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| Govt helpless before land mafia? | | | Muhammad Mukaram
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 18: Over the last two decades the increasing land prices across the state have astonished common people. The land prices have surged since the day state government identified land for the construction of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), in South Kashmir's Awantipora, about 30 km from summer capital Srinagar.
Is the state authority paving way for the land sharks to push for sky rocketing prices? The land rates have increased drastically in Awantipora after the government announced state owned land for the establishment of AIIMS.
Notably, the land sharks alone cannot increase land prices without a go ahead from state revenue officials.
However, recently the local landowners in Awantipora said, after the government has examining the land for premium medical facility in the area, the land prices surged within days of the announcement. "Buyers from not just the valley but across the state are showing interest to buy land in the catchment area where the institute is proposed," a local landowner said.
A local resident, who owns a restaurant close to Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) campus, says he is frequented by visitors enquiring about the availability of land in the area. The local landowners claim that interested parties are willing to pay desired rates for the land which was valued at Rs 50000 to Rs 1 Lakh per Kanal.
"Due to the likelihood of setting up of AIIMS in the locality, we are now receiving offers more than Rs 30 Lakh for the same land," a landowner, who owns more than 5 kanal land near the proposed site, said.
The locals claim that many land sharks in nexus with influential people increased the land price thirty times than the actual price in the area.
The government is yet to fix the prices of land in the area. With the announcement, Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, admitted the hike in prices was 'expected'. "It has become a prime location due to the already existing University campus and being on the National Highway, however, this hike is unprecedented," Deputy Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said ensuring action against land mafia.
The average price of one kanal land in rural areas has surpassed the uptown Srinagar is estimated above Rs 1 crore. Due to lack of regulation by the authorities, the land prices in Kashmir especially in and around Srinagar have already skyrocketed within a decade, locals claim. "The land in Srinagar city has touched sky high and if not regulated, the same will happen in Awantipora and will only be controlled by land mafia," a local shares.
A senior police official posted in South Kashmir told Early Times that it is not only because of Land Mafia but lack of mechanism in the State Govt to monitor or regulate the land rates. "The government has not prescribed land rates anywhere which is being exploited by vested interests," he said. The official, wishing anonymity, said that the deals take place between two individuals, who have reached an understanding, which cannot be regulated.
Despite repeated attempts revenue Minister, could not be reached. |
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