SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday held a series of meetings with religious leaders, representatives of trade bodies, social organisations and political functionaries, during which issues related to Sanskrit education, the houseboat sector, drug de-addiction and farmers’ welfare were discussed.
Mahant Rohit Shastri, President of the Shri Kailakh Jyotish and Vedic Sansthan Trust, called on the Lieutenant Governor and discussed matters concerning the preservation and promotion of Sanskrit language and Vedic studies in Jammu and Kashmir. He also thanked the Lieutenant Governor for the creation of Sanskrit faculty posts at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra.
A delegation of the All Kashmir House-Boat Owners Association, led by its Chairman Manzoor Pakhtoon, also met the Lieutenant Governor and projected issues concerning the welfare of houseboat owners operating on the River Jhelum. The delegation sought declaration of Kashmir houseboats as a heritage asset and the establishment of a houseboat information and booking counter at Srinagar Railway Station.
Another delegation of the Gandhi Global Family Kashmir, led by its J&K President and Padma Shri awardee Dr S.P. Varma, appreciated the impact of the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan in tackling substance abuse. The Lieutenant Governor lauded the organisation’s social initiatives and urged its members to continue working for peace, communal harmony, environmental conservation, and youth and women empowerment.
BJP J&K Executive Member M. Yousuf Bhat also called on the Lieutenant Governor and raised concerns over the sale of substandard and counterfeit pesticides in Shopian district, besides seeking welfare measures for affected farmers and orchardists.
The Lieutenant Governor assured him that the issue would be examined thoroughly and appropriate action taken in the interest of the farming community.
