By Staff Reporter,Agence India Press,
Srinagar: Mismanagement has ruined the Muslim Waqaf Board entrusted with a sacred job of looking after the shrines in Kashmir.
People at large allege that the board has miserably failed to look after shrines and safeguard the interests of devotees’. The allegation does not end here. Sources told Agence India Press (AIP) that board management is misusing the funds meant for enhancing the infrastructure of shrines and ensuring other basic facilities.
In a latest example of gross mismanagement, the Waqaf Board has installed a canopy worth Rs 15 lakhs at historic Hazratbal shrine without approval from the chairman board, Omar Abdullah and also without proper tendering.
Sources told Agence India Press that the canopy was installed in run up to the Eid-I-Milad Nabi to be observed on Wednesday. “Without the approval of chief minister, Omar Abdullah, who is also the chairman of Board, canopy worth Rs 15 lakhs was established at the historic shrine days last week. Violating all norms, the board management installed the canopy without proper tendering to benefit few influential persons,” sources told AIP.
Many others questioned what was the fun of installing the canopy, which they said has not added to the beauty of shrine.
Ironically, If sources are to be believed even the funds allotted for organizing ‘Urs’ from time to time at major shrines across the valley are also grossly misused by the board management. “Funds allotted for organizing ‘Urs’ at major shrines from time to time are also grossly misused by the board management. This has earned the board a bad name and raised fingers on its functioning. Ironically, higher authorities are also not taking any action against the erring board officials,” sources said.
It has been learnt from sources that despite serious notice of irregularities taken by Chairman Waqaf Board, Omar Abdullah, the board management has not mend its ways of working. “On many occasions, chairman board Omar Abdullah has taken serious note of mismanagement in the board and directed officials to work under given norms but the mismanagement continues to ruin the Waqaf board,” Sources said.
Despite repeated attempts, vice chairman Waqaf Board M Y Qadri could not be contacted for comments, “Qadri Sahib has no timing to come to office. I don’t know when he will come to office,” an official at Muslim Waqaf Board office said.