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| Question mark - Devika rejuvenation project | | | R.B. Suri | 4/5/2018 10:33:44 PM |
| | Having seen the news item in an English daily from Jammu about the implementation of the Devika Rejuvenation Project, a question comes in the minds of the Udhampurites in particular and the people of the Jammu region whose "ASTHA" is attached to the holy Devika River in general that the Authorities will take much time to complete this prestigious project? Certainly it is a matter concerning all of us living in this region of Dogras. Hats off to Dr. Jatinder Singh MoS in Prime Minister Office (PMO) who took keen interest in getting through this project from the Union Government. He made the concerted efforts for taking this project to the sanctioning stage. When this project was sanctioned by the Government of India for an amount of + 172 crores of rupees, there was jubilations across the state particularly in the Udhampur District. People have real 'MANAYATA' on this holy river. The role of Dr. Jatinder Singh MoS in PMO is really remarkable as he was the person who at every step went to the concerned authorities personally for taking this project proposal to the logical conclusion and by the grace of deity, he remained successful on this score. He was particular about this project as the same is to be executed in his Lok Sabha Constituency Udhampur - Doda. In the Lok Sabha elections-2014, he gave the befitting defeat to the then powerful Union Cabinet Minister for Health Ghulam Nabi Azad who is now the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha. Needless to mention here that it took two years to prepare the DPR for this particular project. In the intervening period, the Central teams came to the state many a times and it discussed all the issues pertaining to this project and a finally the DPR was approved and vetted for putting it into momentum. In the past, many a times, the Central teams had toured Udhampur town and discussed the project with the governmental agencies and the other NGOs and the prominent citizens which are working in this field. And for starting this project, their valuable views and the suggestions were obtained by the visiting teams. It is very painful that this project would not take off due to the certain reasons and the queries raised by the Ministry of Forests and Environment which are in the hands of the Project Implementation Agency (PIA) entrusted with the job of execution. The main stumbloing nlock is the removal of the illegal encroachments all along the embankments of the river Devika the moment the PIA will take up the project for its execution, it will have to face the number of litigations which will be disposed off by the various courts fora after observing the process of law. the litigants after being aggrieved of the decisions of the courts, they would be going for availing of the vaeiuos options of the appeals in the court fora . one cannot expect the speedy disposals from the court based upon the psast experience, as the lacs of cases (under adjudication) are pending for disposal are lying the courts of the country in which there is a scarcity of the judges. in the country which is serious matter indeed. Ours law is such that the courts always provide the opportunity of being heard up before a decree or award is given on any plaint. This is the basic principle of administration of natural justice. Another feature is there that earlier Devika was a river with a plenty of water flowing in it and these days which has now been reduced drastically as also the width of the river stands reduced to the maximum extent (which is a serious matter) and appears as a Nallah besides huge encroachments have been made the locals illegally. People have built their residential houses and the shops on the land of the river. They are the rich people who will fight with the PIA tooth and nail with the administration. Some experts opined that the DPR of the Project is drainage based instead of river based. A great uncertainty is there as to whether this project will be completed after its start. Pertinent to mention here that a prominent Social Activist of Udhampur District Anil Paba who is also concentrating on the religious places of public interests as also working on the matters concerning the Archives particularly for the protection and preservation of the monuments of the ancient times) has worked on Holy River DEVIKA at Udhampur. Despite of his busy schedule as a reputed Banker, he is sparing his valuable time in working for the overall development of Devika River and its embankments as also for its cleanliness. From the social circle he is the only person who worked day and night for taking up of this Project, in question, with the state authorities and Government of India agencies for taking it to the logical conclusion. He remained associated with governmental authorities which include the District Development Commissioner and the Central Government teams pertaining to the instant Project. Besides this, he is associated with Archeological Survey of India (ASI) too. He worked on number of ASI projects in the state. People of Udhampur region appreciated the working of Anil Paba for putting his concerted efforts regarding this project. The project, in question, is the prestigious one as the same is connected with the feelings of Hindus at large as they have great ASTHA in the younger sister of holy Ganga Ji. Many a times he brought laurel to Udhampur District and the state also in organizing the exhibitions of ancient materials both at Jammu and Udhampur and had organized various seminars on the Devika River. Paba is from a family of repute. Very recently he organized a Langar at Devika besides holding Pooja in connection with the birthday of Devika Ji. It is very unfortunate that in our country, administrative procedures to start any project in any field are very complicated one resulting which the sole purpose of the same gets defeated. This is called the Red Tappism due to the high handedness of bureaucracy. Exactly this happened with the instant project which got the GOI nod last year. The project, in question, was to give an attractive look / face to the both sides of embankments of Devika river which at present gives a shabby look as also to restore the sanctity of the holy younger sister of ganga ji. This project was enlisted in the list of National River Conservation Project. Having examined the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project in question, by the various governmental agencies in depthly, it was sanctioned by the GOI last year. There should not be any laxity further and it should take off during the current year in any case otherwise the people would start protesting against the inaction of the government. There is a big 'Question Mark' as to whether the instant project would actually be executed or not? It is for the GOI to explain with the convincing reasoning's and clarifications. The aspects of Drainage and argumentation / conservation of water are very important for the success of the project. Since one year has gone just waste, now here comes the role of the political personalities of the District as also the various NGOs working in the relevant fields, they should come forward and contribute for the early implementation of the project. Many important aspects have been kept in view in this prestigious project as it is connected with the AASTHA of Hindus. The important aspects are:- Sewerage system, Construction of ghats, Beautification and Cleanliness of the area all along the embankments of Devika river . Always there remains a gap between the Cup and the Lip. Not taking the instant project in the right perspective, the Ministry of Forests and Environment applied the brakes on the project and sought for certain clarifications and modification about the project that too after giving the sanction on this score. This means that the functionaries of the concerned ministry had not applied their minds seriously so as to enable the Project Implementation Agency to start working for the the job entrusted. Udhampur is such an area which has the large potential of for attracting the tourists. Krimchi temples of PANDVAS in Panchari Block, Pingla Mata in Ramnagar, Sudh Mahadev temples in Chenani Block, Patnitop, Kud and Sanasar fall in Udhampur district. There is a wide scope for adventure tourism and a need is there for bringing up of the wide tourism circuit for the attraction of he tourists coming in the state for a short span. There should be a time bound programme for the development of these sites. The legislators of the various political parties leaving aside their political affiliations and coming above the party lines should jointly struggle for the furtherance of the tourism activities in the District. We are lucky enough that the Central Government is liberally funding the state these days enabling it stand on its own strength. Also pertinent to mention here that the former MoS Finance and local Independent MLA Pawan Gupta being a technocrat is very keen to see this project as a reality and he too is fighting for the cause. He is an energetic personality of the district and full of dynamism. All along his political career his distinguished father Lala Shiv Charan Gupta also fought with the State Governments of the time for the overall development of Devika river and its surroundings as also for saving the slopes of the Gangera hill in Udhampur. We get disgusted when the Central Government start tossing the proposal of its development as also the various issues of public importance on one pretext or the other. Gondola projects of Patnitop, Kud and SudhMahadev are lying in the papers only and the authorities at the helm of affairs are not paying their due attention to these sites. The concerned authorities are requested to start this venture at the earliest possible. |
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