Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 7: A complete shut-down was observed in the main market of the holy town of Katra for the second consecutive day today in protest against sealing of illegally constructed commercial and residential structures.
Reports said that the main market of the town remained closed from 10 am to 6 pm today in protest against the sealing exercise started by the district administration yesterday as per the directions of the State High Court. However, all the hotels, lodges and guest houses and business establishments in other parts of the town carried out business as usual.
Though the administration had decided to continue the sealing exercise even today but the same was deferred till tomorrow in view of deployment of security personnel for the visit of Vice-President of India.
The businessmen of the main market have called a meeting in the Raghunath Temple tomorrow at 3 pm to chalk out future course of action. They have also invited the representatives of the Hotels and Lodges Association in order to seek their views on the sealing exercise and urge them to extend support for collectively raising voice against the sealing exercise.
The businessmen of the Katra town are of the opinion that High Court has not taken serious note of similar violations in other parts of the State particularly Jammu where several residential areas have turned commercial right under the nose of the concerned authorities, reports said.
“What is the justification of adopting different yardstick for the violations of the municipal laws and Master Plan”? asked some of the Katra businessmen, adding “the High Court directions vis-à-vis sealing of illegally constructed structures should have been for all the violators across the State”.
They also raised question about choosing only Katra town for the action and leaving violators of other parts of the State.
According to the sources, administration will resume sealing operation either tomorrow or day after tomorrow in order to implement the directions of the High Court, which have also been upheld by the Supreme Court.
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