Admin acts as mute spectator, deceives high court
KC NEWS
Bandipora, January 13: Large scale encroachments have taken place in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district as authorities have failed to take action against those “who have occupied the state land.”
If the statements of administration are to be believed, Tehsildars of various Tehsils of Bandipora restored lakhs 0f Kanals of encroached State land besides axing down thousands of trees. However, on ground, locals say, nothing has changed.
Locals said the local administration is axing trees planted on state land on the direction of High Court and the administration including Tehsildar Bandipora is portraying it as restoring the state land. “No encroachment is being removed by admin as they are hand in glove with encroachers. To deceive the high court and concerned minister, local administration is staging a Drama of encroachment drives,” locals said.
After Court directions on popular trees, Minister for Rural Development had issued strict instructions to the officials to axe the popular trees and also to deal with encroachers with iron fist. However locals in Bandipora say the administration is act selectively and not removing encroachments which affects the common people.
Locals said the fire gaps in Bandipora market have been encroached by influential people but the local administration act as mute spectator. “The Bandipora market had planned fire gaps and paths but all have ben encroached and DC Bandipora and Tehsilar Bandipora turn blind eye towards it instead use dozers against poor people,” said Ali Mohammad Meer.
Residents also complained that an important Nallahs of the town-Jinder Koel in Ward -06 has been encroached at many places but admin act a mute spectator. “The canal is irrigating hundreds of acres of agricultural land but has turned into a small drain owing to encroachments,” they added.
Meanwhile civil society members in Ajas alleged that “some influential people including top government officers have encroached the state land in Ajas while concerned revenue authorities are ignoring this despite receiving several representations against it.”
The activists alleged that the revenue officials were helping their “favorites to encroach upon government land. Land grabbing in Ajas area is rampant despite the High Court instructions to get the land vacated from those who hold it illegally.” They said that despite the High Court orders to remove encroachments, local revenue authorities have provided free hand for people to “grab the state land.” The land mafia due to the official patronage has grabbed the land of many village in Ajas tehsil.
“The racketeers have occupied the land and usurped it due to government patronage even as public pleas have remained unheard,” said a local resident. “Due to the nexus between the land grabbers and government officials in the villages the encroachments have continued without any delay.”
Hundreds Kanals of state land has been encroached and among those involved include an official of the social welfare department and Block Development Officer (BDO), a senior official said.
The Civil society members demanded demolition of structures which have been raised illegally on the government land. “ A BDO has erected a wall on a flood stream which has been constructed using government funds,” said an official.
Chairman of Ajas Civil Society Forum, Kamal-ud-Din Rather, said, “ Many government agencies including revenue officials are brazenly overlooking the encroachments on state land.” “ Recently a protection wall was raised on the flood stream which resulted in the frequent blockade of water. Despite repeated complaints to the Deputy Commissioner and Tehsildar no action has been taken so far.”
Local residents of Ajas alleged that few politicians are even pressurising officials to go slow against the land grabbers. They threatened that they would be forced to launch the protests in case government fails to act against those who are involved in the incidents of land grab.
Assistant Commissioner Revenue Bandipora Masrat Hasim said that residents should approach his office and “no one will be allowed to encroach the government land.’’ “We will start removing the encroachments at the earliest,” Masrat said.