Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 26: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigations (PILs) highlighting various issues involving the conservation and preservation of River Tawi, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Sanjeev Kumar today directed Vice-Chairman Jammu Development Authority as also Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation to ensure removal of encroachments identified along the banks of River Tawi and on the State and JDA land. They have also been directed to file Action Taken Report mentioning the number of structures demolished during the exercise.
The DB has further directed VC JDA, Commissioner JMC and District Mineral Officer, Geology and Mining Department to submit a status report mentioning the steps taken by them to prepare a database of the satellite imagery of the areas as directed in order 29.07.2016.
“Needless to say that Satellite Imagery would be prepared by the official respondents with a view to not only identify encroachments on a fortnightly basis but also make officers responsible for checking the encroachment and for demolishing the same. Let the needful be done within a period of four weeks from today”, the DB said.
The Division Bench observed, “status report has been filed by the District Mineral Officer, Geology and Mining Department mentioning that five check posts have been installed in Nagrota, Sidhra, Bhagatpur, Phallian Mandaal and Belicharana areas to check extraction and transportation of minor minerals from the bed of the River Tawi”, adding “it is also stated that the Department has further proposed to install some more check posts all along the bank of River Tawi so that the illegal extraction of the minor minerals is stopped within a period of two weeks or so”.
In the status report, it has been mentioned that 141 vehicles were seized by the police on account of violation of court orders vis-à-vis extraction and transportation of minor minerals. In regard to the raising of illegal structures on and along the bed of River Tawi, it has been submitted that seven criminal cases have been registered against the violators. “Some structures raised in Bhagwati Nagar and Belicharana areas have even been dismantled. About 1,000 kanals of “Gair Mumkin Tawi” land has been freed from the encroachers in Dwara and Sidhra areas and cases have been registered under the relevant sections of Ranbir Penal Code in this regard”, the status report said.
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