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| 100 illegal commercial structures under construction in Srinagar | | Admn helpless before Ministers, Politicians | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Sept 21: At least 100 illegal commercial complexes are under construction in Srinagar amid allegations that the Housing Ministry headed by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh is under influence of the ruling PDP to allow such constructions.
As the illegal constructions are going unabated, the authorities concerned like the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) have been looking the other way.
Sources said PWD Minister Altaf Bukhari, who is also MLA Amira Kadal, virtually runs the affairs of the SMC and SDA, the two agencies that are supposed to keep track of construction activities in this summer capital of the State.
"Nirmal Singh has virtually given a freehand to the PDP people to run the affairs while Bukhari is our virtual boss with regard to developments in Srinagar," said an official in the Housing and Durban Department, pleading anonymity.
He said Bukhari has become more powerful after the transfer of Tufail Matto who last month was removed as SMC Commissioner and attached with the Industries Department, five months after his posting as the SMC chief.
Presently, the illegal constructions are coming up brazenly even on the main roads and bye pass. Multi-storied complexes have been constructed in Jawahar Nagar, where officially commercial constructions stand banned, while a huge mall is coming up near the Batamaloo bus terminal.
Sources said the violations are so brazen that right outside the Raj Bagh police station, a commercial complex is coming up on the main road only because of political intervention and undue favour to an influential family.
"As per the norms, the building had to be 120 feet from the centre of the main road, but it is being allowed to come up with zero distance from the main road only because an illegal building permission was granted," said some Raj Bagh residents who demanded a probe into the matter.
The residents said Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed should personally look into the illegal constructions being allowed by his ministers particularly Bukhari who wants to be the "power center in Srinagar". "He is ruining Srinagar for his personal interests and doesn't listen to us," said the residents living in the vicinity of Raj Bagh police station.
While at places political intervention plays the main role to facilitate illegal constructions, at other places corruption rules the roost. "On the Nowgam Hyderpora bypass, for example, the SMC and SDA are allowing construction of illegal commercial complexes for obvious reasons," said a social activist, adding that even though the matter was brought into the notice of the concerned including Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, no action was taken.
"Corruption is so high that illegal complexes are being constructed just next to the Police Control Room Batamaloo and adjoining Dood Ganga spill channel," said some local residents. They alleged that an official of SMC was minting money from the illegal constructions. The allegedly tainted official had been given the charge of the building inspections.
Housing Minister Nirmal Singh has been saying that "send me a detail of illegal constructions and I will look into the matter." Singh refutes that there was any interference from PDP into his Ministry.
The SMC officials said the complaints were being looked into but failed to give any convincing reply.
Meanwhile, the people have appealed Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to order a probe into large scale corruption and other irregularities being allowed by some corrupt officials in the administration including SMC and SDA. |
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