophe. And, its chances can't be ruled out in the restive J&K, where Pakistan and its agents in Kashmir are now-a-days making efforts to revive militancy in the State.
The security at the aquarium also assumes importance in view of its close proximity to the highly revered temple of goddess Mahakali, known as Bawe-Wali Mata in Jammu. While the temple is well guarded by police, the aquarium has been left at the mercy of god.
The aquarium management is also very poor. Those posted there do not ever try to behave politely with visitors, most of whom are pilgrims from outside the State. Their conduct shows that they lack proper training in dealing with the people at tourist spots.
In addition to the cellphone ticket or Photography Ticket, there is also an entry ticket of Rs 20. While cameras are strictly prohibited inside the aquarium complex, photos can be taken with cellphones.
Said to be the subcontinent's largest underground aquarium, it also has a state-of-the-art equipment, a public gallery, museum, laboratory and a multimedia conference hall. While its entrance is designed like a fish mouth, the exit has been given the shape of a fish tail. It stands on a rock face on the bank of river Tawi and attracts a large number of tourists visiting the State.
According to an official of the Fisheries Department, the aquarium-cum-awareness centre comprises of 24 aquarium caves, including 13 small caves for holding freshwater fishes, two large caves for holding marine water fishes and nine medium sized aquariums for holding marine and fresh water fishes. It houses a museum where nearly 400 varieties of freshwater and marine fish are on display.
The project, initiated in 1994-95 by then Governor's Advisor, Lt Gen (retd) D D Saklani, became operational in July 2007. |
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