Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 8: Taking undue advantage of ongoing unrest in Valley, the miscreants with vested interests have occupied hundreds of kanals of State land in several areas and also raised illegal structures in twin districts of North Kashmir’s Baramulla and Bandipora districts.
Reports said that the miscreants have occupied forest land in the woods of Drang in Tangmarg area of the district and also erected illegal structure on State land at Sopore village of Tarzoo, Haritar and Kaniyar. The locals of Drang said that miscreants have fenced forest land in ‘connivance’ with some officials of the concerned department and accused local administration of inaction.
At Sopore villages, reports said, the miscreants have occupied nurseries and have uprooted hundreds of trees. “The respectable citizens from these areas tried to stop these vested interest people, but they didn’t budge as they have backing of some top political leaders,” reports quoting locals said. According to locals, the land grabbers have erected temporary sheds and they apprehend that these sheds would be turned into concrete as time passes.
Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Dr Nisar Naqash, told Excelsior that he has sent written directions to all Sub-District Magistrates (SDMs) to take strict and instant action in case of land grabbing and raising of illegal structures. “Our anti-encroachment drive is on and wherever anyone raises any illegal structure, the action follows by demolishing such structure,” he said, adding that some anti-social elements try to take undue advantage to the ongoing unrest by resorting to encroachments.
The illegal constructions were also going on unabated in Bandipora district with authorities claiming to have dismantled scores of illegal constrictions. Reports said that several illegal constructions are ongoing in the district including at Naninara Asham, Shahtalpora, Shadipora, Udina Targam and others.
“The people who are raising illegal constructions are taking advantage of political approach. They have raised several illegal constructions so far which include some big complexes as well,” the reports said.
A top official said that they have already started a drive and have dismantled scores of illegal constrictions in the district. He said that they also dismantled big complexes at Naninara Asham which was constructed a mammoth amount of near about 40 lakhs.
SDM Sumbal, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat while admitting raising of illegal structures said: “We dismantled some of the illegal construction but failed to dismantle all the constructions due to the prevailing situation in the Valley.”
Besides occupation of State land, the miscreants while taking undue advantage of the unrest have also resorted to forest smuggling in north and south Kashmir forests while in Srinagar, these elements have raised illegal structures on water bodies including Dal Lake. The officials, however, said that the drive against these illegal constructions is on.
Reports said that despite clear directions from Jammu and Kashmir High Court banning entry of construction material in the peripheries of Dal lake, hundreds of trucks dump construction material in and around Dal lake during night every day.
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