Govt liquidating valuable public properties
Dream of luxurious Civil Secretariat put existence of two depts at stake
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Maisnam Karnajit
Imphal, September 06 2012:
While chasing a dream of a luxurious Civil Secretariat at Mantripukhri, the state government has put the existence of two valuable departments of the government at stake.
After constructing the Assembly Secretariat and Gauhati High Court Imphal Bench Complex as part of the larger Capitol Project, the state government ousted eight offices of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department, 14 offices of Agriculture Department and Veterinary Department from Mantripukhri area to pave way for construction of the Civil Secretariat complex.
Unknown to many leaders of the government, the decision taken in haste, has put the existence of departments set up for the welfare of the farmers for over 50 years at stake.
Many valuable assets of the departments and rare and useful plant saplings of different types have been demolished.
The eight offices of Horticulture and Soil Conservation in the area which have been demolished included Divisional Soil Conservation Office (DSCO); Deputy Director, Soil Survey; Processing Unit-Mag Fruit Factory; Mushroom Unit; Training Hall; Horticulture Garden; Farm Manager Office cum Progeny Orchard and Cartography Section.
|
The Divisional Soil Conservation Office and Cartography Section were among the most important offices of Horticulture Department which needs to work in close co-ordination with the farmers of the state.
The two offices were also the only place for testing and identification of soil types in the state.
They were established after much site scouting at different places and there are reports that soil scientists, in the past, advising against shifting of the said office to anywhere.
Besides, the Mag Fruit Factory helped in making an identity of the Horticulture department to the society with production of Pineapple juices and other pineapple products.
Pineapple Juices and products produced in the factory, though less in quantity, used have quite a demand in other states.
Unfortunately, the factory is now completely defunct with no future prospect at all.
The department tried their best to conserve many rare plants available in the state by raising nurseries and availing them to the people.
Above this, the department also started a tissue culture unit.
But today, many rare plants and flowers of the state have become extinct due to the poor policy of the state government.
Many exotic plants collected from different parts of the world have been destructed.
Moreover, Central government has stopped sanctioning many schemes to the department due to its inability to submit the progress reports in time.
Offices of the Agriculture Department which were located in the area included Office of Seed Analysis; Soil Testing Laboratory; Marketing Intelligence Office; Seed Testing Laboratory; Cotton Development Office; Office of All India Coordinated Wheat Improvement Project; Sugarcane Development Office; Central Seed Godown; Biological Control Laboratory; Manipur Agro Industries Corporation; Maize Breeder Office and Junir Agronomist Office.
Among them, the Soil Testing Laboratory was a valuable laboratory which was set up for the welfare of the farmers in the state.
Infrastructures in the said office were worth many crores of rupees.
The Seed Analyst Office was also valuable for analyzing seeds for distribution to farmers.
Once a place for providing needful assistance and materials to the farmers, the area has now become a deserted spot except for some piles of iron rods and other construction materials.
Besides, the Central Poultry Farms of the Veterinary Department and offices and quarters of many officers which used to locate in the area are now traceless.
The department today has stopped providing eggs and chickens at lower rate to farmers.
Higher officials of the departments informed Hueiyen Lanpao that the state government sanctioned only Rs 1 Crore for shifting all the offices to other locations.
What the government did not know is that the amount sanctioned was not enough even for construction of poultry farms of the Veterinary department.
Today, officers and employees of the offices ousted from their former locations are taking refuge in their parent departments at Sanjenthong.
Due to limited space, most of the employees are coming to the office only for putting their signatures on the attendance register.