WRD to appoint Estate Management officers

WRD concerned over protection of its immovable assets 

* Asks its offices to appoint an officer to take care of estate management

Staff Reporter
Water Resources Department (WRD), like all other Government departments, has become concerned over management of its immovable assets across the State. Considering encroachments on its property at a few places, it has now asked offices to appoint an officer to take care of estate management.
This is part of the State Government’s initiative of maintaining land records of various of its departments. As far as WRD is concerned, it acquires land for different irrigation projects. Besides, it has immovable assets in the form of colonies, godowns etc. Despite having such a huge land stock and constructed property in every district of the State, it did not have an officer dedicated to the task of keeping records in this regard.
Of late, sources said, need was felt to ensure protection of immovable assets from encroachment. Accordingly, on August 13, 2012; directions were issued to Directors General of Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), Aurangabad; and Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI), Nashik; and all Chief Engineers across the State to appoint an officer dedicated to the task. However, despite passage of one year, not much was done at the level of field offices.
As a result, a few days ago, WRD Deputy Secretary S S Dangle has written to all Directors General, Executive Directors, and Chief Engineers under the department to ensure appointment of an officer for estate management at the earliest. Further, Dangle asked the senior officers to submit a report regarding action taken in compliance to the directions issued earlier. In the same letter, Dangle has mentioned that land and property of the department was ‘not being protected properly, specially from encroachments’.
Asked about the issue, Chief Engineer (Nagpur Region) of WRD V M Kulkarni told ‘The Hitavada’ that the department had taken the initiative of maintaining proper record of land and property. “Now, emphasis is on estate management. As per the directions, we have already asked subordinate offices to depute one officer for estate management. One officer will be asked to look after estate management at the level of Executive Engineers’ offices,” Kulkarni said. Nagpur Region has around 15-20 Executive Engineer level offices. This means, these many officers will be asked to look after estate management.
The estate officers will be expected to prepare and maintain records pertaining to lands acquired, colonies, godowns and other constructed property of the department; suggest and take measures necessary to prevent and avoid loss/damage to property on account of theft, encroachment or any natural reason. Besides, the officers will have to update the data/record on land/property classified with WRD so that the land/property could be returned to administrative department concerned in case such land/property is not needed.
Sources said that in many cases, WRD acquired land but mutation of land title was not done in favour of the department. In such cases, it was necessary to effect mutation at the earliest. However, sources added, data about such land/property also was not compiled properly.

Published in The Hitavada CityLine on September 29, 2013