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| 2500 illegal structures come up in Srinagar; Govt mum | | | Peerzada Ummer
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, June 13: Beyond government's claims to have launched a tirade against corruption in Jammu and Kashmir, 2500 structures have been raised in violation of master plan, indicating deep rooted corruption within the enforcement agencies.
Top sources revealed to Early Times that among these 2500 illegal constructions that include hotels, restaurants, shops and business complexes, there are hundreds that belong to people who have political affiliations. The government has so far failed to act against them.
Out of these 2500 illegal structures, the report submitted by the committee had mentioned that 1100 have come up without any permission and in gross violation of related law.
The report prepared by the high level committee comprising of additional commissioner Kashmir, Vice Chairman Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), DC Srinagar, Chief Engineer Roads and Buildings and Special Secretary Housing and Urban Development was submitted to the government in time but the reason why this report was shelved and no follow-up action taken on the recommendations is best known to the authorities.
Interestingly, the draft Master Plan for Srinagar City prepared by the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) has proposed to reserve nearly 331 sq.kms of total area of city's 757 sq-kms for agricultural purposes, 80.32 sq kms for water bodies, 6.62 for forests respectively.
The proposed Master Plan mulls decentralization of population and activities through developing Satellite towns as Ganderbal (Education Town), Budgam (Commercial and Hotel Zone), Pampore (Transportation Hub), Khrew (Agro based Industrial Hub/agro-tourism), Zabarwan Range (Tourism Hub) respectively. Khrew area has been proposed to be reserved as special zone for cultivation of prized saffron which is famous world over for its unmatched quality.
Pertinently, the Srinagar Master Plan is applicable to a total of 417 square kilometres and out of this 160 square kilometres are looked after by Srinagar Development Authority (SDA). Rest of the square kilometres comes under the jurisdiction of SMC. Sources said that both the executing and implementing agencies of the Master Plan had issued notices 1100 violators but to no avail. Sources said there was no follow-up action after issuing these notices to the violators due to political interference mainly from the city based politicians presently ruling the state.
In two significant orders passed by the High Court in two separate Public Interest Litigations (PIL), the then government was asked to submit a detailed list of structures that have come up in violation of the
Master Plan as also take steps to decongest Srinagar by removing encroachments and formulating a futuristic plan of action for city's planned development. The petitioners of both the PILs filed in the High Court have sought directions to the state government to remove hawkers from the core area of Srinagar city besides demolition orders for constructions made illegally without permission and in violation of the Master Plan in Srinagar. |
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