Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 17: The state vigilance commission (SVC), while taking a serious note of illegal encroachments on the national highway, has sought a report from Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD), Udhampur, in connection with illegal construction of three storeyed shopping complex near Berwan Bridge, Udhampur, without building permission.
During inquiry by the commission, it also became known that the shopping complex had been constructed in violation of the J&K Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976, the Ribbon Development Act, 2007 and the Electricity Act. Besides, the building was allowed to be constructed by the authorities till it was raised up to three storeys and no action seemed to have taken by the authorities against the violator till it got almost complete with the connivance of the officials concerned.
The complaint was received by SVC in 2013 and notices were issued to all the concerned departments to explain the inaction on their part and also to take necessary action under various laws and rules against the defaulters for allowing the impugned construction. After the SVC notices, one of the departments issued demolition notice as a result of which the violator moved J&K Special Tribunal, where its member Tushar K Sharma set aside the demolition notice on September 29, 2015, with the direction that till action was initiated against similar defaulters, the building of the applicant may not be demolished. In view of the tribunal order, the authorities concerned expressed their inability to discharge their legitimate duties till all other illegal structures everywhere were not demolished.
SVC, while considering the case of public concern deemed it proper to call a report from the ACD, asking him as to why any action had not been taken when the illegal shopping complex was being raised and it reached up to three storey sans any permission from the concerned authorities and was also asked to identify the public servants who were posted in the area during the period the illegal construction was raised. —JNF |
