Srinagar, Mar 08 (PTK): The prestigious Royal Springs Golf Course, previously the Salim Ali National Park is situated at the foot hills of Zabarwan mountains overlooking Dal Lake is allegedly losing its sheen and efficacy.
With total 18 golf holes, this is one of the world renowned golf courses of Kashmir. Reliable sources told that Secretary is in this current season went on self declared darbar Move while as this department has no Darbar move at all, it is learnt he has been busy in winter capital Jammu interacting with power corridors to get some coveted posting and ignored his prime duty of managing the Royal Springs Golf Course.
It is learnt that he is shifting employees on ungenuine basis to run his Jammu home and also takes Electricians, plumbers, gardeners, housekeepers regularly to his home who when refuse face the wrath.The employees,casual labours and the official cars are used by the secretary for his own personal needs and ferrying his relatives to and fro from jammu.
On the other hand, the Royal Springs Golf Course has turned into political wrestling ground with some employees claiming proximity and rubbing shoulders to who’s who have become arrogant in disbursing their duties .
To add to the woes, it is learnt that employees have themselves taken job of playing the golf and ignoring the course upkeep. The greens and fairways are in mess as the work culture has gone for a toss as RSGC has become nobody’s baby in absence of the strong management, resultantly the genuine members are highly annoyed with the mismanagement of Royal Springs Golf Course. The greens have been left unattended with the result this important state asset has been reduced to shambles.
A member while pleading anonymity stated to the reporter- “We have absolutely hit rot when it comes to managing the affairs of the Royal Springs Golf Course. Secretary and some employees are after promoting their personal interests and thus we the genuine members are ignored and have thus virtually left playing golf out there. We have complained many times but of no use. The higher authorities should intervene to save this all important sporting institution of our Kashmir valley from further disaster.”
Highly rated some years back, designed by the American golfer and renowned golf architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr, the Royal Springs Golf Course represents Kashmir on global sporting radar and its mismanagement is paining one and all. Incidentally it is a matter of record that during construction of this course the present secretary, who was executive supervisor, was thrown out due to nonperformance by Robert Trent jones team and irony is even after becoming MD/Secretary the said officer could not do justice to his duties. (PTK)
