SHIMLA- Himachal Pradesh Government, including the tenure of both major political parties, has achieved milestones in development of Himachal Pradesh but just in papers for decades. Everything is fit and fine from the perspective of the government and Himachal is the most prosperous State of India.

Recently, Himachal Pradesh Government organized a workshop in collaboration with Korea Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTE). The Urban Development, HP Public Works Department and Environment, Science and Technology Department claimed their achievements in the workshop. Claims made by the Urban Development, Housing and Town and Country Planning Minister Sudhir Sharma were the main attraction at the workshop.

The quality of service and corruption in HPPWD isn’t hidden from anyone. The condition of roads is miserable even in the core city area of capital Shimla. The Chief Minister himself had labeled the department as the worst performer and hub of corruption. So, what sort of achievements did HPPWD claim?

In papers, the government claims excellence in the field of solid waste management, public transport, urban management, road constructions and maintenance. Well, in reality, the administration in capital city couldn’t even run a solid waste management plant and sending its daily waste to Chandigarh for treatment or is being piled up on landfills.

The government claims that Himachal Pradesh would utilize the global experience of Korea and World Bank for the solutions in areas like solid waste management, public transport, urban management, road constructions and maintenances etc.

Now, in this workshop, The Urban Development, Housing and Town and Country Planning Minister Sudhir Sharma was luring public by assuring assistance from Korea in achieving green and inclusive development. The minister claims that the State Government would work on the analogy of Korean model for developing Shimla, Dharamshala city as a smart cities and streamlining the traffic problems of the Shimla city.

To the World Bank and the Development Policy Loan of the World Bank, state claims implementation of critical structural and administrative reforms necessary to achieve rapid inclusive economic growth and development.

He went on boasting that Himachal Pradesh had surpassed various other States of the country in many sectors because of good co-ordination and commitment of the administrative machinery and the State leadership. For the government, the State had emerged as one of the States with the best human development outcomes.

In reality, the government departments of Himachal are highly callous toward their duty. For instance, the HP Pollution Control Board, HP Traffic Police, and RTO claim that they are not responsible for checking vehicular pollution. Most of the buses of Himachal Pradesh Road Corporation are visibly polluting due to lack of maintenance.

Recently, government had invited people to come forward to get their illegal structures legalize by paying a nominal fee. The decision sounds absurd considering the fact that the government never bothered to check illegal construction in first place. When the condition went out of control, the government decided to legalize them. This will benefit contactors and politicians who have erected illegal structure by bypassing the rules and regulations.
But, in the workshop, the government claimed that the State’s top priority is to check haphazard and unplanned growth of these areas and to provide best infrastructural and public services like housing, sanitation, disposal of solid wastes, transport, water, health and education etc.

Rationing of water in Shimla, deadly jaundice outbreak in Shimla, and the recovery of Yug Gupta’s remains from IPH water tank in Shimla aptly demonstrated how committed the State government is about providing clean and sufficient water to public.

The government further patted its back for initiative towards green growth, the state government had imposed complete ban on green felling, use of polythene, plastic bags, cups and plates besides smoking in public places. Himachal was the first State in the country to initiate green forest accounting.

In reality, the plastic is still used in some places of Himachal, illegal tree felling is regular, and littering is only getting worse in the State. In capital, the administration doesn’t have provided basic facilities like toilets and dustbins at some of the most crowded bus stops and people urinate in open and dispose of waste in open.

The ministers and other government representatives present in the workshop repeated same old statements about exchange of knowledge through workshop to find effective solutions in various issues the State was grappling with.

Concerned departments, which aren’t at all concerned about sustainability or preservation of ecology, would learn about green technologies and make appropriate adjustments in the development policies, claims government.

The Korean experience of application of ICT interventions would further contribute to achieve better standards of administrative efficiency, transparency and citizen delivery, said the government as part of impressive press note.
While the government and local bodies are still practicing open burning of daily garbage and vehicular pollution is going completely unchecked, the ministers claimed that the State was also looking forward in the areas of use of green construction technology in road sector, use of ICT applications to achieve green growth and the concept of green smart city development with the participation of citizens.

Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Dr. Shrikant Baldi believes that Himachal Pradesh had done remarkable job in green growth initiative and by the end of year 2020, the State would achieve the carbon neutrality target.

The conclusion is that the State is doing excellent job in files and papers and is likely to continue the same trend with dedication. Therefore, it is very important for public to beware of such statements that appear in newspapers and try to compare declaration of achievements by the government and reality.

Photo: The News Himachal