Excelsior Correspondent
-Excelsior/Aabid Nabi.
SRINAGAR, Mar 30: A vital stream-cum-flood channel which passes through congested Old Town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district has been encroached over the past two decades by raising illegal structures and as a result it is posing threat to lives and properties of people in times of flood-like situation.
Local residents said the Kanli Bagh stream passing through Mohalla Jadeed Baramulla from Sumo Stand to Jhelum river via Masjid Jadeed has been encroached by several influential people since last two decades by taking advantage of turmoil.
They said the stream which originally was 22 feet in width has been encroached to 8 feet as illegal structures including a hotel have been raised over it. “As a result the flood waters during rains get directed and enter our houses and commercial units causing lot of damage and threat to the life and property,” they said, adding that the matter was also taken up with Deputy Commissioner Baramulla.
While admitting the fact that illegal structures have come on the stream during last two decades, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department expressed helplessness. In reply to an RTI application it said that they have been issuing notices to a miscreant who raised a hotel two decades ago on the stream from time to time.
“But he misled the department while showing some Revenue extracts which when got verified from the concerned Revenue Department were of his own land and not of the encroached one,” the I&FC Department said. It added that the department has issued a notice to him vide Assistant Executive Engineer’s letter no: 1001-03 Dated 15-02-2016 and by Executive Engineer’s office vide No: 8247-56 Dated: 22-02-2016 to remove the illegal stricture at his own immediately.
“Otherwise the department shall demolish under the provision of Water Regulatory Act 2010 and the expenses what so ever shall have to bear by the encroacher,” the IFC Department.
A social activist of the Baramulla said that the I&FC Department has been “mute spectator” to the illegal constructions coming up on the Kanli Bagh stream (nullah) over the past two decades. “This nullah was a natural flood channel in Baramulla but the rampant illegal constructions have encroached it and due to this the entire populace of Baramulla are at threat because the rain and flood water don’t drain out through this stream,” he added.
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