Govt hires local labourers to complete dev projects

Srinagar, Sep 24: Complying with the government directive, several departments have engaged local laborers to restart work on the key developmental projects in Kashmir.

Developmental works had come to a grinding halt after non local labourers made an early exit from the valley following government advisory asking tourists and Amarnath yatris to leave the valley citing militant threats.

Stung by the exodus of migrant laborers, Jammu and Kashmir government asked officers to explore the possibilities of engaging local workforce to resume the stalled developmental works in the valley.

Official documents accessed by The Kashmir Monitor reveal that Power Development Department authorities have told the government that some of the maintenance works are being executed at several sites.

 “Workshops are functioning round the clock.  Repairs, maintenance of transformers are being carried out normally,” the PDD authorities have told the government.

Director Rural Development Department Kashmir, as per the documents, has informed the government that the “works, which were suspended, have started although not at full scale in various Panchayats ”.

Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Department Kashmir has also apprised the government that works are in progress in Mohar Nalla, Ladder Nalla, Kalri Nalla, Lolab, Shopian, Kangan, Kupwara and Handwara.

“Department intend to start the dredging work at Hokersar for which clearance is pending. In this regard the matter needs to be taken up with the Regional Wildlife Warden Kashmir,” Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Kashmir, has told the government.

As per the documents, interior works at SMHS Hospital are also going on.

The departments have also been told to chalk out calendar to indicate exact requirement of resources.

“Sufficient trucks shall be provided for transporting the material to the site of construction in each Panchayat,” the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has directed officers.

Sources in the office of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir said departmental heads have been directed to engage local-labourers for those works where there is no need of skilled non-local labourers.“Some works won’t be restarted without skilled non-local labourers. Those will be taken up later,” a source said.