BANDIPORA: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan on Wednesday conducted an extensive tour of Bandipora district and took stock of various ongoing development works there.
The Advisor also met several public delegations during the visit.
The Advisor was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner, Dr Owais Ahmad, Director Rural Development Department, Kashmir; Chief Engineer KPDCL, Chief Engineer Transmission and other officers of concerned departments.
While inspecting the works on harvesting tanks, the Advisor stressed on rain water harvesting to conserve water and gave on-spot instructions for restoration of water bodies.
He appreciated the works carried out by the RDD and said the department is creating durable assets under MGNREGA on public demand besides providing employment to the unskilled unemployed youth.
He said that RDD should take up development of playfields, flood protection and other works under convergence mode.
The Advisor issued on spot instructions to officers of concerned departments to strictly adhere to quality specifications and ensure close monitoring for quality of works. He asked the construction agencies to put their best efforts to achieve the targets within fixed timeframe.
While emphasing the need for organising more self help groups, he maintained that large number of villages in the district have huge potential for handicrafts and handloom and large number of families are involved in such crafts.
Later the Advisor participated in Block Diwas during which several delegations comprising of DDC, BDC, ULB members, Sarpanches, Panches besides general public of the area interacted with the Advisor.
The delegations raised several issues of public interest and put forth various problems and demands like renovation and up-gradation of several roads, promotion of water tourism in Wular, construction of Tunnel for Gurez, augmentation of electricity supply and improvement of healthcare facilities.
Advisor said there is a huge potential of tourism in the district and directed the Director Tourism and Director Floriculture for establishment of parks around Wular lake and different areas and identification of new tourist destinations in District in consultation with DDC Bandipora.
He also stressed to fulfil the demand of Wular Boulevard road by PWD and Tourism Departments immediately as per the proposal already framed.
While interacting with locals and other representatives, Advisor Baseer Khan said that the main objective of conducting this visit was to review the progress and implementation of government schemes on the ground and to get onspot feedback from the public. He said that roads are the backbone of an area and good road connectivity boosts the economy of the area.
The Advisor directed the officers for beautification of town besides thrust on solid waste management.
Advisor Khan said that government has empowered PRIs by transferring them required funds and functions. They must use their powers to monitor the ongoing developmental works and they must participate in planning and implementation of government schemes on the ground.
He further added that PRIs are acting as bridge between Government and public and pace of development has increased in all sectors because of them.
He further said that every possible effort would be made to boost tourism for the overall development of the area.
Advisor said that in view of the forthcoming holy month of Ramzan the Lieutenant Governor has already given categoric instructions for providing all basic amenities to the public including uninterrupted power and water supply especially during Sehri and Iftaar times.
