Fighting encroachments
The administration in Srinagar and other districts as well in right now busy with removing encroachments from government land wherever it has been reported.
In Srinagar district the administration has claimed carrying out an anti encroachment drive and removing illegal encroachments on several hundred kanals of prime government land.
During the latest such moves the administration has been successful in retrieving government land at Harwan area, Chandpora and Murinderbagh. Similar such actions have been reported in central areas and some other places as well.
Government land has been encroached at several places and the phenomenon has been affecting almost every tehsil of Jammu and Kashmir. However, in cities and towns the menace has touched mammoth proportions considering the cost the land that has been illegally acquired, holds.
And going by preliminary estimates the government land has been illegally acquired by those who have either bribed the government functionaries or hold the various departments responsible for the upkeep of this land under some influence.
In Srinagar district alone the government land that needs to be freed from the clutches of these high and the mighty people estimates around 400 kanals and that too at prime locations.
The land grabbing has been happening since the past many decades now and the observable fact has been failing to get the attention of the authorities so far. This criminal silence on this serious issue also raises many questions-targeting the government as well as those who ruled the region for decades and continued to remain silent on this important issue.
Those who have been involved in the land grab in Srinagar and other places have managed to construct lofty buildings and complexes over this land and this points out to a much grave issue of how all this has been allowed to culminate without any action being taken against the erring citizens.
The land mafia has been so active in the region that even encroachments have taken place in water bodies and banks of Jhelum and flood spill channels in the district. This encroachment has led to a crisis like situation with Srinagar district paying a price in 2014 when floods destroyed the city as the entire flood channels have been choked and encroached upon ruthlessly.
Given the scenario the administration needs to gear up and resort to fair means and not spare anybody who has in one or the other way encroached or even helped to block the government land, food spill channels and water bodies.
Those involved should not only be deprived of the acquired land but criminal cases should be filed against them so that it proves a deterrent for others as well who may try or resort to any such loot in future.
KV Network
