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| Former Minister digs Jhelum banks for security barrack | | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 2: Even as Governor NN Vohra has asked the administration to act with iron hands against illegal constructions, a former minister is getting more floors constructed in an illegal building to accommodate his security guards, who otherwise had to live inside his palatial house at Sheikh Bagh here.
After the fast-track construction of the ground floor with cement slab during the first week of Governor's rule, the construction of the first floor has also been completed, even though Revenue officials said it was sheer encroachment of the government land and "misuse of power".
As per the insiders, the politician minister did not anymore want to provide accommodation to his security persons inside his palatial house, and thus got a concrete building constructed outside, on the banks of Jhelum. Insiders said his family had reservations that why should "Police Walas live inside our palace?"
The construction, as per insiders, started with the "deep digging" of the Jhelum banks, which are already fragile after the devastating floods of September 2014. "Basically he (former minister) wanted to construct multi-storeyed structure and thus the banks of the river had to be dug up deep for stability of the structure and strong foundation," said the engineers associated with the work.
Interestingly, the first floor of the "barrack" outside the house of this PDP leader was constructed when the state was mourning the demise of late Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. "Such politicians don't even mind taking advantage of condolences. He got the construction work geared up when the state was mourning, only to take advantage of the chaos," said an insider in know of the matter.
The close aides of this politician however said he was not getting the building constructed. "Police is doing this all," they said.
A police official clarified that the construction was not any bunker but "barrack" constructed for accommodation of the security people. "Roadside bunkers are temporary structures, mostly made of sandbags or iron plates but this is a concrete building constructed with the objective to provide long term accommodation to security forces as he didn't want to continue to provide them accommodation inside," a police official pleading anonymity said. "The bunker will be constructed on the top of the building, once the work on floors below is completed" he said.
The engineers in the Flood Control Department confirmed that the construction was illegal and that it has weakened the banks of Jhelum. "Lal Chowk and adjoining areas have become more prone to floods due to this construction as the strength of the bund has weakened due to illegal digging," an Assistant Executive Engineer told Early Times.
He, however, said the matter was swept under the carpets only due to political pressures. "Our engineers who tried to initiate action were threatened of dire consequences in the form in transfer to far off places, so we thought better to stay silent," the officials said.
When contacted the Chief Engineer Flood Control Department Javaid Ahmed Jaffer admitted "the concrete construction was illegal" and encroachment of government land.
"We had tried to convince police (that it was illegal and in violation of the High court orders) but they said it was a requirement," the Chief Engineer told Early Times.
The Chief Engineer however said the construction "cannot be justified." Despite repeated attempts the former minister could not be contacted for comments. |
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