Cabinet Sub-Committee on rehabilitation of mule owners headed by Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta met here today to discuss the issue of rehabilitation of mule owners operating between Katra and Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji .The Cabinet Sub Committee members Minister for Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Abdul Ghani Kohli, Minister for Housing and Urban Development Sat Paul Sharma, Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment Rajiv Jasrotia were present in the meeting. Senior Government functionaries including Principal Secretary to the Governor and Chief Executive Officer Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Umang Narula, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Anshul Garg, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi Prasanna Ramaswamy G, SDM Katra, Additional Secretary H&UDD, CEO Municipal Committee Katra, representative of the concerned union and other stakeholders were also present.
The meeting held detailed deliberations in the backdrop of obtaining circumstances and sought views of various government and non government stakeholders to ensure that rehabilitation scheme is comprehensive and takes into account the concern of all.The Deputy Chief Minister stressed on wider consultations to reach to a viable consensus on the issue and asked for taking all the stakeholders on the board.He also asked the concerned to take the requisite steps to ensure efficient solid waste management at Banganga to protect the ecology of the area.The meeting was apprised of the various steps taken by the Shrine Board for proper waste management including the use of biogas plant as an energy source.The stakeholders put-forth their demands including construction of sheds for the mules, adequate veterinary doctors on the track and others.