Dharamsala’s old mini-secretariat in neglect

Lalit Mohan

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Dharamsala, March 8

The mini-secretariat at Dharamsala, which at one time was to house the office of Cabinet ministers and the Chief Minister, is in a poor state. In 2012, a proposal was mooted that the General Administration Department (GAD), which manages the government secretariat in Shimla, would take over the old secretariat building. This proposal was mooted due to the quasi second capital status of Dharamsala. However, the GAD did not take over the old mini-secretariat building.

Houses office of CM, Cabinet ministers

• No dedicated budget for maintenance of old mini-secretariat. Neither the CM nor any minister has used office in mini-secretariat
• During the BJP government led by PK Dhumal, at least one minister used to sit in the mini-secretariat. However, the ministers have given up the practice
• The idea was to convert the old mini-secretariat into a secretariat where at least one minister would sit every day to listen to the grievances of the people

The mini-secretariat houses the office of the CM and two ministers from Kangra district, namely Chander Kumar and Yadvinder Goma. It also has the office of the chairman of the HPTDC RS Bali, who enjoys a Cabinet rank. However, neither the CM nor any Cabinet minister has used the offices in the secretariat. Bali has sat in the secretariat once since the Congress formed government in the state.

Sources say that there is no dedicated Budget for the maintenance of the old secretariat building. The lower two floors of the secretariat building have been given to various government departments. Leaking toilets having no water supply greet visitors coming to the old secretariat building.

Sanjay Sharma, BJP state spokesperson, says that ironically, the Congress used to accuse the BJP of bias against the lower areas of the state, especially Kangra district. It was during the BJP rule from 2007 to 2012 that the new mini-secretariat was built at Dharamsala, the district headquarters of Kangra district. The idea was to convert the old mini-secretariat into a permanent secretariat where at least one minister would sit every day to listen to the grievances of the people of lower areas of the state.

During the BJP government led by PK Dhumal, at least one minister used to sit in the Dharamsala mini-secretariat. However, the present government has given up the practice, he alleged.

RM Sharma, a resident of Dharamsala, says, “It is difficult for the people of remote areas in lower Himachal as Chamba and Kangra to go to Shimla to get their work done. When ministers used to sit in the mini-secretariat, people from Chamba, Una, Kangra and Hamirpur districts used to get their grievances redressed. However, now no minister or senior government functionary sits there. It is unfortunate that the present government has totally ignored the mini-secretariat.”

Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Hemraj Bairwa was not available for comments despite repeated phone calls and text messages.