Srinagar, Nov 20: The Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand on Saturday reviewed City development works including conservation of the famed Dal lake.
 An official handout said Tara held meetings with the officials from of Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC).
 Besides others, Minister of State for Housing and Tourism, Nasir Sogami, Chairperson J&K State Commission for Women,  Shamima Firdous, MLA Hazratbal, Dr Mustafa Kamal, MLA Batmaloo,   Irfan Shah, MLA Zadibal, Peer Afaq Ahmad, Commissioner SMC, Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, Director Information, Khawaja Farooq Ahmad Renzu Shah were present in the meeting.
 The LAWDA VC,   Irfan Yaseen, SDA VC ,   Kifayat Hussain Rizvi, Director Information, Khawaja Farooq Ahmad Renzu Shah, Special Secretaries Housing,   Showkat Ahmad Mir were also present.

DAL ISSUE
 The handout said Tara “gave a 15 day deadline for assessment of 395 structures along Dole Demb area and their subsequent rehabilitation at Rakh-e-Arth, which will open 3 square kilometers area and increase Dal lake water expense from 18 sq. km to 21 sq. km.”
 During the meeting, it was informed that various conservation measures taken by LAWDA include cleaning of Pokhribal area of Nigin Lake by removing reeds, Radhs, landmasses and encroachments.
 The meeting was also informed that five pumping stations have been commissioned and made operational by the authority at a cost of Rs. 79 lakh and 25 km of trunk sewers have been completed at a cost of Rs. 20.84 crore so far.
 Work on state-of-art Sequencing Batch Reactor Technology Sewerage Treatment Plants is in “full swing”.
 These STPs are being constructed at Brari-Nambal and Nallah Amir Khan and will treat about 21.5 million litres of sewerage per day catering a population of 1.5 lakh living on Dal lake peripheries.
 It was also told that six blocked channels like Rainawari, Nowpora, Merakshah, Chowdri Bagh, Dal Kawpora and Chakoo channels were dredged and opened up which has helped the water circulation of the lake.
 “The meeting was informed that manual dredging of Shoal formation at Dockyard, Nishat, Mir Mohalla, Lam and Tilla Mohalla carried out with a total removal of 36025 CuM. Six kilometers of Parapet wall/railings from Kralsangri to Habbak have been completed by LAWDA under Shoreline Development Scheme,” the handout added.

OTHER COMMITMENTS
 During his meeting with the SMC officials, the Deputy Chief Minister urged upon them “to fulfill all the commitments made with the MLAs regarding the development of Srinagar City by increasing the skilled and non-skilled manpower for all the works as the working season is now limited in the Valley.”
 He was addressing the officers, Engineers, Ward Officers and Khilafwarzi Officers of the SMC.
 Earlier, SMC Commissioner while welcoming the Deputy Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs gave detailed resume of the development scenario of the Srinagar and other works being undertaken by the corporation.

ON TRANSPARENCY
 “Tara Chand said that the transparency and accountability are the benchmark of the coalition government, adding that the government since its assumption has ensured equal development of opportunities for the three regions of the state particularly the far flung and backward areas.”
 The Deputy Chief Minister said that a committee of MLAs would be constituted to assess the works completed on ground by the executing agencies which would help maintain standard of work, quality and transparency.
 He added that “all the MLAs have to work collectively for the development, peace and prosperity of the state and also take people along for the purpose.”
 Speaking on the occasion, Nasir Sogami said the need of the hour was to “remove red tapism and make the Srinagar Municipal Corporation a people friendly corporation.”

Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Nov 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 IST