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SMC facilitating Illegal constructions
Hotels being constructed in flood zones ?
10/23/2016 10:42:08 PM

Early Times Report

Srinagar, Oct 23: Ahead of his retirement, the Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is busy facilitating all kinds of illegal constructions across various areas of Srinagar city for obvious reasons. SMC staff is a mute spectator over illegal construction of some hotels and guest houses in Kursoo Rajbagh near the Jehlum banks which is a flood prone area.
Details available with Early Times reveal that as many as 7 to 8 buildings are under construction near Modern hospital road & Child care school in Kursoo Rajbagh. The SMC officials are reluctant to dismantle these illegal structures which have come up on encroached land and happen to be a flood prone area as river Jehlum flows through this area.
Pertinent to mention that Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has failed to make the details of consultancy fee paid to several consultants public inspite the orders from the State Information Commission (SIC) which had given directions to SMC for making this information public.
The State Information Commission (SIC) in its landmark judgment had directed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) in June this year to make information about payment of consultancy fees to various people especially architects, draftsmen public. SIC in addition to it has directed the SMC to make bylaws and other related documents public as well. Early Times had filed a detailed report on the issue earlier.
One Bilqis Sidiq R/O Shivpora Srinagar filed Second Appeal before State Information Commission (SIC) on 29.02.2016 which was admitted after completion of deficiency on 16.05.2016. According to appeal, Bilqis had filed an RTI application before SMC which was received in the office of SMC under receipt No.8582 dated 10.10.2015. The application was not replied within stipulated time. Thereafter, in response to another application dated 16.11.2015, the Secretary SMC vide letter dated 27.11.2015 advised her to approach Government Press for obtaining copies of Bye Laws when this was readily available with the SMC. That Para 2nd (III) and (IV) points of the application were not replied satisfactorily being incomplete and irrelevant to the subject. RTI appellant Bilqis alleges that in response to First Appeal filed on 09.12.2015, she was informed vide letter dated 26.12.2015 to appear before Commissioner SMC who is also the First Appellate Authority (FAA) on 14.01.2016. However, no information was provided to her.
Appellant Bilqis further submitted before SIC that in pursuance to letter of PIO SMC dated 27.11.2016, she filed an application in Government Press, who vide letter dated 19.01.2016 conveyed that no such Bye laws have been received for publication in the State Gazette. It is clear that PIO SMC mislead her and denied to give information sought. The appellant requested the Commission through her 2nd appeal to intervene into the matter with direction to concerned officials to provide her information sought. Hilal Ahmad Dewani, PIO/Secretary SMC, Mudasir Ahmad Banday APIO SMC and Mohammad Sidiq father of appellant (Bilqis) had attended the hearing at Commission's office in Srinagar on June 9th 2016.
PIO SMC had sought assistance of Assistant Secretary (General) SMC under Section 5(4) of the Act on 14.10.2015. Thereafter, the appellant was informed by PIO vide letter dated 27.11.2015 informing her that copies of By-Laws can be had from J&K Government Press. Appellant submitted that she approached the Government Press for By-Laws who informed vide letter dated 19.01.2016 that no Bye-Laws of 2011 has been received by their Department for publication in the State Gazettee.
Not only Rajbagh , SMC officials have taken huge bribes from people for facilitating illegal constructions in other parts of Srinagar. The SMC officials take undue advantage of ongoing unrest and claim they can't act against the violators, but actually they are the real culprits in this whole dirty game.
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